Charlie Fleming often rode past the Taylor Cemetery in Forward with his father Howard.
“My dad used to say, ‘That would make a good Eagle project,'” Fleming said.
So when the 2015 Elizabeth Forward High School graduate was looking for a project to complete his Boy Scout eagle scout rank, he recalled his father's advice.
“I wanted to do something that would last and be memorable instead of just slapping some paint on the side of a building,” said Fleming, 17, who lives in Forward with his parents Howard and Darlene.
Begun in September, the project will have spanned nearly a year when he completes it in mid-August.
The cemetery had been vandalized twice in recent years and was overgrown, Fleming said.
As part of his eagle scout project, he trimmed trees and pulled fence posts, which he will replace.
He removed damaged brick and mortar steps and is pouring new concrete for the steps and building a walkway.
“I am looking to put a swing in there,” Fleming said.
The most interesting thing he's learned about the cemetery, Fleming said, was that “not everything is as it seems.”
“There were some headstones in certain places but the bases did not match,” Fleming said. “It's one big jigsaw puzzle. We had to sort where everything was.”
He said about 30 headstones were returned to where they were initially placed.
There are roughly 150 graves in the cemetery, the oldest dating back to 1750. All of the plots have been sold. The last burial occurred there in the spring of 2014, Fleming said.
He is a member of Boy Scouts Troop 1131 in Charleroi. Fleming joined the troop after attending the funeral of a former scoutmaster of the Charleroi troop a few years ago. He was impressed with the scouts, who attended in full uniform.
Fleming said he eventually plans to research the history of the cemetery and write about it for future generations. He has spoken to an elderly woman from Bunola, who told Fleming her father used to dig graves there.
Fleming said he plans to attend JD Lohr School of Woodworking near Valley Forge to become a master woodworker. He first became interested in woodworking while taking some courses in high school. He has since practiced carving on his own. For example, he carved a wooden chain.
Fleming also enjoys playing the guitar and fishing on the Monongahela River at the Elizabeth Boat Launch.
He enjoys old cars and trucks and has dabbled in auto repair at home.
In addition to completing his eagle project, Fleming is completing the requirements for two additional merit badges. His board of review will follow and he is hopeful of receiving the eagle scout honor by the fall.
Fleming said he was aided in the project bysome troop members and a few friends. Otherwise, it has been a labor of love for him.
“I want to thank my family and friends for their help,” Fleming said.
Chris Buckley is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-684-2642 or cbuckley@tribweb.com.
