BY SHERI TRUSTY

The grave of Peter Pointz will be marked and his extraordinary life will be honored at McPherson Cemetery on June 19.

Although slavery created a dark era in American history, Clyde can be proud of its role in helping former slaves not only escape captivity but also create new lives of independence. Clyde had many homes on the Underground Railroad to assist runaway slaves, and, in the 19th century, seven former slaves settled in Clyde. Among them was Peter Pointz, whose gravesite, located in McPherson Cemetery, was lost for over 100 years.

Clyde Museum Curator Gene Smith discovered the story of Peter Pointz while doing research at the museum. Smith knew Pointz moved permanently to Clyde in 1860 and died in 1898, but he was unable to find Pointz’s grave because no graveside marked his resting place. Later, Clyde Heritage League members Sharon Kinnear and Lynda Wilbert unexpectedly discovered Pointz’s grave while researching another project.

Smith didn’t want the grave to be lost again. He set on a quest with the Clyde Heritage League to honor Pointz’s life with a headstone. On Juneteenth, June 19, the league will dedicate a headstone at Pointz’s grave during a Remembrance Headstone Ceremony. The event will honor all seven former slaves who thrived under independence in the Clyde community.

Speakers will include former Fremont NAACP President, Dr. Regina Vincent-Williams; Pastor Amy Ochier of Clyde First United Methodist Church, where Pointz’s funeral was held; Clyde City Manager and Clyde Heritage League President, Justin LaBenne; Clyde Mayor Doug McCauley; and Smith.

The ceremony will highlight the power of racial harmony.

“It is extremely important that we recognize the relationships that people had back long ago before we knew this business of despising a person for the color of their skin,” Vincent-Williams said. “Peter Pointz and the other former slaves were all welcomed in the community of Clyde. It is important to recognize that time in the 1800s when people worked together, even though, at times, it was against the law.”

A look back at those relationships provides a lesson for today.

“When we look at America as a welcoming country very early on, it should remind us today how we ought to treat one another. All the formerly enslaved individuals buried at McPherson Cemetery have a story to tell,” Vincent-Williams said. “Mr. Gene Smith had a wonderful idea to plan this event. We should all be proud, and we should all be doing things today to show more respect, more tenderness and more appreciation of one another.”

The public is welcome to attend the Remembrance Headstone Cemetery on June 19 at 11 a.m. at McPherson Cemetery at 422 E. McPherson Hwy. (State Route 20) in Clyde. For more information, call the Clyde Museum at 419-547-7946.