Due to unfortunate circumstances, the Memorial Day ceremonies planned for May 27th, 2024 have had to be postponed.
Memorial Day was formerly known as Decoration Day when families would visit the graves of their loved ones and honor those who have served our country. Both heroes and those unknown, we use this day to recognize their contributions. Young, old, black, white, and even those who were foreign-born, they answered the call and gave the ultimate sacrifice to make this day possible. As we place our flags and our memorials to their lives, let us not forget their stories.
In St. Charles County, Missouri, Smith Chapel Cemetery is a small cemetery on one-third of the one-acre parcel of land, that was established in 1871, by several African American families, along with the Smith Chapel A.M.E. Church, and a schoolhouse named Douglass. The cemetery, though small, is filled with stories. At least six of the 115 graves that are located there are veterans of the U.S. Colored Troops who served in the Union in the Civil War. And as at least half of those were freedom seekers, who defied their enslavers and risked their lives, to enlist and serve in the Union Army. And, because of this, Smith Chapel Cemetery is now listed on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. This National Parks program lists over 750 sites across our country that “consists of sites, locations with a verifiable connection to the Underground Railroad; programs, with educational and interpretive programs that pertain to the Underground Railroad; and facilities, either research, educational or interpretive centers.” Today we honor Smith Ball, Martin Boyd, and Benjamin Oglesby, as we honor all our heroes this Memorial Day.
On Sunday, February 28, 1864, thirty-one-year-old Smith Ball made his way from one end of St. Charles to the other, about 25 miles, and to freedom. The Ball farm was located at Flint Hill, also in Cuivre Township, a community just over seven miles east of Snow Hill, today’s Foristell. He would muster in at Benton Barracks in St. Louis like hundreds of other troops and serve in Company B of the 68th US. Colored Troops. He was one of the original Trustees of Smith Chapel and is buried there.
On October 31, 1864, freedom seeker Martin Boyd, left the 300-acre plantation of Alexander Boyd and tried to make his way to George Senden’s store on Main Street in St. Charles, only to make seven miles to the Peruque Creek Fort at the Missouri Railroad Bridge. Nearly caught, the young man was anxious to serve in the Union Army. He would serve in Company B of the 49th United States Colored Troops, until March 22, 1866. Boyd was also a Trustee of Smith Chapel and is buried there.
On November 14, Benjamin Oglesby and several other St. Charles County slaves left their owners and enlisted in the U. S. Colored Troops at George Senden’s store on Main Street, in what was known as “the Rendezvous”. This was part of the Union Army’s campaign in 1864 to recruit Missouri’s fugitives, refugees, and contraband into the Union’s ranks. That day it also netted over 30 men and freedom seekers from the nearby Hopewell Baptist Church. Oglesby was formally mustered into Company D as a Private of the 56th Infantry of the Union’s U.S. Colored Troops, at Benton Barracks. Unlike over 175 fellow soldiers from the 56th, Oglesby would return to his wife and family, and be buried at Smith Chapel. His son-in-law, Jackson Luckett was also one of the original trustees, that would build the Douglass schoolhouse for their children.
The 56th U.S.C.T. would see action in expeditions that took them from Helena, Arkansas up the White River to Friar’s Point, Mississippi. They had post and garrison duty at Helena, Arkansas till February of 1865. After the war ended, they continued to have duty at Helena till September 1866, when they assisted the local families, who were Quakers, build Southland University. The entire regiment was finally completely mustered out on September 15, 1866. The Regiment lost four Officers and twenty-one enlisted men who were killed or mortally wounded, and they lost two Officers and 647 Enlisted men by disease.” Many of those died going home, like George [Granville] Abington, (ancestor of another George Abington, his namesake) who was buried first at Quarantine Island and then moved to Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. For more about the 56th USCT see https://www.facebook.com/56USCT online.
Let us not forget the true meaning of this day, and the hardships and sacrifices of those who have served our country, in peacetime and in war, and allow us to celebrate their lives. For more about the National Underground Railroad see https://www.nps.gov/subjects/undergroundrailroad/network-to-freedom.htm for more information. Douglass Schoolhouse is now located in St. Charles County Parks and is also on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
Smith Chapel Cemetery also has a Facebook Page we urge you to follow: https://www.facebook.com/Smithchapelcemetery/
Smith Chapel Cemetery 