The evening times., 1896-05-30
Mrs. Martha G. kimhaIl Original
ed Decoration Day.
NOBLE TYPE OF WoMANHooD
It Is to Her That the Grand Army
of the Republic Owes Its. Touching
Custom of Annually Decorating the
GravesOfTheirD Dead dCOmrades-La.
bored Hard for G eneral Observance

| teries pauses In his work of honor and re-
membrance to pay silent tribute of re-
spect and thnnkfulness to the memory OF
Mrs. Martha G. Kimball, vino originated
the beautiful and impressive custom of
decorating the graves OF those who died
in defense of their country
The story regarding the inception oe
Mrs. KiDballs idea regarding a national
memorial day and the immediate steps
taken to make it practicable is short, but
none tile less interesting.
In travelling through the South Mrs. Kim
bah noticed that the Southern women We're
assiduous in their attention to the graves
OF Confederate soldiers and that those of
the brave fellows who fell fighting in the
blue, were sadly neglected.
IL at once occurred to her that il might be
possible with a lively agitation of the sub
ject TO have a day set aside by the govern
ment on which 70 look after the graves Of
our soldier dead.
With this object in view she wrote to
Gen. John A. Logan, then commander-!n-
chief of the Grand Army OF the Republic,
presenting her views on the subject, witlian
eioqucnce that at once enlisted his active
cooperation, and resulted ultimately in
the issuance OF what is known as order No.
IL, which went into effect on May 80, 1868,
and established memorial day.
Three days prior to the first general Dec
Grafton Day, on May 27, the House of Rep
resentatives passed Il resolution, instructng
tbeSfficer in charge of public buildings and
grounds to prepare and transmit, so far as
practicable, to each of the National Union
Soldiers cemeteries, selections OF flowers
from all the public gardens for the purpose Of
decorating the graves OF the brave aud hon.
ored dead; in response to which, on the same
day, Gen. N. Michler, the officer then in
charge, informed the committee OF arrange
ments that all the flowers that could be
gathered from those sources would be
placed at the disposal of the committee for
the very laudable object for which they
were intended; and in addition to those sup
Piled FOR the national cemeteries in the
neighborhood OF Washington, u small box
mad been sent to each OF those at Gettys-
burg, Fredericksburg, Petersburg, Win
chester and Baltimore
The or!gination of Memorial Da = has often
been ascribed to an unknown German SOL
dier who wrote letter on the subject
prior to that OF Mrs. Kimball, but the fol-
lowing direct proof is furnished by julius
Simons, uf this city:
Il was clerk at the House Of Represent
atives and Gen. LogaD's private secretary
at the time, and sa W all the correspondence
relating to the matter; heard Gen. Logan
tell his friends and other callers, tha. he
was indebted to Mrs. Kimbali for the sug-
gestion TO decorate our soldiers graves;
saw him hand Mrs. kimbalrs letter on the
G.,t. to
state to Gen. Chipman his views and wishes,
out Of which. Order No. IL grew, and
during the Presidential canvass of that
year, on which l went with him, he re-
ceived many cncomiunis wherever he went
for the Inauguration OF Memorial Day, and
he never refrained from giving Mrs. Kin
ball full credit for the idea, feeling quite
content and appreciative for the share Of
honor that naturally and properly flowed
to him for putting it into practical i nd
permanent operation
HER CHARACTER.
Although at one time a resident of this
city, Mrs. Kimball spent the closing years
of her life in West Philadelphia, and
her remains rest in West Laurel Hill ceme-
terry.
Mrs. Kimball was woman of singularly
sweet disposition Her sympathy for the
oppressed and needy was practically un-
founded. No. duties We're imperative
enough TO turn her aside from a call for
assistance. Numberess stories might be
told illustrating her charity and goodness
of heart.
Men of eminence in the nation were
her warm friends, conscious of her womanly
qualities and ever ready to do her a
service. Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan,
of the great generals; Anthony j Drexei,
George W. Childs, Vice President Henry
Wilson, 10 whose grandchild she gave her
s'anchest friendship in the hour of trouble;
Gems. Hooker and Butler, Andrew John
son, Benjamin Butterworth, Treas
urer Spinner, Senators Foote, Wash
burn. Foster, Ben Hill of Georgia,
c. P. Huntington, nd Gen. John A.
Logan were intimate friends, and the
name of nearly every noted man in the
North during and Immediately preceding
the war might be added to the list.
The late George W. Childs once expressed
his admiration of Mrs KimbaIl in the fol-
lowing words:
''She has done more good deeds and said
more kind words than any woman have
ever KNOWN
Martha G. Kimball was born in Portland,
Me-, In 1870. She was woman of dignifed
beauty and possessed rare magnetism. She
was present when the Stars andStripes were
restored at Fort Sumter and assisted in pull
ing the flag to the top Of the staff She had
large collection of war relics, among them
being the original plan of Andersonyile
prison, and the chair used by jefferson D avis
when he was president of the Confederacy.
Mrs. Kiniball died April 81, 1898.