HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1996-06-19, Page 5Close-up
Norman MacLean steps down after 50 years
A smile years hetps the go by at cemetery OE
BY DAVID SCOTT
Expositor Editor
"It's very quiet. It's a.dead
business."
Working at a cemetery for
50 years, you have to have a
sense of humour.
Norman MacLean, of
Egmondville, recently
stepped down as secretary -
treasurer of the Egmondville-
Cemetery, a post he held for
half a century.
He's done everything from
cutting grass to digging
graves.
"I was secretary -treasurer,
chief .bottle washer and dri-
ver," says MacLean.
The Egmondville Cemetery
began with one acre of land
donated by Constant Van
Egmond for a church and
burial grounds on February
10, 1854. The original site
has been added .to over the
years to bniig it to its present
size.of almost three acres.
-"For a time in the 1920's,
the cemetery was considered
full. A lot of olderfamilies
used Maitland Bank and
Harpurhey Two old
Egmondville Cemetery board
members were buried in
Bayfield. A few went to
Harpurhey," said MacLean.
GRAVE INFLATION
"Not too many years ago
$15 bought you a grave site,
now it's $300. ,It was $10 to
dig a grave, today it's $250,"
says MacLean. He's quick to
add that it's illegal to adver-
tise prices of cemetery plots.
Grave -digging is "a'ways
part-time" work with the
cemetery averaging about
two to three burials a gear.
MacLean always tried to find
Someone to do this task and
some of the other,grouniis
work butif he couldn't, he
did it. The most burialsiin
one year he can remember is
10 in 193.
Colonel Anthony Vari
Egmond's remains were
moved from one burial plot,
after his death in jail follow-
ing the failed Rebellion in
Upper Canada, to the
Egmondville Cemetery and
are the oldest.there.
As well, his five sons'
headstones rest at different
spots in the "old part" of the
cemetery. They were
Constant, .who built the Van
Egmond house which still
stands, Leopold, William,
Edward and August.
MacLean said there arc two
great-grandsons of Edward
Van Egmond alive - brothers
Jack Van Egmond of Clinton
and Fred Van Egmond of
London.
Col. Van Egmond also had
three daughters but there is
no mention of them in the
cemetery. Even on Constant's
stone his wife's name is left
off.
4-H News
Clinforth '
club asks
`What's In
a Feed?'
BY ANTJE DEUSCHLE
Last Tuesday the Clinforth
4-H club held its third meet-
ing at the Schuttel farm.
The•topic was "What's In A
Feed?". Dennis Martin, from
OMAFRA, discussed the var-
ious feeds used on the
Schuttel farm.
4-H members also learned
how to make and analyze a
growth chart for their calf so
they can keep it in its best
shape.
The club then judged three
samples of hay for which
Dennis Martin explained the
official judging.
Members also judged a
class of first calf heifers then
were asked to give oral rea-
sons. Again, Dennis Martin
gave the official reasons and
discussed his placings.
Calfmania will he held at
Franken's on July 9 and
members arc reminded to
have their calves washed and
at Franken's by 9:30 a.m.
a
Norman's wife Betty is
related to the Van Egmonds.
"Her grandmother was Anne
Johnston, of England, daugh-
ter of Constant Van
Egmond," said MacLean.
One of the oldest markers at
the cemetery is for Samuel
Carnochan (1785-1859) and
his wife Agnes Hawthorn
(died in 1847).
Time, weather and vandal-
ism have taken their toll on
some of the older stones in
the Egmondville Cemetery.
"As time goes on, they'll all
be gone;" says MacLean.
"The cemetery hoard hopes
to over the -nix( few years
repair old stones. They've
made a start on them."
Vandalism is a.problern in
every cemetery, he -says. And
no insurance covers it.
But rain and frost and wind
eat away at the stone inscrip-
tions and some of the older
brittle white stone markers
have visible cracks and faded
names that are barely read-
able.
A few years ago, the
Carnochan family repaired
some of their older family
markers with metal braces.
FAMILY STORIES
As Norman walks along the
rows of headstones, he has
stories for many of them.
"There's George Hills, the
old village blacksmith. His
father Tom is here, too. He
was a blacksmith in Scotland.
Richard Hicks was thc old
principal of Egmondville
Public School."
A piece from the top of the
old log church, -which once
stood in the cemctery-
grounds, sits yin the centre of
four old stones that mark the
four corners of the ()I'd
church. A historical plaque
also tells the story of the first
Presbyterian church.
There is a marker for the'
first Presbyterian minister in
'Egmondville, ' Rev. W.
Graham and . his . wife,
'Elizabeth Gouinlock.
"John McCaa left $200 to
start the perpetual fund for
maintenance of the cemetery
in 1926."
As a young boy, Norman
knew some p( the older peo-
plc buried at Egmondville
Cemetery.
"I knew Hugh Chesney,
Sam Chesney, Henry
Chesney. And a lot of the Van
Egmonds. I delivered papers
to Leopold'and Earl."
There are many other old
area families at the
Egmondville Cemetery:
Collie, Beattie, Bell,
McIntosh, Coleman, Huston,
Gemmell, McCartney,
Papple, Sproat, Kruse,
Wallace, McGregor, Tyndall,
townsend and more.
(Editor's note: There were
many families who settled
Tuckersmith Township and
CONTINUED on,pagc 7
.i.LA
PHOTO BY DAVID SCOTT
FAMILY ROOTS - Norman MacLean looks at one of the
oldest stones in the Egmondville Cemetery which belongs
to the Carnochan family. He has become familiar with the
names on hundreds of headstones over the past 50 years.
PHOTO,BY TIM CUMMING
HUMOUR HELPS - Former Expositor editor Tim Cumming
captured this photo of the lighter side of Norman MacLean
during Homecoming '95. Norman has kept his sense of
humour through years of working at the cemetery.
DENNIS FISCHER CONSTRUCTION
•Custom�Homes *Additions *Drywall
•Renovations *Agricultural *Cement Work
•Aluminum Work *Roofing *Trim
Call 519-348-9719 -Today!
Licensed Carpenter Mitchell
•Custom,Homes •Additions •Drywall
•Renovations •Agricultural •Cement Work
• luminum Work •Roofing •Trim
Call 519-348-9719 - Today!
Licensed Carpenter Mitchell
Summer Celebration
Kaisers ....doz $1 99
French Sticks 450g 99¢ each
Hamburg or Hot Dog Rolls pkg 99c each
Butter Tarts pkg 8 $1 .99
Monterey Jack 53.99 lb.
Cheese
fresh off the
block!
Lunches
Soup & Sandwiches
Cottee & Donuts
1.1110,
Quality Bakery Products since 1929!
Tas ty aa
Bakery & Cheese House
1
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Juno 19, 1990-11
! \'\•.
L\
N1
!n
,,n
4
AIR CONDITIONING
SPECIAL
$10
OFF
OUR Reg. Price of $49.95
Parts Extra
4 Sanitize AC System
A Clean exterior of .condenser
A Hook-up gauges and record
pressures
d Check system for leaks
d Inspect compressor operation
id Inspect cooling -fan operation
A Inspect all belts and hoses
d Inspect climate controls
d Test cooling efficiency in car
Check air conditioning vent
temperatures
LICENSED TRAINED TECHNICIANS * QUALITY PARTS
OPEN FOR SERVICE MON to FRI 8 AM to 5:00 PM
CALL TODAY! 527-1010
[HART
Kana
',r Mandy *NWv ei T. Ms 1+...r aarcvnY
7 —800-598-9257
Et1ER:1VAI GUi:L ir, ZrTil..IIM Blli
SEAFORTH RECREATION
SUMMER DAY CAMPS
OFF ICE HIGH PREFORMANCE
TRAINING CAMP
Stay in top playing form for Ringctte and Hockey during
the sununer. Mornings of Monday, Wednesday and Friday
for the month of July, Brian O'Reilly will run the children
through a workout. This program will prepare thc
participant for body contact, help them with strength,
balance, agility and co-ordination.. Registration Fee will be
S75.00 which will include a T -Shirt for each person.
TEEN SPORTS CAMP
Come enjoy a week of Sports, Fun, and' Excitement. Tris camp
will be held from July 8 to July 12, 1996 at the Seaforth
District High School. This week long program will help develop
each participants self esteem, and gain leadership skills through
sport. Teens will also be introduced to a CPR Course which is
beneficial during job searching. Registration' fee will be 5100.00
which includes all CPR materials. Sports you will be doing
include swimming, baseball. basketball, volleyball, floor hockey '
and much more.
COMPUTER CAMP FOR CHILDREN
Want to surf the net, play games, use CD-Roms, and much
more. Enrol in our Computer Camp sponsored by the Seaforth
Recreation Department in co-operation with the Seaforth District
High School, and the Huron County Board of Education. This
program will consist of 2 - 1 week sessions from 9:00 am to
12 noon to be held at the Seaforth District High School, July
22 - 26, and July 29 - August 2, 1996. Registration' Fee will
be $75.00 per person per session. Please register before July 19.'
Lip
PRE -REGISTRATION IS A MUST FOR ALL ABOVE PROGRAMS
TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL THE SEAFORTH
RECREATION OFFICE AT 527-0882
WATCH FOR ADULT TENNIS LESSONS AND YOUR SUMMER FUN FLYER WHICH WILL BE IN THE
SCHOOLS SOON