Local veterans install new headstone for Civil War vet

PHILO – An old cemetery on Irish Ridge Road is where Civil War veteran Reuben French was laid to rest alongside family members.

Harry Wilson, a Civil War buff, and his wife, who live nearby, had stopped by the cemetery earlier this year. Wilson noticed French's headstone was split in two and laying on the ground. He propped it back up and set out to find a replacement headstone for the veteran.

"He gave everything he had," Wilson said. "We at least owed it to him to erect a stone that you can read."

Wilson contacted the Veterans Administration in Zanesville and they agreed to supply a new stone. Wilson sent in French's background information and service record and the headstone came in by truck not long after.

Wilson, Kevin Neal and Bill Shubert, all local veterans, reset French's headstone Wednesday.

They incorporated French's old, broken headstone into the cement foundation for the new one. Wilson said they had leftover cement, so the men created a new foundation for another broken stone and propped it up as well.

French enlisted as a private in the 62nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry in December 1861. The 62nd Infantry had two companies, A and F, composed of Muskingum County residents fighting for the Union.

French, a member of Company A, was promoted to full corporal in 1864, then full sergeant in 1865. French mustered out later that year with the consolidation of the 62nd.

The 62nd helped lead an assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina in July 1863 in which it suffered heavy losses. The infantry suffered a combined 150 dead, wounded or missing in the assault.

Until its consolidation in the fall of 1865, the 62nd fought mostly around the Rebel capital of Richmond.

A handful of other Civil War veterans are also buried in the Philo cemetery, which had multiple fallen or soon-to-be-fallen headstones. Some of the stones were unmarked or had been weathered to a point where they were no longer legible.

Wilson said the cemetery was run by the Prescott Baptist Church, which is long gone, as are many of the death records.

"It's probably forgotten," Wilson said.

Wilson first found out about the cemetery, Reuben French and Company A from his 97-year-old mother, whose maiden name was French and she tracked her lineage.

"I thought that would make her happy too if she sees the reset stone," Wilson said.

bparks2@gannett.com

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Twitter: @Bradley_W_Parks