Many of the Friends of Silverbrook are involved in genealogy. At the January 2012 meeting of the Tree Climbers, the grave search database on www.friendsofsilverbrook.org was helpful in finding attendees' family members buried at Silverbrook Cemetery. See www.nileslibrary.com for more information.
The Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery work with local history and genealogy groups. Here are some upcoming events that you might be interested in attending.
From www.southbendtribune.com:
The Local History and Genealogy Department of Niles District Library will host a series of gatherings for the beginning genealogist on the first Saturday of every month, beginning from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec 3. Staff will provide a brief demonstration of how to use an aspect of the collection, each month highlighting a different resource. In addition, the community Room will be available for discussion. Experienced genealogist are also encouraged to participate in a mentoring role. Laptops and a projector will be available upon request. More information can be found at www.nileslibrary.com or by calling the Niles District Library information desk at 269.683.8545, ext 112. As always, any program or event at the Niles District Library is free to the public.
From www.southbendtribune.com:
Carol Bainbridge, executive director of the Fort St. Joseph Museum in Niles, will discuss German Christmas customs at a gathering at 1:30 p.m. at the Center for History, 808 W. Washington Street, South Bend, IN. The "Insights in History" event will focus on German decorations, foods and other traditions. The program will include a guided tour of the first floor of Copshaholm, the Oliver family mansion. The house is decorated for the holidays. Admission is $3 per person or $1 for members. Reservation are required by Dec 5 by calling 574.235.9664.
April 2011
April is the month Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery reach out to our supporters with the heartfelt message - please help us continue to make improvements and repairs in and around the 60 acres of Silverbrook!
Your generous donations in 2010, as always, were put to good use. Partnering with the City, three new water lines were installed, making it more convenient for families to water plants at grave sites. New color should also appear this spring. The Four Flags Garden Club and their John Gipner Memorial inspired us to add landscaping around the Bell Tower and the front entrance. We're hoping the deer will leave it alone and allow it to grow! Our website has been expanded, with photos and obituaries being added. Genealogists LOVE to do research on this site. Along with the tireless efforts of our volunteers, your contributions have allowed us to continue restoring some of our oldest grave markers. This past summer, thirty two stones dating back to the 1800's were repaired in the Bond section of the cemetery. We also continue to assist the City by providing walking tours, cemetery brochures, and flags honoring our veterans.
Please consider renewing your membership so our efforts can continue in 2011. You may renew in the traditional way using the form (click here) or, if it is more convenient, you may go to our website and utilize Pay Pal. We promise our non-profit group will use your money with the expressed intent of improving the cemetery to honor the 28,000 citizens interred there and the good families who remember them. Historic Silverbrook Cemetery has been a beautiful final resting place since 1836. Let us help the city of Niles keep it very special for all who pass through our gates.
Sincerely,
Ginny Tyler, Membership Chairman Candace Skalla, President
We're in the process of moving some things around behind the scenes so we can improve the reliability of the website. If you see the website here down on occasion, don't panic! We have some very large files to move to the new server and there is no pretty way to move them quicker. Hopefully we can get everything done in a month.
Drop me a line if you have any questions.
Bob Nightingale, webmaster@friendsofsilverbrook.org
Update 2/27/2011
I think I have most of the website moved over now. If you can read this you are on the new website! I have plenty of clean up to do. Let me know if something isn't working. --Bob N.
Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery
2010 Annual Report
Candace Skalla, President
The Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery would like to thank the City of Niles, Niles District Library, Fort Saint Joseph Museum, Bob Cooley (BCGS), and the many volunteers who have donated numerous hours of time, talent, and equipment to this effort.
Thank you to Martin's Super Market and PepsiCo for a $500.00 Grant awarded to the Friends. This Grant was presented to the City of Niles to purchase flags and flag holders to mark the final resting place of service veterans currently without appropriate markings. The Friends donated an additional $400.00 to the City of Niles for purchase of flags for the cemetery.
The Annual Membership Drive and generous donations made it possible to donate $1,000.00 to the City to install three new waterlines and faucets in the Garden of Memory. The work was completed in October of 2010 by Gordon Engineering Company.
DEDICATION EVENTS at Silverbrook Cemetery:
A Veterans Recognition Service for Brigadier General Henry A. Morrow, U.S. Volunteer was held on May 8th conducted by Frederick H. Hackman Camp No. 85. The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Brandywine History Club, GAR, and the Friends cleaned the family headstones before the event.
A dedication ceremony "P.S. Bring Flowers" John Gipner Project was held on May 29th by The Four Flags Garden Club. A grave site dedication included members of the John Gipner family, Amtrack officials, City of Niles, Rev Fran-Lane Lawrence and the Friends. A reception hosted by the Garden Club followed the dedication at the Niles train depot.
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2010:
The Friends and Bob Cooley (BCGS) held 7 Saturday work sessions with 28 volunteers giving 84 volunteer hours. Restoration or repairs were completed on 32 headstones.
The Friends web-site is maintained and updated by Bob Nightingale, Vicki Caison and Mary Ellen Drolet. In 2010, our web-site had over 9,028 visitors compared to the 7,300 in 2009. The "Grave Search Feature" now has 20,685 records online. We have 11,914 photographs in the web gallery and 1,688 obituaries posted for review. A "NEW" Friends Face Book page currently has 25 Friends which is maintained by Bob Nightingale.
"The Silverbrook Legacies" series written by Kathy Hempel published 7 featured stories in our local newspaper, The NILES DAILY STAR.
Guest Speakers at our Monthly Meetings Included:
*Kathy Hempel : Silverbrook Legacies stories
*Katie Johnson-Rohman, Editor, Leader Publication
*Carol Bainbridge: Bonine House and Family
The Friends participated in Community Events:
*Michiana History Days (Buchanan)
*Brandywine Civil War Week-end
The Friends worked with the Brandywine History Club, Niles District Library and Fort Saint Joseph Museum to offer a "Bus-City Tour" school field trip for 110 Brandywine second graders and volunteers.
The Annual Cemetery Walking Tour this year included a "Living History” ' re-enactors representing historical personalities interred at the cemetery. Featured citizens included: Edward LaPierre, Fanny Lacey, Jeppe and Fannie Delano, John Gipner, John and Horace Dodge family. The event was held on September 18th with Carol Bainbridge (FSJM) as our tour guide. Thank you to Friends Mike and Sue Armstrong, Gina Dunham, Tim Skalla, Debby Barkman , and John Mischler for a great job!
The Annual Membership Drive is held in April of each year. The membership roster currently has 145 members listed.
MEMBERSHIP PROJECTS FUNDED IN 2010:
*Donation for three new waterlines and faucets in the Garden of Memory
*Donation to purchase flags for cemetery
*Purchase of cleaning and restoration supplies
*Purchase of Bradford Pear Tree for the Garden of Memory
*Printing of membership letters, brochures, cemetery maps, cemetery tour brochures and reprint of pages for cemetery office use of cemetery plat maps
*Postage for mailings
Thank you for your continued support in this endeavor.
Respectfully,
Candace Skalla