Tillsonburg's Pioneer Graveyard needs assistance
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Laurel Beechey - For the News
Over the winter, the committee applied for a Trillium Grant to assist in the physical work needing to be done at the Pioneer Graveyard at the corner of Simcoe and Cedar Streets.
This consists mostly of clearing vegetation from the six large sections of tombstones which were cemented in place in the 1958. Many of those tombstones have since broken and are laying flat on top of the sections. We would like to have them slightly raised on a sloped triangle of cement to allow rain to flow off. A small ditch would be dug about each section, filled with gravel to allow for better drainage and a curb of sorts to surround the section to hopefully impede the vegetation encroachment and lawnmowers. With a grant from the Town of Tillsonburg, we have hired a summer student through the town, who will actually work with the town crew to do the work.
There are no major changes being made, hopefully it's just enough to clean up and preserve the remaining markers for future generations.
If we get the Trillium Grant we will erect an entrance way sign atop stone pillars. Inside that will be the welcoming index stone with the names and locations of those tombstones still remaining as well as the residents of the graveyard who do no longer have a marker or were moved to the Tillsonburg Cemetery.
TILLSONBURG PIONEER GRAVEYARD MARKS 175 YEARS - 2013
Assistance is still required by volunteers from the public to scrub the tombstones not yet cleaned and perhaps straighten a few leaning, individual markers. Thus far water and muscle have done a great job. If you are interested please let me know so you can be put on the scrubber list and told what to bring. We will be scrubbing every Saturday morning in July and August.
Research is ongoing in this project. If you happen to be from an ‘old’ Tillsonburg family, please get in touch as you may have a relative in our Pioneer Graveyard, or if you enjoy research and genealogy and would like to help find information on the new names we have discovered, please call Laurel at 519-842-9416.
I will also be at Turtlefest where the Pioneer Graveyard Committee has a booth and can answer your questions and you can sign up for whatever you are interested in.
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