New Fences and Faces!—We recently highlighted phase 1 of the FOJHC’s restoration of the Pape/Prim block (Masonic 273) … but there’s more to the story! The block was once surrounded by an iron fence atop the sandstone curbing and between the bollards, with a matching gate at the entrance. With no known photographs showing the block with fencing and a gate, who knew? Well, as many of you will not be surprised to hear, our late founder and the long-time President of FOJHC, Dirk Siedlecki, knew—and he often expressed his hope that a way would be found to recreate that fencing, thought likely to have been similar in style to that of the nearby Ish block (IOOF, 391).
While it’s not uncommon to hear of iron fencing disappearing from cemeteries during wartime, to scrap metal drives, for example, the minutes of Jacksonville Cemetery Commission meetings, chaired by Dirk, note that the Pape/Prim fencing was in place until 1958, making its demise much more likely to have been due to simple theft. In any case, we’re happy to report that phase 2 of the Pape/Prim restoration project is now installing newly crafted ornamental iron fencing, as well as iron bollards for support of a matching gate, at the entrance to the block.
Funded by FOJHS donors, and managed by long-time Friends preservation volunteer, John McGlothlin, the new iron fencing, and gate, featuring ornamental scrollwork, are being custom manufactured by Mountain Iron Works in Murphy, Oregon. John took on the project design and management challenge at Dirk’s request and has worked diligently to ensure that the result will be historically accurate and will integrate seamlessly with the block’s existing sandstone curbing and bollards. John, who worked with Dirk on many restoration projects in the Jacksonville cemetery over the years, expects the Pape/Prim project, partially installed as we write this in early October, to be completed before year’s end. It promises to honor them both.
Two beautiful mornings in September marked the final chapters for this year’s History Saturday in the Cemetery program and our Marker Cleaning Workshops.
For History Saturday, long-time Friends docents Lynn Ransford and Anne Peugh, with extensive and impeccable teaching credentials and dressed in period schoolmarm attire, had us all sitting up straight and minding our manners as they presented “Education in the Victorian Era,” an entertaining and informative review of early school days in Jacksonville. Pat Stancel’s display of early “readers” reminded us that effective educational tools existed prior to online learning.
The following Saturday, twelve hard-working marker cleaners, including two new volunteers, attended our final Marker Cleaning Workshop of 2023, again ably co-hosted by Dee and Ken Reynar. A total of thirty-six markers were cleaned in the Odd Fellows section. It’s wonderful to see the life story told on a marker become readable again after a good scrub and, occasionally, the cleaning reveals the stone mason’s signature as well. Finding carver RM Shely’s name on the George Ratrie marker (IOOF, 345) was a rare and nice bonus for one of our new volunteers.
Flags for our Veterans will be removed for the winter following Veteran’s Day, November 11th.
Featured image: Phase 2 Progress, Pape/Prim Block 273, Masonic Section, Jacksonville Cemetery. Photo by John McGlothlin.