YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) – A historic York County cemetery held a special military headstone dedication ceremony on Saturday. The Lebanon Cemetery says it’s the largest and one of the oldest African American cemeteries in York County.

Over 300 Black veterans are buried at Lebanon Cemetery in York. Many don’t have a military headstone, but now five more do.

“One of the stones that we put in today was for a gentleman that served in the Civil War. So we think about how long it has taken, over 100 years since his death to be able to recognize him,” said Friends of Lebanon Cemetery founder Samantha Dorm.

Families of James Hopkins and John Noble were at the military headstone dedication ceremony. Dr. Dorothy King is the great granddaughter of John Noble who served in the Union Army during the Civil War.

“This is a day in which we are celebrating the ancestors and I’m so very proud of them, for the things that they’ve done,” said King.

As King walked around the cemetery, she met and honored family members she has never met in a special way.

“In the African tradition one can pour libation which is what that’s called pour libations for the ancestors. So, it’s a way of honoring them and celebrating them,” said King.

Samantha Dorm, Friends of Lebanon Cemetery is a group of volunteers that work to uncover York County’s African American burial grounds.

Dorm uncovered part of her family.

“Three of the five that were represented today are part of my family and I didn’t know that, “said Dorm.

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After the ceremony, dozens of volunteers stayed to clean headstones, mow, pull weeds, and replant several headstones that were sinking into the ground.

One veteran who served in the Army National Guard says this is special to him.

“To these family members, to be able to come together and represent their loved ones here today… it might help them get some closure. Some of them might not have even known that their family was here,” said veteran Chris Marcheskie.

Dorm says they are stilling searching for the families of John W. Bonaparte, Ernest Milton, and Ralph E. Cohen who were among the five veterans that received a new military headstone.

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