Historic trees arrive, delivered to winners
The historic trees with Civil War origins, a drawing for which was a part of the Great State Fair of 1885 program, have arrived and been delivered to their winners. Donations during the fair entitled anyone to a chance on the trees which are propagated from trees still standing at various battle sites.
Kathleen Kelly, well known in the Peabody area as a former food columnist for The Wichita Eagle and a promoter for her wagon train cooking, was winner of the tree from the battlefield where Pickett's Charge took place. Thousands of Confederate soldiers were killed on this battlefield.
Michael Hamous was winner of the Wilderness Kentucky coffee bean tree. The original giant tree probably is the largest of its species in Virginia. It is reported that Stonewall Jackson's amputated arm was buried near the tree after he was shot by one of his own men. The Union had 17,500 casualties and the Confederacy lost 7,000 but the battle ended indecisively.
Morgan Marshall of Hillsboro, but well-known in the Peabody community, has the Manassas horse chestnut tree. Manassas, Va., was the first major battle on the Civil War in June 1861.
The trees were purchased from American Forests in Florida. They were chosen from well known Civil War battles by Kelly Jones as potential growing stock for Kansas. Jones has been a Civil War buff since childhood and is a freshman this year at Pittsburg State.
