Pictured above are participants in a wreath laying ceremony in Lawler Cemetery, located in Charleston Township.

(Photos by Kathy Vander Roest)

On Saturday, May 25, the Lucinda Hinsdale Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution held a wreath-laying ceremony at the grave of American Revolution soldier Zoeth Tobey in Lawler/Territorial Cemetery in Augusta.

The cemetery is located in Charleston Township along Territorial Road on the west side of the Fort Custer Training Center bordering the State of Michigan Fort Custer Recreation Area.

Opening remarks and a brief biography of Zoeth Tobey was presented by Elisabeth Kraatz, Regent of the Lucinda Hinsdale Chapter and organizer and hostess of the event.

Chaplain Jacklyn Skinner, also a member of the NSDAR, gave the opening prayer which was followed by an introduction of distinguished guests:  David Van Hoof, national vice president of the Great Lakes Region of the NSSAR; Geoff Hickok, president of the Michigan Sons of the Revolution (SAR); Ester Johnston, president of the Ki-Ka-Ma-Sung C.A.R. Society; Mark Johnston, president of the Colonel Joseph Westnedge SAR Chapter; Sharon Carlson, member, State of Michigan’s America2505MI Committee; Steve Rossio, president of the Kalamazoo Historical Society; Alice Kraatz, page, Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Chapter NSDAR, outstanding junior, K-Ka-Ma-Sung C.A.R. Society.  

After singing “America the Beautiful” several wreaths of honor were placed in front of the grave of Zoeth Toby and near his wife, Abigail.  Several of their children are buried nearby.

Zoeth Tobey was born December 30, 1758 in Dartmouth, Massachusetts Colony. He served with the Dartmouth Company in the American Revolution from 1780-1781 and was wounded in service.  He was honorably discharged and then moved to Otsego, Michigan where he died at the age of 79+ on August 21, 1838.  

The Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Chapter marked his grave in a solemn wreath-laying ceremony on Memorial day in 1917.  Over the years the DAR marker disappeared.

Alonzo Imus, a veteran of the War of 1812 buried in the cemetery, was also remembered along with those who served in the Civil War: The Rev. Benjamin Harvey Shepard, chaplain for the 17th United States Colored Infantry; Augustis Giddings, 8th Michigan Calvary; Lt. Charles L. Bradley, 1st Kentucky Light Artillery; Charles Billington, 11th Michigan Cavalry; Sgt. William Demond, 8th Michigan Infantry; Ira H. Morey, 2nd Ohio Artillery; Wilson Bradley, 25th Michigan Infantry; Lt. Charles K. Smith, Jr., Regimental Quartermaster for the 26th Ohio Infantry; and Robert Hopkins, 25th Michigan Infantry.

Several people stayed and cleaned the gravestones of the 11 veterans whose final resting place is Lawler/Territorial Cemetery.

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