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Monthly Archives: June 2013
garden gate. the hamptons
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can you help identify graves and families in this very old cemetery?
Yes a little far afield if you live in Chester County, but I love old graveyards and church yards and this one has its place in history and needs help because the buildings and church associated with what is actually two graveyards in one is going through a development plan/proposed development plan.
Truthfully if it is the right kind of plan, I have no issue with adaptive reuses of churches. But I have a big problem with developers all across the country not respecting the dead and buried. Abandoned and disregarded graveyards are so sad, and people are working feverishly to see that fate does not fall to these graves. I have long wondered if this land parcel was developed if some or all of the graves would be at risk, and I think they are. And how do you do that knowing veterans of many wars who fought for our freedoms are buried there? Are the graves of our ancestors and soldiers and others so disposable?
I am talking about the Odd Fellows and United Methodist Church of Gladwyne cemetery on Righters Mill Road in Gladwyne, PA. (Although I have blogged about the abandoned crumbling ruin that is Ebenezer AME in Frazer.) Many familiar area names are
buried there – even beloved Philadelphia
Phillie Richie Asburn is buried there. This is where a childhood friend’s family is buried. I photographed the cemetery a few years ago and it needs love. 
The long and short of it is some really wonderful people are trying to ensure this cemetery land is preserved along with the graves and family plots that are still viable (which I am sure is not many).
Here is the e-mail I was sent today and if you can help in ANY way, please contact the sender of the e-mail, not me:
From: “christine mcguire” <cmpointe@hotmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 7, 2013 11:31:18 AM
Subject: Cemetery Info
Hello All,
This is the most recent information regarding the Merion Square Cemetery and Gladwyne Methodist Church. Thank you for reading this long email, we really need your help.
The Church, cemetery and parsonage twin
houses (2) are all under an agreement of sale with a developer (Main line realty investors) who are Evelyn “Mac” Brand, Craig Brand, and Scott Brehman. The
sale will not go through if they do not get all of their various zoning, HARB, Planning Commission and township approvals to change set backs, zoning, impervious surface areas, etc. The plan is to
convert the church into 3 condos with garages and to put 2 new construction houses on either side of the Odd Fellows hall next door – which they already own. They will reconfigure the driveway that allows people to drive into the cemetery, and combine the church and odd fellows cemetery into 1 larger cemetery.
The Church is not sold yet, and they will not go to closing if they do not get everything they want and need to make this project. If it is all approved, the condos will be
20 feet to the first grave, and on one end that is the grave of Richie Ashburn. Beyond the Ashburn grave is another sold plot, owned by a family now living in Ohio and they want their plot. It will have a driveway over it if this project goes forward.
The church cemetery has graves from the
1850s that are clearly marked with headstones. Running along the side of the church cemetery is a long strip of land approximately 20-30 feet wide and over 100 feet long. There are no headstones in this strip of land, and there is no clear separation of this land from the cemetery. We do not know if there are graves,
very very old graves, in this strip of land and perhaps that is why the church began burials in what is now the main cemetery part. There are 2 flags planted in this seemingly empty strip of land every
Memorial Day, and this year we asked why. The response was that there are 2 Revolutionary Soldiers there, and I got their names from the SAR cemetery website, Miller and DeWees, and Drummer and a Fifer. Their names are also on the DAR Plaque
at the Baptist Church on Old Gulph Road, though that plaque says John DeWees and Unk Miller (Fifer).
So the questions we must answer are:
- Why are the flags placed in that open part of the cemetery every year?
- Does anyone know or can prove that the location of the soldiers is actually in that spot where the flags are?
- Does anyone have any paper record of why or how we got their names, and why we think they are in that cemetery? I have confirmed that there are NO OTHER revolutionary soldiers in that cemetery.
- Does anyone know anything about that long strip of land and why it was not used by the Methodist church for more burials post 1850? I know there was discussion about using it for more burials in the 2000’s, but that may have been by people who did not understand that there were bodies there already.
Please note that I have cross checked DeWees and Miller with the names of everyone who is in the church cemetery, with a headstone or not. To be clear, I have the names of the person who owns the plots and the names of who is buried in the plots, and Miller and Dewees are not there.
So by default, if Dewees and Miller are there at Merion Square cemetery, then they have to be in the strip of land that appears empty, because the main cemetery is completely sold out, though there is room for more burials in different family plots, and the developers will have to allow these funerals and burials to continue.
The same for Off Fellows cemetery right next to Merion Square, though Odd Fellows has 361 plots that could be sold, the developer does not want more funerals and has stated that she will not sell those plots, but will allow people to be buried in the plots they currently own.
We know that the land was given to the Methodist Church in 1840 by Dr. John Anderson for the sum of $2.00
It is possible that this was because that land was already a cemetery and this made it the perfect place to put a church? Maybe this is why the church began its burials slightly apart from where the original cemetery was??The developers have conducted their ground penetrating radar and found nothing anywhere. We have done ours and found anomalies in the ground, but nothing definitive. Shifts and changes in the dirt could be tree roots, pipes, old pieces of structures, etc.
Our radar man is coming back next week with a different machine to try again. He told us that without a coffin and with the bodies possibly being 230 years old, we may not ever find them using any type of radar. In fact we had him run a control and try to see a known 1857 grave, and it did not come up on the radar at all and we know that there was a body there. Our ground is full of clay, and this is the worst soil to use radar with. So clearly, we can now dispute the claim of the developer because it is unlikely that any radar company would find a 230 year old body buried without a coffin in clay soil. Add to that the information that many drummers and fifers were very young teens, in some cases children, and so the bodies would be smaller to begin with, and they were buried in sacks, not in coffins.
We just need any type of record to prove that Dewees and Miller are there. The Planning commission has stated that the developer must not find any bodies in that strip of land, or it will have to all be considered cemetery – and then their parking lot plan is finished. We should have as many groups as possible involved in this to prevent paving over the graves of these young heroes……
Please note that the church is not falling down or in disrepair. The John Neumann fellowship is currently renting it and wants to stay. The church has a ballroom and offices that could be rented out so to generate income to continue to maintain the cemetery, and there is also the possibility of another church group or community group buying the church, and allowing it to continue on as it was intended.
Thanks so very much.
Dr. Christine McGuire
To see more photos of graves of Odd Fellows and Gladwyne United Methodist Church please see this photo set HERE.
asparagus
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pondering farmers markets
I decided a little more farmers market pondering was in order.
Farmers markets are a wonderful idea in their true form of promoting sustainable agriculture in communities and all that good stuff.
But lately there has been farmers market drama and intrigue which detracts from the positives.
The most recent drama involves West Vincent Township. But what did I expect it’s West Vincent and drama and intrigue go hand in hand, don’t they? Now if the folks who originated this market idea would just slow down, and if West Vincent would just do something the right way (as in the way everyone else does things and not their definition of the right way) there would be no drama and this market would probably be open already. But the horse is out of the barn on that one, so only time will tell.
The other market drama is the thing going on between the East Goshen Farmers Market and their former market managers who have started Malvern Farmers Market in the borough of Malvern and Downingtown under a for profit entity called Growing Roots Partners, which by their own description offers “farmers market management and event management in Western Philadelphia Suburbs”. They also say:
In addition to farmers market management, Growing Roots Partners also offers farm to table dinners, education in sustainable nutrition, event management, culinary and farm tours, and artisan craft shows.
From what I can surmise Growing Roots Partners is a for profit business model that I find oddly similar to my friend Janet Long’s Clover Market. And if that is the case, just woman up and admit part of what drives them is the all-American dollar. Who doesn’t get that?
Growing Roots in their own mission statement says:
Growing Roots Partners is dedicated to community education that nurtures the importance of sustaining our local agricultural food system.
As a weekly community event, our Farmers Markets offer vital economic opportunity to regional farmers and food producers while playing an important role in revitalizing a community’s economic profile.
But given the drama and who shot John over if you are in Malvern’s market you can’t apparently be in East Goshen’s Market, are they living their mission statement?
After all if you are pro-farm and pro-farmer how can you tell them if they want to sell in a particular market they basically have to be exclusive to that market and no other? And why is it Malvern Market sends people to “shop” East Goshen Market every week like it is a competition versus sustainable agriculture and connecting the community to local food sources, i.e. the localvore movement? Not only is that ethically and morally wonky in my opinion, we are a country based upon a free market system aren’t we? I mean wow that is like telling little girls they can’t be in a Brownie troop because it’s full but in fact you can’t deal with some of the moms, right? And who would do that?
I did not pull this drama out of thin air, I have had farmers and other food vendors tell me and people I know flat-out that this is the case. As a matter of fact someone from where I used to live whom I do not speak to very often called me this week after she had a similar kind of conversations with a vendor who participates in Oakmont and Bryn Mawr Farmers Markets, which are Farm to City Markets. They called me up because when they had asked a couple of farms if they were doing East Goshen this year their was this long dance and mumbling about how it all got “too political” so they were doing Malvern instead. How embarrassing that they are even talking about this drama in non-related Main Line markets, right?
Huh? Who made it political? Certainly not East Goshen. I mean the ladies of Growing Roots Partners even seem unable/unwilling to take down the East Goshen Farmers Market blog spot from when they ran the market and isn’t that petty? Is this done to confuse people into thinking there is no East Goshen Market? Or to make it difficult for people to find the REAL East Goshen Farmers Market Web Page?
And why is it o.k. that the Growing Roots folks have in essence poached a lot of farms and vendors from Farm to City Markets and that is o.k. (and they did it last year as East Goshen Farmers Market) but it is not o.k. for these farms, farmers , and vendors to go to East Goshen if they wanted to? East Goshen has crossover vendors with West Chester Growers Market and others and that is because that is the name of the game isn’t it? Exposure for farms, farmers, vendors and multiple market choices for the public is win-win for all? After all I don’t know about you, but don’t you have certain vendors or farms that are favorites and if you miss them at one market, you catch them at another?
Now to what started me thinking about this today. I still go once in a blue moon to Bryn Mawr’s Farmers Market which is Farm to City run. Not only because friends of mine were the driving force behind getting it established, but also because it is a nice market with some farms I really like. Anyway I received an e-mail this morning of who this week’s vendors/farmers this Saturday are:
Amaranth Bakery
Birchrun Hills Farm (yuck)
Brulee Bakery
Canter Hill Farm (awesome farm)
Davidson Exotics
Good Spoon Seasonal Foods
Freshapeel Hummus
Jenny and Frank’s Artisan Gelato (super yummy)
John and Kira’s Chocolates (delightful but VERY tasty in price)
Philly Fair Trade Roasters
Sea Findings (new – fresh seafood, know nothing about them)
Shellbark Hollow Farm (hmmm one of the Growing Roots Partners partners, yes?)
Two Gander Farm & Apiary
Wimer’s Organics
Wild Flour Bakery
Vera Pasta
So now here is the line up for Growing Roots Partners Malvern and Downingtown markets ( I am not segregating by market, you can go figure that out if it interests you):
Blueberry Hill Farm (used to be at East Goshen and Bryn Mawr, also found at Oakmont)
Canter Hill Farm (at Bryn Mawr, and Bryn Mawr used to be their only market because they are small)
Down Home Acres
Down to Earth Harvest
Frecon Farms (used to be at Bryn Mawr and East Goshen)
Kimberton CSA
Longview Center for Agriculture
Oley Valley Mushrooms (can’t remember if they were at East Goshen, Bryn Mawr or both)
Two Gander Farm (at Bryn Mawr)
Daily Loaf
dia Doce (used to be at East Goshen and was most recently at East Goshen’s Winter Market)
Laura’s (used to be at East Goshen and I know from the now closed food business Panache Foods)
Market Day
My House Cookies (think they were at East Goshen)
Saint Peter’s Bakery
Lindenhof Farm
Wyebrook Farm
Birchrun Hills Farm (at Bryn Mawr and elsewhere – I personally do not care for and choose not to patronize this farm and their price points are also a bit steep)
Shellbark Hollow Farm (at Bryn Mawr)
Blue Cafe
FreshaPeel (at Bryn Mawr)
Jenny & Franks (at Bryn Mawr used to be at East Goshen)
John & Kira’s (Bryn Mawr, used to be at East Goshen)
MomPops (used to be at East Goshen, forget where else they are)
Naughty Nutty Love (used to be at East Goshen – good but price points are high)
Old Mill Gourmet
Pureblend (used to be at East Goshen, used to be at West Chester Growers Market – not sure if they still are, and are in Lancaster Central Market among others)
Vera Pasta (at Bryn Mawr and not sure where else – I make my own pasta so I do not buy a lot of fresh pasta from outside sources)
Ellen April (used to be at East Goshen I thing and has been at West Chester Growers Market and Kennett Square Market)
Rustic Bunch
Veronica’s Doggie Delights (was at East Goshen and East Goshen winter market and Artisan Exchange)
So you see the majority of the vendors and farms and farmers at Malvern and Downingtown came to these markets from other markets didn’t they? Do we see those other markets making farms, farmers, and vendors choose in either overt or passive aggressive manners? And seriously Farm to City could be justifiably annoyed here right?
Look, what happened is simple: the women who used to run East Goshen developed a for profit business model to benefit themselves. That is totally cool, it is the American way in a free market economy. From what I understand, their business model is not how East Goshen Township wanted to operate their township sponsored market so they went in a different direction. That is East Goshen’s right.
So the former managers of East Goshen got their model picked up by Malvern and Downingtown so why can’t they be happy with that? After all why make so much issue with your home township of East Goshen? (at least one of the Growing Roots Partners partners lives in East Goshen do they not?)
I like going to multiple markets and would love to go to Malvern’s market but I just do not feel I can in good conscience do that until the farmers market wars which they seemed to have started calms down.
The ultimate point of this post is all these farms came to these markets because people either patronized them directly or found them at other markets. Local farmers markets on different days don’t have to be utterly exclusive, live and let live and everyone get over themselves and have crossover. After all Growing Roots Partners did not invent the idea of community farmers markets and therefore shouldn’t be able to demand exclusivity of farms, farmers, and vendors like that should they?
I missed East Goshen’s market yesterday but hope to get to West Chester Growers Market tomorrow. I also hear raves about Phoenixville’s market. I will tell you that I got the most fabulous shrubs and perennials from Applied Climatatology at the West Chester Growers Market. I also got fabulous herb plants from TWO produce purveying farms at East Goshen Market – Brogue Hydroponics and Sunny Slope Farm- I recommend them all highly!
Let me know where you farmers market and what some of your favorite farms and farmers are and why.
a little barn love…
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farm
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the art of custom cabinetry, woodworking, and furniture
Cabinet makers, custom furniture builders, and artisan wood workers are a dying breed. It takes real artistic talent combined with years of work. Some people call themselves cabinet makers and so on, but they really aren’t. Seriously, it is an art form.
I love custom woodwork and cabinetry. It’s luscious and beautiful. 
I do not often promote businesses and if I do I must have personal experience with them. I am going to introduce you to one.
Sherman & Gosweiler Fine Cabinetry and Woodworking. They have been in business since 1976 and I LOVE their work! If you can dream it, Dick Gosweiler can build it. Whether it is an urban space like a chic Manhattan apartment or townhouse; a penthouse on Rittenhouse Square; a second home in Bay Head or the Hamptons; or even a simple 
farmhouse in Chester County this is who you want.
In addition to making your dreams for your home come to life this company also can 
do period reproductions. One of my particular favorites are the mantelpieces and mantelpiece surrounds they have done over the years. I mean don’t you just hate to see people put gobs of money into either a new house or an extensive renovation only to cheap out on a stock mantelpiece and/or mantelpiece surround for a den or living room or great room?
On my wish list for my home someday I would love one of their mantelpieces.
Anyway, just was thinking about house stuff and thought I would throw this up here.
Sherman & Gosweiler have a website and a Facebook fan page. If you need their services they can be reached at (610) 270-0825. They are located at 401 East 4th Street in Bridgeport – that is their physical shop, but they travel pretty much anywhere for installations and whatnot.
What they say about themselves is as follows and utterly true:
Since our inception in 1976 we have always had the same philosophy: To craft beautiful and functional cabinetry delivered on budget and on time. We are committed to making the entire experience easy and pleasurable for our clients. From creating a great design to a trouble-free installation, we are available to answer your questions and coordinate with other tradespeople on the job. Let us show you why scores of interior designers, architects, builders and hundreds of homeowners have put their trust in us.
just dumb
This morning if you were on 352 at the underpass in Frazer you got to witness yet another truck driver get stuck. And it wasn’t some guy renting a box truck from U-Haul or Budget or Penske for the first time, it was a regular truck driver in a huge truck hauling a load – in other words this isn’t in my opinion to be filed under beginner’s bad luck.
Every time I see something like this happen I marvel at how these trucks and people driving them don’t seem to know how big they are by themselves and if they are carrying a big load, how tall they are in relationship to a tunnel or underpass. And if they do know how big and tall they are they see the height sign for an underpass that would indicate to a sensible person they might get stuck, why they don’t stop and turn around?
Around 10 am this morning a giant truck hauling giant metal cube things decided height restrictions were for other people at the Route 352 underpass in Frazer.
We were in a line of traffic waiting on the Immaculata side of the underpass and we sat and watched the truck approach. The driver stopped at first as if giving it a good look and then he proceeded. And got stuck. The truck stopped. Then remarkably it tried to go forward as if that would make it better. Only he wasn’t hauling puffy rubber or foam that would bend, he was hauling these giant metal boxes with what looked like vents cut into them. So he got more stuck.
Finally he stopped trying to go forward and instead started to back up. Of course it being 352 there was traffic up the rear of the truck but they started to back up and after many minutes of all of us on the road collectively holding our breath, the truck was able to get unstuck and out from underneath the underpass.
I just don’t understand how these trucks think they are going to fit if they are too tall and big going into the scenario?
Here’s hoping Amtrak checked the bridge after. Every time there is a stuck truck or a hit they are supposed to check the bridge.
cool preservation news
ChesLen Preserve – Courtesy of Natural Lands Trust
The Natural Lands Trust is a very big deal in the realm of conservation, land preservation and stewardship and they do a lot of very cool stuff. Don’t believe me? Check out the list of preserves you can visit and a few are right here in Chester County!
Today I am focused on the ChesLen Preserve they manage – it is on 1199 Cannery Road in Coatesville. At over 1200 acres in this location is one of the largest private nature preserves in Southeastern PA. Part of it has been designated a wild plant sanctuary too!
Through the generosity of the Lenfest family they have recently completed building a beautiful center on site dedicated to the preserve and the community. The Lenfest Center will provide offices and maintenance facilities for the preserve’s management staff, as well as gathering spaces for visitors, volunteers, and local community groups. It opens with an event and dedication on the evening of Saturday, June 15th (see below) and there is a community day on Sunday June 16th .
This to me is something truly exciting because land conservation is a tricky business – lots of people say they want to do it and few groups do it as well and as diligently and consistently at the Natural Lands Trust.
The Saturday evening event is also a fundraiser. This will be festive evening of drinks, local farm-inspired edibles, and music will support their ChesLen Preserve-based efforts to save land, steward natural resources, and connect people to nature. Tickets start at $150.
The Sunday Community Day will be open to the public from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature building tours, preserve walks, refreshments, and activities for the whole family! This event is free, but if you can I would suggest making a small donation that day if you attend.