Thursday, December 6, 2012

‬“Confederate Pensioners of Color‭” ‬to be Honored on Dec.‭ ‬8

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND MANAGER‭
500‭ ‬N.‭ ‬Main St.,‭ ‬Room‭ ‬921‭
Monroe,‭ ‬NC‭ ‬28112
Phone‭ (‬704‭)‬283-3810‭ ‬Fax‭ (‬704‭)‬282-0121‭
Staff Contact:‭
Matthew Delk‭ ‬704-283-3656‭
Delkm@co.union.nc.us‭

News Release:

‬“Confederate Pensioners of Color‭” ‬to be Honored on Dec.‭ ‬8

November‭ ‬26,‭ ‬2012,‭ ‬Monroe,‭ ‬NC‭ ‬– The Union County Board of Commissioners on Oct.‭ ‬1‭ ‬passed a resolution proclaiming Saturday,‭ ‬Dec.‭ ‬8‭ ‬as‭ “‬Confederate Pensioners of Color Day‭” ‬in Union County.‭

 A memorial to honor Union County’s‭ ‬10‭ ‬pensioners of color will be dedicated on Dec.‭ ‬8‭ ‬at‭ ‬2‭ ‬p.m.‭ ‬in front of the Confederate Memorial located on the grounds of Union County’s Historic Courthouse.‭

 North Carolina awarded pensions as benefits to qualified Confederate veterans.‭ ‬It wasn’t until the‭ ‬1920s that the state recognized the confederate military service of men of non-white origin who were enslaved and free and began providing them pensions for the remainder of their lives.‭ ‬The‭ “‬Pensioners of Color‭” ‬were honored and respected for their wartime service and were included in many veterans‭’ ‬gatherings and reunions.‭

 Union County’s‭ “‬Pensioners of Color‭” ‬were Wilson Ashcraft,‭ ‬George Cureton,‭ ‬Aaron Perry,‭ ‬Ned Byrd,‭ ‬Hamp Cuthbertson,‭ ‬Jeff Sanders,‭ ‬Wary Clyburn,‭ ‬Mose Fraser,‭ ‬Wyatt Cunningham and Lewis McGill.‭ ‬These men led lives of continued service to their churches,‭ ‬schools and communities.‭ ‬They also engaged in business and trade,‭ ‬started families and left many descendants in Union County.‭

 Several descendants of these men will be present at the memorial dedication as will Civil War re-enactors and guest speakers.‭ ‬One special guest will be Ms.‭ ‬Mattie Rice,‭ ‬the daughter of Wary Clyburn.‭ ‬Clyburn died at the age of‭ ‬90‭ ‬in‭ ‬1930‭ ‬when Ms.‭ ‬Rice was a young child.‭

 For more information about these men,‭ ‬visit the Dickerson Room of the Union County Public Library in Monroe or contact Patricia Poland at‭ ‬704-283-8184‭ ‬ext.‭ ‬224‭ ‬or ppoland@union.lib.nc.us.‭ ‬For questions about the memorial dedication,‭ ‬email the Confederate Pensioners Committee at‭ ‬pensioners1865‭@‬yahoo.com.‭

 The public is invited to attend the dedication ceremony.‭ ‬ .‭ ‬###

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