The tribute published in A Documented History of the First Baptist Church, Bute Street, Norfolk, Virginia, 1800-1988 was nearly identical to the obituary which appeared in The Norfolk Journal and Guide. There were two significant differences:
The soldier London Hurdle was identified as “Deacon Lurdel Hurdle” in the church history.
The scripture in Reverend Richard H. Bowling’s sermon was expanded in the newspaper account beyond the single sentence from Judges which appeared in both texts — “And, behold there came a old man from his work out of the field at even.” Click on the soldier’s name to see the obituary.
What’s consistent in both publications is the mention of Hurdle’s membership in the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). Though there were chapters in Virginia and North Carolina, the location of surviving documents from many GAR chapters across the country is unknown. Click the image above for a list of chapters in these neighboring states.
[Note: I recently viewed the church history which is in the possession of a relative — Leslie].
Note: Until the National Archives in Washington, DC re-opens to the public I will spotlight individuals whose sketches have been published — along with a new and interesting fact that wasn’t mentioned in the original post. Click on the individual’s name in this entry to view the original sketch.
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 