Latest news with #JohnKnox
Washington Post
2 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Soldiers' graves lacked proper headstones. These men took up their cause.
The roots of John Knox's despondence are lost to history. But his suicide made the newspaper: In 1895, he tied one end of a rope around his neck and the other around a stone block. Then he threw himself into Baltimore's harbor. A document in Knox's pocket identified him as an army pensioner but included no next of kin, according to a brief account in the Baltimore Sun. He was sent to a pauper's grave and forgotten for more than 120 years. Then two workers at the city's Green Mount Cemetery came across his story in 2022 and applied for a grave marker through a little-known law passed in 1879. It requires the federal government to ship a headstone anywhere in the world for anyone who served in the U.S. military — not just those who died in combat or are buried in military cemeteries. The result is a granite plaque on a leafy hillside of the historic graveyard. It reads: 'Sgt. John W. Knox, Medal of Honor.' It's one of more than 167 such markers, tombstones and medallions that the cemetery workers Shawn Ward and Lyle Garitty have installed in the graveyard to memorialize forgotten men and women who did their duty in conflicts as far back as the Revolutionary War. They are among the most active of what the Department of Veterans Affairs says is a growing number of history buffs, Boy Scout troops and others who have taken up the cause of long-dead warriors. Pupils at a high school in Ohio installed more than 70 headstones in historic cemeteries near their school. An Orlando resident secured 61 headstones for veterans of the Spanish-American War and other conflicts at Mount Peace Cemetery in St. Cloud, Florida. And in Maryland, community members procured 11 headstones to honor members of the United States Colored Troops who fought in the Civil War and are buried in the Ellsworth Cemetery in Westminster, Maryland. Last year, VA's National Cemetery Administration shipped 112,459 headstones, plaques and other 'memorial products' to private graveyards, said Eric Powell, director of Memorial Products Service for the NCA. The government doesn't keep track of how many are for historic graves, but most are for recent deaths. The cost to taxpayers for the markers at private graveyards, and for a slightly larger number at national cemeteries, is about $80 million a year. Many of the memorial products center on Black graveyards. The government granted White veterans the right to a free headstone shortly after the Civil War, but the privilege wasn't extended to Black soldiers until President Harry S. Truman desegregated the armed forces in 1948. That was too late for many of the veterans buried at Lebanon Cemetery, a Black graveyard opened in 1872 in York, Pennsylvania. A local group, the Friends of Lebanon Cemetery, has installed 17 government-issued headstones on graves that never had one or were marked with wooden ones that had rotted away, said Samantha Dorm, a volunteer with the group. Recordkeeping for African American soldiers was 'an afterthought' for much of history, she says. That made it difficult to procure the necessary documentation to satisfy VA. It wasn't until 1977 that the government declared women who served in units such as the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs in World War II, to be veterans. To get a grave marker, an applicant must provide documentation of a veteran's honorable discharge of service in the federal armed services and certify that his or her grave is currently unmarked or marked with a badly deteriorated headstone. In some cases, VA will even provide a plaque or marker — although not a tombstone — if it can be proved that the body has gone missing. That's how Ward and Garitty were able to procure a marker for Knox, whom they believe is buried under a road. The stones come in granite or marble and weigh more than 200 pounds. They are shipped free, but applicants must pay for the installation if it's in a private cemetery. Paul LaRue found a ready supply of volunteers while he was a social studies teacher at Washington High School in the rural hamlet of Washington Court House, Ohio. He was leading a field trip to a cemetery when a student asked about the poor condition of headstones over some soldiers' graves. After a bit of research, he learned about VA's headstone program and launched a project to have students research the buried veterans, order and then install markers. They put up about 70 of them between 2002 and 2012 in six graveyards around southern Ohio. 'It was really a great way to connect the students to the community and their history,' said LaRue, who retired from teaching and is now president of the Ohio State Board of Education. In the six years they've been at it, Baltimore's Ward and Garitty have become a two-man honor guard, putting up markers and helping like-minded enthusiasts from Pennsylvania to Western Maryland. Ward and Garitty, veterans themselves, have scoured military archives, city death records and handwritten ledgers in the cemetery's dusty office. They've found soldiers, sailors and aviators whose graves were never marked or whose tombstones were lost or damaged. Their freshly carved, white stone slabs and polished bronze markers stand out amid the weathered monuments of Green Mount. They form a sort of granite Facebook of American history. There's one for Pvt. David Mumma, who served in a battalion of ethnic Germans from Maryland and Pennsylvania who fought under George Washington at the Battle of Trenton. Another marks the grave of Aquila Randall, a Maryland militiaman killed in the 1814 British invasion of Baltimore that inspired the national anthem. Fighter pilot Richard Seth, a standout lacrosse player at the U.S. Naval Academy, was lost at sea during the Korean War. 'Being a veteran, I wanted to do what I could to be sure all veterans get the recognition they deserve,' said Garitty, an administrator and historian at Green Mount. He and Ward, the cemetery's superintendent, formed a charity to raise funds for the work. They get donations from veteran's groups and individuals, and use VA's headstone and marker program. 'The research takes a lot of time,' Ward said. Both men are steeped in military service. Garitty's great-grandfather fought in the Civil War and his father served in World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars. Garitty did two tours with the U.S. Air Force, first as a mechanic and then in logistics. He left as a sergeant. Ward has 21 years of active and reserve service with the Seabees, the Navy's construction arm. Green Mount is a tourist attraction of grand monuments in a distressed neighborhood of Baltimore, ringed by a gothic stone fence. It was established in 1838. Sixteen generals and one admiral from the Civil War are buried there. Some veterans were buried at Green Mount without a headstone, likely because the family couldn't afford one, Garitty said. Then there are the relocations: Moving the dead was common in past centuries as cities grew and burial practices shifted from small graveyards behind homes or churches toward centralized cemeteries. They often arrived at Green Mount without headstones and were reburied in unmarked, brick-lined mass vaults. Ward and Garitty learn about veterans in their care in several ways. Sometimes families approach them looking for the grave of an ancestor. Other names come up as Garitty digitizes Green Mount's copious burial records, neatly stashed in chest-high filing cabinets or a walk-in bank vault in the cemetery office. He also checks Pentagon databases of service. If he finds a record of a veteran in an unmarked grave he files a request online to get a marker. He and Ward found out about Knox from a group trying to track down Medal of Honor recipients thought to be buried in the area. Military records showed that Knox was with the 5th U.S. Infantry in 1874, which had been ordered to force Native Americans onto reservations in what came to be known as the Red River War. On Sept. 9, their wagon train was attacked by hundreds of Comanche and Kiowa fighters at Upper Washita River in Texas. The 95 infantry soldiers circled their wagons and managed to hold out for five days until a calvary unit rescued them. Knox was cited for gallantry. An 1895 newspaper account of Knox's death said he died with a certificate in his pocket for a $6-a-month pension for his 20 years of service. He had retired from the Army two years earlier and was living in a soldier's home in Washington. No one came forward to claim his body, so he was sent to a potter's field in West Baltimore. But he didn't stay there. City records show he hopscotched from graveyard to graveyard as the city expanded in the 19th and 20th centuries, moving skeletons ahead of the bulldozers. The city eventually lost the records of Knox's whereabouts. But Garitty was able to get a death certificate and used Knox's military records to prove he had served. He convinced VA that the remains had been lost, which rendered him eligible for a plaque, which Garitty and Ward mounted alongside two other memorials on the hillside. He and Ward say Green Mount may have hundreds more veterans in unmarked graves. They'd like to mark all the ones they can. 'It's a good way to serve other people,' Ward said.
The Herald Scotland
07-08-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Artefact uncovered in Lindores Abbey is team's 'find of the year'
The Abbey was ransacked by a mob led by John Knox in 1559 as reforming zeal saw the overthrow of many places of worship and the establishment of the more austere Protestant Church. The seal is suspected to have belonged to John Leslie, Bishop of Ross, who was appointed Commendator to the abbey in 1565/6. His role was to organise the division of the abbey's estates and assets following the Reformation, and would have been used to sign letters and official documents related to abbey business. The artefact was found buried in the grounds of the abbey (Image: Monastic Archaeology Field School (MAFS)) The copper alloy stamp, with a coat of arms on one end, was found by the Monastic Archaeology Field School, led by researchers from the University of St. Andrews and Brandeis University. When it was in use, Scotland was changing from a Catholic Country to a Protestant one, with places of worship being stripped of their finery, demolished or closed in favour of new churches free from ties to the past. Lindores Abbey was established in 1191, and provided shelter to a battle-weary William Wallace in 1298 after his victory at the battle of Blackearnside. It is the site of the first recorded whisky distillery in Scotland, with records from 1498 stating that a monk at the abbey was commissioned to produce "Aqua Vitae" - the precursor to whisky - from 8 bolls of malt by King James IV. In 2018 a large vat thought to have been used to make whisky was excavated at the site. The vat discovered in the grounds of the abbey (Image: NS) During the Reformation, it first targeted by a mob from Dundee in 1543, before the arrival of John Knox and his supporters in 1559. According to Knox, the Protestants overthrew the altars, broke up statues, burned the books and vestments and made the monks who lived there cast aside their monkish habits. The 16th Century in Scotland was a time of colossal change – with the move to Protestantism occurring alongside the dynastic struggles of Mary Queen of Scots and the Royal House of Stuart. READ MORE: Identity of shipwreck discovered on Scottish island revealed Archaeologists battle tide to save Orkney's ancient secrets Dig uncovers 'monumental' timber building older than Stonehenge Interestingly, despite the turmoil, archaeologists also found evidence that life continued as normal at the Abbey during Leslie's time in charge. The seal stamp was found in association with two coin-like objects from the late 16th century which appear to be counters made in Germany, known as 'Nurembourg jettons'. The jettons would have been placed on a board or table divided into squares to perform calculations as part of the accounting process. The jettons indicate that, around the time Leslie was acting as Commendator, the abbey was still interacting with the outside world regardless, or in spite of, the changes happening across Scotland during the late medieval period. The abbey is in ruins today (Image: NQ) The abbey eventually fell into disrepair in the 17th century, and was quarried for stone to build houses nearby. Derek Hall FSAScot, Monastic Archaeology Field School, Lead Archaeologist and Site Manager, said: 'The seal is probably the most remarkable find this year and together with the coins, they offer a snapshot of life in the abbey towards the end of its days as an active monastic institution: a combination of continuity and change.' Led by researchers from the University of St. Andrews and Brandeis University, the student team and their supervisors are working amongst the protected standing ruins of the Tironensian abbey, testing the results of previous geophysical surveys of the site and exploring the use of water by the monks and the community. Other finds from this season also offer glimpses of the abbey's connections with Continental Europe, including fragments of pottery from France and the Low Countries - modern-day Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The team from the Monastic Archaeology Field School (Image: MAFS) From 21 June to 4 July, hundreds of members of the public visited the site, including on the Open Day on 3 July which featured site tours and a showcase of the finds. The excavation was part of the Scotland Digs 2025: Meeting People campaign, which highlighted summer archaeology opportunities for the public and the wellbeing benefits of getting involved.
Daily Record
24-07-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Walking trail covering Edinburgh's historic churches and cathedrals unveiled
The route stretches from the Royal Mile to the New Town and West End, offering a self-guided tour of some of the city's most significant ecclesiastical landmarks. A new walking trail celebrating some of Edinburgh's most historic and iconic churches has officially launched, taking visitors on a journey through the city's spiritual and architectural heritage. Created by representatives of Scotland's three largest Christian denominations, the Edinburgh City Centre Historic Churches Walking Trail features ten churches across the capital. The route stretches from the Royal Mile to the New Town and West End, offering a self-guided tour of some of the city's most significant ecclesiastical landmarks. Among the highlights are all three of Edinburgh's cathedrals. St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile, where Queen Elizabeth II lay at rest in 2022, is one of the focal points. Founded in 1124, it was once the parish church of John Knox and has played a central role in Scottish history, including the announcement of Bonnie Prince Charlie's arrival in 1745. It is still used for civic services today and houses a modern Austrian-built Rieger Orgelbau organ installed in 1992. St Mary's Catholic Cathedral on York Place is another prominent stop. Originally opened in 1814 as the Chapel of St Mary, it became a pro-cathedral for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh in 1878. It was later enlarged in 1896, with a raised roof added in 1932. The cathedral features a Matthew Copley organ built in 2007, incorporating pipes from an 1882 Wilkinson instrument. Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral during his 1982 visit to Scotland. Also included is St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, near Haymarket. Consecrated in 1879, it is Edinburgh's tallest building and boasts a spire added between 1913 and 1917. Designed by architect George Gilbert Scott, the cathedral houses a Willis organ from 1879 and a Song School adorned with murals by Phoebe Anna Traquair, which can be viewed by appointment. Smaller but equally significant churches on the trail include Canongate Kirk, built in 1690 at the order of James VII/II to replace the Abbey at Holyrood. The church, which serves as the parish church for the Palace of Holyrood House, features a 1989 organ by Frobenius & Sons, the Danish firm's 1000th instrument. St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, originally an Episcopalian chapel from 1774 known as the 'English Chapel', was inspired by London's St Martin-in-the-Fields. The building features apse paintings by Alexander Runciman. In 1856, it was purchased by the growing Irish Catholic community after a brief period under the Presbyterian Relief Church. Greyfriars Kirk is another important site. Completed in 1620, it was the first church built in Scotland after the Reformation. The National Covenant was signed here in 1638. A second church was built in 1722 and joined to the original in 1929. The current organ was built by Peter Collins in 1990. Other featured churches include Old St Paul's, built in 1883 on the site of Scotland's oldest Episcopal church; The New Town Church, completed in 1784 with its tower added in 1787; and St John's Episcopal Church, a neo-Gothic structure designed by William Burn and consecrated in 1818. Inside, it features a plaster ceiling inspired by Westminster Abbey's Henry VII Chapel and a 1900 Willis organ. The final stop is the Parish Church of St Cuthbert, built on an ancient site. The present church was completed in 1894, incorporating the steeple of its 18th-century predecessor. Its interior includes Tiffany stained glass and a ring of ten bells. The Hope-Jones organ, installed in 1899, adds to the church's historical value.
Forbes
19-06-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
Flying Bounce Houses - A Potentially Deadly Hazard For Kids
In this June 4, 2011, photo, participants in an Oceanside, N.Y., soccer tournament run from an ... More airborne inflatable "bounce house" after high winds sent it flying, scattering spectators and injuring 13 people, one critically. Saturday's inflatable mishap is the latest in a growing series of similar accidents, experts say. (AP Photo/Kim LoPiccolo) This week large inflatables were blown onto one of Atlanta's busiest roadways. I drive in that busy corridor frequently, and it is stunning that the city was spared a major incident. According to media reports, owners blamed the early installation phase for the lack of anchoring. This latest episode of 'flying inflatables' was relatively harmless, but other incidents have led to injuries or fatalities. Is it time to ban inflatable bounce houses? A boy plays in the bounce house at a pumpkin patch Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, in Seal Beach, Calif. (AP ... More Photo/Jae C. Hong) The answer to that question is probably 'no,' but experts are calling for changes. My colleague Dr. John Knox is a meteorology professor at the University of Georgia. He is one of the world's foremost experts on atmospheric sciences, including aviation meteorology. I suspect he did not have 'flying bounce houses' on his scholarly bingo card alongside his work on clear-air turbulence. However, Knox and his collaborators have become the foremost research group in the world documenting windy conditions and large inflatable structures. According to a UGA website, 'Over a decade ago, Dr. John Knox saw a joke on Facebook comparing the phenomenon of runaway bounce houses to the scientific study of dust particles in the atmosphere. Several years and hundreds of hours of intensive, intricate research later, Dr. Knox now admits that bounce houses are no joke.' In 2022, he and colleagues published a study in The Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society entitled, "Wind-Related Bounce House Incidents in Meteorological, Regulatory, and Outreach Contexts." At the time of publication, their analysis revealed 479 weather-related bounce house injuries and 28 deaths. The study also found that bounce houses are especially dangerous for children because they are often improperly anchored or parents are inattentive during play. Using data mining techniques and cartography, the team identified meteorological causes and connected them to incidents using geographical and social science methods. I asked Knox what needs to be done short of banning inflatables. He told me, 'What should happen? Federal regulations on their use in windy weather (or in all weather) would be a good start.' He pointed out, however, that their 2022 study found that many incidents occur where the nearest weather observations show winds under typical thresholds used in the states that do have regulations. During the warm season when bounce houses are popular, thunderstorms or windy conditions can happen suddenly. Knox went on to say, 'So even national regulations wouldn't be perfect. But the process of implementing federal regulations would raise public awareness of the dangers.' The rings represent outflow boundaries moving away from thunderstors. They can cause gusty ... More conditions suddenly that pose hazards for improperly secured bounce houses and inflatables. Knox continues to maintain what is likely the most robust database of bounce house incidents in the world. The website also includes safety recommendations and information about how different states regulate bounce house activity. Some interesting facts found on the website as of May 31st, 2025 include: The website also has accessible information on all known events spanning 2000 to 2025 and the associated weather types. What are some of the typical weather types connected to the events? They include cold fronts, dust devils, outflow boundaries, thunderstorms, Santa Ana winds, and sea breezes. Researchers are increasingly questioned about the value of scientific research. Knox and his team's work is an exemplar of how multidisciplinary research spanning meteorology, cartography, geography, and other social sciences disciplines can inform decisionmakers and save lives. Knox said, 'This research is a prototype for the kind of work geographers can do…. And then the website development exhibits the community outreach angle that is classic geography. So, this is what geography looks like--no siloes, everything together.' PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 30: A dust devil blows amongst the fans during the final round of the Ford ... More Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass 2025 at Whirlwind Golf Club in Wild Horse Pass on March 30, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by)
