G.A.R. ROCK/PLAQUE MEMORIAL IS 100 YEARS OLD

As its membership numbers were dwindling, the remaining members of the local Post No. 210 decided to use their funds to erect a memorial to those who served in the Civil War. The Albion Recorder reported on May 15, 1925: "Charles Smith has started the big task of moving a 15-ton granite boulder from the farm of Claude Sebastian, a mile and a half northwest of Albion, to Victory Park, where it will be erected as a G.A.R. memorial. Mr. Smith expects to have the big stone in place by Saturday night. He will avoid transporting it through the business section by going south on Huron St. to Erie, thence west to Ionia, down Ionia to the Haven St. bridge, near the park." Charles A. Smith (1873-1953) was Albion's legendary house mover (see the December 8, 2019 edition of this column for his biography).

A bronze plaque was placed in the center of the rock, which was dedicated on Saturday, July 4, 1925 in a patriotic ceremony. The covering on the stone was unveiled by Willard Durkee, a local Civil War veteran. The Post Commander Isaac Riddick gave the formal dedication and stated as follows: "I dedicate this stone to the memory of the soldiers and sailors of the War of '61-'65. May it inspire such loyalty in the hearts of generations to come as dwelt in the bosoms of their fathers before them." Albion College professor Henry Lee Ewbank then gave the dedicatory address in which he mentioned that "Albion's veterans were involved in many ways in the War. There was an Albion Company of Mechanics and Engineers, a 6th Michigan Infantry, and Albion Union soldiers were fighting from the opening Battle of Bull Run to the surrender to Grant at Appomattox," he stated. Music for the event was played by the Albion City Band. The local American Legion post and the Boy Scouts also helped with for the ceremony.

This rock is easily visible when you enter Victory Park. I went there to take a photograph of the rock and plaque. The text on the plaque reads: "G.A.R. Memorial in memory of U.S. soldiers and sailors. War of 1861-65. Erected by E.W. Hollingsworth Post 210. Department of Michigan. 1925." Unfortunately, the plaque is now very discolored, and really needs to be cleaned and polished to make it look spiffy and readable on its 100th anniversary. Could the City of Albion or some organization take the time and effort to see that this is done?

From our Historical Notebook this week we present photos of the G.A.R. rock and plaque. How many of our readers have taken the time to stop and view this monument in memory of Albion's Civil War veterans?

	Frank Passic — Albion Historian An Albion native and 1971 graduate of Albion High School, Frank Passic has been researching and writing Albion history since 1976. He is the creator of the Albion Historical Notebook, with hundreds of articles appearing weekly in the Morning Star and The Recorder. Frank maintains an extensive personal archive including Riverside Cemetery records, family surname files, genealogies, photographs, city directories, and high school yearbooks. Support his 2026 research at the Historic Albion Michigan Facebook page. Historical Notebook \| From the Archives \| Subject List \| 100 Years Ago \| Alphabetical Index \| Frank Passic Home Page \| Albion History Books \| Contact Frank
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