By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
On Wednesday at Noon, a crowd gathered at the Northfield Cemetery for the memorial service of Joseph Lee Heywood, the cashier of the First National Bank, who stood up to the robbers and ultimately lost his life.
The memorial service included several speakers from the city, Carleton College, the DJJD Committee, and an Invocation by Dr. Reverend Will Healy. As part of his remarks, Healy played Amazing Grace on the harmonica (which you heard at the beginning) and shared remarks made about Heywood shortly after his death.
“Who lived not for himself, but for others, who knew not how to be base or dishonorable or mean, knew not how to stray his work or leave it half undone, leave it for others to do, knew not how to prove false to his truth, but who did know how to be faithful and true.” – Dr. Rev. Will Healy, Speaking at the Memorial Service.
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Christian Hakala, who is also Henry Wheeler in the Bank Raid Reenactments, spoke on behalf of Carleton College, where Heywood worked. He spoke of the courage of the townspeople during the raid:
“These Northfield men lived that maxim to the fullest. Joseph Lee Haywood, Ansel Manning, J.S. Allen, and Henry Wheeler refused to cower in an alleyway and allowed the James Younger gang to destroy their community. They instead decided to fight for their principles alongside their fellow citizens. They believed that good should triumph over evil, that courage was more honorable than cowardice.” – Christian Hakala, Speaking at the Memorial Service.
Hakala noted the significant impact that defeating the gang had not just on Northfield, but on the whole country:
“I don’t think that many people realize the magnitude of what happened here on that day, but the James Younger Gang was the most notorious band of killers and thugs of their time or any time. They had a 10-year record of success robbing banks and holding up trains. Our community, the people of Northfield, put a stop to their reign of terror.” – Christian Hakala, speaking at the Memorial Service
We will post the recording of the memorial service on our website and air it on Sunday, following the church service at St. John’s, at approximately 9:45am.
To quote the Memorial Plaque to Heywood at Carleton:
“A man modest, true and gentle; diligent and business; conscience and duty; a citizen benevolent and honorable; towards God reverent and loyal; who, while defending his trust as a bank officer, fearlessly met death at the hands of armed robbers in Northfield, September 7, 1876.”
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