Port Byron to honor Civil War Prisoner of War

On Saturday July 30, 2011 at 11 am, a Civil War Sesquicentennial Event will be held at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Port Byron, NY. Historian Dawn Roe will be hosting an “In-Memory” marker dedication ceremony to honor Capt. John W. Lockwood of Co. F, 111th NY Infantry. Lockwood died as a POW while being boarded for transfer between prison camps and is interred in a mass grave at Salisbury, NC. Roe worked closely with the offices of Senators Charles Schumer and Michael Nozzolio to obtain a military marker to honor the memory of our fallen Captain. Much about Lockwood’s war experience has been surrounded by mystery, including his burial location. This in part, is due to his family recording his data on the family monument, which is today worn from the fate of time. Post war newspapers reported that Lockwood died while in route to Salisbury prison, while others claimed he died in route to Andersonville. After research of historical documents, we are now able to present a timeline that will answer many questions about his life. Port Byron welcomes everyone as we commemorate his memory; yet at the same time tell his story in more detail than has ever been told before.Sons and Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War from across New York State will gather to honor Lockwood, a soldier who made a lasting contribution to the Port Byron community for decades after the close of the war. His namesake was chosen for the founding of the Lockwood Post #175 GAR, a civil war veteran post of the Grand Army of the Republic. Participants from Broome, Tompkins, Oneida, Schuyler, Cayuga and Dutchess counties will be contributing to the ceremony. Opening remarks will include a greeting by Senator Michael F. Nozzolio of the 54th Senate District. Speakers will include Cayuga County Historian Sheila Tucker, military historian and author Anthony Gero, Sandra Gilliland – Regent of the Owasco Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, Susanne Greenhagen – Region 9 Coordinator Association of Public Historians of NYS and State DAR Regent Denise Doring VanBuren. The Julia Hibbard Tent # 71 Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War of Bridgewater, NY will conduct the marker dedication ceremony. There will also be a vocal performance by Betty A. Hitchcock of Port Byron. Following the marker dedication, there will be a small parade to the Lockwood Post GAR Monument and flag pole, where State Regent Denise Doring VanBuren of the Daughters of the American Revolution will be the Key Note speaker, as we raise a special flag provided courtesy of Senator Nozzolio. Concluding our ceremony, refreshments will be served at the Dana L. West Jr/Sr High School; hosted by the Heritage Days Committee.In the event of inclement weather, the service will be moved to the Dana L. West Jr./Sr. High School Auditorium at 30 Maple Ave.