Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Slavery mentioned anywhere on this grave stone? NO

2. Is the “Lost Cause” mentioned? NO

3. Was this gravestone meant as any statement pro or con to the Civil War as a whole? NO

4. What is the purpose of the grave marker? Communal Gravemarker. And to Remember the Men and Women of Clay County.

5. What is on the East side?

Answer: Confederate Battle flag is at the top of the inscription: “Erected in Honor of the Confederate Soldiers of Clay County, Missouri 1904”. Crossed swords at the bottom

6. What is the Flag on top?
   Answer: This is the Corporate symbol of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. It really means: The red represents the blood of Christ. The white border represents the protection of God. The Blue “X” represents the Christian cross of Saint Andrew, the first disciple of Christ Jesus and a patron Saint of Scotland, The 13 stars represent the 13 Southern states of secession. Thus the message of the Confederate battle flag is “Through the Blood of Christ with the protection of God. We, the 13 states are united in our Christian fight for Liberty,”

7. What is on the south side?

Answer: “In God we Trust.” However, vandals have chipped on it. There is a plaque marking the burial place of confederate soldiers and at least three wives. The city records are incomplete. We continue to locate additional veterans. The goal is to give each of the 50 veterans a name.

8. What is on the west side?

Answer: “In memory of the Daughters of the Confederacy of Clay County MO.”

9. Who were the Daughters of the Confederacy of Clay County.

Answer: Vocabulary of that time, the women “OF” Clay County.

10. Who are the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC)?

Answer: The United Daughters of the Confederacy is a women's group that is a historical, philanthropic and charitable organization. (501(c)3) One of their main purposes is to care for the graves of ancestors. The UDC developed from local aid societies that operated throughout the South during the War Between the States. In the early conception, these groups of women gathered to sew, prepare bandages, and raise money. During and after the war they cared for the sick and wounded and prepared food for the soldiers. After the war the organizations operated as auxiliaries to Confederate soldiers’ homes and continued to aid in whatever manner possible.

11. Do The United Daughters of the Confederacy claim ownership of Block 174?

Answer: NO

12. Did the United Confederate Daughters contribute money?

Answer: No. However, in four years the LOCAL women through bake sales, quilt raffles, egg money and coin donation collected $78.00.

13. What is on the Northside?

Answer: “This monument erected through the liberality of the citizens of Clay County was conceived and promoted by Philip W. Reddish, Co. C. 2nd MO Gen. Forrest Cavalry”. Mr. Reddish spent four years fundraising to give these veterans a communal gravemarker. There are no records to how the inscription came to be.

14. Is Nathan Bedford Forrest buried here?

Answer: No. He is buried in Memphis, Tenn.

15. Is the soldier on top Nathan Bedford Forrest?

Answer: In the mid 1970’s a survey was completed for the Smithsonian. That project, S.O.S. (Save our Statues) cataloged 171 similar generic civil war soldier statues. Most of those are north of Liberty. The generic soldier bares no insignia.

16. Is there anything else in Liberty named after Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest?

Answer: Yes. Forrest Ave, Forrest Court, Forrest Street, South Forrest Ave

17. Has the gravestone been vandalized?

Answer: Yes. Three major events. The Gravemarker still shows the scars.

18. Who purchased Block 174?

Answer: Thomas McCarty Camp, United Confederate Veterans.

19. Who is buried here?

Answer: Ex-Confederate Soldiers and three wives.

20. Why are they buried here?

Answer: A few wanted to be here with their comrades. Others were here because they had no place else. They either had no family, or no money or both. Their plot remains unmarked, but they share a center gravemarker.

21. Who was Phillip Reddish?

Answer: Mr. Reddish was the Treasurer Officer for the Thomas McCarty United Confederate Veterans. He worked tirelessly for four years to collect enough money for the gravestone.

22. Who were the United Confederate Veterans?

Answer: The United Confederate Veterans Association was established in 1889 as a benevolent, historical, social, and literary association. It was active from 1889 to the mid 1940s. Its mission was to "unite in a general federation all associations of Confederate veterans, soldiers and sailors, now in existence or hereafter to be formed; to gather authentic data for an impartial history of the war between the States; to preserve relics or mementos of the same; to cherish the ties of friendship that should exist among men who have shared common dangers, common sufferings and privations; to care for the disabled and extend a helping hand to the needy; to protect the widows and the orphans, and to make and preserve a record of the services of every member, and as far as possible of those of our comrades who have preceded us in eternity"

23. Who are the Sons of the Confederate Veterans?

Answer: The Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) is the SUCCESSOR Group. SCV is a historical, patriotic, and non-political organization established to honor the memory of soldiers who fought for the Confederacy. The SCV is a direct offshoot of the United Confederate Veterans (UCV), a voluntary organization of many veterans who fought for the Confederacy during its brief existence (1861–1865). The SCV was organized at Richmond, Virginia, in 1896 at the convention of the UCV. The SCV was charged with: assisting the UCV and its elderly members, caring for graves and other activities, and ensuring that the history of the Confederacy and its struggle be accurately documented. At the 1896 convention, General Stephen D. Lee charged the SCV with “the defense of the Confederate soldier’s good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles he loved and which made him glorious and which you also cherish.”

24. Is there a deed for the Cemetery Block 174?

Answer: YES !! January 6, 1900 Clay County Courthouse Recorder of Deeds Book 120, Page 36, William J. Courtney, trustee for the Officers and Members of Camp Thomas McCarty, an organization of the United Confederate Veterans and the City of Liberty, MO. ( A Property Deed … like your house!)

25. Where is Block 174?

Answer: Fairview Cemetery, Liberty, MO, North edge. Hidden under trees

26. Has the Block and Gravestone ever been abandoned?

Answer: No. Owners and descendants visit Block 174 Memorial Day, Veterans Day and other occasions.

27. Are there descendants to any of these men?

Answer: Yes, to Theodore Duncan and Henrietta his wife and Mr. Donaldson. Other family members have been located.

28. Statue: Who was the artist?

Answer: After the war the foundries no longer made and sold cannons. Entrepreneurship! They started to make and sell statues for cemeteries and courthouses. They sold more to The North than the south. The North had more money.

29. Why does the statue face East?

Answer: 99.9% of all graves face the east, because in the bible chapter Thessalonians 4: 13-18, and others. Many Christian burial traditions associates these Bible references for facing headstones toward the East.

30. How many statues are north of here?

Answer: In the mid 1970’s, 171 were counted

31. Is the statue “aggressive or battle ready” in his pose?

Answer: No. The statue is in the “At Ease” or “Stand Down position. He is there to watch over his sleeping comrades.

32. How long did Phillip Reddish, Treasurer Officer of Camp Mc Carty, United Confederate Veterans, fundraise and collect coins for the gravestone?

Answer: Four years.

33. How do you know about Mr. Reddish?

Answer: Confederate Magazine where Mr. Reddish contributed articles. His obituary. Historical papers at the Clay County Archives.

34. Are there large areas of unmarked graves in Fairview Cemetery?

Answer: Yes. There are three main areas: Block 174 for The Confederate Veterans, Center Football Field area/Paupers field and the African American section east of Mary Street, which now (19 June 2022) has a large monument identifying the unmarked graves.

35. Does everyone have a gravestone?

Answer: No. You only have a stone if you, your family or friends have the money.

36. Once you have purchased your personal gravestone, who has the responsibility of care?

Answer: Family and friends. It is private property

37. What happens to a general, average gravemarker?

Answer: Time can take it’s toll.

38. Special notes: In 1993, a comment seems just as appropriate now as then. ”They did the best they could for a group of old guys (United Confederate Veterans) for the future considering Clay County Politics. Purchased and owned by a private organization, in a city-maintained cemetery and their remaining limited funds after installation were managed by Clay County. And finally their successor group was… The Sons of Confederate Veterans.”

39. Are the Confederate gravestones and the new African American Legacy Monument linked?
    Answer: Yes. One city. One cemetery. Rules for one monument apply to both. Both were raised with private funds. Desire to acknowledge their ancestors. Both contain unmarked graves. Both have poor city records.

40. Are there any bible scriptures that give family members strength? Answer: Proverbs 22:28 “Remove not the ancient landmarks which the forefather has set. Mathew 10:33 “But whoever denies me before men, I will deny them before my father.” This is extremely traumatic to several families.