The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutThe 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