The Still Family legacy will live on in Shamong thanks to some concerned citizens and students who wanted a monument built for Dr. James Still.
Several years ago, the area where a new monument was installed was covered with underbrush and trash, explained William H. Still, president of the Still Family Society Inc.
William lives in New York, but came down for the rain-free dedication ceremony on Wednesday, May 9 at 6 p.m. off of Stokes Road and next to Rutland Court.
Still is grateful for the work that has been, and included each person standing around the monument.
“In some way or another, I feel you’ve contributed to the success of this project,” he said, calling the undertaking “monumental.”
The schoolchildren, in particular, have made a “worthwhile contribution to this endeavor,” he explained.
Dr. Still was considered the “First Black Doctor of the Pines” and the dedication was in his honor.
Karen Clementi and Dee Alspach, teachers at Indian Mills Memorial School, organized the project, beginning a year ago.
A total of 25 students were involved, but all students in the district helped, she said.
During a warm spell earlier in the year, students sold water to raise funds for the project, she said.
“That was a good fundraiser,” she admitted.
Last year, the students involved were fourth- and fifth-graders. Now they are in the fifth- and sixth-grades, she said.
When resident Ken Woytowich was in eighth-grade at Indian Mills Memorial School, he did a similar project, Clementi said.
He cleaned up the site for a historical society award and wrote a report, which won that year.
“Later on, when people were doing research on this site, they used Kenny’s report to show where they thought the grave was,” she said. “They said that it was a burial site, but there were no markers or anything.”
After discovering his report in the library, it was decided to do a similar project.
“His son is one of the students (involved),” she said.
The area of the monument is fairly sequestered, she explained, calling it a “doughnut hole,” but the connections made in Woytowich’s report helped make the historical connections needed.
“The connections have really been amazing,” she said.
County historian Joe Laufer was on hand at the ceremony.
“I’m really honored to be here today because this is such a special occasion,” Laufer said.
He has hosted programs about Dr. Still all over the country and said the burial site could have been lost if not for the care of townspeople.
The monument, he said, commemorates the Still family in a permanent and special way.
“There’s somebody very special buried here. You can’t just bulldoze over this. You have to save it,” he said.
The names listed on the monument are Levin, Angelina, Charity and Beulah Still. Indian Job Moore is also believed to be buried there and is listed on the stone.
Survival. Service. Success.
Those were the words Laufer used to describe the Still family.
“They survived recapture and they came here,” he said.
Shamong is filled with people who care, he said. The historical society cares. The students care. There is a whole new generation of people who care.
“How very important that is,” he said.
Laufer admitted to doing some crazy things sometimes.
He looked through Dr. Still’s collections and searched for important dates in the family that ended in a two or a seven.
“We like to remember 5-year, 10-year anniversaries,” he explained. “This s a great year to be doing this.”
There are eight dates that are anniversaries this year:
According to his documents, Levin Still purchased his freedom in 1802, some 210 years ago this year.
James Still was born April 9, 1812, 200 years ago last month.
Levin died in 1842, 170 years ago.
Charity Still, James Still’s mother, died in 1857, 155 years ago.
William, Dr. Still’s younger brother, published his famous book on the underground railroad in 1872, 140 years ago this year.
James Still wrote his recollections in 1877, 135 years ago.
James died on March 9, 1882, 130 years and two months ago.
His younger brother, William, died in 1902, 110 years ago.
“Isn’t that fantastic?” Laufer asked of the coincidences.
“I close just by saying that you people in Shamong should be very proud of the history of this location, of this area, of this community that spawned the wonderful work, the service and the success of the Still family. That family of survivors,” he said. “The memory will survive.”
While historical society member Laura King was worried about the overcast skies and threat of rain on dedication day, she said everybody did a great job in coordinating the ceremony.
During the presentation, some of the children involved with the effort turned on some music and sang for the crowd.
“You know people still move here because Shamong is a safe place to live?” Laufer said. “The Stills found that out many years ago.”
