Burial at Dayton National Cemetery: A family guide

History of Dayton National Cemetery

Dayton National Cemetery, located in Montgomery County, Ohio, was established as the permanent burial site for residents of the Central Branch of the National Asylum for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in 1867. It is one of 11 federal cemeteries affiliated with the system of National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. Management of these facilities was transferred from the U.S. Army/National Home system to the newly created Veterans Administration in 1930.

The design of the cemetery is attributed to Chaplain (and Capt.) William B. Earnshaw, who was considered to have "judgment and taste" in these matters. Earnshaw served in the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the Cumberland, from which he was named superintendent at Stones River and Nashville National Cemeteries. In September 1867, Earnshaw arrived at the Dayton Soldiers Home, as it became known, having been encouraged to seek the position by Gen. George Thomas.

The Soldiers Home cemeteries were to be "laid out and cared for, as far as practicable, in the manner prescribed for National Cemeteries." The single-most visual cemetery construction is the lofty Soldiers' Monument around which faceted, concentric rows of graves are arranged. Two features found here are common to many older national cemeteries. There are two ornamental 19th-century cannons located at the base of Soldiers' Monument, and seven "Bivouac of the Dead" verse tablets.

When a death occurred here or a deceased veteran was delivered to the facility, the hospital's Council of Administration was notified and steps taken to protect the man's person and belongings prior to his removal to the morgue. A tunnel connecting the hospital and cemetery was built in 1870. Among the permanent improvements to the home in 1887 was the completion of a "new receiving vault" connected with the hospital, which was a "very great convenience to the institution." Furthermore, every resident was to be buried in a "clean suit of the Home uniform."

Notable veterans buried at Dayton National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration documents the following veterans of note buried at Dayton National Cemetery, listed by section and site as recorded in the cemetery's official register.

• Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Recipients receive the Medal of Honor from the President on behalf of Congress. It was first awarded during the Civil War and the eligibility criteria, medal design, and recognition on a recipients' grave marker have all evolved over time. There are 434 Medal of Honor recipients interred at VA national cemeteries including 6 double recipients.
• » Medal of Honor recipients interred or memorialized here:
• Lieutenant Henry W. Downs (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company I, 8th Vermont Infantry, for actions at Winchester, VA, September 19, 1864. Downs died in 1911 and is buried in Section Q, Row 7, Site 24.
• Private Oscar Wadsworth Field (Spanish-American War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps for actions on board the USS Nashville in Cuba, May 11, 1898. Field died in 1912 and is buried in Section O-Q, Row A, Site 9.
• Sergeant George Geiger (Indian Wars). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company H, 7th U.S. Cavalry, for actions at the Little Big Horn River, Montana Territory, on June 25, 1876. Geiger died in 1904 and is buried in Section N, Row 20, Site 47.
• Seaman John H. James (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Navy for actions on board the USS Richmond during the Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama, August 5, 1864. James died in 1914 and is buried in Section 1, Row 19, Site 58.
• Private Charles A. Taggart (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company B, 37th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, for actions at Sailor's Creek, Virginia, on April 6, 1865. Taggart died in 1938 and is buried in Section R, Row 9, Site 14.
• Other Burials Emma Lloyd was born in 1828 and married Joseph Miller by the early 1850s. They lived in Pennsylvania and Illinois before settling in Ohio with their three young children. When the Civil War began, Miller enlisted in the Army and served in Regiment 93, Company B of the Pennsylvania Volunteers. He died ca. 1862. Emma Miller became active in Ohio's chapters of the United States Sanitary Commission, the relief agency established for the sick and wounded. She cared for disabled soldiers at Camp Chase, and oversaw the Ohio Soldiers Home in 1865. Two years later, Miller became the first matron of the hospital at the Central Branch of the National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. In 1895 she was appointed Superintendent of the Central Branch Depot. She died January 18, 1914, and was buried with full military honors (CIV, Row 3, Site 2).

Eligibility for burial at Dayton National Cemetery

Planning ahead for a Veteran's or loved-one's final resting place can eliminate unnecessary delays and reduce stress on a family at a difficult time.

The Department of Veterans Affairs covers the grave plot, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government-furnished headstone or marker, and a U.S. burial flag at no cost to eligible families.

Visiting hours

Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day. VA will continue its practice of honoring special requests for weekend burials for religious purposes, in cases of service members killed in action and on at least one day of any three-day Federal holiday weekend at all open VA national cemeteries.

How to schedule a burial at Dayton National Cemetery

1. The funeral home or family contacts the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117 (24/7 for active funeral arrangements).
2. Provide the veteran's full name, date of birth, social security number, dates of service, branch, and date of death.
3. Fax or email the DD-214 to the cemetery's interment office for verification.
4. Once eligibility is confirmed (typically 30–60 minutes for complete documentation), the cemetery assigns a date, time, and committal shelter.
5. The funeral home transports the deceased to Dayton National Cemetery at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Dayton National Cemetery sits in the Ohio cemetery system

Dayton National Cemetery is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in Ohio. The cemetery is currently accepting new in-ground and columbarium interments. Families should verify status before planning.

For families considering alternatives, the nearest veteran cemeteries appear in our cemetery sidebar. If Dayton National Cemetery is fully reserved, those alternatives are typically the next options.