Remnant: Grand Trunk Cemetery Reclamation Project: AS WE COMMEMORATE THE BIRTH OF OUR NATION**********

Thursday, July 3, 2014

AS WE COMMEMORATE THE BIRTH OF OUR NATION**********

A FEW THOUGHTS

Although it's taking me a long time to unfold the story of Jane Noyes Lunt and her husband, Joseph, I wanted to share some photos of our recent activities at the Grand Trunk and hope you might find some of our new discoveries interesting. I also want to thank Megan Cunningham and her Mom, Julie for spending some time with me weeding the new gardens and putting in a few more plants. The gardens look lovely and add beauty to our fairly barren burial ground.

On the morning of July 1st, despite the heat, Lynda George Allshouse, and I started our gravestone cleaning project at the Grand Trunk Cemetery. We were joined by Julie and Megan Cunningham; next generation of care-takers! As Lynda exclaimed: :I haven't spent four hours working this hard in a long time; but it is gratifying!" She is right, of course!

Despite the fact that the GTC is but a remnant of what it once was; what does remain, is important to take care of and preserve. As we approach the 4th of July, I can't help but remember our fore-mothers and fore-fathers who contributed to the tapestry of our lives.

Visit an old cemetery, read the names and inscriptions with gratitude for laying out the foundation of our Nation.

This is the back side of Agnes Wilcox memorial before cleaning.

Unfortunately, no amount of cleaning can remove the evidence of the
vandal's blue paint.

The first photos is of the front of Crispus Graves' stone.
The second photo is of
the back side.

Here are after photos. At least, a bit better.

The following pictures are of what we thought were field stones. Surprisingly, after cleaning; they are white, and have initials. Clearly, we have no idea who they belong to, since they are not among the forty - seven names of record, we do have.of the interred. We have now put in 109 steal markers; far more than the list.

Quite a difference!

Although these stones are side by side, you'll note that the last initials are different.

We have also elevated the stone belonging to Timothy Galvin's daughter Harriot so that the partial inscription can be read. We will still need to spend more time cleaning this stone and will post photos later. I'm hopeful that someone with a good knowledge of script can hazard a guess as to what is the final initial in the second stone; can't decide if it is a 'C' or an 'L'?

Finally, I invite you to watch the video listed in this blog, and produced by Samantha Allshouse, if for no other reason, than to hear the patriotic background music from the Revolution, War of 1812 and the Civil War. Let it be a reminder of those folks whose final resting place is the East Deering/Grand Trunk Cemetery and their contribution to our history as Portlanders and Americans.