Future Eagle Scout leads restoration at Parrish Cemetery

Jeff French watched his son, Ben, direct more than 30 volunteers Dec. 1 at the Parrish Cemetery as they went about their clean-up duties.

"I'm proud of him," the elder French said of his son's efforts to add mulch and plants while also cleaning grave markers at the aging cemetery. "We've lived in Parrish 13 years and we didn't even know this place existed."

Ben French, a junior at Braden River High School and a member of Troop 89 of East County's Christ Presbyterian Church, was looking for a service project in his quest to earn his Boy Scouts' Eagle Scout designation, In doing research, he came upon the cemetery, which holds considerable historical significance and is home to more than 100 veterans of the Seminole Wars forward.

Among the graves is one belonging to William Turner, who according to a memorial at the site was responsible for establishing the eventual Bradenton. Among the history was the fact Bradenton initially was named Braidentown, instead of the intended Bradentown (after Dr. Joseph Braden who built Ft. Braden) because the name was misspelled when it was sent to Washington, D.C., for approval. The mistake later was corrected to Bradentown in 1905 and in 1924 became Bradenton.

Turner, who died in 1881, became Braidentown's first postmaster along with being a solider during the second of the Seminole Wars. His great-granddaughter, Bradenton's Jackie Ragan, was present during the work party.

"This is what is needed here," Ragan said as she looked over the workers performing myriad tasks. "We send in contributions (to the Parrish Cemetery Association) to make sure it gets mowed and weed-eated, but it's not enough."

Mike Buice, who is president of the Parrish Cemetery Association, said his nonprofit has a very small budget. "People think the cemetery is maintained by the county but we live solely on donations."

The association already had scheduled a work day Dec. 1, but French decided he could support that effort by seeking volunteers.

He recruited eight of his fellow Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp students to help along with five fellow members of Troop 89. He then campaigned to get more members of the community to show up. Home Depot donated the mulch and plants.

"We've been trying to get this done, but we couldn't get enough people to do it," said Vivian Buice, Mike Buice's mother who has lived in Parrish all of her 90 years. "I really appreciate this."

French, who now needs only one more merit badge to complete his Eagle award, said one of the reasons he chose the project was the many war veterans buried at the site. He is hoping to attend the U.S. Naval Academy after graduating from Braden River High next year.

He noted how much he appreciated all the volunteers' help.

"One of the major parts of this has been cleaning the headstones," he said. "We take buckets of Dawn soap, and antimold and mildew cleaner. It is very labor intensive."

Braden River High senior Tatiana Martinez of Lakewood Ranch said she didn't mind showing up on a Saturday because French was running the program.

"Anything to do with community service, I help out," she said. "And Ben is hard-working. He knows what he is doing."

Anyone who would like to make a donation toward cemetery cleanup can call 737-3961.