MUSINGS OF A LOCAL by Iris Mead - HISTORIES AND MEMORIES CAN BE FOUND IN OUR CEMETERIES

I imagine seeing this headline for a newspaper column caught your attention as we very seldom, or maybe ever, think about the state of our relatives’ headstones unless we visit the cemetery when they are laid to rest.  Memorial Day and sometimes the 4th of July bring to mind the usual times we think of our loved ones and maybe feel a pang of guilt as a reminder to visit their gravesite and reflect on the life of that person.  Walking in a cemetery can be informational and reflective.  The headstones bring to life the people buried there, and many of the older stones tell a story of the interred or bring to mind the memory of that person or that family.  

Gravestones go back thousands of years to the ancient Egyptians.  Early ones were simple, slabs of stones or just wood, with the name and dates inscribed and placed atop the grave.  As time went on they became larger and more elaborate, especially during the Victorian Era when more information was added to identify the loved ones.  Some of the most elaborate burial plots and cemeteries were found in and around New Orleans until Katrina hit the City.  Cemeteries in other parts of the world vary in their style of headstones with many incorporating pictures of the loved one.

Headstones age just as we do.  Some age faster than others depending on the type of stone used.  Early grave markers were usually sandstone and limestone but they did not hold up well due to weather variations, and the writing on the stones became illegible after many years.  Marble became very popular because of its soft elegance and wore better than the sandstone and limestone.  Granite is now the most widely used headstone material throughout the world due to its resistance to all kinds of weather and its range of colors. 

A group of volunteers called Friends of Middletown Cemeteries is being reactivated and have just recently met to plan projects for the year.  They hope to 

to encourage volunteers to help keep the Town’s burial grounds welcoming by cleaning headstones, mowing grass and tidying them.  Some of these historic places see few visitors and deserve attention.  To offer your services as a volunteer call 845-586-4973.

The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM) is presently offering their annual headstone cleaning in Town of Middletown area cemeteries.  Trained volunteers will clean monuments or headstones for a donation of $30 for a one-sided stone or $50 for a two-sided stone or monument.  The cleanings will be done in May only so if you are interested call the HSM at 845-586-2400 or email them at historicalsocietyofmiddletown@gmail.com.  The Delaware County History and Genealogy website listing the cemeteries in the county can be found at www.dcnyhistory.org/cemetery.html.  

With Memorial Day coming up in the near future, take a minute and reflect on your loved ones and visit their resting place.  American flags will again be put on all the Veteran’s graves in many local cemeteries.