Grave mystery: Civil War soldier's remains missing

COEUR d'ALENE — Civil War Union veteran Ira Doty's final resting place remains a mystery that neither relatives nor researchers have been able to crack.

When Michael Carroll, Doty's third great-grandson, explored where his relative was laid to rest, Doty's 1898 obituary in The Coeur d'Alene Press stated a burial was at the Fort Sherman Cemetery. That cemetery is now Forest Cemetery along Government Way just north of downtown.

But from there, the mystery of Doty's missing grave begins.

"He was buried with honors by the local GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) A.T. McReynolds Post in Coeur d'Alene," Carroll said. "However, there is no known grave marker that was placed on his grave."

Soldiers' remains at Fort Sherman were moved to the Fort George Wright Cemetery in Spokane around the turn of the century. When the Fort Sherman Cemetery was deeded to the fledgling town of Coeur d'Alene, all government property, including soldiers' remains, had to be moved.

However, when Carroll inquired at Fort Wright, he was told there is no record of Doty there, either.

"I've been digging (researching) like crazy," said Carroll, who lives in South Carolina. "I would love to find his grave to put a headstone on it, but I don't know if it is possible. I believe the records have been lost.

"There is just a lot of mystery to this."

There are two unmarked grave sites at Fort Wright. While one of them could be Doty, there is no proof.

"There are no facts that present themselves that his remains were moved to Fort Wright," said Carroll, adding all soldiers' remains were moved to that site by 1905.

Doug Eastwood, Coeur d'Alene's former parks director, said there were six graves of unknown adults and one unknown child in the "Old Cemetery" at Forest Cemetery.

"One of those could be (Doty), but I don't think it is too likely," Eastwood said. "The military had pretty good records on who they took with them and I doubt if they had interred any of the vets without who they were and where they were. The parks office has an extensive list of everyone buried in the cemetery and the name Doty would pop up if he is there."

Eastwood said there was a fire in the cemetery sexton's office around 1905 and the records prior to that time were lost. He said the Genealogical Society re-recorded the lost information and provided it to the city.

Carroll has corresponded with Robert Singletary, a local historian; the Genealogical Society; researchers and others about his quest, but the answer of where Doty is buried still hasn't surfaced.

Carroll said all those he has contacted have been helpful with his quest and are willing to continue to assist him with his project.

"Right now it's a mystery," Singletary said. "We've exhausted our options so far, but we'll continue to look into others."

Carroll said his wife's health is preventing him from traveling to Coeur d'Alene to do his research in person. He said his gut tells him Doty is buried in an unmarked plot of what is now Forest Cemetery.

"I believe he's at Fort Sherman," Carroll said, referring to the old cemetery. "I don't believe that the Coeur d'Alene Press made a mistake. I can't prove it, but I believe he's there and that the records got lost."

Still, various theories enter Carroll's mind as to what happened to Doty's remains. Since Doty died in December, Carroll wonders if the ground was frozen, and the burial was postponed.

"I hear the snow was deep in those days," he said.

Doty, who served as a drummer during the Civil War, was one of the founding officers of the GAR J.B. Wyman Post No. 41 in Rockford, Wash. He was also a shoemaker and Methodist minister.

"He went to the countryside and all over in horse and buggy and preached," a biography written by family members states.

He moved to Coeur d'Alene with his wife, Zulina, in 1892. He lived here for six years until his death at age 79 as a result of "a general breaking down of his constitution due to old age," his obituary states.

Carroll said it has been both fun and frustrating searching for Doty's grave.

"I got intrigued when I read an article about soldiers' graves that have never been found," he said. "Then I realized the same thing happened to my family. It's been enjoyable connecting with family."

Carroll said the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War have indicated they would hold a ceremony honoring Doty's service whichever way the search goes. Such an event would give Carroll and other family members closure, especially since Doty's memorabilia, including the drum he used during the war, were destroyed in a house fire in Harrison around 1913.

Carroll isn't giving up.

"If we can find the death certificate, that may be all the information that we need," he said. "If I could find his gravestone and have a ceremony held, that would be a happy ending to my story."