|  1st Day - Before 
1st Day - After | Since the fall of 1990, Ragan descendants have been meeting annually to clean the Scott Hill Cemetery. We have always donated our time, labor, skills and education for this work of love. Many have paid out-of-pocket for supplies and equipment that were needed. It was discovered in the spring of 2005, that some person or persons had vandalized the cemetery between November, 2004 and March, 2005. All the trees in the cemetery were removed leaving it totally denuded. In the process of stealing these trees, 11 tombstones were broken and left laying on the ground. We, with the help of a Landscape Architect, had identified trees of many different species that represented the early era of the cemetery and added to the visual aesthetics of the cemetery. We trimmed and maintained these plantings. Some trees were earmarked; as they were too close to an existing tombstone and removal would cause irreparable harm if we attempted to remove them. We were heartsick at this wanton destruction of our family cemetery. Our Grandfather, Owen Ragon, has been resting there for 135 years and now his tombstone is destroyed. Our Grandparents, Nathan Ragan and Margaret (Smith) Ragan have been peacefully resting there for 120 and 125 years respectively, and now their tombstone is broken. What joy can be derived from desecrating a grave and destroying a cemetery? It was at this point we chose to once again form the Scott Hill Cemetery Association for the purpose of restoring and preserving this piece of our past. |
On October 17, 2005, the Scott Hill Cemetery Association was re-established. Our Mission is to safe guard the Cemetery, through restoration and preservation, for those who follow in our footsteps. The officials of the Board of Trustees were approved by the Mercer County Board of Commissioners, October 17, 2005, Mercer County Courthouse, Princeton, Missouri. Trustees appointed are: Bob J. Ragan, Chair, Mary James Ragan, Vice Chair, Nancy Davidson Moll, Secretary/Treasurer, Russel D. Ragan, Vice Chair, and Charles E. Davidson, Vice Chair/Sexton. |  |
| Scott Hill Cemetery Association Mission Statement The Ragan family group, whose mission it is to protect and maintain the Scott Hill Cemetery re-established the Scott Hill Cemetery Association on October 17, 2005. Those who recognize the Importance of Family are welcome to join us in our conservation project. It is most important to preserve our history for many generations to come. We will continue our ongoing Family “clean-up” days, which began in 1990. We have many more projects in mind and as funding becomes available we will tackle them. A partial listing of our restoration projects includes, but is not limited to: | | Documentation of the Cemetery Create a plat map of the cemetery Establish plot lines Identify the location of the 24 unmarked graves Compile a photographic record of each grave site Restoration of the Cemetery Repair the tombstones broken by vandals Clean and Reset sunken tombstones Build a permanent marker for the 24 unmarked graves Grounds and Maintenance Repair the cemetery fence Purchase a plaque for the entrance to the cemetery Build a bench Re-establish trees and plantings that were destroyed by vandals | 
3 Generations of Helpers |
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