Honoring Veterans at Ferncliff
Since 1863, Ferncliff Cemetery & Arboretum has been a place of remembrance for the men and women who served our nation. Across our historic veterans sections, monuments and memorials stand in quiet tribute to their courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy.
Veterans Sections
Ferncliff has a number of areas dedicated to our veterans. The Veterans Service Commission of Clark County pays tribute to service men and women by subsidizing the cost of burial space for local veterans within Ferncliff’s veterans sections.
GAR Mound
In 1883, Ferncliff officials began planning the Civil War section of the cemetery with a committee from the local Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Chapter. The centrally-located plot, also referred to as “Indian Mound,” was designated for the project.
The first Civil War veteran, Patrick McKenna (age 23), was interred in the GAR section on November 6, 1864.
The GAR Section is also home to an historic Soldiers Monument. In 1868, Henry Love of Philadelphia was commissioned to create a statue to be featured in the center of the GAR burial mound. An 8-foot bronze statue entitled “Soldier at Rest” was created and was displayed downtown in front of the Springfield courthouse until April 1924 when it, along with two 10-pound Parrott cannons, was moved to Ferncliff.
The soldier faces northward and watches over the 44th OVI (Ohio Volunteer Infantry) who fought valiantly in the war between the states.
The GAR Mound at Ferncliff Cemetery
USCT Monument
Within the GAR Section at Ferncliff is a special monument dedicated to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) who fought for the Union Army during the Civil War. Approximately 179,000 Black soldiers served in the USCT.
The monument was installed in 2020 and stands strong at 8,000 pounds, and is inscribed with the names of the 139 USCT Soldiers who are interred at Ferncliff. This tribute was a collaboration between Gammon House Inc. and Ferncliff.
WWI Section
Located in Section R, the first veteran who was interred in the WWI section was Meredith Holley (age 28) on March 5, 1918.
Also resting in the WWI section is Lieutenant Robert Conway Allen, the first African American to receive the Distinguished Service Cross. This is the second highest military decoration awarded to US Army soldiers, second only to the Medal of Honor. (Note that at that period in our history, African American soldiers were not eligible to receive the Medal of Honor, so the Distinguished Service Cross is the highest decoration that could be bestowed.) He died on May 23, 1961.
WWII & WWII Annex
The World War II and World War II Annex are located in an area reserved for veterans in service since World War II.
Near the WWII and WWII Annex sections is our Veterans War Memorial Park with tablets honoring those who served in the American Revolution, The War of 1812, The American Civil War, The Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, The Korean War, The Vietnam War and the War on Terror.
There is a memorial marker in the WWII Section dedicated to the first Clark County man to die in World War II: Navy Seaman First Class James Richard "Dick" Ward. Ward died during the Pearl Harbor Attack on Dec. 7, 1941. Ward’s remains were identified in 2021 and he is interred in Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C.
The USCT Monument at Ferncliff Cemetery
Annual Veterans Events
Ferncliff Cemetery & Arboretum honors its veterans with two annual events:
- Memorial Day Flag Placement
-
- Every spring, community volunteers help Ferncliff staff place more than 3,200 American Flags on the graves of those buried in the veterans areas. The flags remain in place for a week following Memorial Day.
- Veterans Day Service
- On Veterans Day each year, Ferncliff hosts a Veterans Day Service to honor all veterans. The event takes place at the Veterans War Memorial Park inside Ferncliff, and includes a Presentation of Colors, music, brief remarks and roll call for all veterans interred in the past year.
Volunteers help place flags each Memorial Day.
Learn More About Clark County Veterans
As part of its ongoing tours, Ferncliff offers a Veterans-focused tour and two self-guided tours that highlight the stories of a number of Clark County veterans. Learn more about Veterans-focused tours here.
We thank our veterans for their service, and will continue to share their stories of bravery and sacrifice.
