possession after Mr. Fleming's death. In 1930 a gravel road was constructed through the eastern portion of the grounds, connecting with the township road to the north, and an iron fence was erected along the road. This portion, about the size of the adjoining St. Joseph Catholic cemetery, has not been platted.
The brick building for use of the sexton was built in 1892 by James McAldon at a cost of $885. A large cistern was dug to provide water for flowers and plants. As the cemetery is outside the city limits, there seems no legal way to pipe water to the grounds.
James T. Hewitt was appointed the first sexton January 17, 1863 and continued until November 16, 1891. He was a bachelor and lived alone in the southeast part of El Paso, and during his absence on February 21, 1890, his home burned and the only book with the earliest burial records was destroyed.
It has been impossible to duplicate that record, as the recording of vital statistics was not done as it is today. Because of this, there is some doubt as to the identity of the first person interred. The El Paso Journal of December 26, 1885 states: "Three children of Isaac J. Jenkins, Sr. died of scarlet fever so close together they were buried in one grave, the first burials in the new cemetery." George Curtiss had much time thereafter for research and historical study and we believe his writings of a later date more accurate than were Editor Meek's in 1885. The Journal under Curtiss, said on August 20, 1936: "It is believed the first burial in Evergreen was the body of Ethel Branch, daughter of the Baptist pastor who presided at the organization meeting in August, 1859. The child was two or three years of age." Mrs. H. H. Baker and others may recall a statement of Robert Hitch, an early settler of the community, who said a woman dropped dead in the depot while waiting to change cars, could not be identified and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, the first burial there. Another point to confuse is the fact that a number of monuments in Evergreen show deaths prior to the date the cemetery was organized. All these were removed from farm graves to the new cemetery, for burials were often made in the early days on the farm. Later nearly all of these were removed to established cemeteries but a few are being farmed over today.
Mr. Hewitt's service of nearly twenty-nine years was the longest any sexton has served. William Carver succeeded Hewitt, and then came
March 4, 1896: J. D. Reid
1897: David North
1912: Percy Kingdon
1918: Edward Faulk
March 25, 1932: William H. Bonar
November 12, 1939: Charles S. Abbott
March 31, 1945: William H. Gossmeyer.
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