Restoring Smithland Cemetery

Smithland Cemetery is one of the historic treasures of Livingston County. With tombstones dating well before 1850, there are burials for steamboat captains, county officials, veterans of several wars and the ordinary citizens of this small, river town.  The cemetery is very large and has many monuments that require care - from being set upright again to broken stones being repaired.  A number of monuments have already been repaired, but many more need to be done.  When I visited the cemetery recently, workmen from Henry & Henry Monument Company were at work.

At work in Smithland Cemetery 

One of the tombstones that has been set up right again is that of Sallie Worten, (1857-1893). Until recently, this monument had fallen over and was face down on the ground.

Tombstone of Sallie Worten on the ground in 2015.

Tombstone of Sallie Worten upright again August 2016

David Boswell, William Mahan, Billy Downs, Herschel Evans and James Lane of the Smithland Cemetery Advisory Committee  are in charge of the efforts to restore this historical graveyard.   The committee provides guidance and assistance in the operation and funding of the cemetery. Smithland Cemetery is owned by the City of  Smithland, but is maintained and operated from a separate city account funded only from charitable donations.[1]

The City of Smithland could use some assistance in funding this work.  We can help by sending a tax deductible donation to the Smithland Cemetery Fund, Smithland City Hall, 310 Wilson Avenue, Smithland, KY 42081. This historic cemetery needs our help.

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[1] J. David Boswell, "Appreciating the Beautiful and Historic Smithland Cemetery," Livingston Ledger, 16 June 2016, p. 8.

Published 14 August 2016, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/