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From: "Jigsaw Genealogy" <>
Subject: Another nice cemetery story
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 14:04:52 -0400
References: <86.2e0b2b76.302e366f@cs.com>


I had a terrific experience with the superintendent of Mt. Elliott Catholic
Cemetery in Detroit, Peter Buchanan. The neighborhood around it has
deteriorated but the cemetery is still a place of quiet contemplation.
Originally, each family plot had a wrought iron fence surrounding it, with
bamboo piping between the plots for irrigation. It was the second Catholic
cemetery in Detroit, founded in the 1880s.

Because of modern mowing equipment, the fencing has unfortunately been
removed, but each plot still has the three cement steps leading up where the
gates had been.

For security purposes, a guard rode around all day long - a polite and
professional man. He never stopped to chat but always waved as he passed
me.

The best experience was with Mr. Buchanan who, upon discovering that my
g-grandfather's monument store had provided many of the gravestones, began
spilling out the history of the cemetery and those buried within. What a
font of knowledge!

I made several visits on Saturdays and (equipped with donuts) was allowed to
handle the original ledgers. When Mr. Buchanan was on the phone, he finally
started waving me back into the vault to pull my own books!

One time, the guard saw me cleaning up a gravestone for a photograph which
had become half-sunken in the ground. (It was a large stone that covered
the entire grave.) A few minutes later, Mr. Buchanan arrived on the scene,
apologizing that part of the stone had become covered with grass and
offering to have it leveled at no charge. After all, my ancestors had paid
for perpetual care!

I'm not sure if Peter Buchanan is still at Mt. Elliott, but bless him for
all his help. He is a wonderful man!

Mary Beth Dalton
Jigsaw Genealogy




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