Embedded Files
The Wharton Cemetery Association is a 501(c)(13) non-profit created for the upkeep and preservation of the historic cemetery,
When Wharton County was established in 1846, the county seat, Wharton, was laid out on the Mexican land grant of early Texas colonist William Kincheloe. The cemetery itself was not established until 1866 when county commissioners were tasked to find a suitable location for said purpose. The Wharton Cemetery site was chosen a few blocks from the courthouse square in a location that was already being used as a graveyard.
Ongoing restoration efforts are underway to restore the cemetery and maintain the grounds. Through financial contributions and community outreach, the Wharton Cemetery Association hopes to build an endowment that will finance the large restoration projects and provide perpetual care for the grounds.
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Fall 2023 ASAT Conference at WCJC
Fall 2023 ASAT Conference at WCJC
In the fall of 2023, I was selected to present a paper based on my research and interviews concerning the Wharton Cemetery to the American Studies Association of Texas conference, conveniently held at Wharton County Junior College that year. Numerous people associated with the upkeep and records of the cemetery were interviewed, including mortuary professionals and restoration experts to get a full-scope picture of the conditions of the cemetery.
I will say that, what I thought was going to be a simple paper covering many topics turned into a complicated, multi-section paper that I had to condense down to the time requirements of a 25-minute presentation. Many questions remain unanswered and more research is left to be done in the future. Book in 2024? Probably not, but is worth pursuing in the future.
Grave Cleaning and Restoration
Grave Cleaning and Restoration
Lowell Herzog from Texas Gravestone Conservation gave an outdoor lecture on the different types of grave markers in Wharton Cemetery in Wharton, Texas. Students from my dual credit US History class mingled with community members from the Wharton County Historical Commission and got their hands "dirty" with Lowell's gravestone cleaning techniques.
Not all fallen stones are a result of vandalism, which is a common misconception. As a grave marker settles and leans, it puts extra stress on the pin that connects the upright portion to the base. Over time, the pin material corrodes or rusts away, and eventually, the stone will fall over.
A modern headstone with a large tablet is only held in place by gravity on the base. As the base settles and the tablet leans, gravity will eventually win.
Martha Miller's marker base resettled into the ground on a firm limestone screed foundation and the monument plumed and level. The pin that once held the monument to the base is long since gone, so a future project is to have Mr. Herzog drill a new pinhole and epoxy a stainless steel pin into it.
Johann Jantz's grave was heavily discolored with biological growth and had about a 45º tilt.
Gravestone restoration specialist Lowell Herzog is explaining the process while student volunteer Alberto M. is digging around the foundation of Johann's grave so we can "walk" the base out of the ground and fix the hole.
Johann's grave after straightening. (Grave is straight--balance of the photographer not so much.)
After walking the stone out of the ground, the dirt at the base of the hole is compacted and checked for level. Several inches of limestone screed are placed in the hole, packed, and checked for level as well. The limestone screed will naturally "harden" after it rains, but concrete should never be used to settle a stone. It expands and contracts at different temperatures than the stone and can end up doing worse damage.
The stone is then walked back into the hole (or hoisted if a large monument), and checked for plum on all vertical sides. If needed, screed can be added or removed from under the stone to level and plum.
Finally, the dirt is added back into the hole and gently packed around it.
Johann's gravestone after an application of D2 Biological Solution and gentle scrubbing with soft bristle brushes.
Scrubbing is not always necessary and should be avoided if at all possible to prevent mechanical erosion of the stone.
Johann Jantz was a six-year-old boy who died in 1888 and was buried in Wharton Cemetery by himself without any family grouping. His grave was originally selected for a cleaning demonstration because of the German text and the dove detail. Since then, Johann has become a personal project of mine and I take him flowers when I visit other relatives buried there.
A quick glance at Find-a-Grave does not show any other Jantzes buried in Wharton Cemetery, but there are other Jantzes living within the Crossroads area of the Texas Gulf Coast, perhaps indicative of a family who only lived in Wharton in passing on their way to the Victoria area.
The earliest newspaper files for Wharton held at Wharton County Junior College do not begin until 1914, so the search continues to find out more if anything, about little Johann and who loved and mourned for him.
The "Cryptkeepers"
The "Cryptkeepers"
At least once per semester, I coordinate an opportunity for students in my classes to earn extra credit by working in the cemetery. Sometimes it is preservation, as seen above, but most of the work is just cleaning up the grounds and picking up the never-ending shower of magnolia tree leaves and pods. All students also receive community service hours to go towards their graduation requirements and National Honor Society obligations.
One of the members of the picture above is someone who thinks she is already a teenager but has a bit more to grow. My daughter Charlotte has her own mini shovel, rake, and wheelbarrow and loves going to work at the cemetery with me.
Gotta start 'em young!
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