Decoration Day used to be widely celebrated

Before I cover some of the activities that McCook celebrated for Decoration Day (now Memorial Day), I want to thank everyone that got in touch with me concerning the Franklin home. Even though I have not confirmed it by going to the Courthouse to search records, we all are in accord that the home still stands directly south of Norris Park. It appears to have been altered in some areas but the original footprint still exists, which means that his daughter’s home was the structure that now houses Herman Jones Funeral Home.

Decoration Day in McCook was a big event for years with many articles claiming over 1,000 people participating even back in the late 1800’s. In the May 28, 1909 edition of the McCook Tribune, the mayor of McCook, J. H. Stephens, issued this proclamation: “Monday, May 31, 1909, having been designated for observance as Decoration Day, it is highly desirable that all citizens of McCook appropriately decorate their homes and places of business and that all places of business may be closed from 10 o’clock a.m. to 4 o’clock p.m., in honor of the defenders of our country and in order that the memorial services may be attended by those so desiring. Because of the solemnity of the occasion, it is earnestly recommended that no public amusements may be indulged in.”

The G.A.R. was in charge of the celebrations during the late 1800’s, early 1900’s and those veterans of the Civil War took their duties very seriously. From A. P. Wells in the May 25th, 1900 McCook Tribune came the following assignments: “The committee has selected the following young ladies to solicit and gather flowers for Decoration Day. They are requested to meet in the office of H.H. Berry at 8 a.m., May 30th: Belle Odell for West McCook; Nora Stroud for South McCook; Kate Garrard, Vernie Franklin, Susie LeHew, Vergie Ludwick, Ethel Pope, Ona Hendricks, Clara Thorgrimson, Sara Hartman, Edna Yarger, Mae Hileman, Lillian Burnett, Blanche McCarl, Kate Sawyer, Lucille Hedges, Lizzie Anton, Lona Steinmetz. The members of the City Council and civic societies are cordially invited to participate in these activities.”

The names of the soldiers whose graves were decorated appeared in the June 2, 1910 Tribune: “Detachments from the post and corps decorated the graves of the departed soldiers as follows: David Keithly, Smith Cordon, Marion B. Brown, Charles Turner, Chester Ward, J. B. Farnsworth, Charles Fox, W. N. Johnson, J. R. McCabe, Lyman Miller, John D. Gerver, Josiah B. Roshong, Peter Groves, A. W. Schaeffer, Moses Battershall, C. L. Nettleton, William M. Irwin, Willard Matthews, Elias H. Conrad, W. H. Benjamin, Charles Walker, Ewin Farnsworth, Henry Walker, Thomas J. Pate, A. P. Wells, Andrew Phillips, John Williams, Dr. A. J. Thomas, Daniel Clemmons, William Huber, Sr., Leroy Rolfe, R. R. Stewart, Confederate, Albert Hamilton, son of a veteran.” (Note that they decorated the graves of everyone who had fought, including a Confederate soldier that many probably had fought against. The healing of the nation from the Civil War had begun.)

Posted at the Genealogy Library, 110 West C, Suite M-3 is a full newspaper page from the McCook Daily Gazette that lists all knows veterans in Red Willow County at that time. Included in our library are newspaper clippings from World War II, the men registering for the draft for World War I, a Dundy County book on veterans and many other items including all the obituaries from the newspaper and funeral cards starting at the very earliest days through 2016. Join us for help with your family research every Wednesday from 1 pm – 4 pm.