Bucannan Headstone

I wanted to share another view of the San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery. This view shares a bit of the destruction that happened here in the past, along with some mature trees. You see a bit of this behind the headstone that is front and center. This is a view down one side of the cemetery, where you can see there was a black cyclone fence installed to help protect these monuments. This photo was taken quite a while ago so I am looking forward to heading there again one day soon to see how the refurbishing project is coming along that the Hayward Area Historical Society has been working on.

The headstone front and center is the resting place of:

MRS. MARY BUCHANNAN

DIED

JAN. 22, 1888.

AGED 62 Y'rs 6 M's

NATIVE OF NEW YORK

Copyright © 2011 by Cheryl Palmer

A Deed for Sale on the Internet?

San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery

It has been almost 10 days since I found out about this article, just couldn't seem to get here to post about it until now:

Will your family history be sold on Ebay? written by Toni Mann.

Can you imagine seeing a deed for a cemetery plot for sale on EBAY?

The article caught my attention because it referred to San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery. It also caught my attention because Toni Mann wrote the article. She writes for the San Lorenzo Patch. I have never met Toni, but have had a couple of correspondences with her online. We have San Lorenzo definitely in common along with the cemetery and maybe even genealogy research.

Toni shared with me the research she did for this article and explained she found the picture of the grave site on Find A Grave. She did the usual genealogical research, looking through census records and learning about the family that is involved.

Head on over and read the article!

Copyright © 2011 by Cheryl Palmer

Cemetery Clean Up Tomorrow!

San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery and The Hayward Area Historical Society are getting together once again to have a cemetery clean up day! They ask that you bring gloves and gardening tools. There will be water and some light snacks provided.

The cemetery has gotten a bit overgrown and needs some TLC. Clean up time will be from 9:00am -1:00pm. I share these events with you and have great intentions of attending them myself. For one reason or another I haven't been able to make them. What better way to spend the morning than to help clean up the cemetery! Gotta love that feeling after giving back! I hope to see you there tomorrow!

If you have questions you can call Heather F. @ 510-581-0223.

Copyright © 2010 by Cheryl Palmer

Open House at San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery

I am looking forward to attending the open house over at the San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery on Saturday, August 21,2010. I am anxious to see the cemetery since it has been renovated. The cemetery will be open from 9:00am - 1:00pm.

Come learn about this cemetery and it's history! The San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery Friends Group and the Hayward Area Historical Society will be in attendance to answer questions. There will be a scavenger hunt tour, refreshments and even volunteer opportunities. The cemetery is located on the corner of Hesperian Blvd. and College St. in San Lorenzo. Hope to see you there!

Copyright © 2010 Cheryl Palmer

Wordless Wednesday

Tombstone of John ? November 6, 2008. San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery. Digital image. Held by Cheryl [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE] California. 2009

A Man, His Land And His Monument

William Meek was born in 1817 and died 1880. He was one of the first pioneer farmers in Alameda County. He grew up in Iowa and Ohio and traveled to Oregon after he lost his first wife. In Oregon he and Henderson Lewelling developed a nursery. In 1859 Meek sold his share of the nursery and moved to Alameda County.

About ten years later Meek bought at least 3000 acres of property, and his friend Lewelling also purchased land next to Meek. The area became known as "Cherryland" because Meek planted so many cherry trees. These trees came from Iowa by wagon train. They were the first grafted fruit trees to come to this coast.

In 1869 his estate was built. After he died, his sons cared for the home until 1940. By this time pieces of the land had been sold here and there. In 1940 Dr. William P. Ream purchased the home and ten acres that was left.

In 1964 the house was looking to be leveled and a new housing development put in. Citizens and H.A.R.D., Hayward Area Recreational Department, bought the estate and keep the bulldozers from having a field day on the property.

In 1973 the "Meek Estate" became a Historical Landmark. I remember when the Estate was open for wedding receptions. The grounds are very nicely kept and it has a beautiful setting. The estate was rented for parties also. I read that "over use" and the need for "greater supervision" were the reasons H.A.R.D. stopped renting the home. However, I also read that you still can get married on the property.

Meek was very involved in the community in many aspects, and was a councilman for four terms. He had many other fruit trees on his estate besides the cherry trees.
Meek and his estate are very well known in this area, as is Lewelling.

Meek is buried in the San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery, the one I showed you had been vandalized and is now being renovated by The Hayward Area Historical Society. As you can see from this picture, the Meek Tombstone is in great shape and looks like it had been spared from any vandalism.

Meek Estate, and Cherryland were part of my old stomping grounds.

Cemetery Vandalism

It has been a busy time of year for this Graveyard Rabbit! Christmas season tends to eat up my days much to quickly. I hope everyone had as nice a Holiday as I did! I wanted to do a post on Christmas in the graveyards, but unfortunately couldn't squeeze it into my schedule this year. I have missed posting to this Graveyard Rabbit site! 

I wanted to share with you some of the damage that you may see in cemeteries. The pictures I am sharing with you I took at the San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery.



You may remember this cemetery is under renovation by the local historical society. When I visited I was surprised how much of the shrubbery and weeds had been cleaned up, and the tree trimmers were working trimming the trees while I was there.



I actually took many photos of the damage to headstones and grave sites, these are just a few to give you an idea. Some of the headstones were totally missing, others laying on the ground. Then there were those that were crushed into smaller pieces. Headstones were so far from their actual grave sites, it was amazing.



Walking through this cemetery pulled at my heart, so much damage, so sad. I am sure there are many cemeteries with more massive damage. I could have posted a couple dozen more photos, but I know you have the idea. The light at the end of the tunnel for the San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery ~ It is being renovated, and I have already seen improvements! Many thanks to the Hayward Area Historical Society!

San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery

I grew up in the area of this cemetery and can remember feeling it was a very erie place. We drove past it many times, the side of it is on a main street. During my younger years, it seemed very dark and dreary, although I am sure just knowing it was a cemetery had a lot to do with that feeling.

I have passed this cemetery a few times during my adult years, the weeds were so very overgrown and the place was a mess. I had heard that kids used to party in the cemetery. As bad as the weeds were the last time I was by and the fact that the cemetery was now fenced in, led me to believe it had be awhile since there had been any parties on this property. 

I had never actually walked through the cemetery before, so on the day I chose to visit I was a little apprehensive as to what I may find. I did find a big rot iron fence around the cemetery, and in order to get into the cemetery you had to go across the street to get the key. It just so happened that tree trimmers were in the cemetery trimming trees and the gate was open. I read the signs, here is the first:



It says:

COUNTY OF ALAMEDA
SAN LORENZO PIONEER MEMORIAL PARK
THIS MEMORIAL PARK WAS DEDICATED BY
THE ALAMEDA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
ON MARCH 24,1964 AS A MEMORIAL HONORING
THOSE EARLY PIONEERS OF RANCHO SAN LORENZO
NOW KNOWN AS ASHLAND CASTRO VALLEY
HAYWARD MT EDEN AND SAN LORENZO

THESE CITIZENS BURIED HERE BETWEEN
THE YEARS OF 1852 AND 1951 WERE AMONG
THE FIRST SETTLERS AND FOUNDERS OF
THE AREA WHOSE EARLY FORESIGHT AND
PLANNING BEGAN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
TRANSFORMING MILES OF RURAL ACREAGE
INTO A MODERN COMMUNITY OF MANY
THOUSANDS

The second sign was very appropriate for what I saw. The cemetery had been worked on and was getting cleaned up! What a difference since I had seen it last.



The Hayward Area Historical Society was playing a part in the renovation of the cemetery. They offer tours, information and a phone number for anyone who cares to be a part of the historic renovation.

As the gates were open this day, I asked if it was ok to view the cemetery, I was told sure. Next time I post on this cemetery, I will share with you my tour.