Wednesday, December 09, 2015

Headstone Dedication for our Civil War Grandfather, George W. Caseman

My summer road travels took me back to my old Kentucky home and some family I haven’t seen in over 50 years. 

Corporal George W. Caseman and his second wife, Eliza Ellen Moore, are buried in unmarked graves at Clarksburg Cemetery in Lewis County, Kentucky.  His son, George E. Caseman, has a marked grave in this cemetery.  My Kentucky sister, Janie Nute-Thomas, and I were able to obtain a new granite headstone for a Civil War great grandfather through the Veterans Administration.


Clarksburg Cemetery, Lewis County, Kentucky

We held a touching full military ceremony with the help of Kentucky Sons of Union Civil War Veterans, complete with honor guard, firing salute, presentation of flag to next of kin, and taps.   John Kalbfleish and John Mills from the Kentucky Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War travelled from Lexington to assist with the memorial.



Sergeant Allen Dillow, Ret. USAF, receiving flag from Commander John Kalbfleish, Kentucky Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

The flag went to our Vietnam veteran cousin, Air Force Master Sergeant Allen Dillow - we are like two peas in a pod - and he tried hard not to show he was tearing up at receiving the flag. Even more cool, we had a good crowd of descendants from our Civil War guy who came for the dedication, some of whom lived in the same town and didn't know they were related. Never underestimate the power of blood kin, especially Kentucky kin.



First row, left to right:  Katharine Dixon, MD, Brodie Forman, Heather Monteith
Second row:  Janie Nute-Thomas, Kathleen Fannin, Linda Dyer, Bonnie Caseman Hampton, Janice Smith
Back row:  Allen Dillow, Ray Nute, George Howell, Connie Monteith

1 comment:

Janie said...

A nice day to remember.