Wordless Wednesday ~ Lone Tree Cemetery

William D. Hayward Memorial Amphitheater. Lone Tree Cemetery, Hayward, California. Digital Image, March 20, 2009. Privately held by Cheryl. [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE] California. 2010

Copyright © 2010 by Cheryl Palmer

Alameda County One Hundred Club ~ Post #1

This monument stands in Hayward's Lone Tree Cemetery. It was erected in 2008 and holds memory to the county's fallen heroes. You can find the memorial in the newer section of the cemetery towards the back.

The center panel boasts the logo for the 100 club and says:

Alameda County 100 Club

Founded in 1974 by Martin C. Kauffman

This Memorial Is Dedicated To The

Families Of Peace Officers

And Firefighters Who

Gave Their Lives Protecting The

Citizens Of Alameda County

Below this is the California and United States Flags along

with the police officer and firefighter logos.

On the left is this beautiful poem written by George Hahn, a retired Sargent

from the LA Police Department:

I never dreamed it would be me,

My name for all eternity,

Recorded here at this hallowed place,

Alas, my name, no more face.

"In the line of duty" I hear them say;

My family now the price will pay,

My folded flag stained with their tears;

We only had those few short years.

The badge no longer on my chest,

I sleep now in eternal rest;

My sword I pass to those behind,

And pray they keep this thought in mind;

I never dreamed it would be me,

And with heavy heart and bended knee;

I ask for all here from the past,

Dear God let my name be the last.

The right panel lists the fallen officers and firefighters starting in 1973.

I will share each of these names with you in my following post.

Across the bottom of the memorial states:

Honoring and remembering all peace officers and firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Hayward

Several different markers. November 6, 2008. Lone Tree Cemetery, Hayward, California. Digital Image. Held by Cheryl [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE] California. 2009

Tombstone Tuesday - Roger Breyhan

Roger Breyhan Headstone. March 20, 2009. Lone Tree Cemetery. Digital Image. Privately held by Cheryl [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE] California. 2009

Roger Edward Breyhan was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on November 5, 1936. He passed of a massive heart attack on April 20, 1997 in Alameda County, California. Roger was my “Uncle In Law” whom unfortunately I never had the opportunity to meet. I recently found out he was buried at Lone Tree Cemetery in Hayward. My aunt was kind enough to take me up there to show me exactly where he rests.

Thanks for stopping by!

Wishing you success in all of your genealogy treasure hunts!

Cheryl

McLennan Monument

I know I have shared this photo with you before, however this time I would like to share with you the monument you see in the foreground. Such a large and modern day monument! It is beautiful, as monuments go, and what a setting it has for a picture!

The monument is for the McLennan Family, as you can see across the top. This monument is located at the Lone Tree Cemetery in Hayward, California. There are engraved flowers and leaves on each of the side panels. These panels alone are larger than many of the headstones here in this cemetery.

In between these two side panels there is a panel which says:

These we hold most dear
never truly leave us
They live on in
the kindness they showed
the comfort they shared
and the love they brought
into our lives.

The far left monument is~

Loving Husband Father And Grandfather
Paul D.
March 14, 1909
December 29, 2001

To the right of Paul is~

Vivian F.
September 22, 1914
December 1, 1988

The monument in the middle, below the McLennan name, says Baby Girl. Unfortunately, I can not read the date clearly so don't want to guess at something so important. There are four blank headstones at this time.

On a Google search I found "The Art Monument Company" in Hayward, California with Paul D. McLennan as the contact person. Could there be a connection?

Don't Believe It Was Named After This Tree

This was a beautiful view inside the Lone Tree Cemetery, in Hayward. I could have taken a better picture,it really isn't very straight, however I think you can get the jest of it. This large tree on the hill, I don't believe this is the tree I spoke of in my previous post. The tree I spoke of is the tree the cemetery was named after. I have seen a picture of the tree, and it doesn't look anything like the beautiful one on the hill here. I would need to speak with someone at the cemetery to find out which tree is "THE TREE." I will work on that for a future post.

Lone Tree Cemetery and it's Legend

As promised I visited Lone Tree Cemetery recently. Now I know I had posted that this cemetery was listed as "haunted". I visited during the day so I really can't give an objective view regarding if it is "haunted." My view of this cemetery is that it has the most gorgeous settings! Pictures will be posted in the future.

This posting however is to give you a little history on this cemetery. This cemetery has a legend. The basic story goes something like this ~

A few hundred years ago a young Spanish couple came riding through the area and stopped to eat at an old hacienda where many travelers stopped for room and board. After their lunch, they took off on fresh horses towards and area called LONE TREE. This was the only tree seen for miles from this wide open area.

Hours later an old Spaniard came to the same hacienda looking for the young couple, he claimed to be the girls father. The owner of the hacienda pointed him in the direction of LONE TREE, and the old Spaniard took off in that direction.

A few hours later the old Spaniard came back by the hacienda and said his good byes, he was heading back to his home in New Mexico. As night fell the owner became leery as the young couple hadn't returned for their nights stay at the hacienda. Morning came and they still hadn't returned. The owner sent some men out to look for the young man and his bride, surprisingly finding them flat on the ground side by side, both shot. The old Spaniard didn't approve of the two eloping and saw to settling the situation in his own way, and went on home.

The tragedy of the romance stirred a few men. They acquired several acres of land and choose to make the area where the young couple were found a cemetery. The couple was found by the LONE TREE, therefore the cemetery was named the "Lone Tree Cemetery."

The cemetery has had other trees planted on it's site since this time, and lawn has been added. The original "Lone Tree" however is still on the site!

Ghosts, Goblins and Cemeteries

Ghosts and goblins and witches and more
Houses are spooky and haunted for sure
Skeletons hiding in closets all night
Waiting to give you such a big fright!

Cemeteries are dark and scary too
Halloween is not a night there for you
Traipse across a grave and you may find
A scream of "Boo", you'll go out of your mind!


Halloween time it is. What better time to find out about haunted cemeteries? In South Alameda County the cemetery with all the action is supposedly Lone Tree Cemetery in Hayward.

The entrance of the cemetery and it's main area is apparently where whispering and thumps have been heard. Grave sites and headstones have had things moved from them and put in places that no one can understand or explain. Whispers and strange movements in the darkness have been reported. Other strange noises along with bells ringing and flashes of lights are also on top of the happenings here.

Can you imagine being in a cemetery and all of that going on? What if you saw a strange circle of light before you, for no reason, and it disappears as suddenly as it came? I understand this has happened and has been captured on film. Along with film evidence strange voices and sounds have reportedly come across on video.

Well for me, I haven't been to this cemetery, yet, anyway. Am I a believer in the supernatural? Can places be haunted? Do things like this really happen? I personally don't believe in these things, but many people do. Some quite strongly. Strange things do happen that no one can explain, this is true. But I am not convinced...I don't think I am convinced...gee, am I convinced?

I think when I plan to attend Lone Tree Cemetery, I will have to do a post announcing this travel date.(I may be a little apprehensive about being on these grounds, this post has me re-thinking my views...) After all, if there were no more posts on this site, wouldn't you want to know that maybe, just maybe, the cemetery got me?

(And no, I will not be going on Halloween!)

Happy Halloween!