Buried with his parents Mr. Floris Bancker and Mrs. Maria Hollister Bancker. Also his sister Eliza. John’s child Zua A. Bancker may also be buried near him, but it is unclear.
John’s original base was crumbled and his headstone had fallen.
We constructed a wood form for a new base, and inserted styrofoam in preparation for concrete.
The concrete has cured and is ready for John’s headstone to be fitted into the new base.
John Bancker’s headstone once again stands tall and proud next to the rest of his family in The Old Centreville Cemetery.
Mr. Christian Hertel and Mrs. Cristiane Hertel
Mr. and Mrs. Hertel’s headstones were found buried and broken into several pieces under about three inches of sod.
The ground has been leveled, the wood forms have been built and now ready for the next step.
The forms have been poured, styrofoam inserted and waiting for the cement to cure.
Mr. Christian Hertel’s headstone on the right is ready for clamp removal. Once the clamps are removed the cracks will be filled with special historic mortar and some of the letters will be touched up.
With help from some HODARs (Husband of DAR) and a neighbor to the cemetery, Mrs. Cristiane Hertel’s headstone has its final piece put in place. The headstone will be clamped until the special epoxy has set and then cracks will be filled in.
With both headstones having been buried for about a decade, they are now standing together again. We are proud to present to you, Mr. Christian and Mrs.Cristiane Hertel.
Old Newspaper Clippings from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s
Fun Events and Field Trips
Burr Oak Parade
Pie eating contest at Covered Bridge Days
Mendon Riverfest
Field trip with Galloway-Prentice Chapter, NSDAR
Memorial Day in Centreville
Root Beer Float Fundraiser
Memorial Day in Sturgis
First Place Riverfest Parade
Float Covered Bridge Days
Memorial Day in Sturgis
Christmas Party 2023
HODARs Visiting During Our Meeting
Our Cemetery Project
Our Adopted Cemetery, “The Old Centreville Cemetery”
A sign that will go over the new black iron gate and fence.
A high school student helps to reset sunken headstones.
Taking On A Big Task
Cleaning Headstones
Leveling Headstones
Adding historic lime mortar to set the headstone in the new slotted base.
Removing a Broken Marble Base
Preparing the Base
With a new slotted base and the styrofoam removed, now waiting for cement to cure
Caroline Nelp was born in France in 1791 and died in Centreville in 1870.
Eliza Bancker, 1835-1873, is the sister to John Bancker, a Civil War veteran
The Bancker family; John, Eliza, Maria, Floris and Caroline Nelp in the foreground. All headstones are getting new slotted bases
The Bancker family standing tall together once again with Caroline Nelp’s headstone in the background.
Mixing Cement for a New Slotted Base
The Amos Sturgis Chapter, NSDAR, gang cleaning up debris from a storm.
An assembly line of new slotted bases.
This headstone was found under three inches of sod and broken into three pieces. A new slotted base was made. It is clamped and waiting for the special epoxy to harden.
