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.

The project began in the spring of 2026 and we were able to repair 31 headstones this summer. You can see the repaired monuments here.

With your help, we can continue to 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, Lot 1-027-1	Adopted	1824-1892 Possibly served in the Civil War.
Reverend Joseph Frey, Lot 1-076-4	$425.00	1811-1887 Prominent early Christian missionary.
Eunice Bromley McCracken, Lot 1-141-4	Adopted
John H. McCracken, Lot 1-141-5	$382.50
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 and Mary Colby Church, Lot 4-315-5 and 6	Adopted
Isaac Kelley, Lot 4-712	$406.00	1840 – 1861 Civil War soldier, died of disease. Part of the White Lake, Bloomfield and Waterford Kelley family.
Allen S. Lawrence, Lot 1-032	$303.50	1798-1887 Orion Township farmer. Family monument.
Freddie Stevens, Lot 1-084	$218.50	1866-1872 Freddie is the son of Samuel and Rebecca Stevens, founding members of the Newman AME Church in Pontiac.
Ella Beardsley, Lot 1-153	$473.50	Ella was the wife of Edwin Beardsley and the daughter of Charles Draper, a prominent early Pontiac resident.
Martha Scott Linzey, Lot 1-211	Adopted	1843-1885 Martha Linzey was born in Kentucky and living in Canada around 1860, strongly suggesting she was formerly enslaved.
James and Mary ‘Doig’ Davie, Lot 1-280	$431.00	1843-1884 & 1854-1883James Davie was a Mason, and a harness maker for many years. Mary ‘Doig” Davie died at 34 of consumption.
Barney Gilbert, Lot 1-282	$346.00	1779-1846 Barney Gilbert was a farmer of modest means. His farm was along Auburn Road east of Opdyke.
James Bangs, Lot 4-004	$261.00	1828-1875 James was a Pontiac based miller who died after selling his house and taking out insurance policies that covered death by suicide. His death was ruled an act of God in a jury trial.
John & Mary Hickmott, Lot 4-070	$431.00	1786-1878 & 1796-1863John was a laborer. He and his wife emigrated from England. This monument and William Hickmott’s monument can be adopted as a lot.
William Hickmott, Lot 4-070	$346.00	1816-1896 “Uncle Billy” was born in Kent County, England. He worked for many years as a stockman on the Dunning farm in Rochester.
The Hickmott Lot, 4-070	$777.00	Adoption of this lot repairs the monuments of John and Mary Hickmott and their son, William.
Electa Marsh, Lot 4-233	$516.00	1814-1897 Resident of Pontiac and the wife of Lyman Marsh. Lyman died on October 15 1891. Their daughter Ellen Marsh Petty died on October 16, the next day.
Louis Hagerman, Lot 4-233	$218.50	1875-1886 Louis was the 11 year old son of David and Helen Hagerman of Bloomfield.
Christopher & Jane Bulman, Lot 4-352	$510.00	1808-1872 & 1809-1884Christopher and Jane emigrated to Michigan in 1831. Their farm was 1 mile north of Auburn, east of Pontiac.
Edward Peck, Lot 4-353	$516.00	1807-1889 A prominent merchant in both Troy Township and Pontiac, he emigrated here in 1831. He served as secretary of the Oakland County Pioneer Society for ten years.
Alonzo Mather, Lot 4-414	$431.00	1802-1846 Alonzo T Mather played a role in Wayne County Whig politics. He was born in Monkton Vermont and had settled here by 1837.
Rachel J. ‘Wallace’ Fay, Lot 4-414	$431.00	1822-1869 Daughter of James Wallace – A pioneer per obit.
Ezra Rood, Lot 4-480	$303.50	1781-1836 Early Bloomfield Township landowner and tailor in Pontiac. (Not listed in cemetery records.)
Betsey Rood, Lot 4-480	$261.00	1782-1872 Ezra and Betsey had a family of 10 children. Betsey was born in Claremont, N.H.
Rood Lot, Lot 4-480	$564.50	Adopting the full lot repairs both the obelisk and small “Mother” stone belonging to Betsey Rood.
Ithuel & Lydia Churchill, Lot 4-532	$516.00	1806-1862 & 1821-1873Ithuel Churchill was a farmer just north of Pontiac. Lydia Marston Churchill was his second wife.
Minnie F. Voorheis, Lot 4-533	$261.00	Unknown Daughter of J. Luther and L. Voorheis, age 2 years old.
Houghtie Voorheis, Lot 4-533	$261.00	1865-1868 Son of J. L. and L. Voorheis, age 2-3 years old.
William W. Norton, Lot 4-533	$388.50	1872-1896 “Willie” died at age 24 of consumption. He was a laborer.
William & Maud Furse, Lot 4-674	$261.00	1880-1974 & 1881-1936William Furse was a painter.
David Leland, Lot 4-674	$388.50	1815-1866 David Leland emigrated from England. He had farms in Waterford and Milford at different times. This monument can also be adopted as part of the Leland Lot.
Gittie Leland, Lot 4-674	$456.00	1805-1881 Gittie was the wife of David Leland.
The Leland Lot, Lot 4-674	$844.50	The Lelands were farmers in Milford and Waterford. Adopting this lot repairs the monuments of both Gittie and David Leland.
Helen K. Gilmer, Lot 4-679	$261.00	1810-1901 Helen died of old age at 91 years old.
Burdick J. Fuller, 4-695	$346.00	1842-1930 Burdick Fuller was a farmer in Avon Township and a soldier in the American Civil War.
Charlotte ‘Moore’ Fuller, Lot 4-695	$218.50	1812-1894 Housewife and mother of Burdick J Fuller.
The Fuller Lot, Lot 4-695	$564.50	Adopting this lot repairs the monument to the family of Burdick J. Fuller along with the headstone of his mother, Charlotte.
James Eldridge, Lot 4-732	$218.50	1851-1911 James was black and a plasterer by trade. He was born in Alabama.
Catherine Merryweather, Lot 1-126	$431.00	1854-1855 One year old daughter of Algernon and Catherine Merryweather.
George Merryweather, Lot 1-126	$431.00	1849-1855 Six year old son of Algernon and Catherine Merryweather
Maria Merryweather Gough, Lot 1-126	$431.00	1802-1893 One of three Merryweather sisters who were music teachers.
George Merryweather Sr., Lot 1-126	$431.00	1769-1852 Father of the three Merryweather music teachers.
Juliet Merryweather, Lot 1-126	$431.00	1816-1866 One of three Merryweather sisters who were music teachers.
The Merryweather Lot, Lot 1-126	$2,155.00	Adopt all five monuments on the Merryweather lot.