SCOTT COUNTY, KY — Saturday, a new historical marker was placed at the Old Georgetown Cemetery. It's the final resting place of 49 Civil War troops and possibly more that could still be discovered. The marker honors the United States Colored Troops, a roll call that brings attention to each soldier who was part of this group, a collective of Civil War soldiers who took a gamble for a better future.
One of the speakers, Robert Bell, emphasized the significance of their sacrifices: "They gave all they had because they wanted a better life in the future."
This historic moment was made possible on Saturday when the troops were forever cemented in history at the Old Georgetown Cemetery, where the tombstones, weathered over time, have rendered many names unrecognizable.
Willa Gentry, who took the lead of the project, explained how these soldiers were once left unnamed and unmarked.
"There's nothing to say that they were here," she said.
Jim Seaver, Community Engagement Coordinator with the Kentucky Historical Society, noted that it's not uncommon for graves to be unmarked in Kentucky cemeteries, often due to various historical reasons.
"It's fairly common in the state of Kentucky to have a cemetery where graves are unmarked for a host of reasons," Seaver said.
Together, Willa Gentry and Jim Seaver made this project a reality. Gentry, a military veteran herself, shared that she didn't want the sacrifices of these soldiers to be forgotten.
"They're left out of history," she said. "And this celebration is to remind people of the sacrifices that they made for their freedom and my freedom as well."
Robert Bell reinforced the importance of remembering the past.
"If we don't understand what happened in the past, then we will make some of the mistakes that were made back then," Bell said.
For Gentry, this dedication to remembering the past has been a long and personal journey. She spent two years researching the soldiers, uncovering stories, and piecing together histories.
Reflecting on her process, she shared, "I researched the soldiers. In the process of researching the soldier, I went to the library to find a book. I did the family trees of all the people that are here. And you just keep running into stuff."
Willa Gentry concluded by saying that her work is far from over, and she plans to continue her research to ensure that no soldier who served in the military is forgotten.
