A copy of an original state records file from Des Moines, called the
Armed Forces Graves Registration Record reveals that Twombly's remains were
moved to Pittsburg from a prior location, since he died nearly 2 months
before burial in Pittsburg Cemetery.
The deceased Civil War veteran and Van Buren County native, is listed as
Voltair Paine Twombly, who was born February 21, 1842. He was inducted into
the Armed Forces on May 1, 1861 at the age of 19 and was discharged July 12,
1865 at Louisville, Kentucky.
Mr. Twombly died in Des Moines. Typewritten on the form as the date of
death, is February 24, 1918. The form also says that the place of burial is
Pittsburg, Iowa in Van Buren County, in Van Buren Township and the name of
the cemetery is Pittsburg. On the next line is a handwritten entry, which
says that the date of burial was April 16, 1918.
It goes on to say that his father was Samuel Tuttle Twombly, his mother
was Dorothy C. Wilder, his wife was Chloe A. Funk and his daughter was Mrs.
C. W. Jeffries of Des Moines.
Since, according to the official record, he died in February and was
buried in Pittsburg Cemetery in April, it seems logical that he was buried
first in Des Moines and his remains were moved to Pittsburg. According to
information in The Keosauqua Experience, 1989, there was some consideration
of burial in Arlington National Cemetery, but his family chose to have his
remains placed in Pittsburg near his friends and family members.
Although the Army Registration page gives his name as Voltair, the civil
war military plaque honoring him and showing that he was a recipient of the
Medal of Honor (which Maxine Hughes helped acquire for his grave), spells
his name as Voltaire, which is in accord with other records. Floyd C.
Bentzinger registered the entry for the Adjutant General's Office, therefore
is responsible for typing the entry incorrectly.
What I haven't been able to find is where his body was kept between the time he died on February 24 and was buried at Pittsburg April 16. He must have been buried temporarily in one of the cemeteries in Des Moines, but this is inconclusive.
I thought it was very unusual for a man to die February 24 and not be
buried until April 16. I could not and have not found any evidence of his
being buried in a cemetery in Des Moines for the interim period.
Even though it was winter when the man died, it has not usually prevented burial. Somehow grave diggers manage to dig through the frozen sod in order for this to happen.
The only thing I found is in the transcript from the ceremony at the 150th anniversary celebration, where it was stated that his body was put in a holding vault because it was winter, and then was brought to Keosauqua by train in April for burial at Pittsburg.
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