It had been about 55 years since Bob Laskay and I had seen each other when we ran into each other one day in 2021 while I was rummaging through some archives the Town of Easton had stored in the basement of the old Samuel Staples Elementary School building on Morehouse Road. I can’t say that either one of us would have recognized the other had someone not introduced us that day as if we had never before met. Time has a way of altering one’s look between the teenage years and a person’s mid-seventies. It was a chance meeting that would lead to a more meaningful working relationship just a few months later.
In the spring of 2022, Bob recalled that in addition to working for the Historical Society of Easton, I also wrote a regular column in the new Courier. He and his cousin, Bruce, were putting together a group of volunteers with the hopes of reorganizing and restoring the old Union Cemetery, and they were hoping I might supply them with a little publicity to get the ball rolling.
Like most of us with Easton roots, I have multiple generations of ancestors from both sides of my mother’s family interred at Union, so it took virtually no convincing me to agree to offer any assistance that might aid their cause.
Union had long ago begun to decline. By 2022, it was in a downward spiral that seemed to make it an unlikely candidate for survival, much less one for rehabilitation and salvation. After two major incidents of vandalism during the decade between 2010 and 2020, there were well over a hundred headstones and monuments that had either been partially or totally decimated or destroyed. Regular mowing and maintenance had at first become erratic and eventually almost non-existent. While technically still considered an active cemetery, the last plots had been sold years ago and there was no new income available for current upkeep. Righting this ship seemed to be a goal that, while worthwhile, would be nearly impossible without a miraculous infusion of donor money.
Through multiple articles in the Courier, some promotion on several Facebook pages I manage, and the assistance of my friend and colleague, historian Elizabeth Boyce to spread the word on Instagram, the Historical Society website, and amongst her fellow members of the Historic Cemetery Committee in Easton, we stirred up enough interest within the community to get things started. Offers to help began pouring in, and after many years of neglect, it was beginning to look like Union might be saved, but that task would be rather daunting at best.
What none of us figured on was the absolute determination of Bob and Bruce Laskay to make the impossible happen. Beginning in May of 2022, the first volunteer workers showed up to get a firsthand look at just how much vegetation had been able to establish itself in only a few years. Many of the standing headstones were so enshrouded in wild bushes that their inscriptions were impossible to decipher. Stones that had been toppled and were still lying on the ground were virtually invisible amongst the underbrush and weeds.
I honestly believe that the only thing that kept most of us there that first day was Bob Laskay’s unbridled enthusiasm that we could make a difference. We rolled up our sleeves and took our equipment from the rear of our SUV’s and pickup trucks and went to work. The dent we made that first day was rather small but none-the-less encouraging. In just four or five hours, there were a couple of sections of Union that were showing signs of life. Perhaps with enough time, it could be done. I just wondered if I had enough years left in me to see it happen.
Progress continued during the summer and early autumn of 2022. Even on some of the hottest days of that summer, Bob and Bruce – both in their mid-seventies – could be seen toiling away at Union. They mowed the grass, trimmed the weeds around the headstones, and removed most of the overgrowth that was covering many of the grave markers.
By late in the 2022 season, Union looked like a different place. The wrought iron fence that ran along the southern border had reappeared from the tangled vines that had encapsulated it for many years. The grass was neatly mowed. Some headstones had been cleaned and a few more reset in their proper place. But there were still dozens of toppled and broken stones and monuments. These were beyond the capabilities of just two men.
It was late October of 2022 when Elizabeth Boyce and I attended a headstone cleaning session in Redding that was sponsored by their local historical society. It was conducted by Michael Carroll of Rediscovering History, Inc. Michael is a charismatic young man with a vast knowledge of historical headstones and how to care for them. The hands-on lesson he gave in the proper cleaning of ancient stones was both informative and interesting.
But we were there to garner more information than simply how to clean our ancestors’ headstones. We wanted to learn how to right and reset fallen stones without breaking the bank. We knew the challenges facing Union, and we were looking for help. That day, we found it.
Michael Carroll had heard about Union. Most people with an interest in historical burial grounds in Connecticut had. We explained our dilemma and he listened intently. We knew he did what we wanted to be done as a profession, so we weren’t expecting him to work for free. We also knew that any funding that we might be able to provide would fall woefully short. But what we didn’t know, and hadn’t expected, was that Michael was more about helping than he was about getting paid.
Union was special. We already knew that. But for us it was special because it held some of our ancestors. For others, it was special because it was also famous. The tale of the White Lady – whether she was real or just a figment of many people’s over-active imaginations – piqued the curiosity of many.
Michael Carroll was interested in working at Union. Union was intriguing. Intrigue sparks interest. And interest brings people together to learn. And the more they learn, the more they care. And caring about history is what both Michael and we at the Historical Society of Easton are all about.
Michael agreed to come to Union during the 2023 season. There he would give a similar demonstration to the one we had just attended at the Ridge Cemetery in Redding. But at Union, he would also give us an assessment of what it would take to right and reset some of our fallen stones. We mentioned our lack of funds and he replied that depending on the situation, some pro-bono work might be in order.
In August of this year, Michael came back to Redding where he reset a long-lost headstone for the Redding Historical Cemetery Committee in the Sanford Cemetery on Sport Hill Road. After many months of negotiations, we had arranged for its return from the backyard of a private home in Monroe. When Michael arrived at Redding that morning, we asked him if he would be willing to spend some time later that day at Union to lay out plans for the demonstration we had scheduled for this October. He happily agreed.
After arriving at Union, Michael and I spent the next ninety minutes walking amongst the headstones. He marveled at the remarkably good condition exhibited by many of them, and he also pointed out many others that needed help. We had one particular fallen monument we wanted restored. It was in four pieces – none broken – simply separated and now lying on the ground. It would be an easy fix, but it would require a machine capable of lifting well over a thousand pounds. A machine we didn’t have, but one that we were determined to have on site when Michael returned.
In all, we came up with a list of stones we thought were worthy of cleaning, repair, and restoration. About eight or ten in total, that we would pare down to four or five. An ambitious list for one day’s work but Michael’s enthusiasm for the project was evident.
There were a lot of phone calls, instant messages, and emails in the ensuing days. Bob and Bruce were excited to have the additional help, and Bob was able to get Easton business owner and fellow resident Sam Partridge to give us a day with his backhoe to lift the monument we were planning on putting back together. Michael Carroll called in his good friend and fellow monument expert, Larry Hunter, to also lend both his expertise and helping hands. The Historical Society of Easton put together the rest of what was needed, including enough food and drink to keep everyone going on the day we would be working.
Rain on October 21st had us postpone our workshop until the following day. Good weather on Sunday and a great turnout by the community provided us with the inspiration to have a most productive day. In all, one monument was rebuilt, another righted and reset on its base, two toppled headstones reset, and at least four more headstones cleaned. A total of several thousand dollars of work, all done by volunteers! In addition, a sizable amount of money was donated by the public that day that will help keep Union maintained in the coming year.
On November 11th, Bob and Bruce Laskay organized one final day of volunteer work for 2023 to perform the fall cleanup. What better way to honor the veterans interred at Union than to spruce up their final resting place before winter set in?
As this year comes to an end, all of us involved would like to thank the dozens of volunteers who have pitched in to make Union shine once again. As grateful as we all are for Bob and Bruce Laskay’s efforts, the Laskays are equally grateful for those in the community who have helped with either their time or financial aid. Easton is a place where community matters, and we couldn’t be prouder to call it home!
Both the Union Cemetery Association and the Historical Society of Easton are 100% reliant upon the generosity of their volunteers and members of the community who are willing to support them. Neither non-profit receives any government funding. Tuesday, November 28, 2023 is “Giving Tuesday.” Won’t you please consider helping our organizations to continue their community service? You can send a donation to the cemetery association at: Union Cemetery of Easton. PO Box 452, Easton, CT 06612. Checks should be made out to the Union Cemetery Association of Easton CT.
To support the Historical Society of Easton, you can either visit us at our website at: Donations and Patrons – Historical Society of Easton Connecticut (historicalsocietyofeastonct.org), or mail your check to the Historical Society of Easton, PO Box 121, Easton CT 06612. Checks should be made out to the Historical Society of Easton.
Thanks to all who have already helped and to those who are considering it.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving everybody!
