The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-02-15
OUR cs&ErERK

On the evening Of the 22d day Of March, A. d.,
1859, sixteen citizens Of Canton met at the ONCE
OF Samuel slanker Esq, and organized our Can
ton Cemetery Association. Subscription books
were Immediately opened, and In very few days
about thirty citizens subscribed enough money 10
purchase the present cemetety grounds contain.
Ing fourteen acres. Mr.. Chislette of Pittsburgh,
Pa, was employed 10 survey and lay out the
ground Into lots. The first Directors elected were
d. Albert ]. G. Lester b. +. Letter II. II. Ny
ers and Peter P. Trump. On the 14th day Of
April, 1859, Mr.. Trump was elected President OF
the Board Of Directors and Superintendent Of the
grounds. He has continued in the office of Pred.
dent Of the Board Of Directors and Superintend'
ent Of the grounds every year since up to the
present time and for the efficiency and untirlng
zeal he has manifested for the best interests of the
Association, he merits the thanks Of all our citl'
zens, which he certainly has received and Will
continue TO receive, while he continues 10 hold
those positions. At the same meeting ThOs. Good
man, Esq, was elected Secretary Of the Associa.
tlon, who continued M such until the 2nd Of Aug
ust, 1861, when he resigned and removed from
Canton to Chicago John Lahm, Esq, was elect
cd In his place, and has held the position up to
the present time,
Since It's organization there have been 523 lots
sold, which include about one.half of the availa.
BILE space for burial purposes.
The first original interment In the cemetery
was Ada b. Wright, aged years and II days, who
died Of diphtheria, on the 2lsC day of January,
| 1861
Up to February LIST, 1877 Ave hundred and forty
six bodies have been buried in the grounds; of
these 1853 have been original interments, and SO
are removals from the old graveyards.
| The Register Of Interments shows that nearly
one.half Of the deaths which occur in our com.
munity take place In the three months of Febru.
ary, March and April of each year.
While much has been done to beautify the
| grounds and make them attractive and agreea.
ble still much more can be done and should be
done, to make them what they should be- 1t is
understood that the Directors will commence as
soon as the weather will permit in the spring, to
| open up the drive ways and principal walks
through the northern and unimproved portion Of
the grounds, and remove that old tOorm fence
which divides the grounds The ladies Of our
city as auxiliary TO the Board of Directors have
organized Society, whose object 1t will be to see
that private lot owners shall take more interest In
keeping their several lots neat and trim and free
| from weeds and rubbish If this is carried out,
| the Improvements In the appearance Of the
| grounds can not but be apparent They have
other projects In view which will be made known
in time one of which is the erection and build.
ing receiving vault As a community, our ciu.
zens have never contributed one dollar towards
the purchase or improvement of the cemetery
grounds. Neither has the city as q corporation
donated a single dollar towards the same. The
fact that greatmany interments are made in the
most incement weather in the year, makes re'
ceiving vault necessity and we understand
that the ladies are going to test the generosity of
the city fathers and community generally during
the coming summer, to see what they will do to-
wards contributing sufficient funds to build such
vault
In the matter of beautiful and expensive mon
uments, our cemetery will compare with those Of
much larger cities. We could wish that there
would be a disposition manifested on the part OF
lot owners to vary more the shape and color oi
the marble and granite used for monuments
There have been several innovations upon the
old style lately and they are very commendable
We hope that the innovations will be continued
There is an impression pervading the minds Of
a number of persons that the cemetery Is in the
hands of private individuals who are carrying il
on for their own private purposes This is grea
mistake. The Association Is organized under the
laws of Ohio, which provide that all income from
thes ale of lots and burials after paying for the
ground, buildings fences, and other necessary
expenses shall be expended by the Board of Di
rectors in improving and adorning the grounds
No one connected with the Association receives
any pay for his services except the Sexton.