Honor and Respect
Commemorating the veterans and Tribal People of the Lewis and Clark Expedition at their burial sites across the nation.
A December picture of Arlington National Cemetery, in a blanket of snow with green wreaths with red bows placed at each veteran's grave, was the genesis of Honor and Respect. Lewis and Clark veterans and Tribal People that aided the exploration deserve recognition at their widespread burial sites.
The first year, Ed Hamilton's bronze statue of York, William Clark's enslaved servant, was the only expedition member that received a wreath. However, after seven years, V.F.W. Posts, American Legion Posts, libraries, interpretive centers, and individuals are assisting with a wreath laying at the final resting place of Lewis and Clark Expedition members and Tribal People linked to the epic story.
The December wreath laying is an opportunity to bring greater recognition to the Lewis and Clark Veterans and the service they provided all people. The wreath laying is now on city calendars, organization planners, and individuals' "To-Do Lists."
Please join the Lewis and Clark Trust in recognizing the Lewis and Clark Veterans and the helpful Tribal People with a wreath laying in a community where a burial site is located. Each community or group determines the degree of formality and who attends. A wreath presentation is an opportunity to preserve through education.
Honored Burial Sites
Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau
Inskip Station, Malheur County, Oregon
Son of Sacagawea and Toussaint Charbonneau, Jean-Baptiste was the infant "Pomp" carried across the continent. He later traveled to Europe, became a frontier guide, and died in 1866.
View BioPatrick Gass
Brooke County Cemetery, Wellsburg, West Virginia
Sergeant Patrick Gass was the last surviving member of the expedition, living to age 99. He was the first to publish a journal of the expedition in 1807.
View BioYork
Louisville Belvedere, Louisville, Kentucky
York, William Clark's enslaved servant, was a full participant in the expedition. Ed Hamilton's bronze statue honors his contributions to the Corps of Discovery.
View BioWilliam Bratton
Old Pioneer Cemetery, Waynetown, Indiana
Private William Bratton served as a blacksmith and gunsmith on the expedition. His skills were essential for trading with Native American tribes and maintaining equipment.
View BioLucy Meriwether Lewis Marks
Ivy, Virginia
Mother of Meriwether Lewis, Lucy Marks was renowned for her knowledge of herbal medicine and her strength of character, qualities she passed to her son.
Reuben Lewis
Ivy, Virginia
Younger brother of Meriwether Lewis, Reuben accompanied Lewis on his journey to St. Louis and served in the territorial government.
Nathaniel Pryor
Graham Cemetery, Pryor, Oklahoma
Sergeant Nathaniel Pryor served with distinction on the expedition and later became a trader among the Osage Indians. The city of Pryor, Oklahoma is named in his honor.
View BioJohn Shields
Little Flock Cemetery, Harrison County, Indiana
Private John Shields was the expedition's premier blacksmith and gunsmith, whose skills in repairing weapons and forging tools were indispensable to the journey's success.
View BioHaláx túuqit (Daytime Smoker)
Tonkawa Cemetery, Oklahoma
Believed to be William Clark's Nez Perce son, Daytime Smoker represents the enduring connections between the expedition and the Tribal peoples who aided them.
Sergeant Charles Floyd
Floyd Monument, Sioux City, Iowa
The only member of the expedition to die during the journey, Sergeant Floyd succumbed to what is believed to have been a ruptured appendix on August 20, 1804. The Floyd Monument, a 100-foot obelisk, was the first National Historic Landmark in the United States.
View BioAlexander Willard
Franklin Cemetery, Franklin, California
Private Alexander Willard served as a blacksmith on the expedition and later settled in California, living to age 87.
View BioJohn Colter
Near New Haven, Franklin County, Missouri
Private John Colter left the expedition early to become one of the first "mountain men." He is credited with being the first European American to visit what is now Yellowstone National Park.
View BioMeriwether Lewis
Lewis Site, Natchez Trace Parkway, near Hohenwald, Tennessee
Captain Meriwether Lewis died under mysterious circumstances on October 11, 1809, at Grinder's Stand along the Natchez Trace. The site is maintained by the National Park Service.
View BioWilliam Clark
Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri
Captain William Clark served as Superintendent of Indian Affairs and Governor of Missouri Territory after the expedition. He died on September 1, 1838, in St. Louis.
View BioJoin the Wreath-Laying Program
Please join the Lewis and Clark Trust in recognizing the Lewis and Clark veterans with a wreath laying in a community where a burial site is located.
Read Their Story
