In my column a couple months back, I mentioned that volunteer John McGlothlin and I came across some small headstones and decorative pieces while cleaning out the storage cabinets in the Sexton’s Tool House. One of those headstones, along with its base, belonged to little Beatrice Breitbarth, who died on January 12, 1869 at the age of 2 years, 6 months, and 10 days. Beatrice died from smallpox, an epidemic that struck Jacksonville in the fall of 1868. The disease was first declared as “chicken pox” by the local doctors, but later confirmed as smallpox of the confluent and most malignant type.

By January 1869, a full-blown epidemic raged through the town of Jacksonville. Beatrice was the daughter of Henry and Julia Ann Hopwood Breithbarth and her grandparents were early Jacksonville settlers, Thomas and Elizabeth Hopwood. Henry was the original owner of the Bella Union Saloon. Following Beatrice’s death, Henry went broke and his wife, Julia Ann, left him and the family and reportedly went to San Francisco. Henry left Jacksonville about 1873 and took the surviving children to Portland where he became a grocer. He is buried there in the Wilhelms Portland Memorial Mausoleum. Julia Ann’s sister, Elizabeth Hopwood, was married to Colonel John Ross. Beatrice and her grandparents are buried in the City Section of the cemetery. We are delighted to have been able to find and place this beautiful headstone back on the gravesite of little Beatrice. I’d like to extend my appreciation to John McGlothlin for his research and assistance with this project.

Cemetery Entrance Gate—By the time most of you will have received and read this edition of the June Jacksonville Review, you will have already noticed that the entrance gate to the cemetery has been removed. The entire structure is currently in the process of being restored. The gate which is well over one hundred years old, was in very poor condition and badly in need of repairs. The restoration plans have been reviewed and approved by HARC. When completed, the side pedestrian gates will be angled to provide for additional structural support, as well as allowing us to widen the drive through section of the gate.

In addition, the height of the arch will be lowered. The restored gate will be more representative of the original design than any of the previous modifications made over the years. The project will take approximately four months to complete with the work being performed by Bryan Pancheau, Metal Sculpture & Design. We sincerely appreciate the City of Jacksonville for moving forward with this long-overdue project and very much look forward to not only having a sturdy gate, but a beautiful and welcoming entrance to our Pioneer Cemetery.

June Events and Activities:

Marker Cleaning Workshops, Saturday, June 2, 9:00am to 12 noon. (Please note this has been rescheduled from June 16 to June 2.)—Join us in cleaning headstones and monuments to help preserve them for future generations. We meet at the Sexton’s Tool House, top of the Cemetery Road, where you will find parking available. All tools and supplies are provided along with instructions on proper cleaning methods. You might want to bring a stool to sit on, a hat, sunscreen and comfortable walking shoes. This is a fun and very rewarding volunteer project.

History Saturday in the Cemetery, Saturday, June 9 10:00-11:30am—Meet your Docents at the top of the Cemetery Road where parking is available. Our June topic will be a celebration of the 175th Anniversary of the Oregon Trail presented by Joan Hess and Vivienne Grant. The program is free and no advance reservations are required. Donations are always appreciated and help support the work of our organization in preserving and restoring the cemetery, one of the oldest and largest Pioneer Cemeteries in the state of Oregon. May we suggest comfortable walking shoes, a hat and sunscreen. History Saturday programs are presented on the second Saturday of the month May through August.

Tuesday Evening Cemetery Stroll, Tuesday, June 12, 6:30-8:00pm—Take an after-dinner stroll through the cemetery grounds and learn some of the history of the cemetery and its residents. Our June stroll and topic will be about “Untimely Passings” of some of those resting within the cemetery. Your docents for the program are Ellen Martin and Dee Reynar. No advance reservations are required and the program is free. Donations are always appreciated and help support our work. Parking is available at the top of the Cemetery Road where you will meet your docents. We suggest comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen and insect repellent.

Please visit our website for additional details on these and all our other events and activities at: www.friendsjvillecemetery.org.

Thank you, and I look forward to welcoming you to one or more of this month’s activities.

Dirk J. Siedlecki, President – FOJHC