Cleaning Tombstones Again Saturday

We will be cleaning tombstones again this Saturday September 13, 2023, at 8:00 am at Moffett Cemetery again.

Directions from Lawrenceville, Illinois: travel south on Illinois Route 1 approximately 9.7 Miles to St. Francisville turn off, turn right onto Sand Barrens Road. Travel approximately 6.6 miles to county road 510 (also called Union Chapel Road per google map), turn left (south) onto this gravel road, travel approximately .5 miles; cemetery is on the left. (You can also use the Bridgeport Road, and turn right onto Sand Barrens Road and get to County Road 510 this way also.) If when you are on Sand Barrens Road, you round a corner and see Hopewell Church, you have gone too far, turn around. It will be the first road on your right when you go back.

Bring water or coffee, but realize there are no bathrooms available. WE don't stay long--usually 1-2 hours. Bug spray, a hat, something to sit on, gossip . . . these are all good too! See you there!

We were down there today to mark veterans’ graves we wanted to make sure we cleaned on Saturday and took a few photos of the stones cleaned last week. Since it hasn’t rained there which helps rinse and brighten the stones, we were still surprised to see SO much difference in just a few days. Here are a few of the photos.

These were two of the blackest stones and were almost unreadable.

These two stones are for the Corrie Children, Glenn 1 yr 9 months and Bernice 24 days. She died in 1892 and he died in 1885.

You can tell how black this Civil War tombstone was for Wm Rawlings and in just a few days time, and some serious scrubbing, you can see the difference.

These are just a few of the ones that were cleaned and the hour the vounteers worked was well spent. Come help us save out local history, one stone at a time.