On Sunday, October 23 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Friends of Wheeling will hold a cemetery work session at Stone Church Cemetery for volunteers to reset, clean and repair monuments.
Last May, a workshop attracted more than 50 volunteers, eager to learn best practices on cemetery restoration. Expert Jonathan Appell of Atlas Restoration Co. instructed attendees on how to use D2, a biodegradable cleaning agent not harmful to plants, to clean and preserve gravestones. He also demonstrated how to safely and properly reset headstones that have fallen over.
Volunteers who attended May’s workshop will be putting their new skills to make more progress in restoring the cemetery, including members of the Stone Church Volunteer Fire Department, workers from Foundation Solutions and Troop 6 scouts of the Boy Scouts of America. Sand and gravel is being donated by the City of Wheeling, which owns the cemetery. The effort is supported by a grant from the Ohio County Commission.
At 1 p.m. the work session will break for the Fort Henry Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution’s ceremony to dedicate a sign it has placed in the cemetery honoring the 17 Revolutionary War soldiers who are buried there. The sign lists the names and life dates of each patriot and features a QR code that when scanned takes you to a history of the cemetery and profiles of the soldiers with photographs of their gravesites. The cemetery has been in operation since 1795 and remains an active burial ground.
Stone Church Cemetery is located at 142 Stone Church Road in Elm Grove. Event chairman Peggy Niebergall suggested that “volunteers wear comfortable clothing and shoes and bring sunscreen and protective eyewear, gardening gloves and a folding chair.” She added that no previous experience is required and new volunteers can “learn on the spot.” Water and lunch will be provided. For additional information, call Niebergall at (304) 559-6953. Additional parking will be available at a lot connected to the Padden Financial Services and James Taylor CPA office building.
