Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

This beautiful statue is near my Granny Lucille's grave.

According to tradition the Indians (Native Americans) used this land as a burying ground and the white settlers began to use it for their dead. The cemetery was founded in 1837 - See more at: http://www.ci.independence.mo.us/parksandrec/Story.aspx?id=1452#sthash.ME5YGyjK.dpuf

I'm intrigued by these statues. I wonder about the untold stories of the men, women, and children buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Independence, Missouri.

These markers were created as sacred memories for children, congressmen, judges, a president's relatives, outlaws, slaves, and both Union and Confederate soldiers.

The American Civil War, also known as the War Between the States, or simply the Civil War, was a civil war fought from 1861 to 1865 in the United States of America. Seven Southern states declared their secession, and formed the Confederate States of America -- the "Confederacy" or the "South."

States that remained in the Union were known as the "Union" or the "North." The war had its origin in the fractious issue of states rights and slavery. Foreign powers did not intervene. After four years of bloody combat that left over 600,000 soldiers dead and destroyed much of the South's infrastructure, the Confederacy collapsed, slavery was abolished, and the difficult Reconstruction, the process of restoring national unity and guaranteeing rights to the freed slaves began.

I was surprised to see Confederate flags in Woodlawn Cemetery. It seems shameful to me to fly a flag that once represented a person's right to own human slaves, but the cemetery decorations and markers are not political. They tell stories that we would be wise to learn from: like Hiram Young's story. He was born in 1815, and died in 1882. Mr. Young was a slave that purchased his freedom for $1,500. He became famous as a wagon builder during the early trail days and westward expansion. He turned his carpentry skills into a successful business of building oxen bows and manufactured wagons. He purchased many slaves from the slave auction block and used them as laborers. He paid them approximately $5 a week and did not treat them as slaves thereby allowing them to work out their own freedom.

Walk with me.

Woodlawn Cemetery

Jackson County, Independence, Missouri

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://www.ci.independence.mo.us/parksandrec/Story.aspx?id=1452

Notable Citizens Buried in Woodlawn Cemetery

My Granny Lucille

Hiram Young (1815-1882)
A slave that purchased his freedom for $1,500. He became famous as a wagon builder during the early trail days and westward expansion. He turned his carpentry skills into a successful business of building oxen bows and manufactured wagons. He purchased many slaves from the slave auction block and used them as laborers. He paid them approximately $5 a week and did not treat them as slaves thereby allowing them to work out their own freedom.

Boyd, John R. (1835-1862)
Civil War Confederate Army Officer. He served during the Civil War as Colonel and commander of the 12th Missouri (CSA) Cavalry regiment. He was killed at the first battle of Independence, Missouri. Plot: Buried next to Brigadier General John Taylor Hughes.

Chiles, James (1802-1863)
Colonel James Chiles was a Senator for the state of Missouri. Great uncle to Harry S. Truman, father of James Crow.

Hughes, John Taylor (1817-1862)
Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. Prior to the Civil War, he was a Colonel of militia and a Missouri State Representative. At the start of the war, he was elected Colonel of the Missouri Guard 1st Regiment and participated in the Battle of Carthage, Wilson's Creek and was wounded in the Siege of Lexington. In the summer of 1862, he returned to Missouri to recruit for the Confederacy and was appointed as either an acting Confederate or Missouri State Guard Brigadier General.

Liddil, James Andrew 'Dick' (1852-1901)
He was with the James Gang (Jessie and Frank James) after the war. He was a secret foe of the James and testified against Frank James at his trial. He was involved in several James Gang train robberies.

Woodson, Samuel Hughes (1815-1881)
US Congresssman.

- See more at: http://www.ci.independence.mo.us/parksandrec /Story.aspx?id=1452#sthash.ME5YGyjK.dpuf

Woodlawn Cemetery Confederate Memorial

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http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=52507

Quantrill's Rangers

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantrill%27s_Raiders

IMAGES

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http://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEVvpmQi5T0B0AkDUPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTBsa3ZzMnBvBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkAw--?_adv_prop=image&fr=yhs-ironsource-fullyhosted_003&va=quantrill%27s+rangers&hspart=ironsource&hsimp=yhs-fullyhosted_003


"SWEET ANGEL: Thy pen hath never traced a dearer name that this. Watch thou over her mortal remains. Her spirit is in Heaven, and her memory lives in the heart of her husband."