Winter/Spring 2012 - Prospect Hill Cemetery Towson

The View
from historic Prospect Hill Cemetery
Prospect Hill
Cemetery
Located in the heart of Towson at York Road and Washington Avenue Volume 2, Number 1
Winter/Spring 2012
new logo captures setting,
community connection
In developing Prospect Hill’s Strategic Plan, the Board of Directors
identified a need to raise the historic cemetery’s visibility in the
Towson landscape. Thousands of people drive past Prospect Hill
each day but have never actually stepped into the six-acre grounds.
To help build a stronger presence, the board commissioned a new
branding logo (visible on the masthead above).
“The new design captures several important characteristics about
Prospect Hill Cemetery,” says Board Secretary Ginger Mudd
Galvez. “First, we wanted to convey the hilltop setting with its open
views of the sky and beautiful trees. Prospect Hill is essentially a
Victorian, park-like cemetery, which makes it distinct from more
contemporary cemeteries with their flat markers and expanses of
grass. As an historic burial ground that is non-sectarian, we have
many different styles of monuments, headstones and markers.”
She continues, “The road winds down the sloping grounds and
offers views of a picturesque landscape. For many families, that is
a large part of the appeal of the grounds, despite the encroaching
commercial development around it. We chose the color blue to
harmonize with the new street signage around Towson, and to link
the cemetery to the larger community. Prospect Hill is a well-cared
for green space in the heart of Towson that is still open to families
who wish to lay loved ones to rest within its borders.”
P.O. Box 322 • Riderwood, MD 21139-0322 • 410-252-8462
Members of Prospect Hill’s board in front of a
restored Babyland.
Prospect Hill is fortunate to have a dedicated
group of volunteers who are working hard to
implement the strategic plan and enhance the
cemetery’s park-like grounds. All members have
a personal tie to the cemetery or to Towson.
Carolyn Parker Knott – President
Bruce S. Campbell III – Vice President
Vincent P. Nesline, CPA – Treasurer
G. William Goodwin – Assistant Treasurer
Ginger Mudd Galvez – Secretary
Patrick J. Monaghan, IV – Chair, Investment
Committee and Development Committee
Edwin S. Crawford
Barbara A. McLean, M.D.
Henry B. Peck, Jr., Esquire
T. Michael Reier
Catherine R. Soares
Emeritus Directors
Daniel Donnelly
Elizabeth Fannon
Virginia Mudd
Margaret Shipley
Genealogist Catalogues
Prospect Hill Tombstones
William “Bill” E. Wilson, Jr., a professional genealogist,
has volunteered to undertake the systematic
photographing and cataloguing of those who are
buried at Prospect Hill. ”I’ve photographed every
tombstone and grave marker there,” he noted. “I’ve
taken 2,356 photos, including the markers at Babyland.
I’m comparing my photos and looking up obituaries at
the Baltimore County Library online site, then typing
each obituary into a Word document.”
Wilson, who was introduced to Prospect Hill by
Board Treasurer Vince Nesline, anticipates creating
a searchable database that will include his photos
as well as obituaries where available. “Currently,” he
said, “You have to go to three different places to get
that information.” The database is expected to remain
private, accessible only by those with connections to
the cemetery.
A crane removes the 85 ft. spruce that fell during
Hurricane Irene last fall.
Wilson, a local resident and graduate of Boys’ Latin,
Towson State University and Brigham Young University,
became interested in genealogy about 25 years ago,
when he began researching his mother’s family tree. He
started taking photos of cemeteries when, during a trip
to Virginia to research his father’s side of the family, he
realized that they could save him a return trip.
It took Wilson four days to photograph all of the
Prospect Hill markers and tombstones. “The first day
was after the storm hit,” Wilson recalled. “We were lucky
that the trees that fell did not do much damage – but
storms such as that are one reason that the photographs
are so important.”
Look for more information in future issues.
Your donations can help to support this undertaking.
Prospect Hill Cemetery is beautiful in all seasons.
No Pets Allowed
Please help us remind the community that no
dogs or other pets are permitted at the cemetery,
so that we can preserve its beauty and cleanliness.
Unaccompanied children and recreational vehicles
such as skateboards or mopeds also are prohibited.
A complete list of rules and regulations is posted
in the cemetery; a copy is also available on request
by calling 410-252-8462.
Cremation and Plots Available
Perhaps you knew that Prospect Hill still has full
burial lots for sale for $1500, but did you know
that we also offer an option for those who wish to
be cremated? The cremated remains of up to three
individuals may be buried in a full-size burial plot,
if this arrangement is designated at the time of the
lot sale. Individual cremation lots, or half lots, are
available for $750 in a cremation-only section.
Cremation burials may be arranged at a time
convenient for the family. For more information,
call 410-252-8462.
Your Gifts Preserve
Prospect Hill
Every donation, no matter how small or how large,
makes a difference in the care and enhancement
of Prospect Hill. Your generous, tax-deductible
donations make it possible for us as a 501(c)13
charitable organization to continue to maintain
and beautify the cemetery. Please send your gift to:
Prospect Hill Cemetery, P.O. Box 322,
Riderwood, MD 21139-0322
Thank You
for your
contribution
Who Lies at Prospect Hill?
Historic Prospect Hill Cemetery contains many of Towson’s most influential citizens. Many of the individuals
and families who rest in this beautiful place figured prominently in the growth and development of our
community. We continue our journey into the past by looking at the lives of two great athletes who are buried
at the cemetery.
Two Great Lacrosse Contributors
Spring will be here soon, and in Maryland, that means lacrosse. Prospect Hill is home to two key contributors to this
ever-popular game. The first is Frederick W. Stieber, elected to the Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame for his tremendous
achievements in a variety of sports, including lacrosse, swimming, diving, football, basketball and more. The second, Gaylord
“Peck” Auer, was elected to the Lacrosse Hall of Fame for his important contributions to lacrosse above and beyond
his athleticism.
A well-rounded athlete, Stieber made the 1948 Olympic field hockey team, but an injury
prevented his participation. According to a 1992 Baltimore Sun article, his Hopkins
lacrosse coach, Gardner Mallonee, called him “one of the best.” Stieber, who believed that
people should play sports “for the fun you get out of it,” also played for the Mt. Washington
Lacrosse Club.
Stieber and his family were also important to the greater Towson community. A graduate
of Towson High and the University of Maryland, he ran Stieber’s Store, a thriving gourmet
grocery and import business in Towson founded by his father, George, circa 1889. He and
his wife Edith raised two daughters.
Frederick W. Stieber in 1927
Edith Stieber was one of the founders of the Towson Library, as well as an artist and longstanding community volunteer. In
1945, the couple ran the original Meadowbrook pool, adding an ice rink in the 1950s. Stieber passed away in 1992 and his
wife in 2001.
Peck Auer, a graduate of Baltimore City College, was married to Virginia Adams and had one daughter. He long served as an
executive in the Bacharach Rasin Company, a major sporting goods store in Baltimore that sold wooden lacrosse sticks made
in Cornwall Island, Canada, by the Mohawk tribe of the Iroquois Indians. As a fair businessman and important contributor to
the island’s economy, he was named an honorary Indian Chief in 1935.
In 1961, Auer was named Man of the Year by the U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA); in 1969, he was elected
to the Lacrosse Hall of Fame for promoting the game and improving its equipment. Auer passed away in 1981 at age 79.
Do you have a brief family history you’d like to share in our newsletter? Send to: prospecthillcem@aol.com or call 410-252-8462.