Indiana Spirit Quest #595 The Quaker Delimma Traditional Cache

This quest will bring you to the West Union Cemetery in Monroe Township of Morgan County. The cemetery is located beside the West Union Friends Meeting church. This is a large cemetery just east of Monrovia Indiana. The Civil War forced the young men of the Friends churches to make a difficult decision. The church believed that all war was unlawful within the eyes of God. Yet the church was adamantly against slavery, and many members felt the Union cause was a religious cause and was consistent with their faith. West Union had many members who made the decision to enlist. After the war the returning soldiers could make a personal offering to the church and ask for reinstatement. Others who were unrepentant of their service in the war were sometimes disowned by the church. It appears that Quaker soldiers who were killed during the war were not denied burial in the church cemeteries.

Based on my research there are as many as 40, and possibly more, Civil War veterans who are either buried at West Union or were members of West Union when they enlisted.

John Abbott - Quaker and Soldier

John Abbott was one of the members of West Union Friends who choose service for his country over the church's ddecree against military participation. Abbott enlisted in company D of the 26th Indiana infantry. The 26th was organized in August of 1861 and spent the war in the western campaigns. Much of its service was in Missouri and Arkansas, but the unit participated in the siege of Vicksburg. The regiment was active to the end of the war participating in the battle at Fort Blakely, outside of Mobile, on April 9, 1865. That was the same day the surrender was signed at Appomattox Courthouse. Typical of many Quakers who participated in the Civil War, his headstone has no indication of his military service.

David Brewer, another Quaker Civil War Veteran

David Brewer is the exception in that he was a Quaker who went to war and whose headstone does show his military service. The 33rd Indiana was active in the south and was a major participant in Sherman's advance on Atlanta and march to the sea. In fact, it was a soldier in the 33rd Indiana who was the first Union soldier to enter Atlanta. Brewer was a sergeant in Company A of the 33rd Indiana regiment.

A Vietnam Veteran

Hadley is a name that anyone from the Mooresville or Monrovia area are very familiar with. The Hadley's have been a predominant family in northern Morgan County for several decades. The football field at Monrovia High School is named Hadley Field. Several Hadleys volunteered in the Civil War and their service to community and country was a tradition obviously passed down through the family. Here we see the grave of David Hadley, who served as a 1st lieutenant in the Vietnam War.

FIND LOGS ON THIS CACHE THAT INDICATE NIGHT CACHING WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE!!

The cache container is A MATCHSAFE CONTAINER. You MUST sign the log to claim a Smilie. If you cache at night, or don't sign the log, or reveal the additional hint in your log, or don't fulfill any additional requirements, your find log will be deleted without notice...If you think these terms to be unfair, don't bother to hunt this cache. The cache is not located near a grave... If you find a fallen US flag, please stick it back in the ground. As always, please be respectful of our pioneer dead, and cache in, trash out.

None genuine without this official SixDogTeam seal. Photographs taken by Lead Dog, (C) 2006 by RikSu Outfitters, unless otherwise noted.

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