Gershom Noyes Dedication
Clyman/School Number 3 Cemetery
Town of Clyman, Dodge County, WI
May 28, 2011 10:00AM

For years the Clyman/School Number 3 Cemetery had gone unkempt and, for many passers-by, unacknowledged. Every 10 years or so the Daughters of the American Revolution would join forces and come out to clear out whatever brush they could get to in 1 day. Unfortunately over the years mainly vandals and a little of Mother Nature's wrath destroyed many of the headstones in this cemetery. This included one that marked the resting place of Revolutionary War soldier, Gershom Noyes.

In the 1980's there was a rough hand drawn map done as to where the discernable grave markers were (see next page). At that time, there were pieces of an old, rusted fence that were found around a smashed headstone. This location was believed to have been that of Gershom Noyes' resting place.

In 2000 Tim Zimmerman moved from his parents' house 2 houses to the west into the house directly to the west of the cemetery. Having lived right down the road from this cemetery his whole life, Tim knew of its existence. Shortly after moving into the "house next door", Tim began trying to at least mow the cemetery.

Due to the immense brush, uneven ground and trash left from parties and bonfires that had been in the cemetery over the years, this was a chore that was easier said than done. A few of the neighbors had an interest in helping get the cemetery into a better state. With the help of Charles & Lynn Zimmerman, Dale & Mary Krueziger and Nikki Zimmerman (Tim's wife eff. 2002), enough of the brush was cleaned out to the point where Tim could mow most of the cemetery and some plants were planted to help beautify the area.

Shortly before Gershom Noyes' dedication in 2011, a few of the Sons of the American Revolution performed a major clean out in the cemetery taking down dead trees, clearing dead branches and helping to get rid of additional brush that no one had the time to get to previously. They also did what they could to try to pair up existing headstones to their bases, prop up the headstones that had fallen down and try to piece together those headstones that had been shattered. Some were smashed beyond recognition and those were placed on a pile near where they had been found. The end result was a night and day difference from the overgrown cemetery that existed before.

Bailey Concrete out of Clyman, WI donated time and materials to create the memorial which held the plaque from the State of Wisconsin. They wanted to create something that would hold the plaque so it would be both aesthetically pleasing and prevent vandals from stealing it. This was erected near where Gershom Noyes' grave marker was presumed to have been.

from Wisconsin Society Sons of the American Revolution

dedication of new marker

New marker for Gershom