A ceremony honoring the buried individual’s service was held at Calhoun Community College’s Decatur campus, where historians and state leaders were in attendance to reveal a newly installed headstone.
Hiram Matthews, an African American Union soldier who escaped slavery in 1863, is commemorated by the headstone. However, unearthing the tale behind the monument necessitated delving into years of history that had been forgotten.
The origins of the event can be traced back to when John Gaines, a history instructor at Calhoun, rallied his students to participate in their routine cleaning of the cemetery located just across the street from the campus.
Gaines shared that he and his colleagues stumbled upon a solitary grave situated on their property on one occasion, which piqued his interest and left a lasting impression on him. He admitted that he kept this memory tucked away in the back of his mind.
Upon discovering the headstone, the name Hiram Matthews was inscribed on it, but the individuals were unaware of the identity of this person.
Upon learning of his mysterious past, Gaines wasted no time in reaching out to various funeral homes in Morgan County. His efforts led him to uncover a captivating story that local historians have been working tirelessly to unravel for quite some time.
Rev. Wylheme Ragland, a historian from the United Methodist Church, revealed that the discovery of Hiram Matthews’ grave on the Calhoun campus was initially discussed. However, it was only after historian Peggy Allen Towns got involved that they realized Matthews was the same patriot and pastor they were all researching. According to Ragland, everything fell into place after this revelation.
Towns shared that they were able to gather valuable insights about the plantation where he was stationed and his post-war activities as a circuit preacher through his pension records.
Alabama Senator Arthur Orr dedicated a single grave on Calhoun’s Decatur campus, which is now adorned with a fence.
Historians confirm that no other college or university in Alabama has the burial site and headstone of an African American Union soldier on its campus.
You can visit the gravesite at the south end of the campus since it is open to the public.
