LeMars Globe-Post
January 11, 1937

FINISHES LARGE PIECE OF WORK
R. M. Neubrand Has Registered All War Veterans
Graves

After three years of untiring work, R. M. Neubrand, Spanish-
American war veteran, has completed one of the largest pieces of
work in Plymouth county; the registration of all graves of all
war veterans in peace and war time service.

In the winter of 1933 and 1934 the work was started by the commander
of the American Legion, Ed Tentinger, as a CWA project.
The work was started late and only three days a week were allowed,
and Francis Condon, who served in Company C, 347th infantry
in the world war and Robert M. Neubrand, who served in
Company I 33rd Michigan volunteer infantry in the Spanish war,
worked on the project until the CWA was discontinued.

There was so much to be done, such as getting the dates of
death and war record, lot and block name of cemetery where
veterans were buried, that it could not be completed in the
time allowed, so the work was carried on by Mr. Neubrand and
by the help of the soldiers' relief of Plymouth county. The members
are Mr. Neubrand, chairman; L. L. Burrill, vice chairman,
of Akron; and Jacob G. Koenig, secretary, Le Mars.

After recording all graves, the men found so many unmarked
graves that they went forward to get headstones. There has
been ordered and set so far 84 head stones in the county, the
work being done by the unemployed. The stones were set according
to government regulations, in a cement base 18 by 30 inches
and 25 inches above the ground, with service marker included. A
total of 59 old stones were reset, making a total of 143 markers
set by unemployed veterans, under the direction of Mr. Neubrand.

In making this record, files of the LeMars Sentinel were used,
dating back to as far as 1874. The files of The Globe-Post and
of the Akron Register-Tribune were also used in compiling this
military record of all veterans. Mr. Neubrand went through these
files page for page and now has a military record of 75 per cent
of all veterans buried in this county.

It was found that 418 veterans of all wars are buried in Plymouth
county.

In the Le Mars cemeteries, City, St. Joseph and St. James
and in Grant township there are 211 graves, as follows: 159 G. A.
R.; 41 World War; 7 Spanish American war; four who served
in peace time; one who served on the Canadian frontier in 1830;
three Mexican war veterans; one confederate veteran, and one Indian
war veteran. At this time the county was divided, and the
local post was given the above four cemeteries.

The first veteran to serve in any military service was Col. J.
F. Scribner, buried in the City cemetery, who served on the
Canadian frontier in 1830. He volunteered for service and was
made a colonel, the title he carried through life.

The next three war veterans were Thomas Stokes, born June
18, 1825, in Dublin, Ireland. He served in the Mexican war and
enlisted in New York. The other was Gregory C. Croston, born
December 14, 1818, in County Cork, Ireland. He enlisted in
the Mexican war in 1852, and served in the Sante Fe battalion.
He also re-enlisted in the Civil war in company B of the Second
Missouri cavalry. He died August 4, 1900. The third Mexican
war veteran was Christ Bauerly, born December 24, 1819, in Fehbach,
Germany. He enlisted February 13, 1847, and was discharged
Feb. 13. 1852. He re-enlisted in the Civil War July 14, 1863,
as corporal of Co. E, 20th Iowa Infantry.

The next conflict was the Indian war. Veteran Radnor Clifton Earl was
born February 17, 1847, and was massacred by the Sioux Indians
while defending his father on August 18, 1862.

The only Confederate veteran buried in Plymouth county, rests
in the City cemetery. He is Dr. C. J. Hackett, born in Louisa
county, Virginia, and served on the staff of Col. A. P. Hill, Confederate
army. After 40 years this grave was located and a government
stone erected. He died Nov. 20, 1896, and the stone was
erected just 40 years later.

The first G. A. R. veteran buried in Le Mars was Joseph Foster,
who died August 12, 1871, before the cemetery was organized.

The oldest G. A. R. grave to be marked was that of Elias
Meade, who was buried January 3, 1873, in the Le Mars cemetery.

Louis E. Brick is the first Spanish-American war veteran to
be buried in this county. He died in Jacksonville, Fla., Sept. 1,
1898, and is buried in the LeMars cemetery.

The first world war man buried in this county was Henry
Schrooten, jr., who is buried in Stanton township. He died at
Camp Hancock, Augusta, Ga., in March 1918.

Rinehart Hillrich was the first World war man of this county
to die in France. He is buried in the Preston township cemetery
and died Feb. 5, 1918.

There are buried in Plymouth county 18 World war veterans,
who died in France or England or on board ship on the way over.

In the original G. A. R. plot in Le Mars, 14 veterans are buried
and the following have head stones: Wesley Armfield, J. B.
Mandeville, David Tucker, S. H. Woolworth, J. Gottleb Balsinger
and Henry Darville. If the military record can be found, stones
will be placed on the following graves: Christ F. Brietmiller,
Daniel Tooker, E. Slocum, Sidney Nash, C. Messiche, E. Higley,
J. H. Gandy and E. Clay. Owen Murphy is buried in St. James
cemetery. These are the only graves that do not have government
markers or monuments, but all have service markers. If anyone
knows the military record of these men, and date of death,
stones can be obtained and placed on the graves by calling the American
legion commander, W. R. McKay or Mr. Neubrand.

Mr. Neubrand supplied each post of the county with a record
sheet for all veterans buried in their cemeteries, which gives the
military record, date of death, lot and block number the veteran is
buried in. The soldiers' relief office of the county also has a record
of this.

All the records were recorded in the office of County Recorder
Marie Jahn, and she should be commended on the splendid piece
of work she has compiled for the county. This record is also recorded
in Des Moines.

The following cemeteries have have been assigned to the different
posts:

Akron: Preston township cemetery, Westfield town and St. Joseph’s
Catholic cemeterv, Akron. There are 53 G. A. R, 14 World
war; 1 Spanish-American and 1 peace time graves, or a total of
69 graves. The first G. A. R. veteran buried in Akron is James
Biddlecomb, died Sept, 19, 1887. Last G. A. R. buried in Akron,
Uriah B, Keniston, died April 18, 1935.

Kingsley: St. Michael, Elkhorn township and Union township.
There are 37 G. A. R.; 14 World War, or a total of 51 graves.

Merrill: Catholic cemetery, town cemetery, Adaville and St.
Paul’s Johnson township. 15 G. A. R; 13 World War: 3 Spanish-
American; 1 peace time service or a total of 32 graves.

Remsen: City cemetery, St. Mary's, St, Catherine's, Oyens.
Five G. A. R.; 15 World War; 1 peace time service; 3 buried at
Oyens, or a total of 24 graves.

Hinton: Lincoln township, Lutheran and Catholic cemeteries,
Floyd Valley, Hungerford, Liberty. 14 G.A.R.; 10 World War;
1 peace time service or total of 25 graves.

The largest family to serve in the Civil War that Mr. Neubrand
has a record of is a man named Merchant, who with 11 sons served
their country. Mr, Neubrand doubted this statement when he
heard it, but after going through the files of the LeMars papers,
the year 1879 gave the sons' records as follows:

S, W. Merchant, lieutenant, Co.
C, 74lh Illinois

Abel L. Merchant company C,
15th Illinois, died in service.

Dewitt Merchant Co, C, 15th
Illinois killed July 22, 1864.

Enoch Merchant, corporal, Co.
B, 15th Illinois. Discharged on
Sept. 20, 1865.

David O. Merchant, Co. C, 74th
Illinois, discharged June 10,
1865.

Silas B. Merchant, lieutenant,
Co. G, 44th Illinois, resigned in
1864.

Arlo J. Merchant, Co. G, 44th
Illinois, discharged Dee. 24, 1864.

Louis M. Merchant, Co. G., 55th
Illinois, discharged Dec. 26, 1864.

Aron Merchant, Co. G, 15th
Wisconsin, killed Dec. 26, 1862.

James B. Merchant, teamster
quartermaster corps.

Norman M. Merchant, Battery
B, 4th artillery, who enlisted at
the age of 11 years.

The mother asked for a discharge of the eleventh son, and it was granted
by Geo. W. McCreary, secretary of war, on Feb. 20, 1879, after she
had petitioned the war department, saying she already had 10
sons serving in the army. The letter received by Mrs. Merchant
praised her for her patriotism, which was later recorded in the
files of the Le Mars papers. This family was from Butler county,
Iowa, where the petition was presented by Cong. N. C. Derirng.
David O. Merchant, of this family, is buried in the Le Mars City
cemetery. The stepfather of these boys also served in the war of
the rebellion.

In compiling this report, Mr. Neubrand stated that he wished
to thank the Legion men at Remsen, and especially Grant Case,
of Kingsley; Elmer Young, of Hinton; M. G. Irwin, Merrill, and
L. L. Burrill, of Akron, for their support given him in making the report.