How Oh-Old Are You, Mill Fill?
So, do you know what took place this fine and foggy morn on a hillock top in your city’s historical and landmarked Forest Lawn Cemetery? Today the University at Buffalo held their annual graveside ceremony to pay tribute to Millard Fillmore, who would be turning an august 207 in ’07.
An assembly of the city’s historical types (including staffers of Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society), members of Daughters of the American Revolution, a color guard, schoolchildren, media shooters, and UB reps congregate and lay wreaths at the obelisk marking the eternal resting place of U.S. President v.13.
As Millard Fillmore (or Mill Fill, as I fondly refer to him in a shorthand fashion) was a founder of The Buffalo Club, they also send a representative over.
It’s customary for a member of the UB community to deliver a bio-synopsis at the ceremony, summing up his astonishing list of philanthropic accomplishments. This year the biographical details were delivered by Michael Ryan, vice provost and dean for undergraduate studies.
To summarize: Mill Fill helped acquire the charter for what is now UB, was its chancellor for several years, helped start what would become the S.P.C.A., and helped get the Buffalo Museum of Science rolling. Ryan also was the first, to this writer/shooter memory, to mention the “odious” sector of the 13th president’s political life during the “divisive time” of the mid-19th century when slavery created a rift between the northern and southern states.
He signed the polarizing Fugitive Slave Act, enacted in 1850–a horrific updating of the previous act of same name that passed in the 18th century.
At the graveside, Ryan stated that Mill Fill signed this to prevent a civil war and that this war had been postponed for a decade. A historian friend of mine pointed out that it also meant an additional decade of slavery and went on to rant about how this life should not be celebrated.
The 207th birthday fete ends with taps played by a selected UB student, this year English major Stephen Biggie got to show off his trumpet chops. Refreshments were served in the Forest Lawn chapel afterwards. It should be noted that mounds of ruined trees lined some of the old roadways and during the ceremony the sound of cracking lumber caused a pause in the proceedings. Trees and controversy both stuck in the mud.