SPRING 2004December 14, 2003
reetings to all Friends as we enter this holiday season.
We are happy to report that the mowing of the grass at our properties this past summer was achieved in good order. The lawn at Lower Alloways Creek Meeting and cemetery at Harmersville was cut by Steve Fisher, a local lawn service, and a resident who has taken an interest in the historic nature of the Quaker properties there. The cemetery at Port Elizabeth was maintained this past summer by the First-day School class of Mullica Hill Meeting under the supervision of the family of Sue and Bob Price-Redfern. To all of these people, in whom we trust the care of our properties, we give our thanks.
One of the large buttonwood trees in back of the meetinghouse at Lower Alloways Creek was blown over. It was cut up and hauled away by the township. The tree was quite large, probably planted in the early part of the 1800s, as many meetings did. Buttonwoods have the capacity to survive a lightning strike and were planted as lightning rods for the meetinghouses. It is sad to see such a tree die, but we may plant another in its place, continuing the great cycle of nature.
I have been in contact with Mr. Ernest Schilling, the president of Powell Electronics, Inc., the company founded by Harold Powell. In his will, Harold requested that the company maintain contact with the Trustees of Salem Quarter to see how matters were going and to stand by in case we needed their help. My contacts with Mr. Schilling have been most friendly and profitable. It is good to know we have them as a friend. The Trustees are considering adding a stone in our memory walk for Harold Powell.
The ivy that has been growing on the meetinghouse wall has been all but removed. Left unattended it could over time hasten the deterioration of the meetinghouse wall. We are glad to have this finally completed.
There is yet some moisture getting into the building, probably through the roof somewhere. We are investigating the source of this problem and its repair.
We are now poised to begin refurbishing the Old Cemetery along the Alloway Creek. The company we hired to maintain lawn care was hired under the agreement that for a contract for continuing lawn care they would buy the machinery to dig out the stumps and debris at the Old Cemetery. Then it would be reseeded to grow and look like a cemetery. Eventually we hope to place a split rail fence along the front of the cemetery. We expect this process to begin when the weather turns warm this spring.
Finally, we are happy to announce that the Lower Alloways Creek Meeting is now on the National Register of Historic Sites. This long process has been completed, and it means that we now enjoy the protection of the national government, and the state government, as an historic site.
We wish to thank all those who work in many different ways to protect and preserve the properties under the care of Salem Quarterly Meeting. They have our abiding appreciation.
For the Trustees,
George A. Crispin, ClerkRETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:19 AM
