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History and mystery at Grandview? |
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October 13, 2014 |
Some might think a
cemetery tour a little odd, but a tour of this
Boundary County cemetery proved to be quite
interesting and enlightening . . .
by Dave and Dottie Gray
Boundary County Museum
On Saturday, October 4, thirty-two people
gathered at the historic gates of Grandview
Cemetery with the Boundary County Historical
Society and the Grandview Cemetery Association
for a first-ever tour of the old section of the
cemetery.
In 1907, A.J. Kent sold 12 acres of land to the
Village of Bonners Ferry for a cemetery. The
sale price for the land was $200. The Grandview
Cemetery Association was not created until 1921.
However, there are known burials as early as
1892. In 1924 the Cemetery Gate was purchased
for $600, two brick piers were installed to
support the massive gate, and 450 feet of iron
fencing was embedded in concrete footings. An
iron turnstile was placed for use when the gates
where locked. In the fall of 1956, Museum
Researcher Howard Kent, was absconded on his way
to homecoming float construction and lashed by a
rope from the flag pole at the North Side School
to this very same gate, as part of freshman
initiation, spending at least a portion of the
darkness of night tied to the gate.
The Cemetery tour began at the gravesite of
Joseph Beeler, a logging contractor and hotel
manager at the Kootenai, Kaiser House, and
International Hotels, who died in 1901. Sue
Kemmis, Curator at the Museum, explained the
symbolism of the heart, anchor, gates, and Latin
cross all appearing on Beeler’s headstone. She
said, “Grave markers are symbols containing
carved, sculpted and engraved images and
epitaphs informing us of names and dates of
birth and death. But tombstone symbols often
tell us of a person’s religion, ethnicity,
social memberships, occupation, and thoughts on
the afterlife.” As the tour wound around various
sites, she would explain the symbols and
engravings on stones.
Many familiar pioneer names for our area and
found at the cemetery include Martin and Minerva
Fry, Richard and Justine Fry, Fred Fisher (White
Caribou Bar), William Eaton (Eatonville),
Doctors Bishop and Fry, William Kinnear (Kinnear
building), O.F. and Alice Howe, A.J. and Nelly
Kent, the Fitzpatricks, the O’Callaghans, the
Brants, the Meddocks, the Hopkins, the Meekers,
the Anglens and many, many others.
Linda Morice, former Bonners Ferry Badger and
daughter of Don and Leanna Morice traveled from
Seattle expressly for this tour, and shared her
knowledge of the Northrup Family, one branch on
her family tree. Terry Howe, Museum Field
Researcher, told about the Howes and Grays of
his family, Howard relayed tales about the
Kents, and Sue told about her family, the
Petersons and Mike and Speed, beloved horses
entrusted to the care of George McCormick.
Others in the group shared brief bits and
tidbits along the way.
Special attention was called to the Veterans who
served in wars dating back to the Spanish
American War, and possibly even the French and
Indian War. American Legion stones were also
highlighted with their many emblems: rays of the
sun, the wreath, the star, and large and small
rings, all of which carry symbolism. Sue pointed
out the stones of fraternal organizations with
their specific symbolism: International Order of
Good Templar (IGOT), Benevolent Protective Order
of Elks (BPOE), and Independent Order of Odd
Fellows (IOOF), Order of Eastern Star (OES), and
Fraternal Order of Freemasonry, and the
Daughters of Rebekah.
There are mysteries still hidden within
Grandview’s historical section. Where might Sue
Ng (a Chinese man) and J.F. Cook (a black man)’s
graves be? Who might lie within the large,
totally unmarked section where old wooden
markers apparently have rotted and fallen apart?
We know there are graves in unmarked rows. Who
are these people?
One single wooden marker is held together by a
bungee cord and numerous “temporary” metal
markers dot the landscape. Cylindrical shapes
sit atop two stones; what significance might
they have? And why, on several markers might one
find coins? Could this symbolism date back to an
old Greek Myth of having to pay the “Ferry Man?”
Or is there military significance to pennies,
nickels, and dimes left atop markers?
This tour only scratched the surface of the
historical stories, symbolism, and mysteries
that lie at Grandview. If you missed this tour,
you missed a great opportunity to learn about
old timers in our area.
 The money collected for this tour was divided
between the Grandview Cemetery Association and
the Museum. Thank you Terry Allen and Ruth Ann
Wilson of the Association for being on the tour
and answering questions.
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