Local DAR chapter project recognized
On Feb. 28, Wes Leiser received a certificate for outstanding
contributions to historic preservation in California. For years,
with the support of the Gabilan Chapter of the Daughters of the
American Revolution, Leiser has collected information about a
cemetery on Southside Road.
Local DAR chapter project recognized
On Feb. 28, Wes Leiser received a certificate for outstanding contributions to historic preservation in California. For years, with the support of the Gabilan Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Leiser has collected information about a cemetery on Southside Road.
“DAR recognizes people who do preservation,” said Verona Flint, the historian for the local chapter.
When Leiser put together a booklet of all the information he had collected through the years, Flint submitted it for state and national recognition.
Susan Bergtholdt, the DAR chairwoman for historic preservation, presented the award to Leiser and Gabilan chapter members at a District VI meeting in San Jose.
“It’s basically a potter’s cemetery,” Leiser said a year ago when interviewed for a story on a cemetery cleanup by clients at the homeless shelter. “It was for indigent people. If you didn’t have any money, the county would bury you there.”
He spent four years researching county records and old obituaries.
“There are about 350 names that are listed that have been buried,” Leiser said. “But only six of them are identified [on site] with any kind of name.”
Leiser has actually identified many of the people buried in the cemetery, and the information is in the booklet he created. Copies of his findings will be given to local historical societies in San Benito, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties as well as Gilroy. The DAR state library in Fresno and the DAR National Library in Washington, D.C. will also receive a copy.
“I thought he did such a great job, he should be recognized,” Flint said, noting that Leiser found ways for Eagle Scouts to help on the project. “It’s a forever thing. This is a first for our chapter as well as him.”
