The Allen County Historical Society will observe the 100th anniversary of Maj. Gen. Frederick Funston’s death this month.
A wreath-laying ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. Feb. 19 at the Funston statue in front of Funston’s boyhood home and museum complex on the west side of the courthouse square.
Funston was born in Ohio before moving with his family to a home a few miles north of Iola.
He worked initially as a botanist, participating in scientific expeditions in the Dakota Badlands, Death Valley and along the Klondike and Yukon rivers for two years in Alaska for the United States Department of Agriculture, before embarking on a storied military career.
His military stature grew exponentially during the Spanish-American War and the Philippine American War. Funston’s role in the capture of Filipino insurrectionist Emilio Aguinaldo led to Funston receiving the Medal of Honor.
After the war, Funston was given command of the Presidio of San Francisco. He was there during the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, and helped maintain law and order in the aftermath.
Funston was favored by President Woodrow Wilson to head American forces in Europe, which became entangled in World War I only months after his death on Feb. 19, 1919.
Funston’s boyhood home was relocated to the courthouse square in Iola in 1994; the adjoining museum complex was built shortly thereafter.
THE PUBLIC is invited to the wreath laying ceremony. Because organizers are uncertain of weather, the ceremony is expected to last only a few minutes.
On Wednesday, the United States and Kansas flags at the Funston Museums complex will be lowered to half staff in Funston’s memory. They’ll remain at half staff through February.
