More Preservation Progress Made at the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield on November 6, 2016

Sharing work-in-progress photographs, courtesy of Michael Anderson, who also participated in the November 6th restoration session held at the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio 

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From the website of the Greenfield Historical Society:

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Volunteer Session - November 6, 2016

"A beautiful day as Scott and Venus Andersen, John King, Mike Anderson, Harold Schmidt, Jackie Doles, and Jim Thompson spent a few hours at the Old Burying Ground continuing to repair gravestones. Work began at noon and lasted until around 3 p.m. on Sunday, the 6th of November. Various stones were straightened and re-aligned.

Many thanks to ALL the volunteers who helped this day and those who have volunteered throughout the duration of this very successful project."

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Below are photographs of an arched stone piece and a close up view of it that will be added to the Joseph and Mary Robinson double monument that had needed resetting. Reattaching its finial at the top will finish the work. 

In order for the step-by-step process to be properly completed, only a few days prior, Jay Hardy of Hardy Memorials in Greenfield, re-leveled the base for this large multi-piece monument to prepare it for the rest of the work that needed to be completed by the volunteers.

Photographs taken during that preparatory work can be viewed on the Facebook Page for the Greenfield Historical Society.

  

(Above)
After the twin columns were added to the monument

 (Above)
Cleaning the top of a box tomb

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Scott Andersen and Jackie Doles

 (Above)
Scott Andersen and John King

working on re-leveling the well-preserved stone marker, so beautifully carved in 1839, for a young Matthew Kilgore.

Two more photos shown below:

 

 (Below two photos)
Working on a box tomb with a shattered top

 

Spotlighting the George S. and Lucy Stedman Family Buried at the Spencer Cemetery in Medina County, Ohio

On a pleasant Sunday afternoon in June of 2014 I decided to visit a Lorain County antique store.  As I walked inside I was immediately stunned by the sight of an artifact not normally found in a resale shop.  There leaning against the wall by the front door was a beautiful original marble double gravestone for two children.  

Sadly, however, the stone’s reverse side was heavily encased in cement with some embedded red bricks.  Fortunately the gravemarker’s front surface was intact. The skillfully carved early 1860s inscriptions were quite clear and readable.  As I drew closer to linger by it, I was touched to see the matching carved lambs facing one another with the words “At Rest” engraved below them.  I did not notice a price tag attached.  So, before I started shopping, I called over the store clerk and asked questions to try to learn more details about this grave marker. 

I was told that this lovely gravestone for the children whose names were inscribed on it as: George D. Stedman (Born May 28, 1852 – Died August 8, 1861) and Lucy L. Stedman (Born November 20, 1853 – Died January 27, 1862) Children of George S. and Lucy Stedman, was rescued from a storefront building in downtown Wellington, Ohio, where it had been removed.  The reason for its removal was not given.  They thought the previous owners of the stone were thinking of throwing it away; so thankfully that did not happen.

Since I am a cemetery preservation and gravestone conservation advocate, I could not just leave the store and forget about that original grave marker.  Also, before leaving, I took photographs of it from different angles.  I was eager to start researching the names of the children and learn more about them and where they were buried.

Thus, I began my investigation by conducting a search on the website “Find A Grave.”  I learned that the Stedman siblings were buried at the Spencer Cemetery in Medina County, Ohio, as were their parents and older siblings because their memorials were already posted.  However, gravestone photographs were not added to their memorials.  

Next, I sent an email to Medina County officials who provided contact information for Spencer Township Trustee, Tom Brown.  Fortunately for me, I learned from the trustee that he was well acquainted with the Spencer Cemetery and had recalled seeing a tall four-sided dark gray granite monument erected for the Stedman family. He kindly obliged my request for a photograph of the monument and emailed it to me so I could post it on the children’s memorials.  I also added my photograph of the original double marker sitting at the antique store to their memorials so others, hopefully Stedman family descendants, would know about its existence.  

I am not certain if the Stedman children’s unique grave marker was eventually sold, however, I have been informed that it is no longer at the antique store.  

It would require painstaking work conducted by an experienced professional to remove the cement and embedded brick from the original stone without damaging or destroying it.  I am hoping that by now this lovely marker is sitting in a descendant's home or at a local historical society where it would be appreciated.

Also, Abigail Stedman Walters was buried at the Spencer Cemetery, a sibling of little George D. and Lucy L. Stedman. 

George D. Stedman – Find A Grave memorial #: 62430393

Lucy L. Stedman – Find A Grave memorial #: 62430415

The Parents:

Father: George S. Stedman – Find A Grave memorial #: 62430351

Mother: Lucy Stedman – Find A Grave memorial #: 62430369

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Thanking Tom Brown for sharing his photographs below of the large Stedman Family monument and the large marker for Henry and Abigail Stedman Walters.

Lieut. Charles M. Stedman

 

Sharing a News Story about the Beech Grove Cemetery in Springfield Township, Hamilton County, Ohio

Sharing this sad story about the Beech Grove Cemetery in Springfield Township in Hamilton County, Ohio.  Thankfully, there is some hope for the cemetery to be properly deeded to the township soon.  

More information about the Beech Grove Cemetery and its interments can be found on Find A Grave.