Listers, you are welcome to attend this event. Please feel free to forward this message to anyone who may be interested, especially local media in Bluefield, Richlands, and Bristol. My mother is John Whitaker's great niece and has worked hard to get his recognition after all these years. She especially wants any of John Whitaker and Nancy Nuckles descedants to attend. Please call the number listed in the message below for more information. Cheryl Tate Duke After one hundred and forty years, John Whitaker of Tazewell County, is receiving recognition for his service in the Civil War. He is buried in an unmarked grave in the Whitaker Family cemetery at 2526 Indian Creek Road, Cedar Bluff, VA. His great-niece, Nancy Whitaker Tate, remembers marking his gravesite with rocks as a child. With the assistance of Scott Cole, noted Civil War author, they have arranged for John to receive his veteran's tombstone in a ceremony on August 13, 2005 at 3 PM. The public is invited to attend, as well as any descendants of John Whitaker and his wife Nancy Nuckles. John served for 5 years with the 34th Virginia Calvary under Col. W. A. Witcher. In his 1923 application for his Civil War pension, he said, "I was in the battle of Gettysburg three days and nights, and if I never performed any other military service for the state of Virginia, this baptism of fire and shell should certainly be sufficient credit for my eligibility rolls, at least it seems so to me after 57 years have passed by. I am old and worn out and tired. Have perhaps lived beyond the allotted time already, and if the pension does not come pretty soon. I will not need it." John died September 20, 1928 and for almost 77 years his grave has had no marker to acknowledge his life and service as military veteran. Tazewell County Sons of Confederate Veterans, commanded by Bob McGraw, will perform the ceremony at the gravesite. For more information contact Nancy Whitaker Tate or Frances Whitaker McGlothin at 276-964-2029. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com