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The Frankford Civil War Memorial Project

The Frankford Civil War Memorial Project was a project that came about because a group wanted to make sure that all the Civil War veterans in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia who were in unmarked graves receive a VA headstone. The headstones are provided free from the VA but it costs about $250 per veteran to have the cemetery set the stone. So the project was to look for individuals or groups to ‘adopt’ a vet. Thanks to the employees of Stonemor Partners, parent company of Aftercareplanning.com, the final soldier of the 33, Isaac Elmer Hersey will receive his headstone.

Information on this project is below.

The Frankford Civil War Memorial Project
Cedar Hill Cemetery
Cheltenham & Frankford Aves.
Philadelphia, PA
The original stones of the 33 veterans have succumbed to the elements over the past century and are in need of replacement. Only a few pieces of the originals remain. We have undertaken the project to replace all 33 stones so that these veterans may rest, assured that they will not be forgotten. Although this project has been a dream for well over 20 years, it has finally come to fruition only in the past 18 months.

Over that period, we have done extensive research to verify each and every veteran through military and pension records, census records, obituaries, marriage and death certificates and whatever other records were necessary to document each veteran. Over this course, we have not only documented each man, we also learned who they were, how and where they lived, what they did for a living, where they were born and died and how they spent the post-war. All are Civil War veterans with the exception of 2, one whom served port-war and one War of 1812 veteran.

Although the Veterans Administration provides the stone at no cost, there is the cost of installing each stone. The total cost was $8250 or $250 per stone which included, setting the foundation and the stone. All this money has been raised to date by donations and sponsorships of the veterans by many individuals and groups. We would like to thank all those that contributed monies to this noble cause.

To date, the stones are on order and are awaiting delivery and installation. Once they are installed, we will set a date for the grand dedication of these stones. We are planning a large ceremony with hundreds of re-enactors and people from all the groups and individuals involved along with political and business leaders and the media. Our goal is to provide awareness to the community of this monument and to help procure even more funding for the complete restoration of the monument itself. The base of the monument was repaired and stabilized a few years ago, but the obelisk is in dire shape of restoration. Only through contributions can this be achieved.

After contacting The Frankford Civil War Memorial Project, they said there was only one soldier left of the original 33 who had not found a sponsor until StoneMor Partners, parent company of Aftercareplanning.com. Here is the soldier’s story.

ISAAC ELMER HERSEY _ Co. A 6th Mass. Infantry Militia

Isaac Elmer Hersey was born on Feb. 1, 1838. He was raised on a farm in Abington MA, the only son, and eldest of Isaac and Olive Hersey’s four children. Abington’s primary industry during the 19th and early 20th century was the manufacture of boots and shoes and her factories would provide nearly one half of the Union Army’s footwear during the War. Wanting a different experience, Isaac moved to Boston as a young man and was working as a clerk when he enlisted in the 6th Massachusetts Infantry Militia. He was described as 5’ 8” tall with dark hair, blue eyes, and a dark complexion when mustered as a Corporal in Co. A on July 15, 1864.The 6th Mass Militia already had a venerable reputation from its 2 previous campaigns. The recruiting office for the Company was at the Tremont Temple, a Baptist church in Boston. The patriotic appeals of the pastor helped spark enlistments and the Company’s ranks were filled in just 48hrs. In deference to the church’s involvement, the company chose to call themselves the Temple Guards. When their service expired, they returned to Boston, where they were mustered-out.
Isaac had spent time during his service in the Philadelphia area; guarding confederate prisoners on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River. After the war he returned to Philadelphia and in the 1879 Philadelphia directory he’s listed as a clerk, living on Melrose Street. He never married and sometime in the spring of 1880, he became ill with smallpox which had no cure. Isaac was taken to the Municipal Hospital, on Hart Lane, and died there on May 15, 1880 at 42 years old.
He was buried the next day in the Soldier’s Circle at Cedar Hill Cemetery where he remains today in an unmarked grave.