History of the Frankfort Cemetery

T ABL E O F CON T E N T S P re fac e Chapte r 1 Th e I nc o rpo rati o n R e p o rt o f L eg i sl ati ve C o mmitte e S tate M o num ent ’ Th eo do re O H ara Chapte r 2 L o ts P u rchased by S tate R evo luti o n ary S o ldi e rs an d Oth ers B u ri e d in S tate L o t Chapte r 3 Othe r P ro min ent P e o pl e B u r i e d at F rank fo rt Chapter 4 Th e N a e s an d L o catio o f N o te P eo e Offi c es H e b m n d pl , ld y T e or Ot e r I c e t o rt o f N o t h m , h n id n s W hy e S umm ary o f N ati o n al an d S tate Offi c ers Th e N at ra S ce e r o f G ro s & c u l n y und , . Chapte r 5 R evo lutio nary S o ldi e r s Th e W ar o f 1 81 2- 1 81 5 S o ldi ers o f M ex i can W ar C o nfe d e rate S o ldi e rs o f Civ il W ar F e d e ral S o ldi ers o f Civ il W ar S p ani sh -A m eri can W ar S oldi e rs o f Wo r ld W ar T r u ste es o f C e m ete ry C o mp any P R E F A C E We cherish the memory of the soldiers who gave their lives to the service of this country and who have thus secured for their nati ve State an honored name among the states of the Nation . We rej oice that so many of the officers and men who won lasting fame for Kentucky during the wars in which this t republic has been engaged , and who laid down heir lives in the ' ’ n defe se of their country , have been removed to the State s a the be utiful necropolis , and that they now rest in bosom of their native State and their bodies have become a p art of the i earth for which they gave their l ves . We rej oice that our fathers have preserved in granite and marble the names of wh o r those men fell in the defense of this count y , and by so ’ doing they testified to the world their regard for Kentucky s gallant dead . We are also proud of those great Kentuckians “ whose virtues and faithful service in civil life are lamps unto i ” . i our feet and l ghts unto our path Their purity of life , the r wisdom and their patriotism make their dust the most sacred heritage of a patriotic people . All a the n tions of the earth have honored , and have striven to perpetuate , the memory of their great and good . The a Jews c rried with them the bones of Joseph , their benefactor, i a during the r w nderings through the wilderness , while in search of the Promised Land . The pyramids of Egypt are monuments a to the great men of an e rly civilization . The ceremonies over the remains of the departed and the manner of disposing of the dead have differed among different. a nations , but all n tions have rendered homage to , and have d t an honored in some way , their epar ed heroes , d no people have ever arisen to power or greatness who have not striven the to perpetuate memory of their great men and women . No n natio , whether barbarian or civilized , has failed to show some 6 PREF ACE a o f m rks respect and honor for their distinguished dead . We are told that the barbarians turned aside the course of a river i n C A a order that their hieftain , l ric , might be buried in the the wvateiz eh an ed i a ai n bed of the river , and g g to its natural a a course so th t no foe could desecr te the grave of their hero . Eor h alf a century the people of Kentucky searched for a “ secure an d perm anent place -i n which to deposit the ashes of r their loved and hono ed dead . Their efforts were finally , rewarded an d the . i deal place W hich is now used for that pur u i n 1 845 pose was sec red the year . I t is eminently proper that the mortal remains of these disti n guished men should be gathered fr om all parts of the a a fin d - a a e rth , and th t they should last resting pl ce in Ken ’ ” s I Y THE D A s a tucky C T OF E D , which overlook the c pitol of the St ate : n Ou r fathers have erected here the monumental " colum n s upon whi ch have. been inscribed the names and deeds ’ of Kentucky s noted sons , in order that their children in all e m ma m a h tim to co e y ke their pilgrimage to t is holy shrine , as did the knights of old to the Holy L and ;th at they may re ad the ' ' History of TCen tu cky as it has been carved - i n marble and “ T he X granite . pens of enophon and Herodotus , of Livy and m i al m Tacitus , have ade mmort the na es of Greek and Roman , ' who deserv e l ess x fro m posterity than do many of the great men wh n o s i n h - n o o w leep t e ecr polis of this Commonwealth . h as m hi cem eterv her Kentucky ade t s temple of honor , and t he mortal remai ns of her g re at men have been’ gathered th e a n d an d from State Nation from foreign countries , until these groun ds h ave become the Very Resting Pl ace of Honor h WV s n s r A T e e tm i te bbey of this Commonwealth . They wh o c o n cei ved the ide a; of collecting into th is cem e ’ tery the ashes of Ke n tucky s distinguished dead conferred a l a t u o wh o am t sting benefi p n those c e after them , in tha it pre sented to their minds those conspicuous examples of p atriot ism and virtue whi ch are worthy of emulation . The coming gene ra tions of th i s Co mmo n wealth will regard a burial in the State Cemetery at Frankfort as t he most distinguished h onor ' which : c . v t can be onferred upon their dead , and they will co e such honor as did th e English Capt ain who said to his men ashe went PRE FA CE into battle , Now then for a victory or a tomb in Westminster A W e n a h as bbey . k ow not wh t the future in store for us bu om the B e we know that we are g g the way of all earth , that vond the dim unknown standeth God within the shadow , keep ” ing watch above his own . When we think of the so -called death of our gre at and a a cou n sci ou sn ess good , we h ve that men like these never die ; death to them is but a circumstance in their existence . We have a consciousness of their immortality that they are still with u s ‘ in spirit ; they revisit the scenes of their earthly activity and k s i W e commune with indred pir ts . believe that in a brighter and better world we shall meet and know them ; that they will all h live again ; yes , t at they do now live , for there is no death . “ There i s no death but Angel forms ’ W alk o er the earth wi th silent tread ; y a The bear our best loved things way , A n d then we call them dead . Bu t ever near u s though unseen Their dear immortal spirits tread For all the boundless universe ” T e — h s lif t ere are no dead . Th Au thor e . KENTUCKY’S NECROPOLI S A I CH PTER . A I T H E I NCORPOR T ON . The Frankfort or S tate Cemetery was incorporated by Act K en tu ck l u F 27th 1 844 . of the v Legis at re , approved ebruary , f A The incorporators were Edmund H . Taylor , . G . Hodges , A : VVi n ate . Henry g , Mason Brown , Jacob Swigert, P Co t Act B . l . Phi ip Swigert , Orlando rown and M R S ealey ) The provided that seven truste es sho u ld be elected by the share five holders , once every y ears . The proceeds of the sale of lots and all money that came to the corporation from any other source should be applied , first , to the reimbursement of those who had made ad vancements for the original outlay and pur chase ; and whatever should be paid afterwards , for all time to he come , should used to ornament and improve the grounds d fra l was and e v incidenta expenses .

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