Steuben cemetery

The final resting place for approximately 72 people, most buried in the 1800s and early 1900s, was completely overgrown.

Property owners Richard and Jennifer Rowland on the Smithville Road in Steuben knew that the old cemetery hidden in the woods and on their property was badly overgrown, and it really upset them. They knew that not only local folks from the Washington County town were buried there, but military veterans from a variety of different wars were as well.  So they did something, and asked for help.

To the rescue came Jeremy LeClair, who is the scoutmaster of BSA Troop 102 out of Orland. This past Saturday, not only did Jeremy bring the Scouts from his troop to help, but he also brought along members and friends of Troops 40 and 86 from Ellsworth.

Everyone worked very hard that day cutting down trees, clearing brush and cleaning headstones, and the outcome was a remarkable difference as you can tell by the photos above.

Richard Rowland, a Vietnam veteran himself, posted on Facebook, "I know I, and everyone who worked here have a deep sense of a job well done and know we paid our respects to those who never should have been forgotten. They will be forgotten no longer."

A job well done, everyone!

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