Civil War Veterans in Desecrated Graves

In 1969, the City of Ventura, California abandoned its two City owned pioneer cemeteries, St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery founded in 1862, and the adjacent Ventura Protestant Cemetery founded in 1889. These two cemeteries located at main and Poli Streets in Ventura were converted to a public park where the remains over 3,000 of the City’s pioneer residents are still buried, the headstones and monuments were disposed of in a landfill in the nearby Santa Clara River and the property’s use converted to a city park. Over the years several families moved the remains of their ancestors across town to Ivy Lawn Memorial Park but the city did nothing to protect the remaining graves of these early pioneers. No effort was made to maintain, relocate, protect or honor the graves of the many military veterans remaining.

The above research by Edson T. Strobridge, Civil War research historian in San Luis Obispo, CA. has so far identified fifty-five Civil War veterans originally buried in these historic burial grounds. Over the years eight of the veterans graves have been removed to Ivy Lawn Memorial Park by their families. There still remain the graves of forty seven veterans of the Civil war including many of their wives and children, in what has become known as “Cemetery Memorial Park.” Among the more than 3,000 graves remaining is one of a Civil War General and former member of Congress, another, a Confederate Colonel and many others who served their country in time of war. They include seven members of the original 99 men who enrolled in Company C, 1st Battalion, Native California Cavalry originally enrolled in Santa Barbara in April 1864 (when Ventura Co. was still a part) and made up entirely of native Californians, who represented California in the Union Army during the Civil War.

This research is ongoing and not yet complete and does not include the names of veterans of other wars, one Medal of Honor winner won during the Indian Wars in 1869. As more information develops and confirmed Mr. Strobridge plans to share it with Mr. Steven Shleder to aid in his mission to gain support in “Restoring St. Mary’s Cemetery”.

This above information has been developed from a number of sources, among them the US Civil War Military Pension Record Index, US Civil War Military Service Record, County Histories, US Census Rolls, contemporary newspapers and GAR membership rolls. All names listed have been confirmed as Civil War veterans, having served in the military Forces of the United States or the Confederate States of America between the years 1861 and 1865. The Cemetery burial information has been taken from the City of San Buenaventura Cemetery Records as compiled by Edess Fargo, Administrative Asst,. City Clerk’s Office on 10 January 2001. The Ivy Lawn records have been taken from the listing provided by Terri Taylor Gonzalez, Gen. Mgr. Of Ivy Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery on March 14, 2003 and posted on the web on Mr. Schleder’s web site “Restore St. Mary’s Cemetery” (www. Restorestmarys. Org)

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Confirmed burials of Civil War veterans remaining in Cemetery Memorial Park, San Buenaventura , CA, as of 01/17/05

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