12 March 2010

Dear Friends of Spring Hill Cemetery,

It is hard to describe just how miserably cold and wet it was at the cemetery this morning. But, despite the extremely inclement weather, 14 dedicated volunteers braved the elements to join our workday. I am so impressed with everyone's dedication! The group was utterly soaked by 10:30am. With the rain relentlessly pounding us, we stopped early, although not before we managed a few accomplishments.

We were planning to reset 17 stones into their bases today, but the weather only allowed us to reset one (Daniel Crayne) - and that had to be done with a circle of volunteers holding a tarp over the site to keep it dry (see first attachment). The second attachment shows the stone, successfully back in one piece again. Before stones can be reset into their bases, both the stone and base have to be thoroughly cleaned. Many thanks to Brad who came out 2 hours before the rest of us to get the Crayne monument prepared - and who has also prepared the other 16 bases and stones. Visually, it makes such a difference to the cemetery to have the addition of the Crayne stone upright, that I eagerly look forward to having all our stones properly set upright in their bases once again. We are very close, having done much of the prep work. We just need a bit of sun.....

Last month we started straightening John Finley's large monument. Today we were able to cement it back into position. The third attachment shows the now straight John Finley monument in the center of the picture. In front of John's stone, is the prepped base and stone of his wife, Keziah Finley. As is visible in the picture, the base is covered so that it will remain in its prepped state, ready for the next dry workday when we will refit her stone into its base.

We did make a valiant effort to gather eucalyptus and other debris, and to rake the paths (see [photo] attachment 5). But this task, too, was severely hampered by the very muddy conditions. Patsy was able to find a piece of a painted wooden marker, and several milled wooden boards while raking the Robertson area ([photo] attachment 4). Conditions were too wet to explore the area to see if there might be more to the find. It could possibly be a child's grave with a simple wooden marker and enclosure - but we will have to explore more to find out. I have put in my request for a warm, sunny day on April 16th!

Map work was also on our agenda for today, but must also be put off until we have dry weather.

As wet and miserable as it was today, this type of wet weather was much more of a problem in years past. Ray Owen kindly sent me a 1910 obit on William McReynolds. William was one of the early pioneers to the Spring Hill area, coming across the plains in 1849 and settling in the Spring Hill area in 1850. Although William is not at Spring Hill having moved to Oregon before his death, 2 of his children as well as his parents and many of his siblings and their descendants are buried at Spring Hill... what particularly struck me with regards to this rainy weather was the description in his obit of his wedding. William McReynolds married Virginia Hudspeth on January 9, 1851. They were to be married by a minister from Sacramento, but due to the high water, the minister could not reach Sebastopol. I wonder if 1851 was also an El Nino year...

Think sunny thoughts and mark your calendars for April 16th, our next workday. We need lots of people to get the stones reset, so please come join us if you are able.