Dr. Calohill Stigleman: In His Own Words, Speech to the Confederate Army Veterans, 1894
In March of 1861, Dr. Stigleman stood in steadfast support of the Union. Like most Floyd citizens, he had no desire to see Virginia secede. However, the events of April 1861 changed his mind, and he placed his deeply held patriotism with Virginia when Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to put down the rebellion. Stigleman organized Floyd’s first company, the Floyd Rifleman, for the Confederate Army. The Floyd Rifleman were soon mustered into the 24th Virginia Infantry as Company A.

Following the war, Stigleman rejoiced in the reuniting of the Union. In His Own Words, he tells us how he felt about both Union and Confederate veterans, the dead, and the generals who fought in the War Between the States. These speeches laid the groundwork for his push, the effort he led, to see the statue placed at the Floyd County Courthouse. His goal was to honor ALL CIVIL WAR soldiers, the North and the South. He saw all soldiers as having fought to preserve what they perceived to be the true republic. Let’s listen to Dr. Stigleman…In His Own Words.

—from YouTube [youtube.com/watch?v=ZI4Sd5rWcdY], posted by Sheilah Elwardani

Dr. C. M. Stigleman
Was born in Floyd County, Va., March 24th, 1833. He first attended the “Old Field” schools of the county, and afterwards the Floyd Institute, conducted by Professor Gannaway. He read medicine under Dr. Faywell Halden, and attended one course of lectures at the University of New York, and one at the Medical College of Virginia, where he graduated in 1857. He then returned to his native county, where he commenced to practice his profession, which he followed continuously for 48 years.

He was married in September 1857 to Miss Ellen M. Shelor, a daughter of Rev. Thos. G. Shelor of the Christian Church. His wife preceded him to the grave 16 years, dying in 1888. He was one of the charter members of the Medical Society of Virginia, of which he was at one time Vice-President.

He was a Confederate soldier, carrying the first Company from Floyd County as their captain. He was also a staunch and lifelong democrat. No man has ever lived in Floyd County who was more universally loved and respected, nor whose death was more genuinely regretted.

(Source: “Transactions of the Medical Society of Virginia”, October 24-28, 1905)

Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, West Virginia
Wednesday, February 1, 1905, page 1

Floyd, Virginia, Jan 31. – Dr C M Stigleman, one of the oldest and most widely known physicians in Southwest Virginia, died last night at his home at Floyd Courthouse, Va. Dr Stigleman was for many years superintendent of schools and was better posted about county affairs than any man in Floyd. He was one of the promoters of the proposed Roanoke and Mt Airy electric line. He was an old Confederate veteran, having been Captain of Company A, 24th Virginia regiment.