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Remains of nearly 30 Civil War veterans found in a funeral home's storage are laid to rest
For some reason, the AP didn't get around to sending this story out until now. The funeral services in the articles were conducted in August and mid-October.
The AP has an odd photo format, so I got the picture from here:
https://www.wfmj.com/story/51738396/remains-of-nearly-30-civil-war-veterans-found-in-a-funeral-homes-storage-are-laid-to-rest
U.S. News
Remains of nearly 30 Civil War veterans found in a funeral home’s storage are laid to rest
1 of 4 | In this photo provided by The Valley Breeze, Civil War re-enactors participate in ceremonies during funeral services Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, for the burial of the cremated remains of Byron R. Johnson, a Union soldier who was born in Pawtucket, R.I. in 1844 and fought in the Civil War, during funeral services, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, at Oak Grove Cemetery, in Pawtucket, after his remains were transferred from storage at a cemetery in Seattle. (Charles Lawrence/The Valley Breeze via AP)
By MICHAEL CASEY
Updated 4:18 PM EST, November 4, 2024
PAWTUCKET, R.I. (AP) — For several decades, the cremated remains of more than two dozen American Civil War veterans languished in storage facilities at a funeral home and cemetery in Seattle.
The simple copper and cardboard urns gathering dust on shelves only had the name of each of the 28 soldiers — but nothing linking them to the Civil War. Still, that was enough for an organization dedicated to locating, identifying and interring the remains of unclaimed veterans to conclude over several years that they were all Union soldiers deserving of a burial service with military honors.
“It’s amazing that they were still there and we found them,” said Tom Keating, the Washington state coordinator for the Missing In America Project, which turned to a team of volunteers to confirm their war service through genealogical research. “It’s something long overdue. These people have been waiting a long time for a burial.”
Most of the veterans were buried in August at Washington’s Tahoma National Cemetery — along with the remains of some of the 31 Civil War spouses also found in the same storage facilities.
{snip}
MICHAEL CASEY
Casey writes about the environment, housing and inequality for The Associated Press. He lives in Boston.
https://twitter.com/mcasey1
mcasey@ap.org
Remains of nearly 30 Civil War veterans found in a funeral home’s storage are laid to rest
1 of 4 | In this photo provided by The Valley Breeze, Civil War re-enactors participate in ceremonies during funeral services Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, for the burial of the cremated remains of Byron R. Johnson, a Union soldier who was born in Pawtucket, R.I. in 1844 and fought in the Civil War, during funeral services, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, at Oak Grove Cemetery, in Pawtucket, after his remains were transferred from storage at a cemetery in Seattle. (Charles Lawrence/The Valley Breeze via AP)
By MICHAEL CASEY
Updated 4:18 PM EST, November 4, 2024
PAWTUCKET, R.I. (AP) — For several decades, the cremated remains of more than two dozen American Civil War veterans languished in storage facilities at a funeral home and cemetery in Seattle.
The simple copper and cardboard urns gathering dust on shelves only had the name of each of the 28 soldiers — but nothing linking them to the Civil War. Still, that was enough for an organization dedicated to locating, identifying and interring the remains of unclaimed veterans to conclude over several years that they were all Union soldiers deserving of a burial service with military honors.
“It’s amazing that they were still there and we found them,” said Tom Keating, the Washington state coordinator for the Missing In America Project, which turned to a team of volunteers to confirm their war service through genealogical research. “It’s something long overdue. These people have been waiting a long time for a burial.”
Most of the veterans were buried in August at Washington’s Tahoma National Cemetery — along with the remains of some of the 31 Civil War spouses also found in the same storage facilities.
{snip}
MICHAEL CASEY
Casey writes about the environment, housing and inequality for The Associated Press. He lives in Boston.
https://twitter.com/mcasey1
mcasey@ap.org