Reading Declaration out loud

HARPSTER – Many people ring in the Fourth of July with parades, picnics and fireworks. In one small Wyandot County cemetery, the holiday is also observed with the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence. This year marks the 60th rededication of John Green Cemetery in Pitt Township near Harpster, according to Becky Swoager. Her father, the late Judge Charlton Myers, started the tradition in 1963. "The first rededication was held on Memorial Day. Then he decided to combine it with the Fourth of July, combining the two and celebrating the people (buried in the cemetery) and celebrating the Fourth of July and what it means to Americans," she explained. The noon event is open to the public. The cemetery is just off Prospect-Upper Sandusky Road, about one mile south of Harpster and half-mile north of the Wyandot/Marion county line road. An American flag will mark the entry. The cemetery is about quarter of a mile down the lane. "It's always at high noon on Fourth of July except when it falls on a Sunday and then we move it to 1 p.m.," said Swoager. "By 12:30, the program is over and we have lunch." Joanne Forman Rollison will give the reading which is expected to take 20 minutes. Those attending are invited to bring a picnic lunch if they want. In case of rain, the event will be held at the Morral-Salt Rock Township Fire Department building, 143 S Green St., Morral. Remembering again The cemetery is located on family land, Swoager said. "And we're not related by blood to any of those people buried there. We think there are approximately 28 souls buried there and it would have been between 1831 and 1863," she said. One of the earliest burials was Nancy L. Mount, the 7-year-old daughter of Thomas and Margaret Mount, who died Oct. 7, 1831. The last known burial was Mary Wright, who died May 27, 1863 at the age of 26. Swoager said her father rediscovered the cemetery while he was hunting in the early 1960s. By that time, it was overgrown and stones were down and broken. "I think he knew it was there. I think it was one of those things he had so many other interests," she said. When the judge came upon the cemetery, he decided it was time to restore the old burial grounds. "I remember a time when you couldn't see the cemetery, it was so overgrown with bushes and trees, unless you knew it was there," Swoager recalled. Myers restored the cemetery and on Memorial Day 1963 held a rededication. Charles H. Lewis of Harpster made remarks and the Rev. Marvin Crabtree of Morral offered the invocation and benediction. A picnic lunch followed. The following year, the event was moved to Independence Day, she said. Myers would always read the Declaration of Independence. Sticking with tradition "The Declaration of Independence is not easy to read. There are a number of archaic words used," said Swoager. "And it's written in a style where you and I would pause in a sentence, it might not be the appropriate place to pause. It's not an easy thing to do." As many times as her father gave the reading, she said he still would spend several hours beforehand practicing. Originally just family and some friends attended. But over the years, the audience has grown to an average of 40-50 people, Swoager said. When Myers died in 1969, Swoager and her two older sisters weren't ready to take over the program, yet, she said. Several attorneys and friends of her father would read the document until family members later got involved. "I do kind of an introduction," she said. "A couple of times people have had a little extra something to read, about three or four minutes. So the Declaration of Independence is the focus. It's not like it's a lengthy thing but we have always read the Declaration of Independence." She said this year an old friend from Morral will do the reading. Swoager and Rollison grew up together in Morral and graduated from Ridgedale High School together. "We try to have someone different do the reading every year. It doesn't always work out," said Swoager. "Some people are very anxious to read. Some people are reluctant to read." Swoager herself had the opportunity to read once, although it wasn't planned. A niece who had agreed to present the document had traffic issues while coming from her home in Detroit. She was still half an hour away at noon so the group decided not to wait. "And luckily, I try to read through it several times myself in preparation for that kind of instance," she said. Family, friends and neighbors attend each year along with residents from nearby Harpster. "Of course when Daddy was reading and since then, people from Marion come, and then anybody who happens to read it in the paper or hears it on the radio," said Swoager. "Everybody is invited to come and hear the reading and bring a picnic lunch if they want. We have some friends who come just for the reading." She thinks her father would be pleased. "I think he would be very happy that this tradition has continued," she said. For information call Swoager at 614-888-2805 or 614-203-0023, or Judy Swartz at 740-496-4242 or 740-360-2901. * WANT TO GO What: Reading of Declaration of Independence When: Noon, July 4Where: John Green Cemetery in Pitt Township