In 2012 when we visited Spring City, Utah, the home of my paternal
ancestors, we visited the Pioneer Cemetery. We located my great-grandparents’
and great-great-grandparents’ graves. Unfortunately, my great-grandmother’s headstone
was broken. (It was in two pieces then, and later I learned it had broken in
three.)
I contacted the city historian and asked about someone to
repair it. She told me the man who used to do the work had died. She said she’d
see if she could find someone. Unfortunately, she was unable to find anyone.
This is a private cemetery, so there are no funds available
for maintenance. A distant relative on Ancestry told me occasional groups
visited and cleaned up the grounds, but this happened infrequently. My cousins
and I said we’d pay for the repairs but we were not able to find anyone to make
them. To make matters worse, the originals were made of sandstone. This erodes easily
and is brittle.
Last summer, when we visited my grandfather’s brother’s family
in Canada, I talked to several of my second cousins about the headstone. One
had been to the cemetery and took photos. Not only was Mary Jane’s headstone
still broken, but it appeared someone had tried to repair it. (He heard it was
a Boy Scout troop.) It remained in three pieces, but now they had brown goop on
the ends and looked worse than ever.)
The Canadian branch of the family has a reunion every other year.
During the reunion, relatives donated their handmade items for an auction.
Everyone bid more than necessary. We took a couple of hardbound copies of our
memoir, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park, and there was
some competition for these. I bid on several items and won a few.
During the weekend, one of the cousins suggested they use the
accumulated funds to purchase a new monument stone for Mary Jane. I was
thrilled with the idea.
My second cousin, DeLoss, who lives in Utah, arranged for the
new monument sign. He had it designed and installed.
We were to have had a mini-family reunion in Spring City over
Memorial Day to re-dedicate the new marker. However, because of Covid-19, the
reunion was cancelled.
Last week, DeLoss went to Spring City and took photos of the
marker. He sent them to me. It turned out far better than I could have imagined.
On the front is a picture of a covered wagon. The family
came by ship from Denmark to New Orleans. From there, they went north and
joined a wagon train to make the trek to Utah. (They were Mormon Pioneers and
helped to settle the state.)
On the back is the family name. Above it is my
great-grandfather’s brand. They raised cattle, so my grandfather and his brothers
were all cowboys. He was also a blacksmith. He had a forge in his backyard and
used it until about a year before he died in his 80s.
The small stone behind this one with the lamb on it is for
my grandfather’s younger brother, Hollis. He was a twin and died as an infant. His
twin brother, Collis, lived near us when I grew up, and I remember him well. He
was a barber, and a very sweet, quiet man.
The new monument has both my great-grandmother’s name and my
great-grandfather’s. His original headstone remains on the right. In time, it
will probably crack and fall down, so I am delighted that both of them will be
memorialized together.
Since 2012, I have wanted to see my great-grandmother
properly represented here. When DeLoss made the arrangements for the new marker,
I sent some money to help with the cost.
I must admit, I was more than thrilled to finally see the
finished monument in place. It is even more beautiful than I could have
imagined,
Family is very important to me. All of those who went before
us are part of the fabric from which we came. Their lives created the
foundation for who we have become. I am very proud of the brave people who left
their homes to settle this country. And now, we have a fitting testament to
their lives in Spring City.
