The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-06-03
OLD CEMETERY Is
IN NEED OF CARE
Section Not Owned by Prospect
Hill Association
That Of stephen oresnisaf. Town Clerk
for Many ysau, in Great Need Of
Attention = Numerous Old Slate
Stones crumblins.

While Pfospet I'M Wn''IY
looked better than 4 DOES tins week y
10 he regfviied tina, the old section OF .ne
grounds l. not accorded The H,sh',oh
that l. bestowed by sexton !. nhesf
Ion upon the section south Of the beh,h'
I'm lnon,ain. The section north Of the
fountain while generally spoken, OF az
prosneA liill cemetery u not The prop
erty IL the Prospect Hill Cemetery $3.50
ciation. II l. the Braitleboro cemetery
and it, care belong 10 the seie,imsn OF
,he town. Ia a number 81 eases the ffos'
Me-, Hill Cemetery association ma. &C
rcnteI Inc trust fund.- left by several PER
an. FOR the perpetual care Of lots IN inc
al cemetery but there are many lots
which ought 20 lie moved several times
each season and otherwise card Tor,
sexton knowlton IL obliged 70 devote
The mos, Of hi time and that OF his az
sistants 10 caring for such lots A. the
associa,ion i paid 10 attend 90. A. there
are 800 lots in the new section, belonging
10 the association. he has about W"
graves that require more or les oac
When he finishes the work Tor when w.
cemetery association u PAID he docs NhA'
he can TO put the other lots 10 shaje :"
regards the cutting OF grass ana wecus
H. The old section al the cemetery are
n number OF slate stones that are fast
crumblins and unless the town Official.
take steps 10 replace them the graves OF
these pioneers will soon be unmarked.
The stones will stand for few years but
they are badly split and ore may picx
them 10 pieces with his fingers. IL VIII
NOT he many years before the graves OF
stephen Greenleaf. Esq, and his wife,
Eunice. will be forgotten, as the stones
are extremely thin and can be broken
anart with ones fingers. These two
stones are mentioned because they mark
the resting place OF the venerable town
clerk who served Brattleboro Tor many
YEAR. Excepting the records made by
the present town clerk, William ;. New
ton. Stephen Greenleafs pen probably
left more material for the historians OF
Brattleboro than has been lett ny any
other public official OF the town. In view
AZ The nainstakine labor which this man
gave TO Brat,leboro II would be nun a
SLIGHT tribute to his memory should the
town make provision for caring for ms
burial place.
Another lot near the Greenleaf graves
bears a double stone stating that u was
erected 10 the memory OF two young
men who were drowned a short distance
away in the Connecticut river, July ~
1907. One of the young men lost nis
lie irving TO save his companion. Both
graves are covered with tall grass. In
Conspicuous place in the old section OF the
cemetery is a lot about 0 feet enclosed
with a rusty iron fence that ought to be
given a coat of paint. WITHIN the en-
closure is weatherbeaten wooden case
containing figure of kneeling chhu;
The front of the case has glass door ana
tbe figure is covered with cobwebs ana
E.oultap Inas mt Know
whether there are persons living 10 care
for this lot. While most OF the graves
in the old section OF the cemetery are
cared for by relatives OF those buried
there or through provision made for per,
petual care there are so many neglected.
lots that a striking contrast is shown
between the south and north sections OF
the cemetery. A.
The old cemetery, which overlooks the
Connecticut river occupies beautiful 10.
cation and should be as careiully cared
for az is the new section with Its many
imposing monuments. Near the Dckin-
son fountain a shapely elm tree has been
killed by some variety OF beetle ana
large maple tree shows signs OF dying. IL
is believed that a leaking gas MAN Is IN
turing the maple as tree on the opposite
side of South Main street has been Killed
Inv gas IL some public-spirited citizen
wishes TO aid in identifying this we'll
kept burial ground another fountain
where the old pump and trough now
stands would add to the appearance OF
the cemetery. Sexton Knowlton says
that each year brings many visitors to
see the Fisk monument. A year ago he
was awakened at his home one night to
find that about 20 rivermen wanted to
see the Fisk monument. He procured
lanterns and guided the party to the Fisk
lot where the men removed their spiked
boots that they might walk upon the lot
without damaging the turf.