ALL HALLOWS EVE 2022

     

Sunday, October 23rd, was a very special day when Portland Girl Scouts and their families and friends gathered at the Presumpscot/Grand Trunk Cemetery to honor Girl Scout founder, Juliette Gordon Low, whose 162 birthday was celebrated on, October 31st. The Girl Scouts did so by taking on the task of raking and cleanup the ancient burial site and by planting 100's of daffodil and other spring bulbs. In offering this service, the participants also honored those souls buried in this place long, long ago.

    The Machigonne Service Unit comprised of Portland Girl Scouts and volunteer leadership adopted the cemetery in 2014, and made a commitment to offer service to the burial site by undertaking an annual fall and spring cleanup, as well as engage in other activites at the cemetery. By so doing, they assure that the legacy of Samantha Allshouse and Kayla Theriault whose project: 'Unearthing the Roots of the Back Cove and East Deering Communities' continues. The project which began with a Cleanup on November 10th, 2010, brought about the recovery of the Presumpscot/Grand Trunk Cemetery.

    It was wonderful to see nearly 70 people engaged in this project after three years of not being able to hold this event due to Covid protocols for large gatherings, and the on-going school construction project. Of course, there were also other fun activities: games, crafts and refreshments. Thank you to the Machigonne Service team who planned and organized the activities. A special 'thanks' to all the participants who did a wonderful job making the cemetery look so good! It really made my heart glad!

    

    This blog is dedicated to the preservation of the remnant of the Grand Trunk Cemetery, and is a way of keeping alive the memory of the people interred here. It is also a vehicle for recording events and sharing information to followers. Please enjoy the photos of the day of service by the Portland Girl Scouts and their friends and families.

THE WORK OF TODAY IS THE HISTORY OF TOMORROW, AND WE ARE THE MAKERS.

Juliette Gordon Low

    I would be remiss if I forgot to honor the memory of a young woman who died in the month of October, and who is interred at the GTC.

Mary Ann Barbour was born in November of 1827, the eldest daughter to John (1801 - 1869) and Jane Morse Barbour (1806 - 1881).

   Mary Ann was one of twelve children born to the ship's carpenter and his wife. Mary Ann Barbour died on October 7th, 1855, just one month shy of her 28th birthday. Sadly, the surviving death record has no information about the cause of her death at this young age.

    Mary Ann Barbour's maternal grandparents are Capt. Ephraim Morse (1764 - 1843) and Rachel Noyes Morse (1771 - 1847). Her paternal grandparents are John M. Barbour (1773 - 1850) and Anna Huston Wilson Barbour (1774 - 1881.) It's interesting to note that Mary Ann's mother and grandmother died in the same year.