Patriot Guard Riders

Civil War Veteran and Maine born Jewett Williams whose remains were recently discovered in Oregon will, after long last, make a journey home to Maine to be laid to rest along side his comrades-in-arms.

A biographical description for Jewett Williams can be found below.

The Patriot Guard Riders are having the honor of escorting his remains, each state along the way handing off to the succeeding state until he finally is laid to rest in Maine.

Massachusetts PGR members can join (for the entire traverse, the first or second leg, or for any distance he or she wishes) the escort as it traverses the state with a stop and ceremony in South Hadley. Patriot Guard Rider escorts may also elect to continue into Vermont and beyond, into New Hampshire and finally into Maine. There will be an overnight stop in Brattleboro, VT where members planning to continue should seek accommodations.

(The Commander of the VT American Legion Post highly recommended the Black Mountain Inn. The Black Mountain Inn
Address: 959 Putney Rd, Brattleboro (Vermont), VT 05301 – Phone (802) 254-4583. Additionally, he said that for anyone that stayed there he would provide breakfast to free of charge).
At the South Hadley stop, the ceremony will be conducted by the 10th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Company C (reenactment group) along with the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

At that ceremony, we shall form a flag line to honor the memory and service of Mr. Williams

MASSACHUSETTS PORTION OF THE JEWETT WILLIAMS MISSION:

DATE: Saturday, 20 August 2016

LEG ONE: MA/RI border (actually it is the CT/MA border as RI is taking a route that crosses into CT) to South Hadley, MA

Members wishing to join the escort beginning at the CT/MA border should stage at: CT/MA BORDER STAGING LOCATION:

RI PGR is handing off to MA PGR (though cutting into CT to make the trip)

Coming off of Route 395….
Price Chopper
2 Worcester Rd
Webster, MA

take Exit 2 off route 395 in Webster. At bottom of ramp turn onto Rte 16 W (Gore Rd) (that would be a turn right coming 395 South or a turn left if coming from 295 North) Turn right at next light onto Worcester Rd. Price Chopper is on right side.

STAGING TIME: Please be there by 2:00 PM

Ride Captain for leg one: Steve Vieira, srvnam69@comcast.net

NOTE: Be sure to have a full tank of gas

NOTE: Riders may drop out of the escort at which ever point they wish.

NOTE: No tall mounted flags for the escorts as we will be traveling at highway speeds.

LEG TWO: South Hadley MA to the MA/VT border

There will be a stop and ceremony in South Hadley.

Ride Captain for leg two: Ron Sassarone rsass@comcast.net

Those wishing to join the escort at South Hadley and those wishing to be present only for the flag line which we will form there should stage at:

STAGING LOCATION:

Dunkin Donuts
at the Bank of America Sign (Plaza)
493 Newton St
South Hadley, MA

STAGING TIME: 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM

BRIEFING: 3:00 PM

We will then proceed to the site of the ceremony to form a flag line.

Ride Captain for the flag line: Rolly Gratton regratton@verizon.net

NOTE: No tall mounted flags for escorts as we will be traveling at highway speeds.

—————————Flags will be provided for the South Hadley ceremony——————

Jewett/Jewitt B. Williams was born in Maine in May 1844 to Jared Williams and Rosaline Jackins, who were natives of New Brunswick, Canada. He was the oldest of at least nine children and as a child, he lived in Hodgdon in Aroostook County, Maine, where his parents were farmers.

On Oct. 12, 1864, Jewett enlisted in Company H of the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, led by Col. Joshua Chamberlain and Maj. Ellis Spear.

Jewett’s regiment participated in several decisive actions that helped secure the Union victory during the later stages of the war, including the Battle of Boydton Plank Road, Battle of Hatcher’s Run, Battle of White Oak Road and Battle of Five Forks. The 20th Maine was part of the Union force that accepted Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. Following Lee’s surrender, Jewett and his company marched to Washington, D.C., where they underwent a “grand review” and were mustered out on July 16.

He married and lived in Minnesota for a while and then in Washington. later, he moved to Oregon .

On April 14, 1922, he was admitted to the Oregon State Hospital. He was in poor health and suffering from “progressive senile dementia,” according to his intake records.

He died three months later, on July 17, of arterial sclerosis. He was 78 years old. It is not known what became of Jewett’s wife and family, but his remains were never claimed and he has no known relatives still living.

Recently his remains were found in the basement of the long ago closed facility,

Now, after nearly a hundred years in the custody of the Oregon State Hospital, Jewett Williams is going home!

He will be buried with full military honors, on September 17th , 2016, at the Togus National Cemetery in Maine. The Togus cemetery is among the Nation’s oldest National Veteran’s Cemeteries, (1866), and has been closed to burials for many years. The VA has granted special permission to open the Cemetery, so he can be interred with his Civil War brothers in arms.