S. Hill cemetery damaged by vandals

Damage at a Summit Hill cemetery has happened several times in the past few months, but the most recent act of vandalism is “totally unbelievable and disheartening,” said the cemetery association president.

Police said a girl about 15 and a boy about 8, are believed to have damaged tombstones that are more than 100 years old.

The children, reportedly from Coaldale, were viewed on a camera damaging the tombstones, according to cemetery officials. Summit Hill police are investigating.

The damage happened at the 165-year-old GAR (Grand Army Republic) Cemetery located along East White Street.

David Wargo, president of the GAR Cemetery Association, said the incident involving the children happened within the past two weeks.

On the photo, the girl is seen at the stone of James McElmoyle (1864-1912). The boy is at the tombstone of Evan Davis, born 1860 and died at age 26 on April 1, 1887.

Both tombstones were toppled and damaged.

Karen Miller, secretary of the association, said, “It seems like they went after a lot of the older stones.”

Wargo said security measures were imposed at the cemetery as a result of the recent vandalism. More than 50 stones were damaged, most within the past three to four months.

“This is the first time we have someone on camera,” Wargo said. He said photos of the incident were placed on social media and from there the youngsters were identified.

Wargo said he is sad to see the damage occurring.

“These people don’t have anyone to defend themselves,” he said. “This is our history.”

He said, “Security measures are in place to protect the cemetery against illegal or immoral activities. We strongly encourage other cemeteries to take the same steps.”

Miller said the most distressing damage was done to a statue of a young girl, Elizabeth Hall (1922-1926). The head was knocked off.

Wargo said two balls were taken off kneelers at the burial ground. “They used the balls to knock off the finials of the fence,” he said.

In July, someone entered the cemetery and opened water valves and broke one of the pipes.

“If someone destroys a gravestone, that’s the end of their history,” Wargo said.

Miller said, “Like so many families in the area, we both have families in here.”

Wargo said, “This is a labor of love for us.”

He said the GAR Cemetery is the only public cemetery in the Panther Valley not affiliated with a church. He said the GAR Cemetery Association is a nonprofit organization.

Besides graves of Civil War soldiers, Wargo said, “We have the first White child ever born in Mauch Chunk Township buried here.” He is Josiah White Erskine Hazard George Hauto Brinks.

Most of the stones are 80 to 120 years old, Wargo said, although many new graves are being added.

One of the stones damaged during the period of vandalism activity is of a Chinese launderer. The front of the tombstone is written in Chinese.

The cemetery encompasses about 8 acres and has more than 6,000 graves

“The sad part is we’ve been trying to put together a program to work on some of the graves deteriorating with age,” Wargo said. “Some of the people buried here no longer have families. Now our work has quadrupled.”