Veterans, prominent Parsonians featured in second Oakwood tour
Under the theme of “Shades of Honor,” the committee for Historic Oakwood Cemetery Improvements gave a tour that featured 16 former Parsonians who made significant service contributions, including Civil War veterans, former newspaper editors, a Medal of Honor winner and others on Saturday evening.
The tour was put on as part of the ongoing fundraising efforts to make improvements to the cemetery.
“First and foremost, we’re wanting to educate everyone and promote the repairs we want for the cemetery,” said Dave Mattox, a committee member, local historian and owner of Bleacher Gear, who was one of the two tour guides. “There’s a lot of things that need repaired, and that’s what we’re working for. This was an educational deal to get people to come out and see for themselves what’s being done and what needs done.”
“We want people to realize the interesting people and what the background of people that established Parsons are,” said John Cole, another tour guide who also serves on the Historic Oakwood Cemetery Improvements committee.
The hour-and-a-half tour with roughly 100 visitors featured 16 stops at various markers, with Mattox and Cole giving brief biographical information at each stop.
“One of my favorite ones was Peter Hogan,” Mattox said. “He started out as a slave and ended up at Appomattox Courthouse when General (Robert E.) Lee surrendered. I wish I could go back in time and talk to him.”
The tour’s finale was at the markers for three brothers — Robert McClain, David McClain and James McClain. Robert and David died in World War I while James died in 1919 from burns suffered in a house fire.
In 1921, when Robert and David’s bodies were returned to Parsons, over 4,000 people attended the funeral.
The Brown-Bishop Post No. 704, Veterans of Foreign Wars, performed a 21-gun salute at the McClain markers, then Brian and Jerry Cruz performed taps on trumpets.
“We wanted to do something in conjunction with the VFW,” Mattox said. “It all fell into place. It wasn’t just veterans but community service members as well.”
The tour’s ultimate goal was to continue fundraising efforts for renovations at the cemetery. Currently, the Grand Army of the Republic — a fraternal veterans organization for the Union Army during the Civil War — is having its circles at the site repaired.
“We’re doing the thing that’s atop the wish list, which is repairing the G.A.R. circles,” Mattox said. “That’s going on now. We’ve accepted a bid and he’s probably halfway done. They’re just putting the pieces back together. We also have the retaining wall at the entrance being worked on. A cemetery like this with this much acreage, there’s a mile-long list of things that could be done.”
Saturday was the second tour given after last year’s inaugural tour.
“We had a pretty good turnout for 100 degrees,” Mattox said. “It wasn’t the weather we were hoping for. But we had about 80-100 people out here. We take what we can get.”
The 16 stops on Saturday’s tour included:
Peter Hogan, a former slave from Bowling Green, Kentucky, who ran away from the plantation and joined the Union Army in 1861. He became a sharpshooter and was present at Appomattox Courthouse on April 12, 1865, when Gen. Lee surrendered, ending the Civil War. Hogan moved to the newly established city of Parsons in 1871 and died in 1941 at age 98.
Ralph Baker, who served in the Spanish-American War as a bugler and in World War I. During the Spanish-American War, Baker sounded the bugle during the Battle of San Juan Hill for Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, the nickname of the cavalry unit the former president helped command.
Dr. J.M. Kleiser, born in Kentucky and moved to Parsons in 1872, was generous to the poor. He was also a local baseball player who played pitcher and third base. During a game in June 1872, Kleiser was listed in the Sun’s box score as a starting pitcher for a game that Parsons lost, 70-13. Kleiser was listed as a third baseman in later box scores.
C.H. Kimball, a second lieutenant in the 43rd Regiment of Colored Troops for the Union Army during the Civil War. Kimball, who was white and therefore allowed into a position of leadership in the military at the time, came to Parsons in 1872 after receiving a law degree in New York. He became the city attorney for Parsons and maintained a law practice for 35 years. Kimball was also elected as a state senator in 1884 and served until 1892.
Lt. Willis W. Wood, a Civil War veteran and the first person buried in the city of Parsons. Wood’s body was eventually exhumed and moved to Arlington National Cemetery in 1921.
Angell Matthewson, a Civil War veteran for the Union Army and newspaperman who reported on his war adventures with a series of letters. He was present at many major battles during the Civil War, including Gettysburg, and was also present at Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.
Ella Ballard, organizer of the Hannah Jameson chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Parsons in the late 1800s. It was Ballard’s idea to erect stone gates at Oakwood, which cost $640 in 1911.
William Wallace Cranston, a captain for the Union Army during the Civil War, received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Chancellorville. Cranston moved to Parsons in 1882 and was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1888.
Alfred Fairfax, born as a slave in Virginia in 1840, organized a group of slaves who escaped and joined the Union Army in Louisiana. After the Civil War, he was elected to Congress but fled Louisiana for his life. Fairfax moved to Parsons and became the pastor of New Hope Baptist Church. He was the first Black man elected to the Kansas State Legislature and led the fight against segregation and the construction of the Douglass School for Black children. Fairfax currently does not have a marker at Oakwood, which the committee is hoping to rectify.
Almira Cordry, a society reporter and club editor for the Parsons Sun in the early 1900s. She served as the executive secretary of the Labette County Red Cross during World War I, which operated the local canteen for troops passing through Parsons. Cordry wrote over 2,000 letters to servicemen during World War II.
Thomas Coulter served as a jailer and patrolman in Parsons for 31 years, retiring in 1941. He served under 15 different mayors and was one of the first Black men on the Parsons Police Department.
Walter Buel, who came to Parsons in his mid-20s, became the fire chief in town on June 9, 1902. Buel held that post for 45 years and helped move the department from volunteer to paid positions, installed mechanized equipment and saw the town’s population swell from 5,000 to 20,000.
Clyde M. Reed was a former publisher of the Parsons Sun who was later elected governor of Kansas in 1928. Reed later became a U.S. senator in 1938 and was re-elected in 1944. Reed died in 1949 shortly before finishing his second term. Reed is credited with securing the Kansas Ordnance Plant for Parsons at the start of World War II.
Spanish-American War Section; The city set aside space for 48 graves of veterans of the war on April 8, 1935.
World War I and II section; established in 1928, the American Legion purchased lots to be used for World War veterans. The lot is now used for veterans of both world wars as well as the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf Wars. Veterans can petition the city today and be awarded a lot there at no cost.
Robert, David and James McClain, three brothers who fought in World War I. Roberts and David were killed in the Argonne Forest in France and were originally buried in France. James died in 191 after being honorably discharged from the military.
