Color on the Cemetery

Many are familiar with Frederick's highly popular "Color on the Creek," an all volunteer inspired and managed water garden located in the Carroll Creek Linear Park which runs through the heart of downtown. Created in 2012, the garden transformed an algae-plagued creek into a place of real beauty with water lily blooms from April through October.

Now that its November, the town creek is transformed into something altogether different. "Sailing Through The Winter Solstice" features a fleet of anchored, miniature boats between Market and Carroll streets. These are carefully, and creatively, decorated for the holidays with colorful lights that make quite a display against the backdrop of buildings and landscaped terraces surrounding the creek. Best of all, the sailing vessels complement additional public art in the vicinity. This adds greatly to the majesty of  a collection of unique water crossings "bridging" Carroll Creek. 

"Color on the Creek"

"Sailing Through the Winter Solstice"

​​It is truly amazing how this special space within Downtown Frederick can capture the allure of Frederick over the annual "seasonal bridges" from spring to summer, summer to fall, and fall to winter. At the same time, Mount Olivet Cemetery is another unique location in Frederick to "bridge the seasons" as well.​

Mount Olivet Cemetery, Frederick, MD

​​In place of water lilies, the emphasis here is placed on the blooming, and later transformation of leaves on trees that stand tall above a sea of monuments and markers. Our historic "garden cemetery" obviously embraces seasonal color changes, but we also have what you could call two "military solstices" each year which have absolutely nothing to do with the sun, but everything to do with patriotism, dedication to duty, and making the ultimate sacrifice.  During Memorial Day, the colors of red, white and blue add substantially to the budding leaves and blossoming spring flowers. Six months later, Veterans Day follows the peak of the annual, autumnal palette.

​​Just a week and a half ago, I found myself strolling through the cemetery and taking photos of gravestones of Revolutionary War "Patriots" buried in Mount Olivet. It was a beautiful day to tackle this task with temperatures in the 60s, and the fall foliage was breathtakingly beautiful. One of the most picturesque areas within our 100 acre-property is on the south side of what we call "Pumphouse Hill." In addition to being the highest elevation in Downtown Frederick, a tree-lined avenue of large, vibrant specimen appears for a good 25 yards. A week prior it was a brilliant yellow, and on this day a tempered orange.

As I maneuvered around to get "the perfect shot," I noticed an interesting veteran grave I had never noticed before. It was a raised marble, footstone marker of military issue boasting the initials H.J.H. It's easy to overlook because it is obstructed from view from the central drive because of a neighboring slant-face marker belonging to an adjoining plot with the last name of James. The vet's name on my newfound "mystery stone" is Harry Johns Haller, and I made it a point to take my fall foliage photograph utilizing a side angle with his gravesite within view. I had even gone one step further in placing a US flag in the vintage American Legion spike flag-holder next to said foot marker. I immediately thought to myself how this scene perfectly depicted this beautiful time of the year as we have a backdrop of fall foliage, a sea of bright white grave monuments and a contingent of US flags marking the 4,800 plus military veterans who repose in Mount Olivet. 

As they are in advance of Memorial Day each May, gravestones were decorated this year on November 1st, in advance of Veterans Day (November 11th). Interestingly, our cemetery flag-planting day occurred just one day after Halloween. It's a quick turnaround for historic cemeteries across the nation like ours to welcome visitors seeking Halloween decorations and spooky "unsettling" strolls through the grounds by candlelight for two weeks, then followed by individuals interested in strolling through to see flag-decorated gravesites honoring our dearly departed military men and women of yore.

A vision of Halloween decor

Candlelight Tour in Mount Olivet

The common denominator is color, be it from the primary family or secondary. Our November 1st turnout of volunteers to plant flags was once again stellar. Starting at 9am, thousands of distributed flags were placed where needed by roughly 1pm. Thanks again to all who helped on another beautiful day, made all the more attractive by sunshine, beautiful temperatures and a gorgeous backdrop of turning leaves—red, orange, and yellow with some overachieving brown and underachieving green leaves still in view. 

Now, here we are just a week and a few days later... and many of our leaves have fallen. However, the flags stand tall over a plethora of vet gravesites ranging from various chapters of our history with participation in the American Revolution, War of 1812, Mexican War, American Civil War, Spanish-American War, World Wars I & II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War and a few from modern wars in the 21st century including the War on Terror and Iraq Wars.

These flags were softly inserted into a green lawn that now is being fast covered by colorful leaves. In coming weeks, the ground will harden while leaves will continue to fall and brown. Our staff will attempt to collect up most of them over the next month, and when they do, the grass underneath will not be nearly as green as before in October. Those bold, little flaglets will withstand imminent windy days and (hopefully) remain in place for our Wreaths Across America event on December 13th. On this day,  sponsored wreaths of dark green will be placed adjacent the red, white and blue "beacons marking the graves of veterans." It's then up to mother nature whether she wants to add a white bed of snow to lay the wreaths on, or whether snow will cover the wreaths in the weeks to follow up through Christmas and New Years.

To support us in our Wreath-drive efforts, please click the button to the right! 

Sponsor Wreaths at Frederick's Mount Olivet Cemetery

The Music Man: Harry Johns Haller

One of the many gravesites that will continue to participate in this colorful menagerie of fall will be that of the earlier mentioned Harry Johns Haller. I was inspired to look into his "life story" and thought I'd share it, colorful or not, with you on this Veterans Day, 2025.

Born July 22nd, 1858, Harry Johns Haller was the son of Jacob Luther Haller (1826-1874) and Sarah Matilda (Kantner) Haller (1834-1899). Our subject was one of eight children, born in Frederick. The family would relocate south of the city in the area of Araby in upper Urbana District by 1870. Harry would attend local schools and helped with the family farm. Sadly he would lose his father to a freak mill accident when he was only 15 years old. 

1870 US Census showing Jacob L. Haller and family

Frederick Examiner (Jan 7, 1874)

Grave of Jacob Luther Haller in Area C/Lot 77

1880 US Census showing Sarah Haller as head of household

Harry would assist his mother and siblings in running the farm as evident by the 1880 census. Likely inspired by his paternal grandfather, Jacob Haller (1794-1873), our subject would eventually decide to join the military. As for Harry's grandfather(Jacob Haller), he is buried here in Mount Olivet and represents one of 108 War of 1812 veterans. The former participant of the "Battle of Baltimore"  was well-known as the purveyor of fine oyster saloons here in town as I've written about him before in this blog.

Grave of Jacob Haller (1794-1873) in Area C/Lot 77. Below is Jacob Haller's War of 1812 marker.

Maryland Union (Aug 21, 1873)

Harry Johns Haller's military career would start in 1882 when he enlisted on March 20th in the United States Army's 12th Infantry Regiment, and served as a musician--both facts found on his military-themed footstone marker in Mount Olivet's Area R/Lot 26. 

I looked into the history of his military unit and found the following:

"The battalion was reorganized and redesignated as the 12th Infantry Regiment on 7 December 1866. In April 1869, having been ordered to the Presidio of San Francisco, California, the regiment entrained at Omaha, Nebraska, on the Union Pacific Railroad portion of the not yet finished transcontinental railroad; rode to Corinne, Utah; detrained and marched to the Central Pacific railhead; and re-entrained to complete the journey to Sacramento, California. In the 1870s, the regiment took part in three campaigns of the Indian Wars; against the Modoc tribe in California during 1872–1873, against the Bannocks in the Northwest in 1878, and against the Sioux at Pine Ridge, South Dakota from 1890 to 1891. During these campaigns, six soldiers performed acts deemed worthy of the Medal of Honor."

The12th Infantry Regiment's band had a participation in the U.S. Indian Wars that consisted of standard support roles such as morale-boosting concerts and ceremonial functions. During this period, bands were not just for music, they also served as a medical support unit, assisting in field hospitals and as stretcher-bearers during battles and campaigns. 

Unfortunately, I did not learn what instrument (or instruments) Harry Johns Haller played. I also could not locate a photograph of the 12th Infantry Regiment Band, however I did locate a few photos of a "like" military band of the same era. This was the 16th Infantry Regimental Band and these images were captured at Camp Riley, Kansas in the late 1870s. This at least provides a visual of what Haller and his colleagues would have looked like in their dress uniforms.

US Indian Wars Infantry Band Breast Cords

Pension file card of Harry Johns Haller

I learned from military discharge papers that Harry served in the U.S. Army until March 19th, 1887, the expiration date of his 5-year enlistment. It appears that the entirety of his assignment was spent at Madison Barracks in Sackets Harbor, New York. Madison Barracks, located on Lake Ontario (near Watertown, NY) is regarded as the first permanent U.S. military encampment in the North Country and was established here during the War of 1812.

Sackets Harbor was formally established in 1816 as a U.S. Army installation and named "Madison Barracks" for President James Madison. It served as an important U.S. Army garrison and training camp and was permanently occupied by the U.S. Army for 140 years. In 1906, Col. Philip Reade, commander of Madison Barracks, worked with North Country community leaders to locate a new training ground that would eventually become Fort Drum.

Madison Barracks at Sackets Harbor, NY is marked on the map above with a red tab.

A detailed, online regimental history helped me decipher a bit of Haller's time with the 12th Infantry. It appears he joined at the time the regiment came east after dealing with the Sioux and Lakota tribes in the Dakota Territory (later South Dakota).

"None of the companies in the field were engaged in any action, and by December (1881) all had returned to their posts. During the spring and summer of 1882 there was more trouble, which called at various times Company E from Grant, G from McDowell, H from Fort Lowell, K from Huachuca, D from Apache, and F from Whipple. With the exception of Company E, which continued at Camp Price, at the southern end of the San Simon valley until August, none remained long in the field, nor were there any encounters with the hostiles.
 
In September came the welcome order for a new station, first to Fort D. A. Russell, Wyoming, but almost at the last moment it was changed to the Department of the East. The companies were concentrated at various places on the railroad, and went east in two detachments, Headquarters, and Companies A, B. C, D, F and G taking station at Madison Barracks, E and K, Fort Niagara, and H and I, Plattsburgh Barracks, all in New York. This change, after so many years on the Pacific coast and in the southwest, was very agreeable. Greater concentration and better facilities for travel allowed more intercourse. The older members of the regiment thus had the opportunity to recall old times, and the younger to become acquainted. Such military exercises as parade and battalion drill, which had been almost unknown since the regiment left Washington, were taken up with zeal, and had almost the charm of novelty.

​Five years were thus spent very pleasantly with but few changes, the most important being as follows: Major Cochran was promoted to lieutenant-colonel 5th Infantry, May 31, 1883, and Captain W. H. Penrose, 3d Infantry, took his place, with station at Fort Niagara. In May, 1884, Fort Ontario at Oswego was regarrisoned by Company H, which was replaced at Plattsburgh by Company C. In November Company I moved from Plattsburgh to Madison Barracks. In July, 1885, Company E was sent from Niagara to Mt. Gregor, N. Y., as guard for General Grant, then lying sick at that place. Upon his death the company formed part of the funeral escort from Mt. Gregor to Albany, thence to New York, taking part in the ceremonies at each place, and returning in August to its post.

In March, 1887, the law limiting the tenure of regimental staff positions to four years resulted in the displacement of a number of officers. This is the time our subject received an honorable discharge noting that he possessed "excellent character." Three months later, an order came for the 12th Infantry Regiment to return west to the Dakota Territory." Harry Johns Haller would remain in New York, however he was now a civilian again.

​Interestingly, Harry's family life would begin a few months earlier than his discharge with his marriage to Frances Winters on December 22nd, 1886. Miss Winters was a native of Hastings, Ontario and I assume that the pair met here in upstate New York, obviously while Harry was still in the service. They would marry in Canada at Frances' home town of Lonsdale, a historic village in Tyendinaga Township, Ontario. Harry and Frances would continue to live in northern New York for the next 40 years before returning to Frederick, likely in the early 1920s.

Lonsdale Methodist Church where Harry and Frances were married in 1886

It appears that the couple first settled in Oswego, New York. Here they witnessed the births of their two children. Georgia Haller (b. October 15th, 1888) and Harry Francis Haller on October 11th, 1894. I found the first census record reflecting the family in 1900, however, Harry Johns Haller was absent. I assume that he could have had a work assignment elsewhere, but I have not been able to locate him.

1900 US Census showing Frances Haller and her children living at 246 West 4th Street in Oswego, NY

​That work assignment was most likely with a traveling band as Harry would continue his career as a musician. He played in private bands and his obituary states that these included the Kingsford Band of Oswego, the Remington Band of Ilion, NY, and the Penn Band of Syracuse, NY. From a deep dive on the internet, I found a random transcript of an article (or lecture) entitled "MUSIC AND MUSICIANS IN OSWEGO" and dated April 18th, 1967 by Weldon M. Grose of 182 West 2nd Street Oswego, N. Y. Mr. Grose gave a history of bands dating from the 1800s and shared: 

"In 1888 there is notice of the Oswego City Band being organized with John J. White as director; Edward Cavert, secretary (who was a clarinetist); F. Preston, treasurer. Announcement was made that meetings (or rehearsals) would be every Monday and Friday night in a building at Market and Water Street. And then, in 1890, this same band continued at 83 E. Bridge St. with Joseph Dano, president, James Battomy, secretary-treasurer, and Harry Haller, director."

That's right, Harry was the Oswego City Band's director in 1888! I wouldn't learn anything more about his future involvement with this outfit, however I would gain knowledge on the Kingsford Band he would go to next. Author Weldon Grose said of them:

"In 1878 the famous Kingsford Band was established in Oswego by the very prominent industrialist, Mr. Thomson R. Kingsford. The Kingsford Cornstarch Company founded in 1848 by Thomas Kingsford was Oswego's largest employer at that time, and its products became nationally known and accepted. In this atmosphere of growth and optimism, following the Civil War, Mr. Kingsford established the Kingsford Band by naming Mr. Frank Shilling as musical director. (The Schilling family were all prominent in Oswego's musical affairs.) W. I. Rasmussen was Secretary and Treasurer and Thompson R. Kingsford himself was president of the band.

The musicians were enrolled from among Kingsford employees, who were able and willing to qualify as bandsmen. Other musicians were brought to Oswego by Mr. Kingsford to enter his employ and to augment the band (double in brass, as it were). Each bandsman had his job in the factory, but a regularly scheduled portion of his time (for which he was duly paid) was assigned to rehearsal. The Kingsford buildings (part now standing at West 1st and Erie St. ) contained a band room with library space for music; storage space for instruments, uniforms, and equipment. All of the larger and most expensive instruments were furnished by Mr. Kingsford, as well as all of the necessary equipment.

From first hand information given me by some of the Kingsford bandsmen who were still living in the 1930's and 40's - Mr. Herbert Fox, trombonist; Mr. John Zimmer, hornist; Mr. Jake Anderson, drummer; and F. Neary Schilling, son of the director, I learned that Mr. Kingsford regarded the band as a valuable "public relations" venture as well as a sound advertising medium. The band journeyed to Washington, D. C. for presidential inaugurations; appeared at all New York State Fairs, Expositions, and celebrations; and in Oswego, the band played open air concerts in the summer and indoor concerts in the winter. There was provided both a summer uniform and a winter uniform, with appropriate accessories for each musician.

The administration of the band was along military lines, with professional standards applied to deportment as well as performance. No nonsense was allowed. When the band was on tour, the musicians received their regular pay, and travel expenses. The Kingsford Band was one of the first notable industrial bands in the U. S. , and enjoyed a very respected and admired position for years. With the change in management of the Kingsford industries at about the turn of the century the Kingsford band was dissolved. Perhaps the 1893 "business panic" had something to do with the fortunes of this business, as well as with music."

1910 US Census showing the Haller family living in German Flatts, NY.

The family may have re-located to Utica, New York in the early 1900s. By 1910, the Hallers were definitely living southeast of Utica at a small village called German Flatts, just across the Mohawk River from Herkimer, NY. From the census that year, we see that Harry is employed as an assembler at a typewriter company. This wasn't just any typewriter company, this was "the" typewriter company—Remington Typewriter Company, a division of Remington Firearms. It was located in nearby Ilion, NY.

The community began to flourish starting around 1816 when Eliphalet Remington created his first rifle, thereafter developing the Remington Arms manufacturing company. The community was stimulated in growth by the completion in 1825 of the Erie Canal, which completed area trade and connection with products from the Great Lakes region. In 1843 a post office was desired, so the people had to choose a name. Remington refused to be the namesake of the village, and it was eventually named Ilion.

On June 23rd, 1868, a patent was granted to Christopher Sholes, Carlos Glidden, and Samuel W. Soule for a "Type-Writer" which was eventually developed into the Sholes and Glidden typewriter, the first device that allowed an operator to type substantially faster than a person could write by hand. The patent (U.S. 79,265) was sold for $12,000 to Densmore and Yost, who agreed with E. Remington and Sons (then famous as a manufacturer of sewing machines) to commercialize what was known as the Sholes and Glidden Type-Writer. Remington started production of their first typewriter on March 1st, 1873, in Ilion.

1873 Remington typewriter

1905 view of Remington's typewriter assemblers

​The Type-Writer introduced the QWERTY keyboard, designed by Sholes, and the success of the follow-up Remington No. 2 of 1878 – the first typewriter to include both upper and lower case letters via a shift key – led to the popularity of the QWERTY layout.  E. Remington and Sons eventually sold their typewriter sector to the Standard Typewriter Manufacturing Company, which merged with the Rand Kardex Corporation in 1927 to form Remington-Rand Incorporated. They continued to be a major manufacturer in the typewriter industry throughout the 20th century. 

There you have it, as I bet you never dreamed of learning about the history of typewriters in this particular "Story in Stone?" Well, the name Remington also would be applied to Ilion's widely known band. In 1905, the Remington Company formed its first band, "The Remington Typewriter Band."

The Remington Typewriter Band in a photograph dated 1906. Could Harry Johns Haller be among those pictured?

The Remington Band gained greater fame during the World War I era. One source states that following the Armistice on November 11th, 1918, the date of today's annual Veterans Day, the band made a trip to New York City and played in a parade to celebrate America's victory.

So, my two main sources for tracking this gentleman's life were United States census records and the musical bands he participated in. Harry and his family can be found at 203 Second St. in Ilion in 1920. I assume that he was still with the Remington Band. As mentioned earlier, he is said to have participated with the Penn Band of Syracuse which was located only an hour to the west. I couldn't find anything on this group, and theorize that they could have been affiliated with the Penn Traffic Grocery Store chain (incorporated in 1854).  They would move their corporate headquarters to Syracuse.

1920 US Census showing the Haller family minus daughter Frances

Around 1916, Georgia Haller married a professor named Herman C. Knandel who taught poultry extension at Pennsylvania State College. Meanwhile, brother Francis graduated from school and worked as an electrician. I thought that he would have served in World War I but saw on his draft certificate that he had been rejected admission to West Point Military Academy due to physical reasons. 

Harry Johns Haller, now in his 60's, would come back to his hometown of Frederick, Maryland after a 40 year absence. Of course he would bring wife Frances with him. They would take up residence in Braddock Heights. We glean a bit more about the family and this move, that likely occurred around 1922, from the obituary of Harry Francis Haller who died at the age of 31 in 1926. ​

Frederick News (Aug 30, 1926)

Harry Francis Haller would be laid to rest in Mount Olivet's Area R/Lot 26. I found his gravestone interesting in the fact that an inscription on the backside pays homage to his beloved hometown of Ilion, New York. There also exists a unique footstone that reads "Camp Devens, Ayer, Mass." This truly puzzles me! Established in 1917 in Ayer, Massachusetts, Camp Devens was a World War I training and demobilization center that became the permanent Fort Devens in 1931. Today, this is the site of a former Army base that has been redeveloped into a new community named Devens, which includes residential areas, businesses, and a training ground for the military and law enforcement. It is named in honor of Major General Charles Devens Jr.

This now leads me to think that Harry Francis Haller could have participated in basic training for World War I, but did not complete said training.  I can't find anything on his possible service. Did the same physical limitations that kept him out of West Point eventually preclude participation, or did something happen in unfinished "basic training" that led to his declining health, thus precipitating the family to move to Braddock Heights for his heath and wellness reasons? I would learn from his interment card in the Mount Olivet records that he died of dysentery.  We know from history that Army camps were literal breeding grounds for disease.

Again, I am perplexed by the Camp Devens footstone, there is a message in its presence for sure.

From the 1930 Census, it appears that Harry Johns Haller participated in the "famed" Braddock Heights Concert Band, and why on Earth wouldn't he? Braddock Heights was a pretty happening place at this time as a major summer resort community complete with a dancehall, theater, observation tower, swimming pool and amusements. The Hotel Braddock and numerous cottages catered to visitors and served as residences for prominent Fredericktonians and socialites from Washington, D.C. 

The Braddock Heights Dancing Pavilion

Our veteran "Music Man" kept a low profile whilst back in Frederick. Occasional mentions in the newspaper tell of Harry and Frances Haller's trips to see their daughter, and like announcements that Georgia and Professor Knandel were visiting her parents here in Frederick. The Hallers would eventually move off the mountain and onto Frederick's West Patrick Street (106 W. Patrick Street). The Frederick County Courthouse property fronting West Patrick today occupies the footprint of the former home of the Hallers. This would be our subject's last home. It was a long way from all those years spent in proximity to Lake Ontario.

​Harry Johns Haller would die at the age of 83 in February, 1942. He would join son Harry Frances in Mount Olivet's Area R.

Cemetery interment card for Harry Johns Haller

Frederick News (Feb. 25, 1942)

Frances (Winters) Haller would leave Frederick to reside with her daughter, now living in Salem, New Jersey. Upon her death in 1955, she too would be buried in the family plot with her husband and son. On the back of the couple's shared gravestone, an epitaph reads: "Sometime, Somewhere, We Shall Meet Again!" A footstone reading "Mother" was also placed in front of her upright gravestone.

Frederick Post (Aug 20, 1955)

Like the leaves, lives are full of color and change. Veterans are clearly draped in red, white in blue as well. Not to be a downer, but also like leaves, we all must fall to the ground one day and return to the earth. The secret is whether there is actually grace in the act....like that of the autumn leaves. In deference to our subject, I decided to check ChatGPT to see if leaves can make music like Harry Johns Haller did throughout his life. The response was this:

"The "music" leaves make can refer to the natural sounds of leaves rustling, or to music created using leaves as instruments or by converting their electrical signals into sound. The rustling sound of leaves is often described as a "susurrus" or "rustling." People have also developed techniques to play musical instruments from leaves and use technology to convert the electrical signals of a plant into audible tones."

​I guess if you can have a "Typewriter Band," you can have musical leaves. If the leaves sound half as good as they look, I'll take it. Thank you Frederick veterans​—one, and all.