The two I honor on Memorial Day

This week was Memorial Day here in America. What once started out as a day in honoring those who had lost their life in war has become more of a Kick-Off to summer event. Traditionally people visit and decorate the graves of loved ones while typically volunteers will set out flags on each soldier’s grave in national cemeteries. At our own rural cemetery flags are set out along the road.

The custom of honoring your ancestors by cleaning and decorating their graves is actually an ancient tradition, but the origins of Memorial Day, or Decoration Day as it was originally known as, is not known. In the United States in the years before the Civil War this would typically take place towards the end of summer and families would often have reunions or at least picnics. After the Civil War America needed a patriotic event to help honor those who died while fighting for what they believed in.

Since starting my genealogy search I have found two great grandfathers who died during the Civil War. Both passing at young ages leaving widows and several children.

Jacob H Reber was my 4X great grandfather. He was born in 1835 in Pennsylvania and married Elizabeth Huff around 1854-1855. They would go on to have 5 children together.

• Zacharias Reber - 1855
• Edward Reber (my 3X great grandfather) - 1857
• Charles Reber - 1859
• Agness Reber - 1860
• Alice Reber - 1861

At the age of 26 Jacob mustered in the L1 Pennsylvania Cal on July 30, 1861. He died in the hospital in Aug of 1864 and is buried in Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Dinwiddie Co, VA. 

In 1870 census I found his 4 oldest children in Chester Springs Soldier’s Orphanage School. These schools were opened up around the state for the children of soldiers who had died, or who had been so badly injured they wouldn’t be able to support their families. This particular school was 45 miles away from where Elizabeth lived. Alice appeared to have not went and I believe she might have barely been to young to go at the time. 

I do want to note that Elizabeth had a child Fred Reber in 1871. On all documentation that is found the father is listed as Jacob Reber even though he had died in 1864.

Jacob Reber - Elizabeth Huff
Edward Reber - LaAnda Boman
Susie Reber - Henry Harrison Strong
Dora Strong - Clebert Turner
Gene Turner - Melva Smith
Donna Turner - Larry Immekus
Me

Jonathan N Phillips was my 3X great grandfather. Jonathan was born in 1827 to Nathan and Hannah Phillips in Tennessee. He married Ms. Susannah “Ann” Smith on Christmas Day of 1850 in Franklin Co Missouri. They would have 3 children...

• Nathan Henry Phillips 1852
• Jesse B Phillips 1857
• Emma Thankful Phillips 1862 (my 2X great grandmother)

Jonathan mustered in with the 26th Missouri VOL infantry at Pacific, Mo in December of 1861. He would die of disease in camp of May 1862 and is buried in Shiloh National Cemetery. Susannah had an interesting story and you can read more about her here.

Jonathan Phillips - Susannah Smith
Emma Phillips - George Reed
Lucy Reed - Frank Immekus
Leo Immekus - Laura Faye “Sally” Clary
Larry Immekus - Donna Turner
Me