Green River graves being moved

[ Originally published on: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 ]

GREENFIELD -- A number of graves that have been in danger of sliding down an embankment into the Green River will be moved to safety by the end of the week, according to cemetery officials.

The 53 graves were threatened after a landslide washed away a section of earth in the 90-acre Green River Cemetery, leaving some plots on the edge of a cliff overlooking the river. The problem was brought to the public's attention at least two years ago.

Alan H. Blanker, the cemetery's board president, refused to allow reporters or photographers into the privately owned graveyard Tuesday during excavation and exhumation. He threatened to obtain a trespass order if they did not leave and would not comment on the progress of the move.

However, Ann L. Hamilton, president of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and a cemetery board member, said after a team of archaeologists hired for that purpose locate and move the exhumed remains into new containers, a contractor will move the vaults and gravestones to their new location, more toward the middle of the cemetery, which is located off Wisdom Way across from the Franklin County fairgrounds.

Hamilton said the area near the embankment will no longer be used as a grave site. She said burials will continue to take place in other areas of the cemetery.

'The cemetery is not full,' she said.

Many notable figures, both town and state, have been buried in Green River Cemetery over the years, including George Grennell Jr. and George Thomas Davis, two former state legislators, and John W. Haigis, former owner of the Greenfield Recorder and founder of WHAI radio, who was buried there in 1960.

Deborah C. Cox, president of Public Archaeological Laboratory, a private, nonprofit located in Rhode Island, said four archaeologists are helping with the move.

'As far as I know, every grave and its remains is accounted for and there haven't been any surprises,' said Cox. 'All is going well.'

The cemetery board hired the firm to ensure work is done according to archaeological standards. The firm will submit a report to both the cemetery board and state officials once its work is complete.

Hamilton was not sure Tuesday how long it will take before all remains are in their new vaulted graves.

Cox said a backhoe is moving soil off the top of the graves without vaults and digging out vaulted graves. All remains are being removed by hand and transferred to new containers that will be placed in new vaults, which will be moved to the new site.

Remains being relocated include those of former Gov. William B. Washburn and 11 of his relatives.

Suzanne (duMont) Alexander of North Carolina, great-great grandaughter of the former governor, said she is grateful the cemetery is finally able to complete the project.

'I'm so impressed with the professionalism of the job,' said Alexander, whose brother-in-law recently visited the site. 'I know it has been difficult, but it's positive for families who worried about losing their relatives to the river.

'In all fairness to the trustees, they're not professionals,' she said. 'They tried to do something a while ago, but couldn't until they had the money.'

Alexander said she is happiest with the respect and dignity everyone on the project has shown during the excavation and exhumation.

'It's easy to see why our relatives wanted to be buried in Green River,' she said. 'It overlooks a beautiful town that they loved. No one could have imagined the shifting earth would be so destructive.'

Alexander and her family hope the entire project will be completed by fall. She expects to hold a memorial service in late October for her great-great grandfather and the 52 others.

Last fall, state Rep. Christopher J. Donelan secured $200,000 of state money for the project. The board hopes to use any money left after the move to secure the bank and to landscape the new and old grave sites.

 

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