When Spring and warmer weather arrived the process of cleaning and rehabbing broken, un-level, and leaning gravestones and obelisks began. Over 100 gravestones were attended to. 71 of the grave markers needed more extensive work. The work begun in an area that we began calling the Civil War grove because most of the burials there were Civil War veterans and their wives. That area was severely overgrown last year. But not anymore!
Facing the cemetery from Krumkill Road; the entire left side of the cemetery no longer has any gravestones that are severely leaning or have fallen. All of them were righted except for one plot which will be attended to next Spring. The reason why this plot has to wait is because an obelisk there has fallen and part of the monument slid or rolled down a hill about 50-60' away and was covered over by lilies for years. Last week this part of the gravestone was found and I removed it from the tall grass and lilies by rolling it out so that it will be able to be brought up the hill at some point. The weight of this stone is between 300 and 400 pounds.
Unfortunately days after being in the tall brush an engorged deer tick was found on my back and was promptly removed. Now a 14 day regime of doxycycline is underway to prevent Lyme Disease. I cannot become a causality of this project. The cemetery interments need me.
Numerous Thank You's need to go out to those individuals who have donated to this cause since July. Thank You, Thank You! to Roz, Fred, Tom, Carol, and Doreen. All of these donations will go towards purchasing materials needed to rehab the cemetery.
During these colder months, it is planned to photograph, transcribe, and translate all of the gravestones in the newly rehabbed section. This data will be uploaded to the "Friends" blog at a later date. This information will be beneficial to fellow genealogists.
Also, a game plan for next Spring will be planned as to which area/section will be focused on and worked next year. An inventory of remaining materials will be taken and a "wish list" created for future needs and purchases.
A new video was created to show the work accomplished this year.
Below are a series of photos of an obelisk on the right side of the vault building. The first photo is of the obelisk with its column laying in the overgrown brush. The second photo shows the same monument still with the column on the ground but the brush removed. The third photo shows the finished product.
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| Overgrown brush around Simon obelisk |
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Overgrown brush removed |
