‘Tales from Pioneers & Soldiers Cemetery’ Archives
“An Intelligent Man, a Good Fellow and a Brave Soldier”
from the series Tales from Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery... Number 238 in a Series By SUE HUNTER WEIR This quote from the Leavenworth Daily Times sums up the life of Alonzo J. Brown, a Civil War veteran, and may be why, when his life was upended by illness, friends and colleagues came to his aid. During the Civil War, Alonzo Brown enlisted in Company G in the 1st Kansas Infantry attaining the rank of captain. He was wounded and mustered out in 1863, but re-enlisted in the 22nd Veteran Reserve Corps where he performed light duty until the War’s end. Although he served in those two units for five years, Brown considered himself as having performed ten years of military service. The undocumented five years most likely refer to unofficial service during an attack on his hometown Lawrence, Kansas. In 1856, William Quantrill, leader of a band of lawless Confederate raiders, attacked the town, known as an anti-slavery stronghold. They killed more than 180 men and [...]
A Few Words Here and There Unlock the Story
from the series Tales from Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery... Number 237 in a Series By SUE HUNTER WEIR Sometimes it only takes a few words to open the door to a much larger story. In the case of Maria Chinn, the words, which appeared in her daughter’s Obituary, were “Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.” Why are they so important? Because Hamilton was a major terminus on the Canadian Underground Railroad. An estimated 30,000-40,000 Blacks settled in Ontario before and during the Civil War. Not all of them had been enslaved but many, perhaps the majority, had been, and it is likely that Maria and her parents were among those who were. Maria’s story is an important one. It is often difficult to find information and documentation for women who had been enslaved. Maria was born in Kentucky on December 18, 1845. Her parents, Isaac Wilson and Sarah Dorsey, were also born in Kentucky but relocated to Canada some time before the end of the Civil War. By 1865, Maria, [...]
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
from the series Tales from Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery... Number 236 in a Series By SUE HUNTER WEIR June 7, 2025. It was a beautiful day in the Neighborhood. It was a day for celebrating the bravery and resilience of four people who endured unimaginable hardship during their lifetimes before they escaped from slavery and ran towards freedom. It was a day for remembering Woodford Anderson, Charles Broden, William Goodridge, and Hester Patterson. In Pursuit of Social JusticeElyse Hill made this event possible. She specializes in African-American Genealogy and wrote the Nomination for the Cemetery’s listing on the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. She was our first speaker and was followed by three other women who have dedicated their lives and careers to the pursuit of social justice: The Honorable Judge LaJune Lange, Deputy Chief Operations Saray Garnett-Hochuli, and County Commissioner Angela Conley, who fight the good fight [...]
