Surratt Courier

[Steve]

(06-12-2019 10:48 AM)wpbinzel Wrote:  Great find, Steve. Congratulations! In the pages of the records which precede and follow "Owens," is there any notation of race on any of the entries? It was generally the custom to note "colored" on records pertaining to African-Americans at that time. I am curious whether the lack of a designation of race on the Owen's entry was an omission or consistent with other entries of persons buried in that section of Arlington.

In any event, well done, and thank you for sharing your find!

Bill,

Owens is buried in Section 13, a section which has Union soldiers buried there but not soldiers from the United States Colored Troops. Soldiers from the USCT are buried in Sections 27 and 23. I don't know whether any soldiers from state colored regiments are buried in section 13 or not. I didn't see any soldiers marked "colored" or notice any of the state colored regiments (though I guess I could've easily passed over a regimental name in the unit section). I did find one other "citizen" burial on pages near Owens' record. A David Metzger, military railroad brakeman, who died of a "compound fracture on his left forearm" on June 7, 1865 and was buried at Arlington two days later. There's no notation for "colored" (if he was) and he was also buried along with Union soldiers. Here's his Find A Grave page:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4926...id-metzger

In regards to Owens if you look at a photo of his grave



You'll notice that the man before him on the burial list, Pvt. Thomas A Potter of the 19th Maine Infantry is buried directly behind him. And if you look at Potter's grave



You'll notice that the man before him on the burial list, Pvt. Charles Mull of the 12th NJ Infantry is buried directly behind him. The pattern stops at Mull's grave though



So, it's likely that the three men's body's were carted off together and then buried one right after another. Owens' is the last person listed as being buried on June 23rd.