Cemetery vandalism a complete disgrace

Over the past few months, I’ve been researching my family history and building my family tree. I was overjoyed when I discovered that my third great-grandmother was buried in a cemetery in Wilton that I’ve driven past countless times. It’s a small cemetery on Louden Road with a simple sign that says Louden Cemetery.

I’ve visited the cemetery several times in the past few months to gather more information on my history. On July 4th, I happened to be driving by and something didn’t look quite right. The Manderville family plot, which is closest to the road seemed different. I turned around and drove back to investigate. At some point in the last week or two, it appears that somebody knocked over the gravestones of my third greatgrandmother Phebe, but also the headstone of my third great-uncle William, who was a Civil War veteran. I was shocked and saddened and angry all at the same time. Not only were the headstones tipped over but the bases had also been moved.

Who would do such a senseless act of vandalism? What would be the purpose of it. These graves are the final resting place of my ancestors who have been there since 1862 and 1865.

Those stones have stood watch over them for over 152 years and in an instant just carelessly knocked over.

My question is, what can be done about this? The stones can’t just be picked back up by human hands and put in their proper place. Is it the responsibility of the caretakers to correct this wrong? I’m sure the vandals will never be found, so now what? Do we just leave the stones flat on the ground to sink down like so many other old headstones in countless cemeteries everywhere?

I hope that the person or persons responsible for this will one day feel shame and remorse over what they have done, but something tells me that will never be. If you can commit an offense like this against the deceased then in my mind there is no hope for you. — Jeff Freebern

Gansevoort