Tragedy

An acre of cemetery is located in the Beau Ridge Development off Laurel Avenue. Unfortunately, in September 2010, without written approval or authority from any family descendant, local township administration, historical society, county historical commission or state board of cemeteries to knock down and remove the gravestones, all but 10 of the Hendrickson monuments were smashed and removed.

Fluorescent spray paint to mark the stones was used, then sledge hammers to break them apart for easier transportation. Two truckloads of smashed gravestone pieces were removed as debris to a local dump. The names and corresponding locations where the bodies were interred were left unmarked. Gravestone inscriptions are considered primary sources for proving ancestral relationships and should never be destroyed.

How would you feel if someone removed your 9-year old child’s gravestone? Would you allow your neighbor to remove your family gravestones because they didn’t like how it looked?

This monument marked for destruction is for Daniel Hendrickson, age 48, who died March 2, 1776. Monument was probably carved by William Valentine, from England.

Monuments were jack hammered and taken to a dump.

Impression left by one of the removed monuments.

The stones in this pile were the only monuments remaining…10 out of at least 63.