Gay Bethel, Secretary accepts $100 Check from Lavaca County Historical Commission

Author:

10 Apr

Harvey Matusek of Sweet Home presented the check to the Secretary, Gay Bethel, of Dallas Texas.

The Lavaca County Historical Commission presented a $100 grant to The Friends of Bennett Cemetery, Inc. at the corporation’s annual meeting at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Sweet Home on March 29. The grant, presented by Harvey Matusek, member of the commission, was awarded for teh purpose of continuing a plan for long-term restoration of the cemetery.

Bennett Cemetery is the final resting place for many of Lavac County’s earliest citizens, including legendary Texas cattlemen and cowboys, soldiers of the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, and World War I and II, as well as some of the earliest Czech and German immigrants to the area. It has been designated an Official Historic Texas Cemetery.

The Friends of bennett Cemetery is a Texas nonprofit corporation dedicated to saving and preserving the historic graveyard. the group solicits and is entirely dependent upon donations, which are tax deductible. Donations can be sent to:

Friends of Bennett Cemetery, Inc
c/o Bobbie Brune, Treasurer,
P.O. Box 195,
Palacios, Texas 77465

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The joy of genealogy and family history

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31 Mar

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Decoration Day

Author:

27 Mar

By Melinda Berry, President

What exactly is Decoration Day? Though I had heard the term occasionally during my growing-up years, I had never given it much thought. As I have grown older, it is a term I hear much less frequently, but a casual mention of it recently has led me to do a little investigating. Let me share with you what I found. Perhaps you’ll find it as interesting as I did.

First of all, Decoration Day is the former name of what is now known as Memorial Day. Stories vary, but most seem to indicate that it began during the Civil War. Because most of the battles of the war were fought in the South, most of the fallen soldiers from both sides were buried in the South. Organized women’s groups may have started the tradition of tending and decorating the graves, but soon several communities were spontaneously establishing days to honor the war dead. Though Waterloo, NY has laid claim to beginning the tradition, it is not a claim that goes unchallenged!

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed by General John Logan on May 5, 1868, but it took until after World War I for the day to be acknowledged by all of the states – especially those in the South. Now Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday in May to honor all Americans who have died fighting in any war, and Decoration Day as a national holiday exists no more.

There is however, another aspect of Decoration Day which is found mainly in the South. Many communities set aside a day, usually in the late spring or early summer, to come together to tend their cemeteries and honor their dead. All of the graves, not just those of fallen veterans, are included. At these gatherings family members even return “home” from far-off places to help clean, restore, and decorate the cemetery. It is a day of family reunions, celebrations, and remembrances of their heritage. Picnic lunches are eaten, laughter is shared, and the community draws closer together in their past.

There is no Decoration Day designated in Sweet Home or for the Bennett Cemetery. We have been fortunate that through your donations we have been able to keep the cemetery well tended year round, and we don’t have to spend a back-breaking day cleaning our ancestors’ graves anymore. Having done it several times before FOBC was established, I can testify to the sheer enormity of doing even one family plot! Perhaps I can share a few suggestions with you as I contemplate Decoration Day and what it still means to us.

Hold a family reunion whenever and wherever it’s possible. The younger generations need to hear the old stories and traditions of your family. Help them feel connected to their ancestors and their heritage.
make a trip to the cemeteries in which your ancestors lie. At Bennett Cemetery, you won’t be clearing weeds, but perhaps you will find that your ancestors’ monuments need cleaning and repairing. And then decorate! A few flowers surely add a lot to the appearance of the cemetery, and if you come in the spring, enjoy the beautiful wildflowers in Lavaca County.
Consider joining us at the board meeting we are holding on March 29th. Ask questions, make suggestions, and give us feedback. Most of all just come and meet us, if you haven’t, and share your stories. This is as close to Decoration Day as we have, and I can testify to the fact that it’s fun to get together with the decendants of the other families represented in the cemetery.
And last, but not least, make a donation to help us keep Bennett Cemetery alive. Every year we’ve made more progress in its restoration, thanks to the donations we receive, but each year we also face unique challenges in meeting our financial needs. This year appears to be no exception. I guarantee it will be appreciated! Help us keep up the tradition of Decoration Day all year at Bennett Cemetery.

Send donations to:

The Friends of Bennett Cemetery
c/o Bobbie Brune, Treasurer
P.O. Box 195
Palacios, TX 77465

Editor’s note: if you have family history or an article or idea that you would like to share , we would love to hear from you! Just make a comment below and we will receive it!

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