Newspaper Article of 1942, Cemeteries Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, LA ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Submitted by Evelyn Corbett Cunningham, 9457 E. Montego Lane, Shreveport, LA 71118 E-mail evelyneva@aol.com Lake Charles American Press May 30, 1992 Grave marking unique From the American Press of May 30, 1942 THERE ARE 52 cemeteries in Calcasieu Parish in which sleep dead soldiers. Graves number more than 650 who fought in wars from 1812, Mexican War, War Between the States, Spanish-American and World War. Each grave is marked with a concrete flagstone designating the army in which the soldier served. Calcasieu is the only county in the United States where soldier graves are marked in this way. On Memorial Day of 1917 E.E. Hamand, a Federal soldier; L.C. Dees and G.M. Gossett, Confederate soldiers; and Maj. S.A. Knapp, Mark D. Wentz, J.A. Trotti and L.L. Squires placed flags on the graves. Confederate veterans had located many graves among briar patches, and Mr. Squires remarked that the task of locating and marking graves should be taken over by younger men. He was appointed to take up the work and is grave registration officer of Joe Wheeler Camp No. 1. He began work at once, first in Lake Charles and then in the parish. Lake Charles has seven cemeteries, and there are nine in Ward 3. There are 31 Confederate graves in the Catholic Cemetery, 12 in Bilbo, 17 in the Corporation Graveyard on Moss Street, 20 in Sallier, three in Goos and almost 100 in Orange Grove and Graceland. Graves that had been neglected for 40 years or more have been cleaned, and year after year Mr. Squires continued his work, finding and marking more graves every year. Memorial work was conducted by the Spanish American, Confederate and Federal war veterans up to 1917, but after the World War and the organization of W.B. Williamson Post of the American Legion this body assumed its share of responsibilities and now every patriotic body in the community cooperates in Memorial Day exercises. There are three soldiers'graves of the War of 1812, six of the War of 1812, six of the Mexican War, 425 Confederates, 67 G.A.R., 40 U. S.W.V., and about 150 of World War No. 1, making the approximate total of 691. All cemeteries in the parish are easily accessible by good roads, all have good fences and are clean, and the task of placing flags and flowers by the 1942 Memorial Day Committee will be an easy and pleasant one due to the work of Mr. Squires and the interest he has stimulated in the community. Maj. S. Arthur Knapp, past department commander, United Spanish War Veterans, in reviewing the 25 years'work done by L.L. Squires as chairman of the comniittee in charge of soldiers'graves said: "I do not believe there is a county in the United States where there is a better record or better upkeep of soldiers'graves in all cemeteries than there is in Calcasieu Parish. "For 25 years Mr. Squires has worked in any kind of weather to get the cemeteries cleaned up and the graves marked. This work has been done without compensation. He has not only used his own time but in many cases personal funds were given to accomplish this great work." PHOTO CAPTIONS Miss Aloysia Carter will be valedictorian at the commencement exercises of the Senior Class of Grand Chenier High School. Two Sulphur brothers, Willis B. Gros Sr., 30, in the Army about two months and now stationed at Camp Crowder, Mo., and Kenneth Gros, 18, who is in San Francisco in the United States Marines, are the sons of Mrs. Eullard Moss of Sulphur.