Glenn Stanley Martin

The students in the summer program at Telstar Regional High School, gave a very interesting, and well-executed program on their research and restoration of the Ames Cemetery in Greenwood Center.

The exhibition, presently at the Bethel Historical Society, presents in graphic display the dead resting in the Ames Cemetery, and by extension, provides an explanation of the relationships one to another that the persons had during their several lifetimes.

The website, which is easy to access and move around, is at www.amescemetery.org. It is worth the time to see the layout there and enjoy the photographs.

In the Web version, you will notice one person listed on the map that does not appear on the physical presentation.

This person needs a little explanation too, for they had interesting and very worthwhile life in the Greenwood Community.

On July 11, 1977, through a program of the Oxford County Community Services summer employment program for local youth, I as a counselor, hiked into the Ames cemetery with Ricky Waisanen and Nyoka Clarke, participants in the program, where we worked each day for more than a week cutting brush and resetting stones.

The most recent grave at that time was of Glenn Stanley Martin, 1915-1959 USNR. Glenn Martin was a well-known and most-accomplished artist, uncle to Sandra Martin Dunham Morgan and her brothers.

Glenn had for the latter part of his life been the guardian and caretaker of the Ames Yard.

Glenn Martin, though born after the last of the others buried there had been laid to rest took as his personal project the cutting of bushes and care of this "sacred place" in the history of the town of Greenwood.His long years of quiet service I did not believe should go unrecorded or unnoticed. Likewise with Ricky and Nyoka, they contributed in their time in their way. It is pleasing to me to see a succession of community concern continued.

As a point of interest -- mathematical/genealogical -- Glenn Martin was a second cousin twice removed to Augustus H. Swan who died in 1865.

I believe that Benjamin Franklin was right on when he said, "A Nation is judged by the way in which they treat their Dead."

That being said, the Telstar Students and our own Glenn Martin get Gold Stars for their service to the Community!

I hope that arrangements may be made with the Town Manager of Greenwood, to provide a place for the exhibit by the time of the November election, so that the voting residents and taxpayers have the opportunity to view this fine project at the former Lockes Mills School, now the Town Office and Polling Place of Greenwood.

Stephen Trent Seames

Bethel