Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-05-02
" THE OLD SEXTON."


Lutx at Lancaster Cemetery.
Upon "the old sexton" has been con
ferred poetic immortality; his vocation
has embellished the works of the author,
and his sayings and habits have been the
theme of many songs The character of
his work causes him to be looked upon rs
a separate and distinct part Of humanity.
There are few, if any, Of our readers who
do not know the venerable sexton or keep.
er of Lancaster cemetery, George Lutz.
For over two decades it has been his work
to "gather in and cousign to their
native dust thousands of those whose loss
was felt in ereey family in Lancaster. For
twenty-six years George Lutz has been the
head of this Gods acre." and it was this
fact that led US to seek him yesterday.
We found him, as is his wont, sitting
under the shade of his favOrito tree near
the Lemon street gate Of the cemetery.
After a pleasant "gOod morning" he
informed US that "tO-day was his birth
day. On the 1st Of May, 1855, assumed
charge of Lancaster cemetery on the
4th of May will be 60 years old have
been janitOr Of the Lemon street school
houses (Which position l resigned yester-
day. for 26 years and for % years have
been tyler of the Masonic lodge. So you see
May is month full of interest to me-"
Lancaster cemetery has changed con-
siderably outside of it's natural changes
in those 26 years." We suggested.
When came here" Mr.. Lutz began.
after getting a fresh stick to whittle,
hardly more than 1900 bodies were
buried here, and to-day there are over
5000; SO you perceive have buried or as
sisted in burying at least $500 people.
h,,,. III,
others ; $50 is about the average number,
although in 1880 ITO were buried here
and in 1869 1GS. l think the high
est number l buried in one year
was 200 and that was when the cholera
was in Lancaster, in 1S-, 1S-" the ex-
act year he had fogotten, but, as the mer-
chant refers to his ledger for data, 80 the
"Old sexton" refers to the tOmbstOnes Tor
dates, and taking us to one end of the
cemetery he showed us the stOnes-sidc
by side, father, wife and daughter-which
enabled him to finish his sentence The
stones mark the gra yes of Jacob Gaintner,
Angelina, his daughter and his wife all Of
whom died within 4 days.. Resuming he
said ''The cholera was in Lancaster in
1854. Deaths were very frequent them
"What is the highest number for one
day % was asked.
just as he was about resuming he no.
ticed that the robins were making cOnsid-
cradle noise ; they wanted water, and
with the remark, Il must tend to the birds
alsO," Mr.. Lutz opened the hydrant and
soon at least twenty red-breasts were
drinking.
Five is the highest number l have
buried in one day and that but twice
have often buried four. buried this
number last Monday, and two and three
very frequently. I remember of burying
brother and sister, or two in one family,
OH the same day, but these double funer-
ais have not occurred more than four
times.
have never been bothered by ghouls
Persons often ask me to place marks upon
the graves of their dead, who have met
death by violence, or suicide, so that l
might know whether the grave-rObber had
robbed or attempted to rob the grave, but
NO desecratiOn of graves has ever hap
pened."
''I have buried persons who died Of all
kinds of diseases known hercabOuts, and
they never affected ME in the least. When
the smallpox was raging in Lancaster,
buried scores who died with that dread
disease, but never took it. remember
one night at 1s o'clock Of buryins two of
its victims. All alone put the coffins in
tho grave and filled them up
Who had the largest funeral-Rey
olds %
eyes; think Reynolds had the largest
funeral of any one ever buried here. That
was mostly because it was the 4th of July,
but that of Lieut.. Van Camp, who was
killed by the Indians before the war, was
almost as large. Annie Panncll would no
doubt have had very large funeral if the
preacher had discOursed less at the church
for many people left before the funeral
departed ; as it was she had large One."
1t was now 10 o'clock the cemetery
was getting crowded. and MIR. Lutz must
see some lot holders and watch the boys
and with "Soodby " George left US.