18 March 2011

Dear Friends of Spring Hill Cemetery,

We survived the torrential rains!!! It felt great to get back to the cemetery. The rains were unrelenting (attachments 3 and 4), but the eight sturdy volunteers who braved the whether were still able to completely fill the dump truck that Regional Parks brought us, clearing away most of the winter debris. And we were able to view our newly returned stone, that of James I Erb. MANY THANKS to those hardy souls that joined me today in such adverse conditions.

There has been a change to one of the 2011 work dates. Regional Parks had a conflict with the October 2011 workday as originally requested. To accommodate their needs - please note, we are moving the October date to October 7th. Our next workday is scheduled for Friday, April 29, 2011.

Signs of spring are everywhere at Spring Hill, from the vinca that is starting to bloom, to the exquisite Luther Burbank-bred narcissus (second attachment). This very unusual narcissus flower seems almost like a rose with its layers of petals. Luther Burbank was a personal friend of the Martins (family of Spring Hill's Darius Martin). He gave them many of the plants that he developed, and the Martins planted them at their home, the historic "Octagon," built in the 1850s and named for its unusual shape. The house remains in the Martin family to this day. The Luther Burbank narcissus is prolific at the Octagon, and has a foothold at Spring Hill, but I believe is rare otherwise.

Yet another one of our missing stones has been returned to Spring Hill. Brad found James I Erb's stone at Sebastopol Memorial Lawn (same place he found Mary Catherine Small a few months earlier as reported in our November 19, 2010 recap). James Erb was included in the DAR listing of Spring Hill burials, and a "JIE" footstone and empty base were uncovered at the cemetery a few years ago. Now the headstone has been recovered and reset.

James Erb is a bit of a mystery to us. His death was reported in the Santa Rosa Republican on the 10th of August 1905. We know he was born in Sonoma County September 27th, 1861 and lived in the Sebastopol area, but have been unable to find any census record for him. His stone is next to and identical to that of William H Lowery's stone, in the Lowery / Stump / Ford area of the cemetery. Lowery family researchers have no information on him. The researchers do say that William H Lowery may have been moved to Spring Hill Cemetery from burial at Hagans Ranch at some point. It could be that James I Erb was also moved from Hagans Ranch. I have attached a picture of James Erb's stone, as well as a second view of the Lowery and Erb stones (last two attachments).

I am fascinated by just what attracts people to cemeteries. For some it is the history or genealogy, for others it is the atmosphere, and some find artistic inspiration for photographs or poetry. Peggy Perazzo is interested in the stones themselves. She has made a study of everything associated with stone quarries from cutting of stone to finished products, including an extensive section on Cemetery stones and Monuments. She follows the entire process of Cemetery stones, as she says, "From Quarry to Cemetery Monuments." There is an extensive section on California's historic stone carvers. Turns out, we are fortunate enough to have examples from 4 of these historic carvers at Spring Hill. To see Peggy's research complete with some of our stones and information on their carvers, go to the links listed below the stone's name.

1. Darius Martin's stone, signed "J. Daniels"
http://quarriesandbeyond.org/states/ca/ca-stone_carvers/j-1.html#john_daniel

2-A The Zilhart stone, Signed: Fisher & Kinslow, Santa Rosa
and
2-B Mary Ford's stone, Signed: "F. & K, Santa Rosa"
http://quarriesandbeyond.org/states/ca/ca-stone_carvers/f-7_fisher_thru_frick.html#fisher_and_khislow

3. The Ogan stones, Signed "S & Co. Napa City" and "Shafer & Co., Napa City"
http://quarriesandbeyond.org/states/ca/ca-stone_carvers/s-1_salathiel_thru_shaffer.html#shafer_and_co

4. W.R. Robertson Stone, Signed: "Petaluma Marble Works"
http://quarriesandbeyond.org/states/ca/ca-stone_carvers/p-1_p_and_son_thru_prause.html#petaluma_marble_wrks

I have ordered SUNSHINE for April 29th, our next workday. Hope to see many of you there.

Best Regards,

Sue

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