It
is Our Heritage
On a lovely autumn Sunday in November, members and friends of St. Martin's United Church of Christ in Dittmer Missouri gathered in the church's
cemetery for a special Veterans Day ceremony. The event coincided with St. Martin's 150th anniversary.
Rev. Scott Lohse dedicated the ceremony to the church's founding fathers and charter members, many of whom are Civil War veterans interred at St. Martin's. The fourth, fifth and sixth generations of the Bohle, Cordes, Dittmer, Eggers, Grupe, Kramme and May families are active members of the church today.
Receiving special recognition were Sandy Litzsinger, who along with her husband Bud, owns Mount Hope Cemetery, Mausoleum and Crematory, her brother, and Bill G. May, who owns Chapel Hill Mortuary, Memorial Gardens and Mausoleum with his family.
Rev. Lohse stated, "On behalf of a grateful nation, it is my honor to present you with the Union Army Civil War Campaign Medal for the honorable service of your great grandfathers Christian J Grupe and Frederich Wilhelm Kramme" Corporal Grupe was born in Hanover, Germany
and at the age of 32, enlisted with Company B 74th Regiment Missouri Infantry. He served at Pilot Knob, MO. Kramme volunteered to serve in the Union army at the age of 18. He served in the 13th Missouri Infantry, 22nd Ohio at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh and Vicksburg
under Gereral Grant. His brother, Lt. Ernest William Kramme served with him. The soldiers are at rest at St. Martin's United Church Cemetery. |
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| St. Martin's UCC Photos by
Jack Nobles |
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"On behalf of a
grateful nation, it is my honor to present
you with the
Union Army Civil War Campaign Medal for
the honorable
service of your great grandfathers Christian J. Grupe and
Frederich Wilhelm Kramme"
Rev.Scott Lohse |
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