Historians Want To Make Sure Pioneer Cemetery is Not Forgotten

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

By Francis Woodruff

"Rural cemeteries disappear from history if no one is taking care of them--they are forgotten." That was the message Dr. P. Nick Kardulias, Professor of Anthropology and Archaeology at the College of Wooster told the Kidron Historical Society members last Thursday during their quarterly business meeting.
Dr. Kardulias has volunteered his time to help locate the boundaries of the early Pioneer Cemetery where early settlers of the Sonnenberg/Kidron settlement of the 1800's are buried. At present the cemetery has only two grave stones visible in the cemetery, which is situated on a small hill in the pasture of the Lloyd Lehman [farm] along Goudy Road, Dalton.
Kidron Historical Society President Wayne Leichty is hoping the early pioneers will not be forgotten and said the project of locating the boundaries of the old cemetery has been a desire for many years of long time Kidron resident Paul Neuenschwander. The project has recently been taken over by historical society board member Fritz Sprunger.
Dr. Kardulias addressed historians on his efforts to help locate other cemeteries in the area. About 8 years ago he and several volunteers and Wooster College students helped locate the Boydston-Bodine Cemetery near McQuaid Road. In that particular cemetery they discovered a grave of a Revolutionary War Veteran. The gravestone, which was badly deteriorated, was redone by a Veterans group. They were also able to compile names of several people buried there and a dedication ceremony was later held to celebrate the efforts.
Dr. Kardulias said the genealogy department at the Wayne County Library helps in researching early cemeteries. He explained that "cemeteries are important in defining who we are and where we have been." "Cemeteries are critical to ancestors who have relatives buried there--and finding out about family history," he said.
He gave a little history on cemeteries explaining that early on they were commonly located near churches but were later changed to rural areas outside cities. Around 1830-1855 the emergence of rural or garden cemeteries developed. They evolved into park-like settings thanks to the development of landscape architecture. "How we treat our dead, reflects on who we are today," he noted.
With the help of a device called a magnetometer, Dr. Kardulias hopes to discover disturbances in the soil at the Pioneer Cemetery, to show where the graves may be located. He explained the device which penetrates about 5-6 feet deep into the soil, reflects a magnetic field back. The machine can pick up subtle variations in soil that has been excavated, he said "It's a slow process to cover an area." Kardulias noted they will establish a grid in the cemetery as a control point of area covered which will also help locate the boundaries of the cemetery. The next step would be to probe the soil about 4-5 inches deep with a metal rod, hoping to locate a grave stone. He is hoping there are stones, but explained they may have marked the graves with wood markers which would have deteriorated over time by now.
The grave markers, showing a name and date, "makes history tangible," Dr. Kardulias said, "It gives a connection of a person to the community."
Leichty said the desire of the project is to establish the four corners of the small cemetery and set posts and a metal markers. No fence is planned. "Fortunately we have a list of who's buried there, but no grave markers," he said. The list shows 59 names of those buried in the cemetery. Dr. Kardulias hopes to start the project this coming Spring.
The Pioneer Cemetery is the first cemetery of the Sonnenberg Mennonite Church on Hackett Road. A list of those buried in the cemetery is listed on a plaque located just east of the old church on Hackett Road.
Those known buried there and the year are: 1823 Elizabeth Gerber, 1833 John Lugenbuhl, 1834 Barbara Lehman, 1834 John Tschantz, 1834 Elizabeth Sommer, 1834 Anna Tschantz, 1836 Barbara Welty, 1836 Peter Welty, 1837 Peter Hofstetter, 1839 John Lehman, 1839 Anna Gerber, 1839 Peter Sommer, 1839 David Kirchofer, 1840 Ulrich Welty, 1841 Michael Gerber, 1842 John Gerber, 1843 John Welty, 1843 Magdalena Lehman, 1843 Barbara Lehman,184 Peter Lehman, 1844 John Heierly, 1845 Katherine Tschantz, 1845 Elizabeth Baumgartner, 1846 Barbara Kirchofer, 1846 John Lehman,1846 Jacob Lugenbuhl, 1847 Barbara Beer, 1847 Verena Bixler, 1847 Barbara Amstutz, 1847 Elizabeth Steiner, 1847 John Steiner, 1847 Abraham Zuercher, 1848 Katherine Geiger, 1848 Mary Lehman, 1849 Christian Ramsier, 1849 Christian Tschantz, 1849 Anna Hofstetter, 1849 John Thut, 1850 Anna Lehman, 1850 Christian Beer, 1851 Verena Bixler, 1852 Ma[r]ian Lehman, 1853 John Sprunger, 1853 Michel Begley, 1853 David Baumgartner, 1855 Christian Hofstetter, 1855 Elizabeth Gerber, 1856 Anna Welty, 1856 Johnes Lehman, 1856 Magdalena Lehman, 1856 Christian Lehman, 1857 Peter Gerber, 1857 Magdelena Welty, 1857 John Gerber, 1858 Isacc Falb, 1858 Elizabeth Wali, 1860 Verena Welty, and 1861 Peter C. Tschantz.

Reprinted with permission from The Dalton Gazette & The Kidron News