‘Tales from Pioneers & Soldiers Cemetery’ Archives
Personal histories tied to industrial histories: “Wee Scotty,” James Stewart McLaren succumbed to pertussis
This marker illustrates that James Stewart McLaren”'s parents loved their first-born son and how much they loved the country where they had been born and which they left in order to build new lives in the United States. James”' marker is one of a kind here and under a large tree by several smaller markers that have carved lambs resting on top, the style of marker for most graves of babies and young children. James”' marker is tall with a loving cup on top of a three and a-half foot pedestal. James”' name, birth and death dates are carved on the base with the “love of homeland” words, “Wee Scotty.” By Sue Hunter Weir All that it takes is one look at his grave marker to understand how much James Stewart McLaren”'s parents loved their first-born son. The marker also reveals how much they loved the country where they had been born and which they left in order to build new lives in the United States. James”' marker is unusual [...]
Van and Emma Tyler: Wars”' indelible scar: Soldier”'s Heart” or Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder
Van Tyler served and survived in the Civil War, but succombed to the “enemy within,” Soldier”'s Heart. By Sue Hunter Weir Emma Tyler thought that her husband was going to kill her. He”'d said so, and she believed him. So on the morning of Saturday, October 14, 1893, she went to see Minneapolis”' Chief of Police to get help. She told the chief that her husband had been stalking and threatening her. Chief Vernon Smith sent her away after promising her that “Barking dogs don”'t bite.” He was wrong. At one o”'clock that afternoon, Van Tyler fired three shots at his wife with a 22-calibre revolver. Two of the bullets struck her. He then turned the gun on himself. Emma Tyler survived the assault but her husband did not. Vincent “Van” Tyler was a Civil War veteran and, according to his military papers, he was steady and reliable. He enlisted in Company C of the 20th Iowa Volunteer Infantry on August 12, 1862. He was [...]
Whoops they did it again”¦
99.9% surety is that the person beneath the headstone pictured to the right, the Order for which is pictured above, is not the person named because he lived until 1914 and died in California. Notice the 2nd column from the right where typing spells “U.S. Colored Regiment Infantry.” Neither Milo Palmer nor Jesse Palmer was Colored. But they were, as always, White Officers in a Colored Regimen. The Headstone also identifies the buried as a member of CO. C 65 U.S. CLD. INF Curiously Milo Palmer is listed in Civil War records as having been in three different Cavalries and one Infantry. By TIMOTHY McCALL, Guest Author Whoops they did it again”¦Over the years, many attempts have been made to identify and place markers on the graves of the veterans buried in Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery, especially in the 1930s and 1940s. In general, this wasn”'t a difficult task, due to the fact that the original owners, the Layman family, kept [...]
