Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny is a retired American History Teacher from Gettysburg High School. Today she is showing us some of the damaged headstones in Evergreen Cemetery. Here she is standing in front of the damaged stone of Frederick Huber. The Brown Vault is in the right background. This view was taken from the southeast facing northwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny gave us a tour of some Evergreen Cemetery battle damaged headstones. There are five battle damaged headstones in Evergreen Cemetery. Deb showed us three of the damaged headstones, and two others that were dismantled during the battle.
This map of Evergreen Cemetery shows in a yellow/gold/mustard color the locations of the following headstones: Frederick Huber, Esaias Jesse Culp, Sarah and Sallie Jane Maurey, George and Catharine Smyser, and J.B. and Catharine McPherson. Please “click” on the picture to get a closer view.
In this short video clip, Deb explains Frederick Huber’s stone. This view was taken from the southwest facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
Frederick Huber was born on February 12, 1842 (Abraham Lincoln’s 35th Birthday) and died on May 31, 1862. He was born in Pennsylvania. The 1860 census shows that he was “white,” a Medical Student, and that he lived in the same dwelling and was part of the same family with Henry S. Huber, born circa 1815 in Pennsylvania; Priscilla Huber, born circa 1818 in Maryland; John M. Huber, born circa 1844 in Illinois; Emma M. Huber, born circa 1849 in Illinois; Anne L. Huber, born circa 1852 in Pennsylvania; Harry J. Huber, born circa 1855 in Pennsylvania; Marie A. Huber, born circa 1857 in Pennsylvania; Eliza Boyd, born circa 1795 in Pennsylvania. This view was taken from the north facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
While possibly a medical student in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he enlisted as a Sergeant in Company F, 23rd Pennsylvania Infantry on August 2, 1861. This view was taken from the southeast facing northwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
Frederick A. Huber was wounded multiple times during the Battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia (May 31-June 1, 1862) and died of his wounds, either on May 31, 1862, or possibly at the beginning of June, 1862. His last words were, “Tell Dad I died for my country.” He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania on June 13, 1862 at 6:00 PM in Section G, Lot Number 8. Frederick A. Huber was the last Civil War era soldier buried in Evergreen Cemetery who was not charged a fee for his burial permit. After his burial, it was decided not to bury the soldiers from the Gettysburg area for free as had been the custom for the first soldiers buried here. This view was taken from the north facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
When Frederick was to be buried, his mother, Priscilla Huber (the stone to the right, or west, of Frederick’s stone), insisted on opening up his casket so that she could have one last look at him. Her family (Dr. Henry Huber is the stone to the right of Mrs. Huber) attempted to talk her out of seeing the rapidly decomposing body, but she insisted. According to family tradition, she bent down to kiss him one last time, and part of Frederick ended up stuck to her lips. This view was taken from the northeast facing southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
This is the stone of Esaias Jesse Culp. He was born June 13, 1807 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and died on June 7, 1861.
“E. J. Culp” was shown on the 1854 membership roll for the Methodist Episcopal Church, Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania.
Gettysburg Circuit (Methodist) marriage records show that on July 22, 1859, Martha G. Creager (his second wife) of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania, married E. J. Culp of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania.
The 1860 census shows that Esaias Jesse Culp was “white,” a Tailor, and that he lived in the same dwelling and was part of the same family with his wife, Martha G. Creager Culp (1833-), born in Pennsylvania; Anna Eliza Culp (1835-), born in Pennsylvania; Julia A. Culp (1842-), born in Pennsylvania; Charles A. Culp (1860-), born in Pennsylvania. His real estate had did not have a value, and his personal estate had a value of $225. This view was taken from the southeast facing northwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
Here is a video clip of Deb Novotny explaining a little about Esaias Jesse Culp and the condition of the cemetery after the battle. Behind Deb is the fence separating the Soldiers National Cemetery from Evergreen Cemetery. See our post on this Sickles’ Witness Fence on August 12, 2008. This view was taken from the southeast facing northwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
Esaias Jesse Culp is buried to the left of (south of) his first wife, Margaret Ann Culp, who died in 1856. Esaias Jesse Culp (1807-1861) died of “Paralysis” on June 7, 1861 at the age of 53 years, 11 months, and 25 days. He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania on June 9, 1861 at 3:00 PM in Section A, Lot Number 416. The cost of his burial permit was $2.50. This view was taken from the east facing west at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
See our post on the grave of Esaias Jesse Culp on March 18, 2008.
The third stone suffering battle damage that we are showing you today belonged to Sarah and Sallie Jane Maury, the wife and daughter of William Maury. Sallie Jane was born on July 4, 1855. Her mother, Sarah, died on July 20, 1855. Sallie Jane died the next day, July 21, 1855. This view was taken from the southeast facing northwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
In this video, Deb explains this stone belonged to the Maureys, and she would like some help locating the grave of William Maurey. This view was taken from the southeast facing northwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
William E. Maurey was born circa 1829. According to the 1850 census he worked in the carriage making business as a lace weaver. He married Sarah J. Clippinger on September 26, 1854 and lived at 302 Baltimore Street. After the deaths of his wife and daughter, he sold the Baltimore Street property in 1858. By 1860, he was living in Springfield, Tennessee, where he married his second wife, Sue D. Persise. This view was taken from the southeast facing northwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
On November 25, 1861, William Maurey joined the Confederate States Army when he enlisted in Company C of the 49th Tennessee Infantry. He surrendered with his regiment at Fort Donelson, Tennessee in February, 1862, and was a prisoner at Camp Douglas, Illinois. He was promoted to Sergeant, and served with the unit in Mobile, Alabama until at least October, 1863. After this date, the Confederate records do not show any more information about William Maurey. This view was taken from the southeast facing northwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
One of the tombstones that was dismantled during the battle belonged to George and Catharine Smyser. This view was taken from the west facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
Deb explains the reasons that this light colored shaft was dismantled. This view was taken from the west facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
Here is a closeup of the text on the Smyser monument. This view was taken from the west facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
The Smyser monument is located to the left of the large monument to George Swope, the wealthiest person in Gettysburg in 1860. The Swope monument was not in existence at the time of the battle. See our post on the Swope House on March 9, 2008. This view was taken from the west facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
Another light colored shaft that would be dismantled at the time of the battle belonged to J.B. and Catharine McPherson. They were the parents of Edward McPherson, a U.S. Congressman from the area from 1859-1863, and the owner of the McPherson Farm on the west side of town. After he lost his Congressional seat, Edward McPherson would be the Clerk for the U.S. House of Representatives from 1863-1875. This view was taken from the west facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
In this video, Deb explains why the shaft was dismantled during the battle. This view was taken from the west facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.
Here is a closeup of the writing on the McPherson shaft. This view was taken from the west facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, October 20, 2008.