NOTE: A look back at the dedication of the Civil War Monument in Media which is on the front lawn of the County Courthouse. The above picture is looking toward Front St. and Veteran's Square.
CHESTER TIMES – May 9, 1903
SOLDIERS’ AND SAILORS’ MONUMENT UNVEILING AT THE COUNTY SEAT – Media in a Blaze of Color with Patriotic Decorations Today in Honor of the Men Who Faced the Foe in the Days of the Rebellion
The town
of Media is in the hands of the men who fought for freedom and liberty of all
mankind during the crucial period between 1861 and 1863, and the day is theirs
and all the joys and pleasures contained therein, at least as far as the people
of the county seat are concerned. From
an early hour this morning persons from every section began to assemble on the
streets of this pretty resident town.
The business houses and public buildings have been bedecked with flags
and bunting and the place never presented a more patriotic appearance. The colors of the army and navy prevail in
the decorations, while every department of the army and navy is represented in
colors upon the buildings about the town.
All of
this pomp and display is in honor of the unveiling of the handsome monument
which has been erected in the Court House Square in honor of the men and women
of Delaware County who served their county during the dark period of the War of
the Rebellion. Fully eight thousand
persons are expected to be within the confines of the borough when 2 o’clock
arrives, the hour set for the parade.
Some of the best bands in the State are here and will march at the head
of the various organizations. Thomas J.
Dolphin, of Media, is the chief marshal, and John G. Taylor, of Chester, chief
of staff. Following the parade an
interesting program will be given at the monument. A large stand has been erected for the
speakers close to the monument. Captain
Caleb Hoopes, 87 years of age, the oldest living veteran in the county, will
pull the strings which release the veiling from the shaft. He was about the monument yesterday the
greater part of the day and watched the veiling process so as to be ready to do
his part.
THE
ROUTE OF PARADE – The parade will consist of three divisions, military, firemen
and civic societies.
Each
division will be under the command of a marshal and aids, who will be mounted,
and at 2 o’clock, p.m., will form in their designated positions, as hereinafter
prescribed. The commander of each
division will send an aid to report to the Chief of Staff at the corner of
Jackson and Front Streets, as soon as his division is ready to move.
The
column will move promptly at 2:15 p.m., over the following route: Starting at the corner of Jackson and Front,
thence by Jackson to Washington, to Monroe, to Jefferson to Jackson, to
Washington, to South Avenue, to Lincoln, to Orange, to State, to Edgmont,
countermarch on north side of State Street to Orange, to Front, to Monroe, to
Fourth, to Jackson, to Third, to the monument.
On
arrival at entrance to monument the battalion of the Sixth Regiment, N.G.P.,
will halt and allow the Posts of the G.A.R. to pass and enter Court House
Square, who will close enmasse and face south.
The N.G.P. will enter the square from the entrance on Second Street,
close enmasse and face east.
The
formation of the parade will be as follows: Battalion Sixth Regiment, N.G.P., WILL FORM ON
Jackson Street, right resting on Front Street.
Posts of the Grand Army of the Republic will form on Jackson Street, on
left of N.G.P., facing each according to number of Post Veteran Associations will be assigned
positions in line with Posts of G.A.R.
Carriages
containing officers and guests of the G.A.R. will form on Second Street, right
resting on Jackson Street, extending east.
Fire companies will form on Third Street, right resting on Jackson
Street, extending west.
Civic
organizations will form on Second Street, right resting on Jackson Street,
extending west.
The
following distance will be observed in marching: Between divisions, 60 feet; between
organizations, 20 feet.
The
column will march guide left. When the
monument is unveiled, all colors will salute.
The
school children will be taken into the line of parade on countermarch at State
and Jackson Streets, and will march ahead of the G.A.R. to Olive and Front
Streets, where they will leave the line and proceed to the monument.
AT THE
MONUMENT – At the monument the exercises will begin at 3 o’clock, and will be
in the following order: Music, First
Brigade Band, N.G.P.; Invocation, Rev. Dr. David Tully; address of welcome,
Chief Burgess A.G.C. Smith of Media; singing, public school children; music,
First Brigade Band; unveiling, Captain Caleb Hoopes; singing, school children
and audience; presentation, O.B. Dickinson, Esq.; acceptance of monument, John
L. Grim; singing, public school children; music, First Brigade Band; Original
Ode by J. Russell Hayes of Swarthmore College; oration on behalf of the Army,
Hon. Isaac Johnson; music, First Brigade Band; oration on behalf of the Navy to
be supplied, singing, public school children and audience; benediction,
Department Chaplain Rev. John W. Sayers.
There
will be a grand campfire in the Court House, beginning at 7 o’clock in the
evening. The program for this feature of
the occasion will include remarks by well-known persons; good music; singing by
a double quartette of Media, one of its selections to be “The Old Flag Shall
Never Drag the Ground,” and an original ode by Prof. John Russell Hayes, of
Swarthmore College.
The
monument was erected at a cost of $10,000, the money being paid by the County
Commissioners. It is of fine granite
from the Barre quarries in Vermont.
THE
INSCRIPTIONS – Each panel on the inscriptions is in the form of a double
keystone, and all four inscriptions are in raised letters. The main inscription is on the eastern panel
facing Olive Street, and reads as follows:
“IN
Grateful Remembrance
Of the
Soldiers and
Sailors
Of
Delaware County
Who Fought for the
Unity
Of this Republic
This Monument is
Dedicated
That Future Generations
May Cherish the
Principles
Of
Civil and
Religious Liberty.”
The
obverse panel on the western side and nearest to the Court House, contains a
tribute to the women who – whether as nurses in the hospitals or in the equally
responsible role of breadwinners or caretakers of the home, whilst the men of
the household were at the front, are graciously remembered as follows:
“We Honor the
Memory
Of
The Noble and
Patriotic Women
Who aided
The Defenders of
Our Country.”
The southern panel is of all the
most brief yet is pregnant with depth of meaning. It reads:
“Our Country
Will Ever Remember
And Cherish Their
Deeds of Valor”
Equally appropriate for depth of
expression and significance of meaning is the inscription that adorns the northern
panel, facing to Second Street. This
reads:
“Heroes
They Were
From
the Men who
Fell
in Baltimore
To
Those Who Stood
Victorious
at Appomattox.”
STORY OF THE PROJECT – The
movement to have the monument erected was first started several years ago by
Edward Blaine, a comrade of Wilde Post, No. 25, Grand Army of the Republic of
Chester, who was then one of the Board of County Commissioners, at whose
instigation a largely signed petition for the monument was sent to the
authorities at Media.
Early last year Bradbury Post,
No. 149, located at the county seat, took the matter up and appointed a
committee of three, requesting Wilde Post to appoint a like committee to act in
conjunction with them. This was done,
the comrades named from each Post being:
No. 149 – Samuel R. McDowell, Daniel McClintock, and George W. Eachus,
No. 25 – Thomas Lees, Thomas Chambers, and William McGowan. The result of their labors, which is
substantially manifest at the county seat today, reflects the highest credit
upon this committee, not only for the excellence of the work, but for the
remarkable promptness of its accomplishment.
The members of this committee
from Bradbury Post, being residents of Media were delegated by the joint
committee as an executive body because of their ability to be continually upon
the ground to supervise the progress of the project, and each one performed
this duty with commendable faithfulness.
THE JOINT COMMITTEE - Last fall
another joint committee was appointed to attend the arranging for the ceremony
of unveiling the monument. This body is
composed of eighteen members, representing the four Posts of the Grand Army of
the Republic in this county, as follows:
Bradbury Post No. 149, Media – Thomas J. Dolphin, Charles H. Pedrick,
Jesse Darlington, Joseph Pratt, Samuel R. McDowell; Wilde Post No. 25, Chester
– Thomas Lees, William McGowan, John G. Taylor, Lewis J. Smith, Charles K. Melville, General Charles I. Leiper Post No.
639, Norwood – D.W. Crouse, A.E. Leonard, John H. Duffee, W.W. James, Samuel H.
Heacock. John Brown Post No. 194
(colored), Chester – Samuel Cain, Charles Lee, and Benjamin Bayard.
The officers of this committee
are: Thomas J. Dolphin, chairman;
Charles H. Pedrick, secretary; Thomas Lees, treasurer
THE CORNERSTONE – The cornerstone
was laid on October 30, 1902 in the presence of the County Commissioners, Grand
Army men and a number of citizens. A
copper box, eight and one-half inches high, the same width and 18 inches long,
was placed in the southeast corner of the monument. It contained the following:
Certified copy of petition for
monument and its endorsements
Report National Encampment,
G.A.R., 1901
Report Department Encampment,
G.A.R., 1902
Ritual of G.A.R.
Service book of G.A.R.
Rules and regulations of G.A.R.
Charter by-laws and roster of
Wilde Post, No. 25
Charter by-laws and roster of
Bradbury Post, No. 149
Badge of G.A.R.
Button of G.A.R.
Names of 4,724 sailors and
soldiers who enlisted from Delaware County for the War of the Rebellion ’61 to
‘65
List of county officers
Joint Committee from Posts No.
25 and No. 149 to procure erection of monument
Joint Committee from Posts No.
25 and No. 149 to arrange cornerstone
Joint Committee from Posts No.
25 and 149 on unveiling monument.
County papers as follows: Delaware County American Delaware County
Democrat, Delaware County Record Morning Republican, Chester times The
Progress, Weekly Reporter, and Delaware County Advocate
Smull’s Handbook
Flag of the United States
Photographs, as follows: Court House, Home of Incurables, Chester
Hospital, House of Refuge, County Home, Court room with court in session
Manual of Chester City Council
Sample ballot, 1902
Voter’s guide
Holy Bible
World’s Almanac, 1902
Report of Soldiers’ Orphans’
School, 1901
Bylaws of Media R.A. Chapter,
No. 23
Bylaws of Chester Lodge F. and
A. M., No. 236
Hayman Rezon of Pennsylvania
Several United States pennies
and nickels
O.F. Bullard, James H. Worrall, William
A. Seal, Thomas Chambers, Thomas Lees, William McGowan committee, A.V.B. Smith,
adjutant
DECORATIONS ABOUT TOWN – The
Court House is conceded to be decorated the most handsomely of any of the
buildings about town.
May favorable comments were hard
about the decorations on the Charter House
Many of the private dwellings
about the borough displayed flags
The store of Harry P. Engle at
the corner of State and Orange Streets attracted considerable attention.
Fascinating! Thanks for sharing. I wonder if the copper box full of mementos was placed in the concrete of the cornerstone? Is it still there?
ReplyDelete