A Typical Decoration Day 1886

Memorial Day, formerly known as Decoration Day

A TYPICAL DECORATION DAY 1886
Abstracted from the 29 May 1886 Steubenville Herald Newpaper

If you have the opportunity to read this article in it's entirety or ones in your local library, you will realize how our ancestors celebrated the flag and our Nation's Veterans. They were very aware of the freedom these men gave through their sacrifice.

MAY FLOWERS STREWN OVER THE GRAVES OF DEAD HEROES - MAY 29, 1886

Memorial Day dawned bright and beautiful and to those who took part in the march and the decorating exercises, the weather was all that could have been desired. Large numbers of people went out to the Union Cemetery in the early morning taking lunch baskets and flowers with them, and spent the day in the beautiful city of the dead, and at 2 o'clock when the procession arrived several thousand people had gathered in the cemetery to take part in and witness the ceremonies of decoration. . . . .

(Sixth ward drum corps, 13 pieces, F. M. Stanton Post, G. A. R. [Grand Army of the Republic] Carriage containing the Orator of the day, Rev. J. A. Thrapp and Chaplain Rev. F. N. Brown, School children with flowers, G. A. R. flower wagon, beautifully decorated, Carriages containing the Ladies Auxilary, Carriages containing crippled soldiers, Citizens in carriages, Fire Department, Reliance and Phoenix engines and hose carriages, handsomely decorated)

"Names of Soldiers Buried in the Cemeteries Whose Graves Were Decorated": Mr. B. D. Worthington of Stanton Post, has, at great labor, compiled a complete list of soldiers whose remains are interred in the cemeteries of this city, together with the regiment and company in which they belonged, the date of death, nationality and rank, the plat of burial and other valuable information, from whose list we are enabled to present the names of those whose graves were decorated today. The list includes not only soldiers of the Rebellion, but heroes of the War of 1812 and the Mexican War. They are as follows: