KCRG-TV9 staff made a visit to Anamosa on May 16 to meet people in the community and get input for an “Our Town” feature on the station, which will air nightly the week of July 10 on the 6 a.m and 6 p.m. broadcasts.

Staff members showed a video of the last time Anamosa was featured, back in 1991. Anamosa was one of the first towns highlighted in the series, which has been exploring eastern Iowa towns for 15 years.

Tom Hearn of KCRG told the group of community leaders that the station was looking for positive things about Anamosa, including economic development, history, unique people and the reasons to raise a family here.

Weatherperson, Denny Frary, told the group of some of his experiences in Anamosa and praised the town.

“Every time I’ve been in Anamosa I’ve had a great time,” Frary said.

Not only did he research each soldier, but also ordered the headstone through the VA paperwork, is cementing each of the six stones graveside and placing GAR and/or star grave markers on plots.

So far since June 12, 2005, Ryan has literally poured 145 hours of work into the project.

His family has been extremely supportive. Mom, Carol, assisted with genealogy research, Dad, Greg helped with the physical stuff and helped purchase needed supplies. Grandpa Lawrence Weers, donated the wood for the concrete framing and Ryan’s twin brother, Jared was helpful and an inspiration as he has recently completed his own Eagle Scout project.

Ryan confesses that the most difficult part of the project was the research.

“We contacted four states before we found the right Jeremiah Bishop. He was from Pennsylvania.
All of them died after the war but three out of six had been wounded in the war,” he said.

Carol Husmann chauffeured her son to the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs in Des Moines as well as additional research trips to Iowa City and Cedar Rapids to locate and look up Death certificates, Census records, GAR records (Grand Army of The Republic), grave registrations, and Muster rolls. These are enlistment papers, signed by the soldier when joining the service. The easiest part of the adventure was cementing thirty one Civil War stars into cups donated from Hardees.

When asked about the most meaningful part of his Eagle Scout journey, Ryan responded, “Helping out the community, making the cemetery look nice and making sure all Civil War Veterans receive a war grave marker.”

The culmination of the project will be a dedication ceremony for the six Civil War veterans and acknowledgment of any descendants that may be found. Ryan is in the process of trying to locate descendants of the six veterans.

“I would like to get all I can on these men. My speech at the dedication will be about each one of them. It would be better if I had more information. It would be cool to find out their family history,” he added.

To earn the Eagle Scout rank, the highest advancement rank in Scouting, a Boy Scout must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership, service, and outdoor skills. Criteria for an Eagle Scout project includes at least 100 hours of community service hours and the project concept approved by his unit leader, his unit committee, and the benefactor of the project, and reviewed and approved by the council or district advancement committee. Applications need to be completed as well as the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook. This is used to track personal progress.

Husmann is still seeking information on several soldiers. Please contact Ryan Husmann at 319-480-5634 if you are a relative or know of the following veterans or their families:

Andrew Bennett, Jeremiah K. Bishop, Isaac Henry Brasted, Oliver Brundidge, Amster Cook and Garret Slingerland.