Cemeteries are filled with history, and Acacia Cemetery in Lyndon Township is no exception, with gravesites of nearly every war scattered throughout its eight acres.

 

June 16, the Clearwater Area Historical Society held a tour of Acacia’s Civil War veterans’ gravesites for 14 interested residents. Members Karolyn Boucher, Sharon Lee and Bud Stimmler headed the tour, which was narrated by Janelle Hennen.

 

Historical Society member George Bentley was also in attendance, wearing a replica of a Civil War cavalry uniform like his great, great grandfather, who was in the Civil War, would have worn.

 

Bentley has been interested in military history his whole life, and served in the air force himself from 1962 to 1966. His great great grandfather, Hiram Bentley, was a sergeant in the Seventh Michigan Cavalry; General George Custer was his commander in Gettysburg. 

 

Clearwater Area Historical Society members chose eight of the Civil War veterans buried at Acacia to feature for the event.

 

The tour began at the cemetery’s west entrance, which has a Civil War memorial erected near it. A brief history of Acacia was recited, after which the group moved on to the first gravesite.

 

William Wallace Webster was born in Canada in 1832, and came to Clearwater in 1856. At 21 he enlisted in the Third Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, was elected first lieutenant, and later promoted to captain and then major. He was captured during the war and taken to Andersonville where he was held for 92 days. 

 

After his discharge he engaged in the mercantile business in Clearwater. He married Malvina H. Woodworth and after her death married Lucy Claretta Fay Walker. 

 

Dexter E. Collins was born in New Hampshire in 1834 and married to Mary Elizabeth Collins. He enlisted in Silver Creek, MN in 1862 and was a private in Company E, Regiment Eight, MN, Volunteer Infantry. Collins was a blacksmith during the Civil War and had a blacksmith shop in Clearwater. 

 

Dr. Jared D. Wheelock was born in 1819 and was one of the earliest settlers of Clearwater in 1855. His wife was Polly Davis Wheelock. He was a farmer and prominent physician surgeon, and served in the Civil War from 1863 to 1865 under the Secretary of War. 

 

Wheelock was the first doctor in Wright County, receiving his license to practice medicine by the Minnesota State Board in 1883. He also served as the first justice of the peace in Clearwater Township, was chairman of the first board of supervisors of Wright County, served as treasurer of Clearwater Township, was one of the original organizers of the Hennepin County Medical Society and served on the Clearwater School Board. 

 

David Dwight “D.D.” Storms was born in New York in 1879. After the war broke out he enlisted in the band of the Twenty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, however the band was abolished after eight months. In 1863 he married Mary Ann Ketcham, and ended up in Clearwater after visiting his uncle, Rev. William Dady there. 

 

Storms farmed 160 acres in Lynden Township. He was very active in the affairs of the township, was a long time clerk of the school board, served in several township officer positions, was a member of the Clearwater Lodge No. 28, was commander of the A.C. Collins Post No. 112, and served as a delegate from G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) posts in the sixth congressional district. 

 

Jacob Falls Keller was the only confederate soldier on the tour. He was born in Virginia in 1830, lived in Lyndon Township and was married to Elizabeth Frances Freed Keller. During the Civil War he served as a bodyguard to General Lee. According to local residents, because he served in the confederacy his grave wasn’t given a stone until 1956. 

 

Edgar Noel Smith was born in Vermont in 1840, and was married to Cleora Camilla Mitchell Smith. He enlisted in 1862 and served three years in Company A, 100th Illinois during the Civil War, participating in 18 battles. After his discharge he moved to Clearwater in 1866, where he homesteaded the Smith family farm. 

 

Warner J. Smith was Edgar Noel Smith’s brother. He was born in Vermont in 1838 and married Jane Niece Smith. Along with his brother, he enlisted in 1862, and served in Company 1, 100th Illinois. He moved to Clearwater after his discharge in 1865.

 

Hiram Bentley was born in New York in 1830. He enlisted in the 7th Michigan Cavalry in 1862, where he fought in many major battles. After the war ended his unit was sent to Dakota Territory where they fought against the Sioux. He moved to Clearwater in the late 1870s, where he was a farmer and charter member of the local GAR post.