HUMBOLDT — A new statue sits in the Grand Army of the Republic section of Mount Hope Cemetery, inspired by one man’s family history.
Dennis Piatt began restoring headstones with his wife, Houi, in 2021. First, in Wichita, where they lived, and then in Humboldt, where Piatt was born. Through the restoration process, Piatt became heavily involved with researching the graves he came across.
Through this, he learned of his own connection to Private John W. Poe, a soldier who enlisted in the Union Army in September of 1862. He served in Company G, 35th Infantry Regiment. When he died that November from measles, he left behind a wife and five children. The youngest of whom he never got to meet. Poe was laid to rest in Jefferson City National Cemetery, Missouri.
“So after 163 years, I’m bringing him home to family,” Piatt said.
Poe is Piatt’s great-great-great-grandfather, and has children buried in the cemetery. He decided to dedicate a statue in his honor to the City of Humboldt on Saturday, Oct. 4.
At the beginning of the ceremony, American Legion Post 170’s honor guard provided a prayer, a three-volley salute, and a performance of “Taps” on a bugle.
“The statue stands as a lasting tribute in service and sacrifice located among the final resting places of the Union soldiers,” Piatt said. “It reflects the enduring legacy of the Grand Army of the Republic and the spirit of patriotism.”
Piatt said the statue was inspired by a painted cement statue at the Chanute Area Veterans Memorial.
“The joy of giving this statue to the city of Humboldt is really a lot of blessings for Houi and I,” Piatt said.
He noted that over the years, he and his wife have worked to restore many headstones in the cemetery, and that they will caontinue to volunteer their time to restore headstones throughout the cemetery.
“I think it’s awesome that they did this for the city,” Humboldt Township Treasurer Terry Broyles said of the statue.
“He’s done an amazing job out here,” Brent Plegge said. Plegge said he often mows the cemetery, and said he appreciated what Piatt has done.
While Poe never lived in Humboldt, his descendants arrived in the area in 1902, according to Piatt’s research, with several living relatives alive today.
“If you look at the lineage of one person, you know, there is over 1,000 behind you,” Piatt said.
Piatt said cemetery sexton Cindy Holinsworth has been a great help to Piatt in his research. Of future restoration work, Piatt said he has a goal to restore 500 graves each year at Mount Hope Cemetery.
His next section of focus is the historically segregated section of the cemetery, where some markers have become mounds of broken rock, according to Piatt.
“With the help of Cindy, we’re going to find out who is there, and I’m going to try to bring them back some way,” Piatt said.
Houi said that Poe and the soldiers buried at Mount Hope need to be remembered by their families.
“Since they are gone, we try to keep them in our hearts,” Houi said.
American Legion Post 170 Commander Roy Culbertson said Piatt has done a great job restoring the G.A.R. portion of the cemetery.
“I have to give him tremendous credit in getting this all out,” Culbertson said. “I know our post and our honor guard were honored to be invited.”
