The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-07-19
NECESSITY FOR ACCURATE Gem
ETERY RECORDS

There are nine cemeteries In Show
hogan; Dyer Hill, Bloomfield, Cal
vary, Skowhegan Association, Larone,
Old Bloomfield, Herrin, East Skowhe-
gan and Malbons Mills.
The Dyer Hill cemetery is usually
referred to as North and the Bloom
field cemetery as South. The Show
hogan Association is owned by an as
sociation and adjoins the Bloomfield.
The Old Bloomfield lot ESQ called to
distinguish it from the South ceme-
terry above mentioned) is near the
river bank, IL miles below Skowhe-
gan on the South side. Here Is
where the earlier burials of the town
occurred. The Larone cemetery Is
about one quarter mile off the Bige
low Hill road just before reaching
Larone. The Herrin lot is on the
left OF the river road to Waterville,
east side. The cemeteries at NAL
bons Mills and East Skowhegan will
be easily identified by these names.
Calvary Cemetery is located on
North avenue. 1t is for the exclusive
use of our Catholic people. AS is the
case with all real estate in this Cath
Ollie Parish the legal title Is vested in
the Roman Catholic Bishop of Port
land Corporation Sole. This term by
many would not be understood. 1t
is a corporation organized under the
laws of Maine for the purpose of
holding real estate to be devoted ex-
clusively to the Roman Catholic reli-
gion. The diocese of Portland Is CO.
avfapotya with Tho do t-too NJ tha
State of Maine. Anywhere within
this territory the Corporation Sole
may purchase, hold or sell real estate
or carry 1t on for the benefit of the
Catholic people. Within this terri
tory at the option of the Catholic So
ciety may be organized Boards of
Trustees to hold and administer Cath
Ollie property. Unless such Boards
are organized. however, the owner
ship and management rests with the
corporation itself The corporation
Sole has but one member and he Is
always Bishop of the Diocese, at pres
ent he the well-known Right Rever-
ent Louis S. Walsh of Portland. At
his death or upon confirmation of
successor, the Corporation Sole with
all It's responsibilities would pass to
the succeeding appointee. OF course.
while the ownership Is as above stat1
ed, the care and management of Cal
vary Cemetery together with all other
property in this Catholic parish is at
tended to by the local priest at pres
ent Father j. l.. A. Renaud
For many years both custom and
legal statutes have required that a
record be made by the town clerk or
sexton OF all burials. This record
was supposed to include the name of
the diseased, the date Of his death
and where possible the location of the
lot and the individual grave. These
books, running back to about 1910.
are now In the hands of Sexton Fred
o. Eaton. AS is always the case in
such records there are periods when
they are not complete. Now and
then some descendant writes or comes
here to make inquiry regarding the
burial of his ancestor and finds moth
ing in the record to indicate that the
interment was In the town of Show
hogan. The search of the cemetery
however will sometimes find the I'M
recorded grave.
The present sexton, Mr.. Eaton, has
this situation in mind all the time
and whenever he finds grave of
which no record exists he makes the
proper entry in the town book.
The above has been recently
brought to mind by reason of a letter
from C. c. White of New York City,
who wrote to inquire about the burial
of his father, d. Granville White.
This burial was unrecorded. 1t oc-
Cured in 1914. Mr.. Eaton was able
to find the grave in the family lot in
the North Cemetery.