I contribute yearly to the Honor Roll Project of Heather Wilkinson Rojo – the purpose is to photograph and transcribe Veteran names for family research. Heather’s Blog can be found at http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/…/would-you-like-to-c…
Oct. 26, 2014: Soldier’s Memorial Gateway Memorial
SOLDIER’S MEMORIAL GATEWAY: BEECHER PARK – NEW HAVEN, CT.
To Commemorate Those Who Enlisted from this Place in the War of 1861-1865
Soldiers Memorial Gateway in Westville, New Haven, Ct.
This memorial monument is of an unusual form known as “exedra” and only one of a few in Connecticut – it was designed by Ferdinand Von Beren. What is also unusual is of the late date of this monument – it was erected and dedicated in 1915. It was the Westville Methodist Church who was responsible for the raising of the money to have the memorial built.
Erected By The Westville Soldiers Memorial Association To Commemorate Those Who Enlisted From This Place In The War of 1861 – 1865
William H. Alden – Henry W. Davis – Charles S. Alling – Luther Davis – Cosmo S. Alling Sereno Davis – Theo R. Andrews – Frank T. Dawson – Elbert W. Ball – Chas H. Dougal – Wm. S. Beecher – Albert Z. Downs – Orrin Beers – Edward S. Downs – John M. Bishop – Wm. P. Downs – Wm. E. Bishop – Leonard Farren – Wm. C. Burgess – Geo W. Farrill – Edward Carrigan – David Ford – Frank Carroll – John Goulding – Eugene Cook – William Hartley – Wm. H. Cowap – Hubert S. Holbrook – Bronson S. Davis – Wm. L. Hopkins
Erected By The Westville Soldiers Memorial Association To Commemorate Those Who Enlisted From This Place In The War of 1861 – 1865
Frank D. Hotchkiss – Charles Hurlburt – Willis Isbell – George S. Johnson – Gurnsey Johnson – George D. Kay – Walter Kay – George H. LaForge – John N. Leonard – Wm. G. Martin – Patrick McKenzie – Henry Monk – John Myers – Richard Palmer – Edwin Rawson – Henry Rawson – John Rawson – Wm. H. Rawson – Daniel Soovill – Silas W. Seward – Chas A. Smith – John R. Spencer – Lewis F. Spencer – Alfred N. Sperry – Edward M. Sperry -Jared L. Sperry – Robert T. Sperry – Thomas C. Strong – Sherman D. Taylor – George M. White – John Williams – John N. Wilmarth – Henry S. Peck
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This monument may well be the only one in the state built of trap rock; the use of trap rock and concrete suggests their limited budget at the time. The same stone was also used for the foundation of a nearby church in the area, which I believe to be St. Aedan’s Catholic School on Fountain St.
The monument faces the intersection of Whalley Avenue and Philip Street at the Southeast corner of Beecher Park and serves as an entrance way to the park. The trap rock pillars bear raised panels of the Seal of Connecticut and the United States – the Connecticut seal faces North – the United States seal faces South.
This monument archway commemorates and honors all men from the community who enlisted to fight in the Civil War.
The entrance way leads to the Donald G. Mitchell Library – which is named after the designer of East Rock Park “Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument” atop East Rock Park, New Haven.
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© 2015, copyright Jeanne Bryan Insalaco; all rights reserved
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