Memorial For Civil War Soldier

A Seattle woman plans to attend a weekend ceremony at the grave of her great grandfather, who escaped slavery and fought in the Civil War.

Janice Lovelace says that her great grandfather John Crooms is buried at Eastside Cemetery. But his gravesite didn’t have a headstone until recently.

Lovelace says she contacted the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War to see if they could help. By Memorial Day, the organization had a headstone in place for Crooms’ grave.

On Saturday, Lovelace will be in Hutchinson as the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War pay homage to Crooms, who died in Hutchinson on July 3, 1922.

The poem “When the boys in Blue Are Gone” will be read at the ceremony.

Associated Press information from: The Hutchinson News