Longmeadow's Memorial Day Celebration 99 Years Ago!

Memorial Boulder
on the Longmeadow Town Green

In 1922 Memorial Day was celebrated on Tuesday, May 30th.  This Memorial Day in Longmeadow, MA was a special celebration, because following the parade the Memorial Boulder on the Town Green was unveiled and dedicated.  Maj.Gen. Clarence R. Edwards was the invited guest speaker to address the large crowd that had gathered.  He had been the commander of the 26th (Yankee) Division in France in the "World war" (WWI).  The Memorial Boulder was a 16 ton granite boulder that had been donated by Mrs. Joseph Wesson with the aid of her son-in-law Flynt Lincoln (of 161 Forest Glen Road).  A bronze plaque located on the boulder was inscribed with the names of Longmeadow town residents who lost their lives in earlier wars and WWI, in addition to those who served during WWI.

Longmeadow Town Green- ca. 1925
Source: Longmeadow Historical Society

After the dedication and honored speakers were finished, the guests were led into the Longmeadow Cemetery to pay their respects to the brave soldiers.  In the cemetery George A. Beal was honored.  This young man was the first soldier from Longmeadow, MA who died during WWI.  He died a few months after enlisting.  There were a total of three Longmeadow men that made the ultimate sacrifice during World War I.  They were George A. Beal, R. S. McNair and Albert T. Wood.

 
Sources: Through The Lens Longmeadow Into The New Century 1890- 1920 by Judy and Jim Moran,  Springfield Republican- Jun 3, 1918, May 31, 1922, Arkansas Gazette- Feb 15, 1931 and Springfield Union-  May 25, 1959. 

~Written by Judy Moran