Restoration of
Lee Creed, Susan Huber, Sheila Morrison, Joe Case,
Phyllis Brown, Larry Tippin and several local volunteers restored the
This cemetery
is owned and maintained by
We
started our work on September 13 by mowing a lot of the dead yucca plants and
cutting the sapling trees and briars. We then raked the dead plants from the
stones worked on making the stones visible again. We also mowed the west and
south perimeter of the cemetery and cut overhanging tree limbs.
We
performed the majority of restoration work on September 20. We poured a new
concrete base for the large Ruark stone that had been knocked off its base.
While the concrete base for this stone was drying we leveled about a dozen
monoliths. These monoliths were setting on bases that were tilted quite a bit
and the mortar holding the stones to the bases had dried out completely. We
removed the monolith and middle part of these stones and then removed the base.
We then leveled the base by placing sand and gravel in the low spots. After the
base was reset and leveled, the middle part and top part, respectively, were
replaced and mortared in place.
We also
reset many of the leaning slab stones. Some of these stones were still set in
their original bases. We tilted these bases so that the stones were level, then
filled underneath the bases with sand and gravel. This should help keep the
stones intact for many more years. Some of the slab stones were broken into two
or three pieces. After leveling, we patched those stones with hydraulic cement.
While the
stone repair work was being performed, several other volunteers were working on
clean up of the cemetery. Most of the dead vegetation previously cut was
carried to the open area at the south end of the cemetery and burned. We also
burned the old dead tree stump at the north end of the cemetery. We then cut
most of the dead vegetation at ground level. The saplings were chemically
treated to hinder their regrowth. We also found more old stones that were
previously obscured by the vegetation. We tried to set these stones up as best
as possible, considering the fact many were old and sometimes chipped.
While
mowing the south end of the cemetery, we found a pile of stones. This area was
covered with briars and thick undergrowth. We found four completely legible
stones, all of which were intact. We also found two broken stones, and were
able to read parts of the dates from these. One of the stones found was that of
Isaphena Hunter, wife of Samuel D. Hunter. It was determined this stone should
be placed north of the stone of Samuel Hunter. Finding this stone is
significant. Her death date was 1835, making hers one of the earliest burials
in this cemetery. We also found what appears to be the original stone for
William Brann. William Brann has a newer stone in the cemetery, and the dates
of the original stone and the new stone match. In addition, we located six
footstones with legible initials, at least three of which do not match
individuals buried in the cemetery. We also found 10 – 15 footstones and
partial stones that had no legible markings. Those illegible stones were
stacked up in a pile where they were found.
After we
cleaned up the cemetery, we found about 15 stones that were not included in
previous readings.
Toward
the end of the day, it was deemed that the new concrete base for the Ruark
stone was sufficiently set up. We replaced the base for this stone, and then
reset the stone on the base. This stone and its base were very heavy. We want
to express deep gratitude to Russell Harcourt who volunteered his time and the
use of his tractor to help reset the stones. It would have considerably more
difficult to reset this stone without Mr. Harcourt’s help.
We also
want to thank the other volunteers who assisted in this project.
_____________________________________________________________________
Update on Restoration of
On October 16, 2004 Sheila Morrison and Larry
Tippin returned to the
We then repaired the break in the stone for Matilda
Ellis. This was a clean break and was easy to repair. We then repaired the
broken stone of Ulysses A. Monnett. This stone had been set in poured concrete,
and as all stones do in these cases, the stone had broken just above the
concrete base. To make matters worse, the break was not a clean break. We
repaired and reset this stone using proper adhesives. Because of the concrete
base and the manner in which the stone was broken, we can't guarantee the
repairs will hold on this stone either.
We then reset the monolith for Adam Nichols. The
base for this stone has been chipped on one corner about half way up. The base
has separated at this break and moved a little to the south, causing the
monolith to lean badly. We moved this base back to its original location and
leveled it as best we could. We then reset the monolith, but did not secure it
to the base. The monolith is almost straight at this time, maybe leaning a
little to the north. To properly repair this stone, a new base would need to be
constructed, or the existing base would have to be repaired and reset level. If
the base can be secured and made level, the monolith could then be secured to
the base using proper adhesives.
We noted a few more stones that need to be
repaired. The stone for Harvey Nicholas is leaning to the south and has almost
slid off its base. This is a tall obelisk type stone and is pretty heavy. To
repair this stone, the stone should be removed from its base. The base should
then be reset level and the stone should be properly reattached to the base.
We also noted a tree limb has fallen and broke the
stone for John Robinson. This stone had previously been broken about one foot
from the top of the stone. The tree limb broke the remainder of the stone from
its base. The force of the fallen limb was such that one side of the base was
broken off. In addition, this stone has a large base of some sort that has
settled and is leaning badly to the east because of the hillside at this
location. This base needs to be dug up and reset level, and then the stone
should be reset on its base and repaired. To repair this stone, the base needs
to be repaired. If the broken piece can be located, it should be properly reset
in its original position. If not, the base should be repaired by pouring
concrete to the base at the break and adhering the concrete to the base with
pins. But the stone should NOT be secured to the base with poured concrete. Any
concrete used should be formed and ONLY poured to approximate the piece of the
base that was broken off. The stone should then be reset in the base and
secured with proper adhesives. The top part of the stone should then be
properly secured to the rest of the stone at the break.
In fact, the tree limb that fell and broke this
stone came from a maple tree at the east end of the cemetery at the edge of the
road. This tree is an old tree whose limbs stretch out over many stones in this
end of the cemetery. In time, all these old limbs will break off and further
damage to about a dozen stones is inevitable. To properly protect these stones,
we recommend that this tree be removed. If the entire tree is not removed, we
strongly recommend that, at a minimum, the limbs hanging over the tombstones be
removed.
We also
leveled several tablet stones that were intact, but leaning badly.
View
photos of restoration of Mt Carmel Cemetery
View information on individuals buried in this cemetery
View information on all Putnam County cemeteries