History seen within pioneer cemeteries


Kim Brooks
Babbling Brooks Column
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     I came across an article recently from the Chicago Tribune about the fact that pioneer cemeteries in the State of Illinois are quickly disappearing.

     The crumbling and toppling headstones in many of Illinois’ unknown and untouched pioneer cemeteries are more than anyone group of people can handle. Couple that with tall wild grass and natural Illinois prairie, and the tombstones that remain intact are hardly seen.

     This leads me to my point… Jones County is lucky to have such a hard-working and dedicated group of volunteers who not only repair and take care of the headstones housed in our 37 pioneer cemeteries, but they maintain the grounds as well.

     They may be a small group, but they are filled with determination to keep the dwindling pioneer cemeteries active and looking nice for visitors. Many people researching their family history and genealogy travel to pioneer cemeteries to take photos of their ancestors’ headstones for record purposes or to verify a birth or death date.

     While most of the stones in pioneer cemeteries are not readable, the Jones County Pioneer Cemetery Commission has a few tricks up their sleeve to help folks read the stones. By rubbing the tombstone with washable sidewalk chalk, the dates and information instantly come into focus. (Believe me; I’ve seen them do it.) This technique does not harm the stone.

     It’s important to maintain these small, unknown pioneer cemeteries. While they may not see as many visitors a year like our municipal cemeteries where burials take place fairly often, pioneer cemeteries hold answers to our local and national history.

     To keep up with the Jones County Pioneer Cemetery Commission visit their Facebook page. They’re constantly posting photos of headstones they’ve repaired and sharing news about their upcoming workdays.

     Imagine the stories you’ll uncover working alongside the Commission members for a day…

     Ever since the mid-‘90s when e-readers were introduced, the question remains: Do you prefer an actual book to reading a book electronically?

     I’ll admit I jumped on the e-reader bandwagon several years ago. I bought an early version of the Nook, and then purchased a larger tablet a few years later and just downloaded the Nook app. (I wanted something that was more than just an e-reader.)

     And at first, I was downloading books left and right, many free to my choosing. I’d read a few chapters in and realize the book wasn’t my forte. But that’s ok because they were free!

     I’d also download books I didn’t necessarily want to buy but was intrigued to read.

     But that fad didn’t last long and I’m back to purchasing actual books, hardcover and paperback books. There’s just something about holding a real book in your hands versus a computer screen.

     And I’m not the only one wanting to get back to the “good ole days.” Sales of e-readers in 2016 decreased 20 percent, while actual books sales increases 3.3 percent, the third consecutive year for an increase. It seems what was new and exciting is no longer just that.

     Studies have shown that you become a better reader when opening a book filled with pages rather than reading on a computer screen. And reading on a computer is not the best for one’s eyesight either. For years we’ve been told to put down or shut off our electronics one hour before going to bed to give your eyes a rest from bright screens. Easier said than done with many people who live on their tablets/smartphones.

     After staring at a computer screen for hours on end, many of us just want to relax and unwind with a book.

Category:

Subscriber Login