Save The Headstones

/Save The Headstones
 
 

 
 
Like any historic cemetery, Oak Hill has monuments or gravesites in need of restoration.
 
 
The Save The Headstones project lets you contribute to our efforts to repair or restore specific headstones, gravesites or lots in the cemetery.
 
With your help, we can memorialize the people buried here by bringing their monuments back to good shape and by telling their stories.
 
These monuments are in the historic sections of the cemetery, and are people  from all walks of life. They are in various states of disrepair from small projects (such as re-standing a fallen stone into its socket) all the way to replacing a missing headstone. 
 
 
A Before and After:
Corporal Tenadore Miller, 8th Michigan Infantry (1844-1864). His monument was restored in 2025 after being adopted by Kevin Ballant.
 
Work on these stones will begin in the spring of 2026, with a goal of completing repairs by the fall, although scheduling may push repairs into 2027 or even further.
 
 
When you adopt a monument, you’ll be asked to make a one-time donation of any amount toward that repair. We ask that you donate the amount listed, but any amount will be accepted. Any funds remaining after the repair is completed will be used on other restoration projects. Work will not begin on a monument until it is fully adopted.
 
When a monument is adopted, we will prepare a brief story about the life or lives of the people you’ve memorialized, and 
 
When the repair is complete we will send you photographs of before and after the repair and a brief history of the person or people you’ve memorialized. And we’ll acknowledge your contribution in our Gazette and at our annual cemetery walk.
 
 
There are also several lots – a group of gravesites related to a family – that need repair. The costs for these are naturally higher than for individual monuments. They’re an excellent opportunity to memorialize ancestors or people of like interests.
 
Contact Us
If you have questions or want to know more, please contact us!
 
Make A Donation
If you’re not interested in adopting a specific monument, you can still donate to support this project and the cemetery in general.
 
Printable Adoption Form
 
If you like, you can print this form and pay by check, credit card or otherwise in-person method instead.
 
 
The List
 
Click a name below to view details on each adoption. Should you choose to adopt one of these headstones, you can use the link below to see information about each, and you can donate via Paypal within each listing. It will be processed through our online store.
 
 
  Name Cost Comments
Adam-Vrooman-West-1-027-1 Adam Vrooman West, Lot 1-027-1 Adopted 1824-1892

Possibly served in the Civil War.

Reverend Joseph Frey 1-076-4 Reverend Joseph Frey, Lot 1-076-4 $425.00 1811-1887

Prominent early Christian missionary.

Eunice-Bromley-McCracken-1-141-4 Eunice Bromley McCracken, Lot 1-141-4 Adopted  
John McCracken 1-141-2 John H. McCracken, Lot 1-141-5 $382.50  
John McCracken 1-141-2 The McCracken Lot 1-141 $765.00 Adopt two  monuments to the McCracken family.
Walter-Ash-4-192-2 Walter Ash, Lot 4-192-2 $382.50 Walter, aged about 4 months, is the son of Jonathan Ash, whose monument was repaired in the summer of 2026.
Judah-Church-4-315-6 Judah and Mary Colby Church, Lot 4-315-5 and 6 Adopted  
 
 
Repaired Monuments, or Monuments Scheduled for Repair
 
  Name Cost Comments
Maria-Brainard-1-027-2-100 Maria Brainard, Lot 1-027-2 Repair Completed 1814-1885

Nurse matron in the Civil War.

Captain William Albertson1-076-6 Captain William Albertson, Lot 1-076-6 Repair Completed  

Served in the Civil War.

John-Carter-2-1-156 John Carter, Lot 2-1-156 Repair Completed Formerly enslaved.
Robert-McCracken-Jr-1-1413 Robert “Old Bob” McCracken, Lot 1-141-3 Repair Completed  
Richard-Hunt-Whitehead-1-169-4 Richard Hunt Whitehead, Lot 1-169-4 Adopted Served in the Civil War.
Almeron-Whitehead-1-169-6 Almeron and Mary Ann Whitehead, Lot 1-169-5 and 6 Adopted Prominent early Waterford businessman.
Henry-Scott-1-200-2 Henry Scott, Lot 1-200-2 Repair Completed Formerly enslaved
Laura-Talbot-Dwight-4-020-1 Laura Talbot Dwight, Lot 4-020-1 Repair Completed Half sister to Evelina Drake. Part of the Drake lot.
Evelina-Drake-4-020-4 Evelina Drake, Lot 4-020-4 Repair Completed Wife of Thomas J Drake. Part of the Drake lot.
Thomas-Drake-4-020-5 Judge Thomas J. Drake, Lot 4-020-5 Repair Completed Prominent early Oakland County lawyer and politician. Served on the Utah Supreme Court and as Michigan’s third lieutenant governor.
Thomas-Drake-4-020-5 The Drake Lot – Lot 4-020 Repair Completed Adopt all three damaged  monuments in this lot.
Jonathan-Ash-4-192-3 Jonathan Ash, Lot 4-192-3 Repair Completed Served in the 4th Michigan during the Civil War. Discharged in 1866 due to disability.
Nancy-Bagley-4-204-1 Nancy Bagley, Lot 4-204-1 Repair Completed  
Elvira-Bagley-Mann-4-204-4 Elvira Bagley Mann, Lot 4-204-4 Repair Completed  
Judge-Amasa-Bagley-4-204-2 Judge Amasa Bagley, Lot 4-204-2 Repair Completed Prominent early Bloomfield settler and associate judge in Oakland County.
James-S-Carpenter-4-204-6 James Carpenter, Lot 4-204-6 Repair Completed Half brother of Amasa Bagley.
Amasa-Bagley-Lot-4-204-2-100 Bagley Lot, Block 4, lot 204 Repair Completed Repair, clean and level three of four monuments on this lot. The lot is partially adopted.
Clarissa-Brownson-4-355-1 Clarissa Bronson, Lot 4-355-1 Adopted  
Luman-Bronson-4-355-4 Luman Bronson, Lot 4-355-4 Repair Completed  
Hannah-Collier-4-370-1 Hannah Collier, Lot 4-370-1 Repair Completed  
Eliza-Collier-4-370-2 Eliza Collier, Lot 4-370-2 Repair Completed  
Isadore-Collier-4-370-5 Isadore Collier, Lot 4-370-5 Repair Completed  
Jennie-Collier-4-370-6 Jennie Collier, Lot 4-370-6 Repair Completed  
Emma-Leggett-4-447-5 Emma Leggett, Lot 4-447-5 Repair Completed  
Percival Leggett-4-447-6 Percival Leggett, Lot 4-447 Repair Completed Served in the Civil War.
  1855 Stone – Part of the Leggett Lot Repair Completed