In May, 2000, Jim
and Mikki Judge began searching for the graves of her great
great grandparents, Nehemiah and Phebe DeMaranville. They
learned from a second cousin, the graves were in Hunter
Cemetery. They located the cemetery in Section 18 of
Wheatland Township, Bureau County, Illinois. Not only did
they find the graves of Nehemiah and Phebe, but they also
found the cemetery in a great state of disrepair.
They met with the
current land owner, Alan Read, and discussed the possibility
of restoring the cemetery. Mr. Read gave his enthusiastic
consent and in June, 2000, the restoration began. Early on,
Jim and Mikki expended most of the restoration effort
personally, traveling from their home in Iowa to the
cemetery nearly every weekend. To date, over 100 headstones
have been located, and the restoration process is well under
way.
In November,
2000, Jim and Mikki met with Ron Moranville and discussed
the establishment of the Hunter Cemetery Restoration Trust
Fund. Trustees were named and began raising money to help
pay for the restoration. Jim Judge was named
Director.
The Trustees
conducted a work weekend at Hunter Cemetery in June 2001.
Two days were spent working at Hunter Cemetery. The family
members present formed the Hunter Cemetery
Association
and established a Trust to provide for perpetual
care.
In 2002 the
Hunter Cemetery Association was recognized as a 501(c)(3)
not for profit organization by the Internal Revenue
Service.
We hope you will
see it in your hearts to become a part of our group and to
help support this very worthwhile project of restoring a
part of our American heritage.
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