OUR FIRST NEWSLETTER

This is the Mt. Zion Historical Society’s first newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to establish a direct line of communication to those who have an interest in the history of Bennett’s Valley together with the events and projects of the Mt. Zion Historical Society that includes the Mt. Zion Historical Park.

This e-mail newsletter is intended for our members as well as other interested parties such as local news and community organizations. In addition, this e-mail newsletter gives you an easy tool in communicating with the Historical Society in as cost effective means as possible.

You can help the Historical Society my e-mailing the e-mail addresses of friends and relatives who you feel would be interested in receiving this newsletter to Jim Burke at jburke@mtzionhistoricalsociety.org.

OUR WEB-SITE

We at the Mt. Zion Historical Society are proud of our new website. The address is www.mtzionhistoricalsociety.org. We have found that we can more easily and cost effectively communicate to our members and friends of the Society- something we could have never afforded to do without this technology.

The web-site is an ongoing project as information is being added and changes are being made almost daily to the site. You can be a great help by e-mailing us your comments , suggestions, and information to share to either Jim Burke , the Society President or Bob Nay , our website coordinator.

Your input is not only most appreciative, it is important. We want this website to be interesting and useful to you so you will recommend it to others and come back often. Thank you.

MEMORIAL DAY -2009

The Society has tentatively set Saturday – May 23rd, for the 3rd annual Memorial Day celebration. More news on this event will be forthcoming in the future. Since the 2008 Memorial Day Dedication there will over one hundred additional Veteran granite pavers added in the Veterans’ Walkway making a total of over two hundred pavers in the walkway.

VETERAN’S PAVERS

Granite pavers are available to all veterans who meet one of the three qualifications:
1. Those that were born in either Jay or Benezette Townships, or
2. Those who are buried in either Jay or Benezette Townships, or
3. Those who had a residence in either Jay or Benezette Townships at the time of their death.

The cost of a granite paver is $50.00. You can get an application for a paver by accessing the link or by contacting Susan McClintick. Complete the application and forward to Susan McClintick, McClintick Road, Weedville, Pa. 15868, along with a check $50.00.

Free granite pavers have been funded jointly by The Historical Society and Valley American Legion Post #978 for all veterans meeting the above qualifications up to and including World War I and all veterans who were killed in action, missing in action or who were a POW. Review the veteran’s names by clicking on the Vet List link. This list indicates those veterans who have granite pavers installed in the Veteran’s Walkway and the status of the brick pavers which have been ordered but not yet installed.

REMEMBERING OUR VETERAN’S

On the Honoring our Veterans page of the Mt. Zion Historical Society’s web-site is our special project “Lest We Forget”. Here are stories honoring and remembering our veterans. Many thanks to Evo G. Facchine who granted permission to use a number of his stories, and thanks to those that have contributed stories of their loved veterans and families. This project has exceeded our dreams and we hope you find these both interesting and inspirational as well. If you would like to add a story to this collection contact Jim Burke of the Mt. Zion Historical Society.

WANTED VETERANS INFORMATION

The Veteran names posted on the web-site, Recognizing our Veteran’s have been compiled from American Legion – Post 978’s deceased veteran’s list of those veterans buried in Jay and Benezette Townships, plus those veterans, both living and deceased, who have granite pavers in the Veteran’s Walkway at the Mt. Zion Historical Park, plus those veterans that we could find that were born in Jay or Benezette Townships, that are not buried in either of these two townships.

We would be most grateful if you would furnish us the names of any veterans you know or are aware of who names should be on this list, particularly those veterans born in either of the above two mentioned townships, but are not buried in either of these two townships by e-mailing Jim Burke . Also information to fill in the empty blanks of those veterans listed would be most appreciated. This information would include such items as branch of service, rank, birth and deceased dates. You help in this endeavor will be most helpful.

BENEZETTE BRIDGE DEDICATION

Ron Guilyard, active in Vietnam Affairs, has announced that the new Benezette Bridge will be dedicated in honor of John Showers of Benezette on October 3, 2009. John Showers was the only casualty from Jay and Benezette Townships of the Vietnam conflict. Addition information will be announced soon.

You may contact Ron Guilyard at USA_ron@yahoo.com for details.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIP

The Mt. Zion Historical Society is offering two scholarships totaling $1,000.00. The St. Marys Area School District has agreed to work with the Society on this project. The scholarship is open to all students who have an interest in the history of Bennett’s Valley. You can get additional information on the scholarship by contacting Rita Fence Ovell, Abby Road, Weedville, Penna. 15868 – Phone 814-787-7282, or e-mailing her at rdgrnrs2@windstream.net. The funds for the scholarship have been made available by the sponsorship of our donors.

THE ELK COUNTY GENEALOGY SITE

The Mt. Zion Historical Society’s website coordinator, Bob Nay, is also the genealogy county coordinator for both the Elk County and Cameron County genealogy websites for the PAGenWeb– The Pennsylvania Genealogy Website project. These sites are rapidly becoming the most comprehensive genealogy websites for Elk and Cameron Counties. You will find these sites an excellent resource for your family and ancestor searches.

HISTORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA ELK

Ralph Harrison’s, of Dents Run, book on the History of Pennsylvania - ELK COUNTRY has recently been released. This book offers an interesting and informative story on the local Elk herd.

The book is available from The Pennsylvania Forestry Association, and locally from the Benezette Store, and other locations to be announced. Click on the this link for ordering information.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETINGS

The Historical Society meets on the third Tuesday of every month except for December at 7:00. During the winter months the meetings are held in the basement of the Weedville Wesleyan Church. During the summer months meetings are held at the park weather permitting. Meetings are open to public and you are more than welcome to come and participate in the meetings.

We Want Your Comments on our First Newsletter

This is our first Mt Zion Historical Society newsletter- "The Bennett's Valley History Gazette" and we would very much like your comments and feedback to make future editions extra special for you. You can email Jim Burke with your comments. We hope you have found this interesting and of interest.

To UnSubscribe or Add Another Person to our Distribution

If you know of others that would like to be added to our email distribution list please email Bob Nay and indicate subscribe with the person's name and email.

If you do not wish to receive this email newsletter in the future, please email Bob Nay and indicate unsubscribe and your email.

 

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All materials located on this website are the sole property of the Mt. Zion Historical Society and its contributors.