Post date: Apr 23, 2010 6:47:15 PM
Date: May 23, 2009
Time: 10:00 AM
Place: Quail Hollow State Park Brumbaugh's Family Cemetery
A Revolutionary War Memorial to honor Pvt. Conrad Brumbaugh from Frederick County Maryland as a soldier, frontiersmen and original settler in Lake Township.
The graveside service had Boy Scouts and Revolutionary War Soldiers as well as other community leaders.
The following is my recollection and of the event:
When we got to Quail Hollow the troops were gathering (literally) for the big event. Had to park in their main parking lot and walk back to the cemetery. Everyone brought their ow
n lawn chair like we were instructed to do
, but no one set down. Right away everyone was talking about family history. It became which child of Conrad was your link. Of course we are Henry, so if there was anyone else from Henry, you felt a real kinship.
The Boy Scouts and the Revolutionary Era Soldiers (RES) made their way to the North or far end of the cemetery. RES pretty much stood at attention during the whole memorial. The 5 Boy Scouts all had various flags they were holding - current US flag and not really sure what the others were. Colleen was fascinated by the Scouts detailed attention to which flag was to stand the tallest - the US Flag and how the kid who had to hold it did not have the strength to keep it straight. It was the drama inside the drama.
The important people all came into the cemetery and lined up on the West side. We the attendees were allowed to come into the cemetery and stand on the South end. The Lake Historical Society President, Sam, was in charge. He read a history of Conrad. Tobin, from the church, gave the invocation and then another reading and prayer during the memorial. There were proclamations from a State Representative and a Lake Township Trustee. Then there was the placing of two red-white-blue wreaths at Conrad's tombstone.At this point we were all left the cemetery so that the RES at the North end could fire their salute. Those three guns were loud. On the first volley I jumped and got a picture of the top of a tree. On the next two volleys, I was prepared. That was it the memorial was over.Everyone got back together and started talking. One woman had brought her copy of the Brumbaugh History written in 1913. It is over 1000 pages. It is the gospel of the Brumbaugh family. I use it all the time at the library. She brought her second printing copy, leaving her first printing copy book at home. She let everyone know that her husband was the only real Brumbaugh there, since he still had the surname Brumbaugh. I did get a number of business cards and email addresses. I am to get a copy of a DVD of a presentation on the Brumbaugh family at an earlier Historical Meeting. Both Colleen and Bill made the rounds with people. Colleen would get promises from people to send me information, giving out my business card and email address. Bill new some of the people there and has a grasp of the Brumbaugh ownership of land in the area.By Jim Wise
May 23, 2009