A key mission of the Friends of Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery is the restoration of damaged monuments in the cemetery. Many headstones, and even entire blocks, have been restored over the years. A recent example is the Pape/Prim block (Masonic 273), restoration of which began in 2022. Project completion is expected by year-end.
Paine Page Prim was a prominent early Jacksonville attorney, notable for his tenure as a 21-year member and 6-year Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court between 1859 and 1880. Prim and his wife, Theresa Stearns, had 3 children, the eldest of whom, Ella, married Charles Nickell, founder of the Democratic Times newspaper in Jacksonville.
The Pape/Prim block (Masonic 273) is so-called, not for the Prim family patriarch (he and Theresa along with their son and his wife, the former Effie Bybee, and a daughter, Maud, are buried “next door” in the Prim block, Masonic 274), but for Charles Nickell’s wife, Ella Prim Nickell, son Charles Prim Nickell, and half-brothers and a half-sister (the Papes).
In late 2022, Dirk Siedlecki and FOJHC began a total restoration of Pape/Prim 273. According to longtime Friends volunteer, John McGlothlin, the idea had been discussed before, but it wasn’t until the arrival of restoration volunteers Kurt and John Elliott that the effort became feasible.
Phase 1 of the project involved the Elliott brothers, with an assist from Sexton Richard Shields, rebuilding the block’s stone curbing, bollards, and entryway. In the process, according to John McGlothlin, Kurt Elliott discovered the block’s white marble tiles while digging at the entrance to the block. McGlothlin and FOJHC Director, Dee Reynar, recently reset the markers, to complete the first phase of the project. (The Pape/Prim story will continue in a future column.)
View After Phase 1, Pape/Prim Block 273, Masonic Section, Jacksonville Cemetery. Photo by John McGlothlin.
History Saturday in the Cemetery, Saturday, August 12, 10-11:30am, “Mysteries and Myths in the Cemetery”— A popular outdoor local history talk followed by a short walking tour to related cemetery sites. Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. Meet at the Sexton’s Tool House, top of Cemetery Road near the flagpole. Parking available within the cemetery grounds. (Note: this program may not be suitable for the very young.) There is no fee for the tour, however, donations are greatly appreciated and help support our educational programs and restoration and preservation work within the cemetery.
Marker Cleaning Workshop, Saturday, August 19, 9am-noon—Please join us and learn to safely clean and help preserve the many grave markers in our cemetery that are covered in moss, lichen, and dirt and have become difficult to read. This is a hands-on workshop, so dress accordingly. Bring a stool to sit on, sunscreen and a hat. Meet at the Sexton’s Tool House, top of Cemetery Road near the flagpole, for detailed instructions and to pick up cleaning tools and supplies. Parking within the cemetery grounds.
Visit www.friendsjvillecemetery.org for more information about events and restoration efforts.