All in the Family – Civil War Veterans - Fairmount Cemetery, Jetmore, Hodgeman County, Kansas

Pvt. Edward T. Cross served his country in Co. L 6th IA Calvary. Pvt. George W. Reed enlisted in Co. K 10th OH. When the Civil War was over, G.W. Reed married Edward’s sister, Alma Matilda Cross which would make them brothers-in-law.

Edwin Cross was born in Medina County, Ohio on January 8, 1839. His sister, Alma Matilda was born two years later. When Edwin was two years old and Alma was an infant, their mother died, so they went to live with an aunt.

When the war was over, Edwin started to move west. Following the US Federal Census, Edwin was in Allen County in 1870, Sedgwick County in 1875, Ness County in 1900, and living in Hodgeman County in 1905. He passed away on September 20, 1909 and is buried in Fairmount Cemetery.

George Washington Reed was born in 1834 in Ohio. After the war, he returned to Ohio where he married Alma Matilda Cross (b. 1841) on February 21, 1867. Alma and George were the parents of six children who were all born in Ohio. Probably encouraged by her brother, Edwin, George, and Alma left Ohio and settled in Sedgwick County in 1883. The following year, the Reed family had settled 10 miles north of Jetmore.

Alma passed away in February of 1909. George lived with his son Louis in Kinsley until his death on April 14, 1924. They are both buried on the same stone in Fairmount Cemetery.

Note: The mother of Edwin and Alma, Matilda Spinning Cross, was a direct descendent of Miles Standish.