Just when it may have appeared that all of the marked graves at Cross The Creek Cemetery in Dublin have been found, the grave of Ira Carswell was uncovered last week by City Sexton, Billy Mason.
Lying on the southeastern edge of Cross The Creek Cemetery, Dublin's second city cemetery for African Americans, the military marker's discovery is proof that more graves will be eventually found and identified.
Ira Carswell was born in Wilkinson County on July 28, 1895. In 1900, Ira was living with his Uncle and Aunt, John and Laura Hall in the Dublin Militia District. The family moved to a home on a Branch of Smith Street in 1910.
Shown as an office boy when he was inducted into the Army at Camp Wheeler, Macon, GA July 28, 1918, his 23rd birthday, Carswell had previously worked as a laborer for the Dublin Wagon Company.
Ira, a medium sized African Amercian, served in the Medical Corps Mobile Co. 11 until September 22. before transferring to the training depot of the American Expeditionary Force until the end of the war. On January 19, 1919, Carswell transferred to Veterinary Hospital # 4, where he served until his discharge on June 28, 1919.
Carswell returned home to live at 610 E. Mary Street, just across the street from the entrance to Dudley's Cemetery.
At the age of 45, Ira Carswell registered for the draft in 1940 from his home at 300 West 151st Street in New York City. Ira, working for the Works Progress Administration at Fort Totten Park in the burrough of Queens, was ready to serve his country once again.
A decade and one half later, on January 28, 1955, Ira Carswell died.
Comments