On Independence Day, four veterans – George Carrigan, Ralph Tapia, Dean Morgan and Walt Beardslee – from the Honor Guard of the Glenn A. Warner Post 1371 conducted a wreath laying ceremony on the 124th anniversary of the Tioga County Soldiers and Sailors Civil War Monument on the south lawn of the Tioga County Courthouse.
Four veterans who had just marched in the Candor Fourth of July Parade came to the Courthouse Square in Owego last Saturday at noon to lay a wreath to remember the 124th anniversary of the Tioga County Soldiers and Sailors Civil War Monument.
Placing a wreath at the base of the 50-foot high monument of 100 tons of granite from the famous Barre, Vermont quarries were veterans George Carrigan, Ralph Tapia, Dean Morgan, and Walt Beardslee from the Glenn A. Warner Post 1371 Veterans of Foreign Wars Honor Guard.
Back on July 4, 1891, over 25,000 came to Owego for the unveiling and dedication of the Tioga County Civil War Monument and Memorial that says, “Tioga County To Her Heroes Who Fought and Her Martyrs Who Fell That The Union Might Live.”
Orators included Tioga County’s noted sons, U.S. House of Representatives Senator Thomas Collier Platt, Secretary of the Navy Benjamin F. Tracy and General Isaac S. Catlin.
In 1900 the cast iron canons were installed. By mistake they were mounted upside down, standing on the “vents” instead of the upright position.
Credit an Independence Day morning posting by Adam Austin Arnold on Facebook in Memories of Owego for remembering the anniversary. He referenced a copy of the Owego Times of July 5, 1891, with an account of the historic event.
The memorial faces the Court Street Bridge and is in front of the Tioga County Veterans Memorial that honors fallen heroes of World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, and all who served their country.
Readers are invited to research and reproduce their information on the Tioga County Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Send or email data to Glenn A. Warner Post 1371 Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Day Chairman Jim Raftis, jraftis2@stny.rr.com.
Tioga County Historian Emma Sedor researched and wrote an account in the book, “Seasons of Change,” the Tioga County Book written for the Bicentennial.
The reason for the background information request is to prepare for and possibly hold a mini ceremony soon to belatedly mark the 124th anniversary and to prepare and call attention to the 125th on July 4, 2016.
