By Julie Johansen
The Emery County Historical Society (ECHS) began its November event on Thursday with a sing along of World War I songs led by Evelyn Huntsman and Cynthia Grant. Suzanne Anderson, Emery County Archives director, then reported on her project of finding and cleaning the headstones of all the WWI veterans of Emery County. She received a grant from the State Historical Division around Memorial Day and, with help of youth groups, every cemetery in western Emery County was visited. After identifying headstones of the veterans, cleaning and repainting the wording on the stones was accomplished.
A special thank you was given to Tennille Larsen from Worley-Jensen Monuments for her help in these matters. Anderson also gave a special thank you to the young men from Meridian Mentoring in Orangeville. Larsen then told those in the audience how to clean the headstones with acid but cautioned them to be very careful.
In continuing with the Veterans Day theme, Bernice Payne shared the story of her grandfather, George Douglas McMullin, who served in WWI.
Next, Cynthia Grant read several letters of her husband’s great uncle, Jimmie Jeffs, that were written during the years 1917 and 1918. Memorabilia from past wars was displayed as well as posters from each activity at the various cemeteries during the past months.
There will be no historical meeting in December; the next meeting will be in January at Miller’s Landing and will be the ECHS Antique Road Show.
