A Civil War gravestone dedication will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 19, at Maplewood Cemetery in Hopkins Township.
The Hopkins Chapter of the FFA and the Gen. Benjamin Pritchard Camp 20, Department of Michigan, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War will be hosts for an event to honor 10 Civil War soldiers who have received 10 new military gravestones.
John R. Keith from the Sons of the Union Veterans, said, “Over the past five years or so we have replaced or put a gravestones on 10 Civil War veterans in this cemetery. This could not have been accomplished without Hopkins own Lee Dale (Pete) Arnsman. He is the real reason a gravestone is on every Civil War veterans grave in Hopkins Township, Allegan County!
“We at the Hopkins Chapter of the FFA and the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War are honored to host this event for local heroes of this areas past! These men could have been your neighbors over 150 years ago.”
Arnsman pointed out that 259 veterans from all American wars since the War of 1812 are buried in Maplewood.
“When honoring these soldiers of wars long ago, we are also honoring every American veteran, past and present, wartime or peacetime, also those on active duty,” Keith said. “Come and help us honor our local heroes of yesterday all the way to our heroes of today and those in the future!”
Maplewood Cemetery is located in Hopkins Township, Allegan County on the corner of 130th Avenue and 17th Street.
For more information, call Comer Skinner: 269-225-9152 or email or call John R. Keith PCC : 269-720-5251.hardtackcw(a)aoI.com, e-mails are preferred.