Interview: Jeffery French talks upcoming Headstone Dedication Ceremony for three Lewis County Civil War Veterans

LOWVILLE- A special headstone dedication ceremony for three Civil War Veterans native to Lewis County will be held Saturday, June 10.

These ceremonies, according to Secretary Treasurer for the Walter H French Camp #17 Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Jeff French, will honor three Civil War Veterans from the Lewis County area. This includes Clark Taft Van Valkenburg, James Nolan, Jr. and Albert Loffler.

Mr. Van Valkenburg and Mr. Loffler did not have a headstone at their resting place, while Mr. Nolan's headstone was broken and laying on the ground, French told us.

"We're dedicating these headstones because these veterans, who gave so much for our country and come from the Lowville and Lewis County area, did not have a headstone to mark their grave," he explained.

"So our organization, the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, we go through and try to locate where all of these Civil War Veterans are buried and then we identify if they have a headstone or not."

It takes a lot of research and dedication while working with the Veterans Affairs Office in achieving a proper headstone for our men and women who served our country, French iterated.

These ceremonies will commence starting at 1:00 p.m., with the first being at Lowville Rural Cemetery and are adapted from the 1917 Grand Army of the Republic Service.

The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Be sure to listen to our latest on-air coverage for more details:

Image via Lowville Rural Cemetery.