LIVERMORE – The Livermore Cemetery Committee worked during the summer at the Hillmans Cemetery, Maple Lane Road, removing small trees and bushes in the old metal fence.

The biggest job remains – removing two huge pine trees that are near the road and have branches extending in all directions. Nearly 100 old stones, many made from gray slate, mark gravesites under the pine branches.

The trees are more than 100 feet high, have many dead limbs, and the taller of the two appears to have dry rot at its center. They may have been seedlings when the cemetery was established 200 years ago.

The committee has been seeking estimates for removal of the trees. A reasonable estimate has been received from an Auburn firm, and the committee is seeking donations to meet the estimate of $3,500.

A recent soup and chowder supper raised $525 for cemetery. Funds voted for the restoration of old cemeteries in the present budget has about $900 available for the project, leaving $2,100 to raise.

Of the 100 stones under the trees, seven mark gravesites of Revolutionary War veterans: Billy Benjamin; his father, Samuel Benjamin, who served all seven years of the war; Thomas Chase, who served with John Paul Jones; Simeon Howard; Elijah Livermore, the town’s first permanent settler, Joseph Merrill; and Josiah Wyer.

Four gravesites are marked with the War of 1812 flag holder: John Hayes, Simeon Howard Jr., Jonathan Merrill and Nathaniel Soper. One stone marks the gravesite of a Civil War veteran: Benjamin F. Stevens.

The old slate stones are fragile, cannot be repaired, are carefully decorated and cannot be replaced with similar stones. A large limb came down last winter; fortunately it did no damage to the stones. It took two men to move it to the fence, where it was cut up by chainsaw and hauled away. The committee would like to see the trees removed before winter.

Anyone wishing to donate is encouraged to do so at the Livermore Town Office or by mail, 10 Crash Rd., Livermore, ME 04253. Mark donations “Hillman Cemetery Pine Trees.” For more information, contact Jean Bachelder, committee chairman, at 897-6039, Dennis Stires, vice chairman, at 897-4222 or committee members.