Gedney Tomb, Charter St. Cem., Salem, MA
Yesterday I visited the Gedney Tomb in Salem, the resting place of John, Eleazer and Bartholomew. There appear to be five inscriptions on the red sandstone table stone, but time has done its damage. No surprise there. The brick base upon which the stone rests is covered with cement, which is crumbling and whatever insert/applied carving existed at the top of the table stone has been pried off. Heavy traffic [The cemetery is on the Witchcraft Tour, see http://salemwitchmuseum.com/tour/site16.html]http://salemwitchmuseum.com/tour/site16.html] around the tomb means that there is no grass and the soil is being worn away. I'll be trying to determine who is responsible for cemetery maintenance in Salem, what could/can/should be done to prevent further deterioration, and how to go about it. Apparently some restoration was done at the end of the 19th century. Maybe it is time for another round.
If you know anything about the Salem Cemetery Commission or about tombstone restoration, I'd especially like to hear from you.
Marnie