I t was a beautiful sunny morning at Evergreen Cemetery at Block 22 on Saturday, June 13, 2026, when the Zebulon Pike Chapter, NSDAR came to celebrate the Julia Maria Hankinson Platt Commemoration Ceremony. There were 25 attendees honoring Mrs. Platt. Leslie Brinkley, National Society Community Classroom Committee Chair, Colorado Honorary State Regent, and Honorary Zebulon Pike Chapter Regent was in attendance along with two state officers: Colorado State Recording Secretary Pat Borah and Colorado State Librarian Tanice Ramsperger. Other state committee chairs who enjoyed the ceremony were: National Defense Chair, VAVS Representative, and Honorary Zebulon Pike Chapter Regent Lynn Baldvins, Literacy Promotion Chair and Honorary Zebulon Pike Chapter Regent Melissa Rolater, Insignia Chair Susan Bygren, and VAVS Representative Barbara Adair.
The gravesite area had been freshly mowed. Printed programs were passed out. Promptly at 11 a.m., Regent Deb Neubauer began the commemoration ceremony. Deb welcomed the guests and Chaplain Vickie Sherwood led in prayer. Greetings from State Regent Carrie Klein were read by State Recording Secretary Pat Borah. Zebulon Pike Historian Marie Housman read greetings from the Colorado Alamosa Chapter. (This chapter had been formed with Caroline Platt as a charter member and first chapter regent. Caroline was married to William’s and Julia’s oldest son, an attorney in Alamosa.)
A Historic Preservation Medal and Certificate of Appreciation were to be presented to Chuck Christie. However, Chuck and his wife Sherry were unable to attend from Delta, Colorado. Chuck is the brother of Zebulon Pike member Barbara Adair and did the masonry work on the coping wall in August 2023, with the help of other crew members. Barbara Adair accepted the medal and certificate on behalf of Chuck.
Deb explained to those gathered that while a coping wall holds the land; Julia Platt’s heart held her family and her country; Amor Patrix (Love of country/patriotism).
Deb went on to state: “A wall holds the land in place. These stone walls border a burial area. This defines and enhances the appearance of the burial site. But what protects the stone wall from erosion caused by water and weather damage? Wall coping is the answer. It is installed on top of the wall. The coping protects the walls from water infiltration and maintains structural integrity of the wall. Little notice may be given to such an important structure until a restoration is needed.
A Certificate of Award was then presented to Barbara Adair for her diligence in helping with the coping wall. Vickie Sherwood and Marie Housman were each presented a Certificate of Award for their efforts in working with the restoration of Julia’s headstone.
The photos above are the before and after of the coping wall that was in need of repair.
Julia’s headstone was in two pieces. The base had slanted and the headstone rolled over Julia’s son’s headstone (without harming it) and lay face down next to the coping wall pictured in the photo on the left. The photo on the right shows Julia’s headstone restored.
Julia’s Life Story Was Read in Four Parts . . . Julia’s Early Years Read by Melissa Rolater
The youngest of six children, Julia Maria Hankinson was born March 22, 1856, in Manahawkin,
Ocean County, New Jersey. Her father was Dr. Gustavus Adolphus Hankinson, a medical doctor. Her mother was Deborah Bertine Remsen. She had an older brother and two older sisters. Julia also had a brother and sister who died as infants.
Julia’s older brother Henry enlisted in the United States Navy for four years, re-enlisting for a second tour during the height of the Civil War. The year 1866 would be a grief-filled year for the Hankinson family. On January 12, 1866, when Julia was nine years old, her father died at the age of 62, and six months later her brother Henry died from dysentery while in the service. He was buried in Florida. Julia’s mother sent a headstone to Pensacola to say, in part, “the noble boy that they loved so well to fill a soldier’s grave.” Julia was 10 years of age.
It may be assumed from Julia’s later interests in life that she was very well educated and came from a stable upbringing. Her oldest sister, Sarah Frances Hankinson married a young lawyer, William Tracy, who died at age 34. Julia was then 18 years old.
Sarah remained a widow the rest of her life returning home to live with her mother and Julia. Julia’s other sister, Mary Dunham Hankinson, married a young bank clerk, Cassius Clay Jones nicknamed Cash. He became a well-known bank examiner in Rockford, Illinois, where they lived near his family. They had one daughter who died at the age of 15 from scarlet fever.
Julia’s Married Years Read by Kirsten Kopec
Julia (24) met and married William Alexander Platt, who was a year older, in early 1880. He was the son of a clergyman with one sister ten years younger. William and Julia had two sons: William Wallis Platt and James McClure Platt who was two years younger.
By this time, Julia’s husband had transitioned from teaching school in Pennsylvania to being a newspaper editor in New York City. Newspaper editors were the social media moguls of the day, the influencers of society with their editorials. The founder of Colorado Springs, General William Jackson Palmer, must have liked Mr. Platt’s views because he hired him in 1892 as editor of the Colorado Springs newspaper, “The Gazette.” Mr. and Mrs. Platt with their two young boys, 11 and 9, made their home on Wood Avenue in Colorado Springs. The Platts were introduced and made friends within the social circle of the Palmers and other North End residents. Two years later, Mr. Platt’s sister, Alice McClure Platt came to live with them suffering from consumption which she succumbed to at the age of 29. She was the first to be buried in the Platt Block 22 gravesite in Evergreen Cemetery.
Mr. Platt went on to purchase “The Gazette” and owned it with others for five years before selling it and taking a job as a bank receiver. It was during the time of the Panic of 1892 caused by the collapse of several banks. His new profession necessitated the family live in Denver close to the bank where he worked. Both William’s and Julia’s sons finished their education at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, so the Platts found themselves once again in the Springs. William Sr. returned to newspaper editing; Julia was quite busy with her DAR activities.
Their oldest son, William Wallis Platt became a successful attorney and lived his lifetime in Alamosa, Colorado, with his wife, Caroline Davis, and two children (a third child died at the age of two years). The second son, James McClure Platt became a mining engineer, working for companies in Peru and Mexico while his main residence was in Beverly Hills, California. He married Ida Ealand, but they had no children. Both sons, their wives, and one grandson are buried in Evergreen Cemetery.
Julia’s NSDAR Years Read by Annette Calabretta
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded on October 11, 1890, in Washington, D.C. Shortly thereafter on April 15, 1891, the Nova Caesarea (Latin for New Jersey) Chapter was formed. Sarah Hankinson Tracy, Julia Platt’s oldest sister was accepted into membership as National Number 299. Julia also became a member as National Number 581.
Both sisters were listed in the 1891 First Yearbook as part of the 818 Charter Members of the NSDAR. The third sister would also join a chapter in Rockford, Illinois, at a later date.
Their Patriots served in the Revolutionary War in the Battle of Monmouth in New Jersey and built a gunpowder mill providing black powder and cannons for the war effort in addition to food production. New Jersey earned the title, “Crossroads of the American Revolution.”
In Colorado Springs as an early member of the NSDAR, Julia Platt was very influential in forming the Zebulon Pike Chapter, the very first Colorado State Chapter. She was the third person to sign the Chapter Charter and was elected as the first Registrar at that May 13, 1895 meeting. She was instrumental in reading and writing papers for the chapter and choosing the chapter’s name.
As early as July 4, 1895, the chapter realized they needed a record of their endeavors when they placed their first marker located where the first stake of Colorado Springs was driven at Pikes Peak Ave. and Cascade Ave. It was Julia who was named the Custodian of the Scrapbook.
Julia served three terms as Registrar, the most that was allowed under the by-laws of the chapter. She served on education, historic preservation, and patriotic committees, organizing events and service within the Zebulon Pike Chapter, NSDAR. Well-educated, creative, and gifted in organization with her family always in her heart, service and sacrifice were a way of life for this loyal member of the NSDAR.
Julia’s Final Years Read by Holly Smith
In the spring of 1911, Julia Platt’s sister Mary Dunham Hankinson Jones died at the age of 65 in Rockford, Illinois. The biggest change of all came to Julia’s life when her husband, William Alexander Platt, died at the age of 59 in Denver from kidney failure on March 21, 1914. A year later her mother would pass away at the age of 94 in New Jersey.
As the year 1917 came into focus, Julia moved to Glendale, California at the age of 61, to be in close proximity to her younger son, James McClure Platt and his wife Ida who lived in Beverly Hills. She continued to serve the DAR enrolling in a California chapter.
In 1920 William Wallis Platt’s wife, Caroline Davis Platt became a member of the NSDAR in Alamosa, Colorado. At the time there was no chapter in Alamosa; however, in 1927, Caroline became one of the Charter Members to form the chapter. In addition, she was elected to serve as the first Chapter Regent of the Alamosa Chapter. In all likelihood, her mother-in-law, Julia Platt had influenced Caroline in membership and service in the NSDAR.
In 1928 at the age of 72, Julia traveled from Glendale, California to Pensacola, Florida, to the National Cemetery at Fort Barancas. Here she placed a tablet honoring her brother Henry Remsen Hankinson who had died in the Civil War. She had not forgotten her brother’s sacrifice for his nation even though he had been dead for 62 years and Julia had been only ten years old when he passed. She didn’t want anyone to forget there was a veteran buried there who had a family who cherished his memory.
Julia Maria Hankinson Platt lived in California for 16 years until she passed from heart disease, arthritis, and dementia on March 24, 1933, at the age of 77. She lived as a testimony of a life of love and service to her family, to the NSDAR, to the communities where she lived, and to her nation.
There was a commemoration by Regent Deb and prayers by Chaplain Vickie. Flowers were then laid on the top of the headstone.
CAPTION OF GROUP PHOTO:
This group gathered for the commemoration of Julia Maria Hankinson Platt’s grave restoration:
Kay Wettemann, Lynn Baldvins, Barbara Adair, Kirsten Kopec, Holly Smith, Vickie Sherwood,
Gail Carter, Pam Stemple, Deb Neubauer, Leslie Brinkley, Pat Borah, Susan Bygren, Annette Calabretta, Marie Housman, Mary Hertzog, Joy Jones, Pam Spires, Nancy Shatto, Robin Newton,
Helen Edde, Melissa Rolater, Karen Travis, Carol Hatch, Tanice Ramsperger, and Audrey Coyle.
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