By LINDA KELLETT

C-S-E News Staff

FORT PLAIN — Prospect Hill residents paid their final respects to a beloved “friend” Sunday night, gathering at the Quackenbush residence for a “wake” and eulogizing the late “‘Council Elm Jr.,’ whose life was unexpectedly cut short.”

That’s according to area native James Katovitch, whose offhand remark about an observance for the tree — a young, disease-resistant elm on property of disputed ownership — took on a life of its own late last week.

Around two dozen people were present for the informal ceremony near the monument erected by former Prospect Hill resident Karl Fredericks in 1976 to honor its predecessor, a native elm memorialized by local author, artist and history buff, Nelson Greene.

As noted on the nearby monument: “Under its shade, Mohawk Indians of Tarajorees burned their council fires. ‘The big elm too saw all that makes up the human story of old Fort Plain and of the winding valley.’”

While the historical accuracy of that statement has been questioned, the original tree and its replacement certainly had symbolic significance for many area natives. Text from Greene’s history of Fort Plain and the Mohawk Valley, read by Fort Plain native Tolga Morawski, referred to the original elm as a landmark and a silent witness to the changes that occurred in the valley over its long life.

The young elm was felled last week at the request of the owners of 7 Waddell Avenue, who reportedly claim ownership of the site long maintained by the village.

Additionally the residents, Charles and Linda Maiden, reportedly had the foundation of the monument excavated in anticipation of its future removal for the construction of a gazebo there.

The couple could not be reached for comment.

Fredericks’ relatives and other longtime village residents are upset by the couple’s actions, maintaining that the couple should have approached the village about the tree and monument removal before taking any action.

While it’s too late to save the tree, village officials are looking into the ownership issue in order to determine whether the monument is actually on the village’s right of way.

Early this week, village Attorney John Kirkpatrick said all properties on the hill were “laid out” by surveyors.

“There should be posts,” he said, noting that the village owns a 66-foot right of way for the street. “To me, it’s a simple case of measuring to see where the line is.”

Until the ownership issue is resolved, he expressed the view that no one should do anything at the site.

Thomas Quackenbush, who hosted the neighborhood get-together with his wife, Susan, on Sunday night, said that a third “Council Elm” could be planted in the nearby village park; and if the property on which the monument is located is privately owned, he suggested that the owners be approached about moving the monument to a new location.

“Let’s not fight over it,” he said.