CHAMOIS — Several hundred people gathered on May 25 at Chamois Cemetery to honor Jerry Berry, Osage County’s last Union Civil War veteran, during a Memorial Day medallion dedication ceremony.

The event brought together veterans organizations, preservation groups, Prince Hall Masons, elected officials, clergy, historians, local residents, and visitors to recognize Berry’s military service and community leadership, as well as ongoing efforts to preserve Chamois-area cemeteries.

“It is my honor as the president of the Friends of Chamois Cemeteries to welcome you to this once in-a-lifetime moment for our beloved hometown and our county,” said Michael Nolte.

He said Friends of Chamois Cemeteries (FCC) was formed in September after local residents began discussing the need to revitalize the community’s historic burial grounds.

“Imagine our surprise within days to learn that we were the home of the last Civil War Union veteran of Osage County,” Nolte said. “And thus began our friendship with Craig Haugen and the Sons of the Union of the Civil War. Honoring Jerry Berry gave us our first deadline to hustle long overdue work.”

According to Nolte, what began as an effort to improve cemetery maintenance quickly expanded into a broader effort to preserve local history.

“This spot is our heritage,” he said. “What we are doing to restore it will be our legacy.”

Displays at the event highlighted restoration work completed on the Berry family burial plots between September 2025 and May 2026 by Cemetery Restorations volunteers from the Jefferson City area.

Craig Haugen of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War presented a history of Berry’s life and military service.

Born into slavery in Callaway County in 1844, Berry enlisted in the Union Army on Dec. 30, 1863, and was mustered into service at Benton Barracks in St. Louis on Jan. 16, 1864. He served as a bugler with Company E of the 56th United States Colored Troops Infantry, and was honorably discharged Sept. 12, 1866.

Following the war, Berry returned to central Missouri, where he farmed, married, helped establish the Chamois Black Baptist Church, served as a minister, participated in Emancipation Day celebrations, and became a member of Capitol City Lodge No. 9 Prince Hall Masons.

“Throughout his life, there are many examples where Jerry dedicated his life to service both for his country and local communities,” Haugen said.

Susan Sundermeyer traced the development of Chamois during Berry’s lifetime and emphasized that, despite the passage of time, Berry’s story had remained part of the community’s collective memory. She cited local residents, family recollections, school lessons, and published histories as evidence that Berry had not been forgotten.

State Rep. Bruce Sassmann presented a Missouri House Resolution honoring Berry and read a letter from Gov. Mike Kehoe recognizing his military service.

In the letter, Kehoe noted that Berry enlisted at age 19, served two years as a bugler, and is commemorated on the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C. The governor also noted that Berry died on Sept. 8, 1939, one day before his 95th birthday.

After presenting the resolution, Sassmann reflected on the many unanswered questions surrounding Berry’s life.

“I wish we could have met and you could have told me all of your stories. I wish we could have been friends,” Sassmann said.

He concluded by thanking Berry for his service and legacy.

“We are all better people to have known about you,” Sassmann said.

Members of the Prince Hall Masons also participated in the ceremony. Grand Master Anthony Fisher said Berry’s life demonstrated dignity and service during a challenging period in American history.

“Jerry Berry was a man who chose to defend this country in a time where a country was not really very ready to honor this man,” Fisher said. “It is the fact that he still served with dignity and honor and what that reminds us is that though history may have the opportunity to divide, dignity and respect will always have the power to unite.

“So as we look out and remember our brother, pastor, veteran, father, husband, all of the things that we just heard, his uniform may have faded, his medals may have tarnished, but his legacy will continue to live on,” Fisher continued. “It’s said that ‘A man never truly dies until you stop saying his name.’ So as we continue to gather together, continuing to say his name, continuing to pay tribute to the work that he did, gathering as one, we say that the legacy will not fade.”

The ceremony included an invocation by Rev. David Means, a Masonic tribute, a flag-folding ceremony by Linn Police Department Sgt. Darrell Chrisenberry and Officer Zac Wolfe, musical selections, including Taps performed by Waylon Carter, a gun salute by the VFW Post 4756 Honor Guard, and the unveiling of the commemorative medallion marking Berry’s grave. Traffic control for the event was provided by the Chamois Fire Protection District, and crew members also helped with cemetery clean up, controlled burns, and brush-cutting before the event.

The program concluded with the ringing of a church bell 95 times by Ralph “Rube” Cramer, once for each year of Berry’s life.