Last Saturday was a day long to be remembered by the people of the County, for they were here from every nook and corner, and many from adjoining towns and counties, to see the unveiling of a beautiful monument erected through the efforts of the Daughters of the Confederacy. For a number of years the Daughters have been at work to secure a monument which would be a fitting remembrance to the Old Soldier, and on that Saturday they saw their efforts crowned with success. After many years of ceaseless labor, and still far from their goal, two gallant and patriotic sons of Person came to the rescue of the Daughters and told them to place an order for the monument and they would contribute whatever sum was lacking. These two men were Hon. J.C. Pass and Mr. Jas. A. Long. More than a thousand dollars went from this County, many are buried on the hills of Virginia, some in the Western States, but of those who returned to their native home only a bout half a hundred are living today, but most of these were here last Saturday and it was good to see their faces brighten while they listened to the address by Hon. Josephus Daniels, and the presentation by Mrs. J.A. Long, president of the Daughters of the Confederacy and the speech of acceptance by Mr. N. Lunsford.
It is a fact, and not said simply because it is customary, to say such ?? that the exercises of the unveiling were of the very highest order. After singing by a splendid choir the exercises were opened with prayer by Rev. J.B. Hurley, pastor of the Edgar Long Memorial Methodist Church. Mr. S.G. Winstead in introducing the speaker was at his best and paid a most deserving eulogy to the soldiers of this County. He was followed by Mr. Daniels, and his address was not only beautiful in diction, almost perfect in delivery, but it was full of truth concerning the valor of the soldiers of Person County (words obscured).
After the address came the crowning climax of the day, the presentation by Mrs. J.A. Long, President of the Person County Chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy. In presenting the monument Mrs. Long Said:
“Daughters of the confederacy, veterans of Person County, Ladies and Gentlemen:
This is a glad day for our county. It is a day in which the Person County Chapter, Daughters of the Confederacy realize their dreams, symbolize their traditions and in a way preserve our history.
More than 15 years ago our chapter set for themselves this task, the erection of a confederate monument, and it is no wonder that we rejoice to see this fitting, though long-delayed tribute to our Confederate soldiers completed. Through many discouragements and drawbacks, we have quietly and patiently worked on, and even now, the fulfillment of this task would not have been possible had not our townsmen, Messrs. J.C. Pass and J.A. Long, generously came to our aid, making up the deficiency, giving a larger amount than any other contributors.
This has been a labor of love, and the joy born of service in a cause so worthy of compensation. Two (true?) significance of this act does not lie in the cost or beauty of this memorial, but that Person County deserves this monument. It is a monument to the bravest of the brave and shows the pride we feel in the valor and heroism of our Confederate soldiers and the veneration, love and affection in which the Daughters held them. The record of our Confederate soldiers we look upon with pride. It is a record of men and of deeds First at Bethel, farthest at Gettysburg and last at Appomattox is North Carolina’s boast, but it is Person County’s history, and so the unveiling of (lines obscured) ’65 is both an inspiration and at the same time a challenge to our younger generation, and we present it first to the veterans of our County and then to you as an example for life. Follow it to noble aspirations, to faithful service and to high and lofty ideals. There is and always will be enough in the old South to make proud the new North. Let us then move forward with a victorious heart and exalted purpose to unite our section and our nation into a league of love and brotherhood. Let us in the evening shade of our own lives proclaim our faith in the cause of a united country. We love the South. Let us translate this love into a devotion to our union veterans of Person County. This is our gift to your cause. May it typify the best, preserve the noblest in the soldiers of ’61 and ’65.
Triune of love and lift and might;
Teach us O Lord to do the right
And let thy tender love to-day
Rest on the men who wore the gray.
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In words touching and tender, Mr. N. Lunsford accepted the monument in behalf of the Old Soldiers. He showed how deeply he felt the words he was uttering had at times he was eloquent. In truth we have heard no finer gem than this acceptance by Mr. Lunsford.
When Mr. Lunsford had finished his speech of acceptance the monument was unveiled by Master James A. Long, 3rd, a grandson of the president of the Daughters. And everyone stood uncovered the band played “Dixie.”
Of course, the choir sang the old songs so dear to the Old Soldier, such as “Dixie,” “Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground,” “Bonnie Blue Flag”, etc. The splendid band from Jalong was on hand and lent no little to the enjoyment of the occasion.
After the exercises of the unveiling were over the soldiers and their wives, with a number of invited guests, were marched down to the place where dinner had been prepared, and again the Daughters delighted to honor the Old Soldiers. We viewed the table before the party arrived, and we thought surely there are not enough to eat all of this repast, but when we saw the house after the doors had been thrown open, we wondered how in the world the Daughters could ever feed this great concourse of people—but the Daughters knew and there was plenty and to spare.
After dinner the boys of ’61 were placed in automobiles and carried to the cemetery where, flowers were placed on the graves, and thus ended probably the most notable day in the history of the County.
from the front page of The Roxboro Courier, Wednesday evening, May 24, 1922
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