The Daughters of Utah Pioneers in Washington County has undertaken a project to identify and mark the graves of 17 members of the Mormon Battalion who are buried in Washington County.
The project will take place May 16 and 17. Only five of the graves bear headstones and markings identifying them as among the men and women who made the long and arduous march across the Western plains to the Pacific Ocean.Of the 17 members, two were women who marched alongside the men. Malinda Allison K. Covington is buried in Washington City. Susan Adams is buried with Orson Adams in the Leeds cemetery.
"We are planning to take about 30 minutes at each gravesite, with state Mormon Battalion members and auxiliary present for the ceremony in full dress uniform," said Dolores Riggs, chairman of the Sesquicentennial event.
Riggs said all family members of those being honored are cordially invited to attend.
In support of this project, the Washington County Commission donated funds to place a brass plaque in concrete at each gravesite. The five already marked are: Jacob Mica Truman, Hamblin Cemetery; Levi Ward Hancock, Washington City Cemetery; Rufus Chester Allen and David Moss, St. George Cemetery; and Andrew Jack-son Workman, Virgin Cemetery.
The unmarked graves, where ceremonies will be held beginning May 16, include James C. Earl, Pine Valley; Malinda Allison K. Covington, Washington City; Orson and Susan Adams, along with John Brown, Leeds; and in St. George Cemetery, Henry Bigler, William Carpenter, Samuel Miles, Elijah Thomas and John Watts.
On May 17, James P. Brown and Daniel Q. Dennett will be honored in Rockville with bronze plaques placed on their graves. Then the DUP delegation moves on to Toquerville to the graves of Augustus E. Dodge, John C. Nae-gle and Levi Savage. John Lawson will be the last Mormon Battalion member honored with concluding ceremonies at the New Harmony Cemetery.
For information, contact Major Carl V. Larson, U.S. Mormon Battalion Inc., at 798-3661 or by writing 623 S. 1700 East, Spanish Fork, UT 84660.