Decoration Day, May 30, 1868, was the first official designation of a Memorial Day service held at Arlington Cemetery in Virginia. Ohio-born President Grant made the official proclamation to honor the more than 5,000 newly dug graves holding the remains of Union soldiers. Other ceremonies had taken place to honor those who had died in the long war, but it was now an official remembrance day after the proclamation.
The speaker at Arlington was General James A. Garfield from Moreland Hills, Ohio. Part of his speech included the words, “There is no better resting place for them than under the shadow of the Capital, saved by their valor.” There are several men from Ashtabula County buried in Arlington.
General John A. “Black Jack” Logan, of the Grand Army of the Republic, made the proclamation of calling the day, “Decoration Day.” The day was to honor the Union soldiers and sailors who had died in the Civil War. Folks would turn out every year to decorate the graves with flowers and flags. A gradual change came in the name of the day and who it was for around the time of World War I and men and women from all wars were honored.
Today, our veterans’ organizations are very faithful to see that the graves of those who were in the service are marked with bronze stars and a flag. I am glad that our schools realize the importance of having their students participate in Memorial Day ceremonies. Their participation, hopefully, will show the students the cost so many have paid so they can be free and living in the freest nation in the world. And, perhaps, they will be inspired to join the service themselves.
The researchers at the Jefferson Historical Society went on a hunt for me to find pictures, news clippings and stories concerning Memorial Day through the years. From their findings, I gleaned photos and stories beginning in the 1930s to present day. The pictures tell a history lesson in Jefferson’s life. The buildings in the background, the people in the photos, as well as the information included tell so much.
In the 1959 Gazette Memorial Day full page of services, Jefferson men who had given their lives in World War I were listed. They were Fred Baylor, Reed March, Robert Moses and James Watson. Jefferson men who had died in World War II were Andrew Brenkus, Mark C. Cummins, Louis Liebrock, August Miller, Alfred Scofield, John Shore and Carl Swanson.
Two photos show the band, officials, and other organizations down in the valley of Oakdale Cemetery at the bridge. In 1954, Jefferson majorettes, led by Head Drum Majorette Clarene Chambers, bring the band under the direction of Frederick Walker, into Oakdale Cemetery. During that same 1960 parade, the National Guard sent a tank from Company A, Medium Tank Battalion to be displayed for three days in the “Village Park.”
Every year, a wreath was placed at the “Grave of the Unknown Soldier” in Oakdale Cemetery. Often it was placed by the Women’s American Legion Auxiliary. In 1959, Mrs. C.L. Waters placed the wreath on the headstone that reads, “In Memory of Soldiers and Sailors, 1861-1865.” In the same ceremony of 1959, an elected official, unnamed, places a wreath in Oakdale at another war memorial headstone, unidentified.
In 1943, when we were in the midst of World War II, a glass case bearing the names of all Jefferson High School men and women in the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and nurses was made. It is now on display at the Jefferson Historical Society.
The oldest picture I found of a Memorial Day parade is of a crowd standing in front of a group of buildings on East Jefferson Street. The location is where the Jefferson Community Center is today and was taken circa 1900-1910. No other information was given except it was a submitted photo.
I hope you take the time to participate in some way to show your honor for those who gave their lives for their country. It could be a prayer, a parade or simply flying the American Flag! “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” Psalm 33:12
