Members of the Elizabeth Denton English Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution spent several hours cleaning headstones at Mineola Memorial Cemetery. They worked under the guidance of Ron Schell, known as the “Wood County Cemetery Man,” and followed headstone-cleaning techniques he recommended.
According to recent records, the cemetery has 3,622 headstones, many dating to the late 19th century. Linda Haddock, the chapter's historical preservation chair, planned the project and coordinated it with Schell. The DAR Day of Service is observed each year on Oct. 11, and chapters across the country take part in service activities throughout the month.
The chapter's preservation work will continue Friday, Oct. 30, with more headstone cleaning at Hopewell Cemetery in Winnsboro. Mary Sockwell, a chapter member and docent at the cemetery, is coordinating that project.