A memorial service will be held at Molena City Hall at 2 p.m. Nov. 19 in honor of two local men’s service in the Civil War and their lifelong friendship. The memorial will start at Molena City Hall and end where the two are buried next to each other in Molena.
The memorial will honor Molena resident Freddy Jones’ third great uncle Maxey Jordan and the servant he took to war with him, Punch Duncan.
They both served in the 13th and 53rd Confederate regiments, seeing battles and action in Virginia, parts of North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
The two were 16 to 20 years old when they left to fight in the war.
“Both these men were born and raised in Molena and lived next to each other for the next 60 years of their lives after the war ended,” said Freddy Jones.
After the presentation in their honor at city hall, the memorial will conclude at the Jordan/Holmes cemetery on Highway 109 where both of the men are buried three feet apart. The cemetery is about 1.5 miles east of the city hall. There will be a rifle salute at the end of the service along with the playing of the slow version of the song Dixie.
Anderson Punch Duncan’s gravestone says he was born circa 1840 and he died Aug. 26, 1932. Also inscribed are the words, “Brother in arms with Maxey Jordan and friends to the end.”
Maxey K. Jordan was born July 2, 1845 and died March 14, 1928.
Jones has been a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans for 22 years.
“We as an organization honor all Confederate Veterans in numerous ways every day, every year but especially on April 26th which is Confederate Memorial day,” he said.
Was Punch Duncan enslaved?