HALDE
CEMETERY
Father Doyon Memorial
Cemetery
Waterville, Kennebec
county, Maine
Revision 6 - 20 December
1997
by Robert E. Chenard
Genealogist, Waterville,
Maine
INTRODUCTION AND CONTENTS
Included in Parts I and II is the raw information that was collected at
this cemetery in 1972 by Patricia Marsh and Katheryn Jackson. Considerable
new information was added in 1989 and in 1993 from re-examination of the
gravestones and new finds. In 1978, Donald R. Lemieux, now of Sidney, compiled
a listing of the gravestones and drew a map showing where each monument
was located relative to the central obelisk. Some monuments were more legible
at that time than they are now. Thus, some of the information that is presently
questionable (due to 15 additional years of weathering) was taken from
Lemieux's list and is identified as Ref. A. A new cemetery map was drawn
to include all the new findings. Lemieux's original numbering system was
retained except that letter suffixes were used for the new findings. Based
on research into town and State vital, census, Church, and funeral home
records, it was possible to further identify many of the individuals buried
here. For that information, see PART II. The numbers are referenced to
those listed in PART I (the gravestone record).
LOCATION
This cemetery is located about 1500 feet from the Waterville-Fairfield
line on College Avenue on a knoll on the west side behind the former W.
S. Pillsbury Tractor Co. It is a rectagular-shaped lot with a frontage
of 496.8 feet and is 509.4 feet deep - an area of 5.83 acres. A 12-foot
wide right-of-way leads to the cemetery from Drummond Avenue as well as
a pedestrian right-of-way behind the former W. S. Pillsbury grounds. There
also used to be a right-of-way from Mount Pleasant St. which was the primary
route the deceased were taken to their burial site by horse-drawn hearse
during most of its history.
HISTORY
The first burial took place in 1873 and the last was in 1959. However,
the earliest gravestone found was that of Timothy Donnelly's who died 8
December 1862. He may have been reinterred here from another place or was
buried here before Father Halde purchased this land and resold part of
it to his parish (a that time, St. John's; St. Francis de Sales in 1874).
The property, as are all Church properties in the Diocese, is owned by
and is under the Corporation of the Diocese of Portland. Lots were not
sold with perpetual care as is the case today; thus each family either
had to take care of its own lots or pay someone else to do this for them.
By the mid-1890's, it was realized that much of the land at this cemetery
was inadequate due to a very high water table and also the fact that usable
space was nearly exhausted. Consequently, land in Waterville for a new
area Catholic cemetery was purchased in 1898 on Grove Street located adjacent
to the town cemetery (Pine Grove). Thus, after about 50 years and nearly
two generations later, personal care and interest in maintaining the old
(Halde) cemetery was declining rapidly, particularly after the Second World
War. In the 1950's, an attempt was made to restore the cemetery by William
Provencher (then caretaker of St. Francis Cemetery) according to Mr. Ivan
Roy of Benton who assisted in that restoration effort. With the lack of
power equipment, a shortage of manpower and evidently little interest from
community members the restoration effort failed and the forces of nature
prevailed.
RESTORATION
After the third year of restoration (area B)
During the summer of 1993, following a newspaper article earlier that year
by Robert Chenard decrying the shameful state of this cemetery in his French
Connection column, a restoration project was initiated under the leadership
of David Donahue of Fairfield assisted by Robert Chenard of Waterville,
Maynard Clair of Clinton, Arthur Grenier of Waterville, and John F. Pouliot
of Fairfield and they became the charter members of the newly formed Halde
Cemetery Committee. Seven teen-age boys were recruited and assigned to
this community project under the auspices of the Federally subsidized Summer
Job Youth Employment Program. The project continued in the summers of 1994
and 1995 with the help of this program. Numerous gravestones were uncovered
and deciphered during that time as new areas were cleared. By probing the
earth with long metal rods, some of the gravestones and their bases were
found nearly three feet under ground and even under tree stumps. In 1995,
Joe Paquette, a retired contractor living in Belgrade, volunteered to help
in the project and used his bulldozer, backhoe and other equipment to remove
stumps and relandscape the grounds. In 1996, with the help of the summer
youth and adult volunteers, installed a drainage system for the cemetery.
During 1996 and 1997, several hundred truckloads of fill were brought in
to raise the ground level in the low rear part of the cemetery where water
collected and also the large gully in the front (no evidence of any graves
were discovered in these sections).
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
The following individuals made the restoration of this old cemetery possible:
David Donahue of Fairfield, who tirelessly gave thousands of
hours of his time and some materials during this 5-year effort. As Chairman
and treasurer of the Halde Cemetery Committee, he directed the restoration,
did research into ownership, contacted the Portland Diocese, arranged for
the surveying, supervised the Summer Youth groups 1 to 4 days per week,
and did many other important things for this task.
Bob Turmelle, David Donahue, & Dan Laflamme in 1995
Maynard Clair, who, despite having serious health problems, contributed
numerous items (picnic table, metal steps, boards and shingles for the
storage building, fuel, and other materials and equipment for use at the
cemetery) and was regularly available as a supervisor for the Summer Youth
group during most of the restoration. He also did a significant amount
of tree-cutting with his chain saw.
Maynard Clair with the 1995 summer youth group
Robert Chenard, who, during the restoration, was available as a
supervisor for the Summer Youth, helped David Donahue in providing general
direction and planning in this effort, and did the research into all available
records for obtaining the identification of those persons buried in the
cemetery. He also compiled this booklet and prepared the map-layout.
Joe Paquette pulling stumps in area B; Fall 1995
In September 1994, the Maine
Old Cemetery Association(MOCA)
donated money towards the restoration. The work at the Halde cemetery was
considered by MOCA as the most significant "old cemetery" restoration that
year. The customary gift is $50, but upon seeing the videos of "before"
and "after" and the TV channel 5 segment which we showed them at their
25th anniversary meeting held at the Calumet Club in Augusta, the members
of MOCA voted to give us $200 instead.
Joseph Lionel Paquette, who, without him and his power equipment,
the restoration would have taken several more years of very hard back-breaking
work or the restoration might even have failed to a great extent in the
battle against the forces of nature. The Halde cemetery committee, of which
he is now a valued member, is most appreciative of this kind man.
Joe Paquette on back-hoe and David Donahue
Other individuals deserving special recognition for their work and time
given during the restoration project include R.
J. Poulin, and Arthur Grenier, (all three helped
supervise the summer youth and put in many hours of work at the cemetery)
John F. Pouliot, Robert Gilbert, Alcee Vigue
, Robert Turmelle, Robert Davidson, Jean Ann Rancourt
and Jeannie Rancourt, Robert
Violette, Dan Laflamme, Mrs. Barbara Bailey, all the
Summer Job Youth (who were paid minimum wage by the Federally subsidized
program), and numerous others from the community and the Knights of Columbus
councils of Fairfield and Waterville who worked one or more days at the
cemetery. Also doing work during some of the "work weekends" were youngsters
from the Waterville Boys & Girls Club and boy scouts from the Immaculate
Heart of Mary troop of Fairfield. We also thank the Waterville Fire Department
for their support and cooperation during the many occasions when brush
was burned and those who provided or donated fill and equipment.
I sadly report that four of the above volunteers have since passed away:
Arthur Grenier, Bob Turmell, Bob Gilbert, and Maynard Clair.
Finally, is the singular effort of Father Gerard Doyon, a retired
priest at the time, who worked within his means to restore as much of it
as he could, mostly alone, and occasionally with a volunteer, for a period
of over 6 years in the 1980's, cutting bushes and trees, mowing what little
grass there was then, sometimes by flashlight, receiving very little help
as well as some discouraging criticism from the Chancery of Portland, he,
more than anyone else, decried the shameful condition of this abandonned
cemetery. How elated he would now be (and probably is) with what he began
and inspired here. His hard work and unrewarded efforts surely were not
in vain. In recognition of Father Doyon's contribution, the Halde Cemetery
Committee has rededicated it to his memory as the Father Doyon Memorial
Cemetery.
CEMETERY MONUMENT
The tall centrally located
granite monument (obelisk) is dated 1875 at the base. On the lower part
of this obelisk are the following inscriptions engraved on each side or
face:
North face: "TAKE
ORDER WITH THY HOUSE FOR YOU SHALL DIE"
South face: "THE
JUST MAN IF HE BE PREVENTED WITH DEATH SHALL BE IN REST"
East face: "BLESSED
ARE THE DEAD WHO DIE IN THE LORD"
West face: "REMEMBER
THAT DEATH IS NOT SLOW"
SPECIAL NOTE
All workers were unpaid volunteers. All moneys received were
used
for buying fuel, gasoline, grass seed, and other required items and
supplies. Private donors and
organizations such as the Waterville American Legion Post #5
and the
Knights of Columbus
councils of Fairfield and Waterville provided the majority of the financial
support for this restoration.
The Diocese of Portland and the local parishes have not provided a
single penny nor have they had to.
The care and upkeep has now been restored to the St. Francis Cemetery
Association (which is under the
auspices of the Diocese of Portland).
If you wish to make a donation toward this restoration, please make
your check payable to
Halde Cemetery Fund and mail it to:
St.Francis Cemetery Association
c/o Corpus Christy Parish
72 Pleasant Street
Waterville, Maine 04901
NEW
In the spring of 2000, the St.Francis Cemetery Association, the organization
responsible for the care and maintenance of the St.Francis Cemetery of
Waterville, was directed by the Diocese of Portland to take over the care
and maintenance of the Halde Cemetery. This action was received with full
approval and support by the members of Halde Cemetery Committee.
All items used at the cemetery and all residual funds were turned over
to the new custodians. We trust, given the tremendous effort by all those
who worked so hard for so long to give this cemetery the proper care and
respect it and its' entombed deserve, that the Diocese and St.Francis Cemetery
Association will continue to maintain it from now on.
The local parishes will continue to have special collections each year
toward creating a special Halde Cemetery
maintenance fund so that it can receive proper care for perpetuity.
SPECIAL THANKS AND APPRECIATION
TO ALL WHO HAVE
WORKED, OR DONATED MONEY
OR MATERIALS
TOWARD THE RESTORATION
PAST OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE
HALDE CEMETERY COMMITTEE
Robert Violette, chairman (Winslow)
David Donahue, treasurer & chairman (Fairfield)
Robert Chenard, secretary (Waterville)
Maynard Clair, member (Clinton)
Albert Duguay, member (Fairfield)
Robert Turmelle, member (Waterville)
Ray St.Amand, member (Fairfield)
John Pouliot, member (Fairfield)
Joseph Paquette, member (Waterville)
Richard J. Poulin, member (Clinton)
Alcee Vigue, member (Fairfield)
Jean Ann Rancourt, member (formerly of Norridgewock)
Barbara Bailey, member (Fairfield)
Arthur Rancourt, member (Waterville)
Daniel Laflamme, member (Fairfield)
Robert Gilbert, member (Fairfield)
Robert Davidson, member (Fairfield)
PART I
The Gravestone Record
|
PART II
The Genealogical Record
|
PART III
Church &
Funeral Home Records
|
PART IV
Index and Site Map
|
PART V
1993 Newspaper Article
|
NAVIGATING ON THIS WEB SITE
The Halde pages were added to this web site in February
1998
Revised 25 Sep 2000
