It is often said that communities are judged by the way they treat their citizens. The South Buxton Cemetery Association believes that a truly great community may also be judged by the way it treats its deceased.

*Since 1859, we have provided a non-profit, non-sectarian community cemetery for Buxton, Hollis & surrounding residents and their loved ones. All income derived from the sale of lots and donations go exclusively to maintenance and improvements, providing the perpetual care we pledge to those who select the SBC for themselves or loved ones.

*At a time of escalating costs for everything from seed and fertilizer to equipment and gasoline, our organization is experiencing ever more difficulty satisfying our mission. While our efforts at innovative fund raising have experienced some success, it is essential that we all share in the association's continuing efforts to prune and replace trees, repair roads, clean and repair stones, along with keeping pace with the mowing & trimming, burials, sales, equipment and building maintenance, and promotion of everyday functioning.

In these troubled times, we must remain steadfast in achieving our objectives.

Richard (Sandy) Atkinson, President

A message from Susan Eldridge, Board Member, SBCA....

*The holidays are a natural time for reflection. You remember that last Thanksgiving when both of your grandparents were still living and sitting at the table along side that new great grand-child. Or the last Christmas when your husband, wife or partner shared the day and a family dinner with you**For many of us, these days are no more. It seems to me I spend all my time visiting my family at the cemetery. So for me, the holidays are a perfect time to make a *remembrance donation* to help offset the rising costs of seeing that my family is well taken care of today.

*All *remembrance* donations should be made out to SBCA, and mailed to: South Buxton Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 405, Bar Mills, ME 04004. Be sure to note who the donation is *in memory of* if you wish for it to be posted as a "Thank-you" on our web page.

**

Thanks, and happy holidays!

The Buxton~Hollis Historical Society, along with the South Buxton Cemetery Association, sponsored a wonderfully successful, fun and informative haunted cemetery tour this fall at the South Buxton Cemetery with caped interpreters guiding visitors to eleven grave sites and the tomb, where they witnessed "spirit" presentations of some of the most famous Buxton, Hollis residents interred there. Following the tour, the public was invited to the Brewster Mansion Barn, where they enjoyed awesome seasonal decorations, moving music from the Phantom of the Opera, memorabilia and art connected to those transitioned spirits, who continued to move among the crowd, as well as yummy refreshments. Thank-you to so many who contributed their time and special talents to offer this truly special event to the community!

FINANCIAL REPORT ~ Patrick McGowan, Treasurer

Please consider that to continue with improvement programs, we need your help this coming year. In place of flowers, consider directing donations to the Preservation Fund. Donations to General Fund (mowing, seeding, trimming, fertilizer, etc.) are always needed. Many people particularly like to make Memorial Donations in the name of a loved one. See our web site for our 2008 Memorial Donations. Our Adopt A Tree Program is also very active, particularly in the sring. We put donation markers in your name or the name of your loved one at the base of a selected tree. The money enables us to keep the trees trimmed and in good condition. Remember, too, that there are still several lots available in the older sections, as well as many lots in the Woodman Section. Consider buying your lot now, as they are not likely to be less expensive in the future. Check with us for terms. All donations or inquiries can be made to:

SBCA, P.O. Box 405, Bar Mills, Maine 04004-0405.

Hearse House/Office/Tool House

*Information taken from a 1982 college paper by John Myers

*The *hearse* house was built to house the cemetery's new hearse in 1880 by D. B. Hill for the sum of $100. Purchased from S.S. Rich & Son for $400 on the 15th of July in 1880, the hearse was wood framed with glass inserts and runners . A $2.80 regular freight charge was incurred for shipping the new hearse, as well as $.40 for express freight.

*The Association had a hearse when it was incorporated in1859, but it is not known when the cemetery first came to own a hearse. In 1861, a vote was taken to increase the price of unsold lots (one lot equaled space for six caskets) from $5 to $5.50 each. The proceeds from sales were used "to reimburse the Treasurer for money paid for the hearse."

*On June 19, 1880, it was voted that *when the hearse is used outside this association, the price shall be three dollars, one half to the Sexton and the other half shall be paid into the treasury."

*In 1885, an entry in the Treasurer's book stated that a hearse was sold for $200. After that, there is no further mention of a hearse in the records.

*It was not until 1913 that is was voted to change the name of the Hearse House to the Association Building. Since then, the building has been used for a number of functions -- from a place for the Association members to meet for meetings, to an office and tool house. Some of the old items that still remain in the building include: a safe bought in 1913 for $27.75; eight of the original twelve wooden chairs purchased on April 23, 1900 from T.F. Foss & Sons for $4.50. It was noted that B & M Railroad was paid $.42 for freight on the chairs. One can still see today where a stove, approved by the association board on the 11th of November in 1899, once sat.

Excerpts from Superintendent Jeff Grover's October 7th, 2008 Report

*

We had another slow summer, though burials have been picking up the last few week. To date we have had 28 burials, 14 of them being cremations. As you can see, at this time, cremations are 50% of our burials.

We have created 14 foundations to date, with more left to do before the water is turned off. We had two damaged spruce trees and one damaged maple tree taken down this summer. Also, with the slow summer, we had time to do some of the smaller tasks that sometimes get put aside, such as trimming limbs of trees and shrubs, pulling out dead shrubs, straightening stones and working on roads.

The cemetery was fortunate to have Peter Pinkham donate a load of "stone dust" to patch the washouts in the roads. The stone dust has worked well, as it enhances the look of the cemetery and has reduced washouts and rutting. THANK-YOU to Peter!

OUR THANKS, too, to Isle Estabrook, who has completed the stone cleaning of the Rev. Coffin section, which was the last of the old sections to be cleaned! The cleaned stones look beautiful and we have received many positive comments! THANK-YOU, ISLA!

This is the second in a series about veterans interred at South Buxton Cemetery. The following information about Rebecca Usher has been taken primarily from the book "A Vast Army of Women" by Lynda Sudlow, Director of the Falmouth Memorial Library. It is highly recommended as a detailed and revealing exploration of the role played by women of Maine in the Civil War.

"Maine's Uncounted Forces in the American Civil War"

REBECCA USHER

"As the guns of the American Civil War continued to blaze, women realized that the chances of losing a husband, son, neighbor or friend to wounds, disease or simply neglect were great.. Many took it upon themselves to do whatever they could to relieve the agony of the suffereing soldiers...Despite the extremely poor records kept on the activities of 19th century women, the names of over 100 Maine women who took an active role in the American Civil War have been uncovered. Some, like Harriet Beecher Stowe and Dorothea Lynde Dix, are still remembered today for their contributions. Others, like Isabella Fogg, Amy Bradley and Sarah Sampson were fondly remembered for a time, but then sank into relative obscurity. Still others such as Adeline Walker and Hannah Ropes gave their lives to save Union soldiers and were scarcely mentioned, even in their own time. Why are some remembered and others not? This phenomenon seems to be simply a function of whether or not they or someone else took the time to write about their experiences and whether those written documents were published. In truth, there were thousands of women who labored throughout the war for the sick and wounded." Rebecca Usher was one of these women....

Rebecca Usher was the second of four daughters of Ellis B. and Hannah Lane Usher. She was born in Hollis, Maine in the year 1821. When the Civil War broke out in 1861, her family was a well-established prominent part of the Hollis Buxton population. Her father had built quite an estate as a businessman and lumber dealer. He had served in the Maine Senate and was known throughout New England. She grew up in the stately brick home he built in Bar Mills (Hollis side) overlooking the Saco River. That house was the site of frequent gatherings of political figures.

* Her father made sure that her sisters and she were well educated and well-informed. Although her father died in 1855 when she was 34 years old, her sisters and she carried on the tradition of political involvement. Her younger sister, Martha (born in1813) organized the local Buxton-Hollis Soldiers* Aide Society to raise money and collect supplies for the soldiers and her youngest sister, Jane (born in 1836) had a wonderful singing voice and studied music with Hermmann Kotzschmar (of Kotzschmar organ fame) and gave concerts to raise money for the union cause. Her elder sister, Ellen (born in 1817), married a dentist named Eldridge Bacon and they lived in Portland. She became active in the Maine Camp Hospital Association, which collected donations from all over the state and sponsored agents to redistribute supplies to the Maine troops in the South.

* She was intrigued when she received a letter in October of 1862 from Miss Almira Quinby, asking her to serve as a nurse to the wounded soldiers. As soon as she could get ready, she left for the General Hospital in Chester, Pennsylvania. She was delighted with hospital life and felt like a bird in the air or a fish in the sea. She had found her *native element.*

When the hospital was disbanded, she came home. But, her older sister, Ellen, soon found her another position with the Maine Camp Hospital Association at their headquarters. When noted Maine author, Kate Douglas Wiggin (who was a neighbor of her family) wrote her children*s book *Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm*, she chose the Usher family*s home as the setting for the story. She borrowed her name for her heroine, too, and she based the characters of the two aunts loosely on Rebecca Usher, as well, with Aunt Jane having served as a Civil War nurse.

* Rebecca never married, but she had an interesting and vital life, never-the-less. Her family left many letters and diaries to give us a glimpse into life during one of the most trying periods in American history.

**

Wreaths Across America

*The South Buxton Cemetery Association is proud to once again bring the national program Wreaths Across America to the South Buxton Cemetery on Saturday, December 13th at 11:00 A.M.. At 12:00 PM., we will be joining with others in over 286 locations across the world in a dedication ceremony, which will include the laying of seven wreaths provided by the national program. These wreaths will represent the seven branches of the military, along with POW and MIA wreaths.

You are encouraged to purchase as many wreaths as possible. Any wreaths not designated to specific veterans will be randomly placed by the association on selected veteran*s graves. Wreaths for veterans may be purchased for $15.00 each. Make checks payable to: Wreaths Across America. Mail to: South Buxton Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 405, Bar Mills, ME. 04004. FMI, contact www.wreathsacrossamerica.org

*Identical wreaths for those other than veterans may also be purchased and will be placed at the same time. Be sure to enclose the name of the lot owner, the name on the stone or the lot #. These wreaths are $36.00 each and proceeds go to the South Buxton Cemetery Association General Fund.

*ALL of the wreaths are supplied by the Worchester Wreath Co. and are the same consistency and quality of wreaths that are placed in Arlington Cemetery. We at SBCA were very pleased with last year*s delivery of 130 wreaths AND we were extremely pleased with the 2007 citizen response in our first year of participation. We are grateful to the speakers, local officials, veterans, youth groups and individuals who braved the cold to participate. Many thanks and looking forward to seeing you all on Dec 13th ! FMI, call Sandy Atkinson, President, SBCA. @ 929-6495 or email ratkin5850@aol.com. or contact www.southbuxtoncemetery.com,

-----------------------------------------------------

CHRISTMAS WREATH ORDER FORM

(PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY)

Veterans: Individual (1/ $15) ___ Family (4/$60)___ Small Business (10/$150) ___ Corporate 100/Contact Us ___

Make checks to: Wreaths Across America (Mail to: South Buxton Cemetery Association, P.O. Box

405, Bar Mills, ME. 04004)

All Others: Wreaths ~ $36 each. Wreath Quantity: ______ Total amount enclosed: ______

Make checks to: SBCA. (Mail to South Buxton Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 405, Bar Mills,

ME. 04004)

For ALL ORDERS, please include: LOT #* (if known) _____________________________________________

Owner of Lot: _____________________________________________________________________________

Name(s) on stone: ___________________________________________________________________________

Cemetery Section (if known): __________________________________________________________________

OTHER comments: ________________________________________________________________________

Name of person(s) ordering: __________________________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number(s): __________________________________________________________________________