Confederate Monuments in WV (Charleston, Parkersburg: 2009, camp, fences)

[Bobilee]

Hi, I've spent some months putting together a list of monuments, which I put on my website
Confederate Monuments of West Virginia (West Virginia - The Other History)
As you can see, it is not just large monuments, but I included graves of General officers, as well as memorials to individuals as long as they were put up by a group. There are also a few graves of noted individuals, such as John Yates Beall. If anyone knows of a monument or notable memorial that I've missed I'd appreciate hearing about it. I've had trouble linking photos to the memorials, a Google technical glitch, but I would eventually like to have photos for all the monuments. Thanks, Bob

[David Kennedy]

Bobilee I wanted to say that individual soldiers graves were marked with a cast iron maltese cross about 16" square and about 1" thick. I have seen a few of these in my wanderings.
A few years ago some fellows were stealing them and turning them in for cash at the junkyards...got them a ticket to the slammer...robbing graves!

[snorpus]

Bob,

I see an entry for Valley Mountain in Pocahontas County... is that the same as what today is called Camp Allegheny, along the Parkersburg-Staunton Turnpike (today's U.S. 250) ?

[red.ochre]

Charleston
Carriage Trail

[snowshoemtnman]

Camp Allegheny is located on Allegheny Mountain, which is the dividing line between Virginia and WV on US Rt. 250, near Bartow.

Valley Mountain is located near Snowshoe, on the Randolph/Pocahontas County Line, on US 219.

One error I found on the very interesting Confederate Monument website shows the Standing Confederate Monument located in Mingo County. Actually, that monument is located in the Village of Mingo, in Southern Randolph County just off of US Rt. 219. The monument is located on Mingo Flats Road, about 3/4 mile from the Mingo Indian statue. I will attempt to upload a current picture of that monument later today.

[Bobilee]

Thanks everyone. Red.ochre, may I borrow that photo of the Spy Memorial for the website? And thank you snowshoemtnman for the correction, that is very much appreciated, and any photos would be of help. I've been working on this for some months and it was very difficult, there is no single source and I have been wearing Google out with my searches. Yes, David, it doesn't surprise me that people steal grave markers, that has been a growing problem for the past 20 years. Sometimes entire iron fences and statues are taken, either for the antique market or for scrap metal, a number of the thieves are junkies trying to fund their habit. Although there is also the high-end graveyard thief, here in Philly they were stealing Tiffany windows from mausoleums in Laurel Hill Cemetery and selling them to collectors in Japan.
A very well known art historian was finally caught as the ring leader.

[red.ochre]

Originally Posted by Bobilee

. . may I borrow that photo of the Spy Memorial for the website?

Help yourself.

[snowshoemtnman]

Hope this works. This is the Mingo Confederate Soldier, located on Mingo Flats Road, in southern Randolph County, WV, near the Village of Mingo.

[snowshoemtnman]

I forgot to add, that I personally took these pictures today, and they are available for anyone's use.

[red.ochre]

Originally Posted by red.ochre

Help yourself.

KANAWHA RIFLEMEN'S MEMORIAL PARK, between 1578 and 1596 E. Kanawha Blvd., was deeded to Charleston for a burying ground by Joseph Ruffner, who bought the site of Charleston from the Clendenins and 'became Proprietor of this bottom.' The only indications, however, that the ground was once a cemetery are two graves of the Ruffner family. A slab indicates the grave of Elizabeth, wife of Daniel Ruffner, while Joseph Ruffner and his wife, Anna, are buried in a stone tomb above ground. Both markers are weather-beaten and defaced and the inscriptions are barely legible. The broad green, now a city park, is shaded by tall trees and overlooks the Kanawha River. In the center of the plot, well back from the street, is a white marble monument, inset with a bronze plaque commemorating the Kanawha Riflemen, a military organization in Kanawha County during the War between the States. The monument is dedicated to those who served in the Confederate Army, including 'William Armstead, colored cook, faithful during the war.'
-- West Virginia, A Guide to the Mountain State, 1941
West Virginia: a guide to the ... - Google Books