Fri Nov 20 2009
By JACK PALMER
Nearly a century after his death, a Civil War veteran with descendants in the area has a new memorial stone at Sherwood Cemetery.
The new stone for Francis Marion Carr (known as Marion Carr), who lived at different locations in Defiance after returning from the war, was made possible through the efforts of several local officials.
"This will be his first Veterans Day with a marked gravestone," said Tim Frederick, whose great-great-grandmother was Carr's sister. "Once it was discovered he was eligible for the marker provided by the government as provided by Act of Congress, things fell into place pretty fast."
The happy-ending historical saga began when Frederick was researching family history with the assistance of Melanie Hull at the county records center.
"That's when I realized this Civil War veteran was part of my family tree," said Frederick. "The obituary said he was buried in Sherwood Cemetery, but when I contacted the sexton (Phil Brunner), he said there wasn't any gravestone."
Frederick's next contact turned out to be another wise move -- Tanya Brunner of the county veterans office.
"Tanya was very helpful, she started making phone calls immediately to try to secure a bronze gravesite marker. She said he was eligible as a U.S. veteran for the government to pay for his stone."
The paperwork was completed and the stone was purchased and engraved within only a few months. It was placed into the ground in August.
"We also worked through the Delaware Township trustees," said Frederick. "They were very generous and cooperative. They allowed us to place the stone in the soldiers' section at Sherwood Cemetery.
"I want to say thanks to everyone that helped make this happen," he added. "It was a pleasure to work with everyone involved."
Carr was born in 1846 in Knox County, but moved to northwest Ohio after his father bought a 147-acre farm in Henry County's Flatrock Township near Florida. He resided in Henry County until age 18, when he enlisted into Company K of the 71st Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. One of his major combat experiences came in the Battle of Nashville in December 1864.
"Marion and his brother, Franklin, were both in the Battle of Nashville," said Frederick. "Franklin earned the Medal of Honor for the recapture of a U.S. Army guidon (a military standard that a company or platoon carries to signify their unit designation) from a Rebel battery (a unit of guns)."
After his discharge Marion Carr returned to the family farm near Florida. In 1870, he moved to Defiance and lived near the Russell Hotel and worked as a planing mill operator at H. Davison and Sons. That same year, he married Margaret Mores and together they had a son, Alonzo, born in 1878.
"Marion lived at various other locations in Defiance," said Frederick. "According to old directory records, he lived at 509 Ottawa Ave. in 1892-93, 206 Summit St. in 1897-99 and at 519 Ralston Ave. in 1912-13."
Carr was killed in 1913 when he was hit by a Cincinnati Northern train near the Sherwood depot. He was buried without a marker in Sherwood Cemetery as an indigent soldier.
"It's a shame that so many veterans do not even have a headstone," said Frederick. "They served our country and they deserve it.
"But I do think today's Americans are doing a better job of recognizing our veterans," he added. "We just have to keep it up."
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