Preservationist works to repair headstones at Mount Rest Cemetery

Posted May 31, 2021 6:01 am

Submitted by Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution

Preservationist works to repair headstones at Mount Rest Cemetery

The Oliver Monument at Mount Rest Cemetery before repair. The Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, has been fundraising to hire preservationists to restore headstones at the cemetery in northeast Lake County. Courtesy of Pam Holmes

Since May 2020, the Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, has been fundraising to hire an Illinois certified headstone preservationist to preserve, repair, straighten, upright and unearth several headstones at Mount Rest Cemetery in far northeast Lake County.

Chris Hillman, Ken Van Meter and Joe Jobst up right and level the Devine Monument at Mount Rest Cemetery. Courtesy of Pam Holmes

In 1848, the people of Sterling Township met at the Williams School and appointed a president, secretary and five trustees to purchase a graveyard for the settlement. Fifty cents was the price of the lots.

Mount Rest Cemetery was established in 1848, and was originally known as Newport Burying Association. In 1877, members of the association voted to amend the constitution; the name was changed to Mount Rest Cemetery Association.

Ken Van Meter levels the Oliver Monument, while Joe Jobst, background, eyes things up and Chris Hillman, at right, levels and sets small stones. The tripod was used to place the large middle section that was on the ground. Courtesy of Vern Paddock

Fast forward 173 years. As time and vandals have not been kind to the more than 550 headstones, several are in desperate need of professional restoration. That's where Christine Hillman from Chris's Cemetery Preservation Inc. comes in.

Chris and Ken Van Meter are two of only three preservationists certified by the ILDNR in Illinois. Mount Rest was lucky to get both Chris and Ken to repair, preserve and upright these stones. Chris, Ken and volunteer Joe Jobst painstakingly preserved more than 56 stones.

One of the stones recovered (broken into three pieces) has been buried underground since prior to 1985, according to a book that was compiled about the cemetery by the Zion Genealogical Society. It indicated that the stone was broken and illegible. That stone was one that Chris and Ken repaired, which is now standing upright.

The tombstone of Kenneth Welch, who died on Sept. 11, 1869. Ken Van Meter probed and recovered the broken sections of the stone, which were completely buried. Courtesy of Pam Holmes

The Ansel Brainerd Cook chapter and friends have cleaned more than 125 headstones since last year, and the goal is to clean another 150.

There are several more that will require professional help, so fundraising is ongoing. A percentage of all the money raised will be donated to the Newport Township Historical Society. To date, they have already received $2,330.

There are 67 veterans buried at Mount Rest, from the Revolutionary War - Henry Collins is one of only two known Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Lake County - up through the Vietnam War. Four of these soldiers' graves are unmarked.

For more information on Ansel Brainerd Cook, NSDAR visit ildar.org/chapters/anselbrainerdcook, see the Newport Township Historical Society's Facebook page or email Pam Holmes at paholmes61@att.net.

Article Comments

Article Categories
Communities Lifestyle Zion

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.