Memorial Day, 2025

“Relinquunt Omnia Servare Rem Publicam."

They gave up everything to save the nation

Originally called Decoration Day, the day of remembrance known as Memorial Day was formalized in 1868 to commemorate those lost in the Civil War. It has become the nation’s foremost annual day to mourn and honor its deceased service men and women.

In Norwood, graves of servicemen were decorated by Civil War veterans until the last of these men became too frail to complete the task. Today, the Old Parish Preservation Volunteers, in conjunction with Norwood’s Veterans Department, places flowers and flags on the graves of our earliest veterans – those of the Colonial Wars, Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Civil War.

While Old Parish is the final resting place of sixteen Civil War veterans, there are four memorials honoring soldiers who died during that conflict. We pay particular tribute to them today.

Willard Rhoads (1838-1863)                                                Lot 102

Willard Rhoads was born May 10, 1838, to Deacon Lewis S. Rhoads and his wife, Harriet Fisher Rhoads. Willard Rhoads joined Company B, 1st Michigan Cavalry Regiment in the Civil War on August 23, 1861 for three years’ service. This Regiment was part of the famed Michigan Brigade – referred to as the “Wolverines” – which was led for a time by George Armstrong Custer. It was organized in Detroit, Michigan in August-September 1861. Over its existence (mustered out in 1865), 2705 men were on its rolls. They were instrumental in many battles throughout the war including the Battle of Gettysburg. Rhoads was promoted to the rank of Quartermaster Sergeant on June 20, 1863. He was killed in action at Centerville, Virginia, November 6, 1863. He was 25.

Willard Rhoads (1838-1863)   

John Henry Hale (1837-1864)                                              Lot 10

John Henry Hale was born in 1837 in Bernardston, Massachusetts, a community in which

Rev. Harrison G. Park of South Dedham had served. In 1863, Hale, a carpenter, married the daughter of Rev. Park, Julia Bird Park. Shortly after his marriage, Hale enlisted in Company I of the Ninth Massachusetts Regiment as a private. The Ninth Regiment had originally been formed in June of 1861. Thus, by the time John Hale and other freshly-mustered recruits joined the regiment, it was an experienced and somewhat war-weary unit. On April 30, 1864, the regiment received orders to join the command of Lt. General Ulysses S. Grant. On May 5, 1864, they engaged in the Battle of the Wilderness, the first battle of Grant’s Virginia Overland Campaign. The Ninth suffered severe losses. On that date and in that battle, Private John Henry Hale was killed. He was 27. His widow, Julia Park Hale, never remarried.

John Henry Hale (1837-1864)   

Henry Martin Park (1842-1864)                                          Lot 10

A son from the marriage of Rev. Harrison G. Park and his second wife, Elizabeth Bird Park, Henry Martin Park, enlisted in the 40th Massachusetts Volunteers in the Civil War at the age of 20. The 40th was organized at Camp Stanton in Lynnfield, Massachusetts in August of 1862 and mustered for a 3-year enlistment. The Regiment was attached to the 2nd Brigade. Stationed primarily near Washington, DC, they marched in pursuit of Lee’s army to Berlin, Maryland in July of 1863 and also sailed to Folly Island, SC in August of that year. They were in Hilton Head, SC during January of 1864. By May of 1864 the Regiment was back in the Richmond, Viriginia area. They remained there until April 1865. Henry M. Park was wounded three times in battle. On May 20th, 1864, Henry was taken to the hospital at Fortress Monroe in Virginia and died there on June 18, 1864. He was 22.

Henry Martin Park (1842-1864) 

Charles Phipps (1836-1864)                                                 Lot 79

Charles Phipps, the eldest child in the family, who grew up in South Dedham, was a teamster when he enlisted in the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts Regiment in September of 1861 as a Private. Although the Twenty-fourth was splintered and assigned to different brigades for much of the war, on May 1, 1864, the regiment was reunited in Virginia. From August 14 through August 16, 1864 the regiment fought in the battle of Deep Bottom, Virginia. Among the soldiers killed in action on August 16, 1864 was Charles Phipps. He was 28.

Charles Phipps (1836-1864)   

This Memorial Day, OPPV will sponsor a Taps Across America event. On Monday, May 26, 2025 at 3:00 pm, Taps will be sounded from the hill top of Old Parish Cemetery to close out Norwood’s Memorial Day remembrances. Please join us for this moving occasion.