HomeMy WebLinkAboutProject Summary
Kittitas County Historical Society, Inc.
114 E Third Ave
Ellensburg, WA 98926
509.925.3778
www.kchm.org
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February 22, 2021
Kittitas County
Board of Commissioners
205 W 5th Ave., Ste. 108
Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
To the Board of Commissioners:
The Kittitas County Historical Society, Inc. is seeking permission and support for its project to place
three permanent headstones in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery, located at 1900 Brick
Road, Ellensburg. The burials are located in a plot owned by Kittitas County, identified as Lot numbered
148 in Block D (or D-148). The three headstones in question belong to the decedents: Frank M. Henson
(1845-1917) located in D-148-04, Frederick A. Stephens (February 16, 1829-March 6, 1917) located in
D-148-05, and James N. Ferguson (May 7, 1840-February 28, 1918) located in D-148-06.
This project came about through research on Frank M. Henson, who has the distinction of being the
first black individual to reside permanently in Kittitas County. He had been brought to the attention of
museum staff in 2016, and through further research, it was identified he had been a Civil War soldier,
having served in Company C of the 29th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (United State Colored Troops),
November 3, 1864 until November 6, 1865. In preparation for Black History Month 2021 (February),
the City of Ellensburg council partnered with our Museum to do a series of social media postings on
local history related to our community’s black history, which included Frank M. Henson among many
other individuals and events.
In order to provide a complete background on Frank M. Henson, a gravestone picture was needed
since the gravesite was known – but when museum staff arrived onsite, there was not even a marker
to be located. To the immediate right of the identified resting place, two other Civil War soldiers laid
with only temporary markers covering their resting places (for Frederick A. Stephens and James N.
Ferguson). These temporary markers were exactly that, temporary – with the intention that a
permanent marker of granite or marble would be placed. Whether it was due to the circumstances of
World War I or the Spanish Influenza, as both were occurring at the time of the men’s deaths (in 1917
and 1918), these men had been forgotten.
When mentioning these to the City of Ellensburg and museum board members, it was agreed that it
was necessary to place permanent markers upon each individuals’ headstone. The Museum has also
agreed to fund any costs associated with this project, such as setting fees.
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Further research was compiled on Frank M. Henson and the two others resting beside him. Museum
staff reached out to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery staff as well as the Memorial
Products Service program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to identify the next steps. In addition,
we reached out to Johnson & Williams Tribute Center. All three decedents had been Civil War Union
veterans and were permitted a headstone through the Department of Veterans Affairs in respect of
the service given.
As they are eligible to receive a dedicated veteran’s headstone, it will be our best effort to get them a
Civil War Union style headstone with recessed-shield design which will represent the proper time
period and will represent the three adjacent, which are also veterans and members of the Grand Army
of the Republic, a veteran’s organization to which these three decedents also belonged. These would
be similar to the following headstones, which are in place for those resting in half of D-148; identified
as D-148-01 (Garret C. Verneer), D-148-02 (Robert J. Wilson), and D-148-03 (Dan L. Correll).
The IOOF Cemetery, Lot 148 in Block D (or D-148):
Frank M.
Henson Frederick A.
Stephens James N.
Ferguson
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To tell a bit more about these individuals (photographs depict their specific temporary headstone, if
present):
Frank M. Henson was born in Shelby County, Illinois in 1845. At the
age of 19, he enlisted in Company C of the 29th Regiment of the
United States Colored Troops/Infantry (Illinois Infantry) at
Jacksonville, Illinois on November 2, 1864. He mustered out of
service on November 6, 1865 at Brownsville, Texas due to the end of
the war. He arrived in Ellensburgh with his friend John B. Fogarty,
and took to work at Fogarty’s ranch along with the stables of
Clarence S. Palmer. On January 9, 1917, he suffered an aortic
aneurysm and died, and was buried in the IOOF Cemetery. In his
obituary, it was stated, “He was an amiable, honest man and had the respect of all who knew him.”
Frederick A. Stephens had been born on February 16, 1829 in
Philadelphia. During the Mexican War, he served as a fifer
under General Zachary Taylor, 1844-1846. This was an
important role and was noted when he enlisted on February 8,
1864 in Company D of the 8th Ohio Calvary, where he was
assigned the role of bugler. He mustered out on May 25, 1865
at Camp Chase, Ohio due to the end of the war. He had lived in Washington State since April 4, 1907
with his wife Mary Ann, and had worked in Ellensburg as a harness maker. He died on March 6, 1917 as
a result of chronic Bright’s Disease (a historic disease similar to kidney failure) and was buried in the
IOOF Cemetery.
James N. Ferguson was born on May 7, 1840 in Ontario,
Canada and had moved to Pierson, Michigan in his youth.
When he enlisted in Company E of the 10th Michigan
Calvary, he was listed as a farmer. He served 2 years, 2
months, and 21 days, and was discharged on November 11,
1865 in Memphis, Tennessee. He married Mahala Delree
on February 8, 1866 in Michigan and set about a number of
ventures in the Pacific Northwest, often returning to
Michigan. In 1911, he acquired a homestead in Alberta where both of his children resided. Soon after
that, he moved to Ellensburg, where he resided with John S. Coble at the corner of Capital Avenue and
Maple Street. It was there that James N. Ferguson died of a paralytic stroke on February 28, 1918 and
was buried in the IOOF Cemetery.
We would like to get the permission and support of the Kittitas County Board of Commissioners for our
project to place three permanent headstones in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery. It is
important that these individuals who contributed to the building of our community and served their
country are no longer forgotten.
Thank you for your attention and consideration.
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Sincerely,
Sadie Thayer
Museum Director