Sylvan Cemetery- Citrus Heights overdue headstone for Civil War Veteran buried 110 years ago

THEODORE COLLINS FITCH, Captain Union Army 1865 – 121^st Ohio Infantry

Born September 13, 1838 – Died September 3, 1901

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On September 3, 1901, Theodore Collins Fitch died.  He was a veteran of the American Civil War and had served from the beginning in 1861 all the way to it’s conclusion in 1865.  He served in the 6^th Ohio Infantry and the 121^st Ohio Infantry, rising from private to the rank of Captain by wars end.  He was laid to rest in the Sylvan Cemetery in Citrus Heights, California.

Captain Theodore Collins Fitch did not receive a headstone for his grave site.  Instead there is simple metal bar in the ground with a small metal tag with his name, age, date of death and that he was a Civil War Veteran.  Over the 110 years since his death the tag has been bent and wrinkled to the point that it could no longer be read.  His final resting place almost became an un-marked grave.

After six months of research and building a document file on Capt. Fitch, a request was made of the Department of Veterans Affair for a proper military style headstone to place at the grave site.  In mid September, the headstone arrived at the Sylvan Cemetery.  It is a white marble, military style headstone with all of the information to describe the final resting place of an American Veteran. 

On Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 11:00 am, there will be a dedication ceremony at the Sylvan Cemetery in Citrus Heights, CA.  Members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and Sons of Veterans Reserve Company B, 8 Calif. Infantry Regiment, will take part in the ceremony – dressed in Civil War Union Blue uniforms.  There will be musket salute, drum and bugle and a formal color guard.  The public is invited and encouraged to attend to pay tribute to an American Veteran who did not receive the recognition that all veterans deserve.

http://sylvancemetery.com/