Friends of Wheeling will host another Greenwood Cemetery Tour on Sunday, Sept. 20. Two, seven-person walking tours will include notable people from Wheeling’s past, in first person, costumed presentations. Continuous tours will begin at 1:00, with the last tour starting at 4:30. The tours are free and open to all ages. Parking is available at Wheeling Park, and limousines from Altmeyer, Grisell, and Kepner Funeral Homes will transport visitors to and from the cemetery.
Two of Wheeling’s most enterprising entrepreneurs will be included this year. Stimson H. Woodward (portrayed by Hal Gorby) was one of the founders of LaBelle Nail, and Peter Cassell (portrayed by Greg Smith) was a founder and director of Central Glass. Mike Medovic will portray the tragic figure of Dr. George Baird, a local medical doctor who was murdered by a colleague. Another tragic story is that of Harrison Dunlevy (portrayed by Jeremy Morris), a prominent boat-builder and Superintendent of the Steel Bridge prior to his untimely death.
Five characters date from the Civil War era. Glenn Elliott will portray Maj. Thomas H. Norton, decorated Union soldier and later the military mayor of Jackson, Mississippi during Reconstruction. German immigrant August Rolf (portrayed by Dave Clutter) was a member of the local “German Rifles” and witnessed the hanging of abolitionist John Brown. Bekah Karelis will portray Gertrude Lamb, the daughter of attorney Daniel Lamb, who was the main writer of the state’s constitution. Gael Fincham will portray Anna Hartley Little, wife of Civil War ambulance manufacturer Arthur Little. And Lola Miller will portray Sarah Pannell Wilson, the wife and sister of Confederate supporters during the war.
More recent names include Texana Jordan (portrayed by Laurie Ruberg), who served as the Art Director of the Wheeling public schools, and attorney and philanthropist Henry Stifel Schrader (portrayed by Jay Frey). Other featured presentations will include Judi Hendrickson as medical doctor and community activist Lydia Cromwell Hearne; Kate Quinn as Nellie Egerter Faris, the wife of noted Wheeling architect Frederick Faris; and Jeanne Finstein as Sallie Maxwell Bennett, the mother of noted WWI aviator Louis Bennett, Jr. and the great grandmother of Congressman David McKinley.