Photos and comments by Greg Elder
Thanks to Michael Schaaf, Anita Alsup and Sainte Genevieve Museum Learning Center for keeping the Moses Riney story alive with an ongoing exhibit including my mom’s portrait painting of him.
Anita Alsup painted a portrait of Moses Riney, using the tintype image seen in this photo.
This day forward everyone who visits will have the opportunity to learn how a former slave triumphed in our area many decades ago as a fighter for all our freedom and liberty in the Civil War.
A man who later became a farmer and home owner and according to his obituary respected by all who knew him.
Anita Alsup’s portrait of Moses Riney can be seen on the right.
No doubt this is a story for our time and I’m grateful he and his descendants are seeing him honored in so many ways today and these past few years.
I doubt he received any recognition when he returned home from the civil war.
I’m pleased he found a somewhat welcoming place in my boy hood town of Saint Mary’s, Mo. when he retired there and that he found an especially welcoming place at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in St. Mary’s through much of his life.
You can learn more about Moses Riney by joining our group and scrolling back to our very first post a couple years back and then forward to today.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/178828220030692/
A video of the ceremony will soon be available at the SteGenTV You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Stegentv
