Look Back: Ashley's Memorial Day parade considered oldest in Wyoming Valley

Yahoo

26-05-2025

May 25—At 2:30 p.m. on May 30, 1882, the Decoration Day parade began at Ashley's Town Hall on Main Street that consisted of the Ashley Cornest Band, school students, members of the Ancient Order of Forresters, a drum corps, members of the Grand Army of the Republic and Civil War veterans and citizens in horse carriages.
Their purpose was to pay respect at gravesites of Civil War soldiers at the Ashley Cemetery (today's Maple Hill Cemetery).
"On arrival at the cemetery the processing opened ranks and the G.A.R. and soldiers passed through. The children of the schools sand 'America' and handed their flowers to the G.A.R. and societies," reported the Wilkes-Barre Record on May 31, 1882.
The drum corps formed a circle around gravesites and beat their drums while Civil War veterans decorated the graves of their fallen comrades.
Afterward, a dinner was held at Ashley's Union Hall.
Although the city of Ironton, Ohio, might hold claim to hosting the country's oldest continuing Memorial Day parade, the Borough of Ashley holds claim as the oldest continuing Memorial Day parade in the Wyoming Valley. The second oldest Memorial Day parade in the valley is the West Side Memorial Day Parade that began 1891.
Today's Memorial Day parade is Ashley's 143rd consecutive parade that began way, way back in 1882.
Decoration Day originated after the Civil War to honor those who died in service. After World War I, the holiday expanded to honor all American war dead. Memorial Day replaced Decoration Day by way of the Uniform Holidays Act of 1968 that marked the last Monday in May as Memorial Day.
"Ashley and neighboring communities paid a glowing tribute to its heroic dead on Decoration Day yesterday. The business of the town was suspended, and hundreds of people gathered at Ashley Cemetery where impressive exercises were held in memory of the deceased veterans of the Civil War, the Spanish-American War and the World War," reported the Record on May 31, 1923.
Ashley's 1923 Decoration Parade involved George Eike, who was the borough's sole surviving veteran of the Civil War.
"Veteran Eike was accompanied by his son, George Eike, and as he passed along the line of march everywhere he was saluted and tendered the honor and respect due to the heroes of the 1860s," the Record reported.
After the 1923 parade, Eike was the guest of honor at the annual Ashley Rescue Hose Co. banquet.
"Mr. Eike having been a resident of Ashley for more than a half century is known by everyone in the community and his connection as a railroad engineer on the Jersey Central railroad for more than 40 years," reported the Record.
Eike enlisted in the U.S. Union Army, the 28th Penn. Volunteers, in 1863, and was assigned to the 2nd Division, 20th Corps, and was credited with being engaged in seven notable battles in the deep south.
This year's Ashley Memorial Day Parade, the 143rd, is in honor of Joseph Sapulak, charter member of the Ashley Sons of the American Legion, with guest of honor U.S. Army Captain Nathan Herr, a logistics officer for the 340th Military Police Battalion in Ashley.