There's a small marker in the Riverside Cemetery in Iredell. It is easily overlooked, it is kinda hard to find, and few are even aware of its existence. The marker reads "Bill Flemin 1896-1918 Killed in WW I" The small concrete marker, laying flat on the ground, was poured by John D Smith based on information supplied by Jim McCoy. Jim used to care for some of the graves in the local cemeteries, and Flemin's marker initially was only a small rock with some writing on it. Most markers for veterans and soldiers found in cemeteries are those supplied by the government, at no charge. That's as it should be. But Bill doesn't have a government marker, and I guess now I'm one of the few people around to tell his story. I thought Bill should have an appropriate government marker, so I figured I'd go to the Bosque County Historical Commission's Meridian Tribune microfilm file and see if there was anything in a contemporary newspaper about "Flemin". To save me some time, since Jim McCoy only lived a block or so from the cemetery, I decided to ask Jim if he remembered the guy. That way I wouldn't have to search for as many news articles. Jim was in his early nineties at the time I think. Or maybe he was in his late eighties. This was in May of 1995. Anyway, I knocked on his door and was invited in. I told him I was seeking information about the "Bill Flemin" buried in Riverside. Jim said yes, he did recall that burial. He explained that in 1920 he and his family were living at Chalk Mountain, and that in the Fall of 1920 a Mike Flemin, said to be a former police officer in Dallas, and his wife had moved to an adjoining 320 acre farm. Jim described Mike as being a big Irishman who had been married three or four times. Jim said Mike was then 53 years old, and his current wife was just 23. Jim said that in 1921 Mike told him that his son's body was being returned from France and would be buried in Riverside Cemetery at Iredell. Mike said that his son, whom Mike always called "Bill", was the only child of his marriage to his first wife. He said Bill had been in the Army in World War I and that he had been wounded while in France. He had been carried to a hospital in France, and that subsequently the Germans had bombed the hospital and Bill was killed. This was in 1918. Mike said that by 1921 soldiers bodies were being returned to the states, and Mike was contacted as to where he wanted the body shipped for burial. Mike told them to just ship it to Iredell, that it was on a railroad, and he explained that they would be moving one of these days, and he could have his son's body shipped to wherever they moved to. Jim said the body was shipped back, and that Mike opened the casket, and saw there Bill's mother's ring which Bill always wore. Jim said Bill's body was returned for burial in June 1921 and that later the Flemin's moved away, but Bill's body had remained at Riverside. (As you have probably already figured out, Jim McCoy was one of those rare folks who had a photographic memory. Jim died a year or so after telling me this story.) The same day I talked to Jim I headed for the Bosque County collection and those old microfilmed Meridian Tribunes. Sure enough, in the July 29, 1921 I found the following news article: Bodies of War Heroes Returned in County Remains of H.T. Harris of Morgan, and William M. Fleming, of Iredell, soldiers killed in France during the World War were shipped to their respective homes from Little Rock, Arkansas on Monday, July 25. Funeral services for Mr. Harris were held at Morgan Wednesday and for Mr. Fleming at Iredell the same day. In the Interesting Items from Iredell Community news in the same paper I found the following article: The body of Private William Fleming arrived home from France Tuesday night and was buried in Riverside Cemetery Wednesday about noon. The soldier went from Dallas, but since the war began his father has moved near here is the reason the young man was buried here. This young man was wounded and carried to a hospital and was recovering when the hospital was blown up and killed about four hundred and he was one of them. The funeral service was conducted by Rev. George Smith in the presence of a large concourse of people; after which the soldier boys took hold and gave some military ceremonies and laid the remains to rest. This is the fourth body of soldiers shipped here from France and buried in this cemetery; and as far as we can recall there will not be any more shipped here. Using the above information, I went to the National Archives Branch in Fort Worth and searched the World War I Draft Registration cards now on microfilm there. In doing so I found a William Madison Fleming, 1223 Peabody, Dallas, born Aug. 23, 1890, natural born at Dallas, Texas, occupation Painter, employed by J.F. Fleming at the same address, described as single, slight build, having brown eyes and black hair. He registered in Pct. 22 in Dallas County on June 5, 1915. Using that information, I wrote to the National Personnel Center (Military Records) in Saint Louis and requested a photocopy of any records pertaining to Fleming. They replied with a form and checked thereon was the block saying they were unable to identify a military service record from the information given. And there Bill's story has ended for now. But he hasn't been forgotten, even if his existence is marked only by that small concrete marker and this tale. You might look for Bill's marker the next time you visit the cemetery. That would be nice. Gene Blakley Iredell

Yes, Gene, I will look for 'Bill' the next time I visit Riverside......it would be a very nice gesture, but not near as nice as your efforts to reveal more about one of our country's patriots........may none of us ever take them lightly.............. Suzy "You can complain because rosebushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses." ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Blakley" <geneb@htcomp.net> To: "Ronnie Locker" <rwllocker@htcomp.net> Cc: <TXBOSQUE-L@rootsweb.com>; <bosquecountycollection@htcomp.net> Sent: Sunday, March 17, 2002 4:56 PM Subject: Bill Felmin There's a small marker in the Riverside Cemetery in Iredell. It is easily overlooked, it is kinda hard to find, and few are even aware of its existence. The marker reads "Bill Flemin 1896-1918 Killed in WW I" The small concrete marker, laying flat on the ground, was poured by John D Smith based on information supplied by Jim McCoy. Jim used to care for some of the graves in the local cemeteries, and Flemin's marker initially was only a small rock with some writing on it. Most markers for veterans and soldiers found in cemeteries are those supplied by the government, at no charge. That's as it should be. But Bill doesn't have a government marker, and I guess now I'm one of the few people around to tell his story. I thought Bill should have an appropriate government marker, so I figured I'd go to the Bosque County Historical Commission's Meridian Tribune microfilm file and see if there was anything in a contemporary newspaper about "Flemin". To save me some time, since Jim McCoy only lived a block or so from the cemetery, I decided to ask Jim if he remembered the guy. That way I wouldn't have to search for as many news articles. Jim was in his early nineties at the time I think. Or maybe he was in his late eighties. This was in May of 1995. Anyway, I knocked on his door and was invited in. I told him I was seeking information about the "Bill Flemin" buried in Riverside. Jim said yes, he did recall that burial. He explained that in 1920 he and his family were living at Chalk Mountain, and that in the Fall of 1920 a Mike Flemin, said to be a former police officer in Dallas, and his wife had moved to an adjoining 320 acre farm. Jim described Mike as being a big Irishman who had been married three or four times. Jim said Mike was then 53 years old, and his current wife was just 23. Jim said that in 1921 Mike told him that his son's body was being returned from France and would be buried in Riverside Cemetery at Iredell. Mike said that his son, whom Mike always called "Bill", was the only child of his marriage to his first wife. He said Bill had been in the Army in World War I and that he had been wounded while in France. He had been carried to a hospital in France, and that subsequently the Germans had bombed the hospital and Bill was killed. This was in 1918. Mike said that by 1921 soldiers bodies were being returned to the states, and Mike was contacted as to where he wanted the body shipped for burial. Mike told them to just ship it to Iredell, that it was on a railroad, and he explained that they would be moving one of these days, and he could have his son's body shipped to wherever they moved to. Jim said the body was shipped back, and that Mike opened the casket, and saw there Bill's mother's ring which Bill always wore. Jim said Bill's body was returned for burial in June 1921 and that later the Flemin's moved away, but Bill's body had remained at Riverside. (As you have probably already figured out, Jim McCoy was one of those rare folks who had a photographic memory. Jim died a year or so after telling me this story.) The same day I talked to Jim I headed for the Bosque County collection and those old microfilmed Meridian Tribunes. Sure enough, in the July 29, 1921 I found the following news article: Bodies of War Heroes Returned in County Remains of H.T. Harris of Morgan, and William M. Fleming, of Iredell, soldiers killed in France during the World War were shipped to their respective homes from Little Rock, Arkansas on Monday, July 25. Funeral services for Mr. Harris were held at Morgan Wednesday and for Mr. Fleming at Iredell the same day. In the Interesting Items from Iredell Community news in the same paper I found the following article: The body of Private William Fleming arrived home from France Tuesday night and was buried in Riverside Cemetery Wednesday about noon. The soldier went from Dallas, but since the war began his father has moved near here is the reason the young man was buried here. This young man was wounded and carried to a hospital and was recovering when the hospital was blown up and killed about four hundred and he was one of them. The funeral service was conducted by Rev. George Smith in the presence of a large concourse of people; after which the soldier boys took hold and gave some military ceremonies and laid the remains to rest. This is the fourth body of soldiers shipped here from France and buried in this cemetery; and as far as we can recall there will not be any more shipped here. Using the above information, I went to the National Archives Branch in Fort Worth and searched the World War I Draft Registration cards now on microfilm there. In doing so I found a William Madison Fleming, 1223 Peabody, Dallas, born Aug. 23, 1890, natural born at Dallas, Texas, occupation Painter, employed by J.F. Fleming at the same address, described as single, slight build, having brown eyes and black hair. He registered in Pct. 22 in Dallas County on June 5, 1915. Using that information, I wrote to the National Personnel Center (Military Records) in Saint Louis and requested a photocopy of any records pertaining to Fleming. They replied with a form and checked thereon was the block saying they were unable to identify a military service record from the information given. And there Bill's story has ended for now. But he hasn't been forgotten, even if his existence is marked only by that small concrete marker and this tale. You might look for Bill's marker the next time you visit the cemetery. That would be nice. Gene Blakley Iredell