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"A cemetery may be considered as abandoned when all or practically all of the bodies have been Removed therefrom and no bodies have been buried therein for a great many years, and the cemetery has been so long neglected as entirely to lose its identity as such, and is no longer known, recognized and respected by the public as a cemetery. 1953 OAG 2978."

Monday, April 18, 2011

Focusing on Fayette County, Ohio - Bloomingburg Cemetery -- Letter to the Editor in the Washington Court House "Record Herald" newspaper

Click on title to access story from the website of the newspaper Record Herald in Washington Court House, Fayette County, Ohio:

"4/8/2011 9:28:00
Bloomingburg Cemetery vs. Mother Nature"

Dear Editor:

"In defense of the Bloomingburg Cemetery and all cemeteries everywhere... unfortunately not only do we deal with Mother Nature and all she wants to give us but obviously the 'uninformed'! Mother Nature we can do nothing about. Ignorance of a situation is uncalled for but happens constantly. We are all upset about the condition of our cemetery at the present time but repair is underway. We also know exactly how it happened, you obviously do not!

Mr. Jones stated that he knew the backhoe operator and he would not have taken his equipment on to wet ground. Well, he did and does all the time as that is how you excavate for a grave. How is it you expect to dig for a burial? Do you think you can just wave a magic wand and everything is taken care of? We had two burials in a six to eight day period in that area so had to go into the same area twice. These things happen.

The first burial was my aunt. In order to get to her gravesite, they had to go through the wet area and that is when the mess began. While excavating for her gravesite the ground started collapsing and it became so huge that by the time they were finished they could have buried three caskets! Well, was the backhoe operators fault? No, it was just a bad situation with very wet conditions. What could they have done? I was upset with this whole situation believe me, but I also understood that the guys at the cemetery would not have had this happen for anything in the world if they could have prevented it. They are good caring people. There are just things that happen, it was not carelessness.

Mr. Jones, you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but I think you should just make sure you know ALL the facts before you speak. Come to a board meeting!

You are correct, it was a mess created by a backhoe and extremely wet conditions, but that mess is being taken care of. They have been filling graves all over the cemetery and have been for a week. They are working on the cemetery and have been for a week. They are working on the cutup area by tilling and reseeding. This work is not done in a day, it takes time. You are wrong Mr. Jones, it was not for lack of caring that this all has happened because we do care very much. It was a perfect storm of situations!

We also have a tree service coming, who has had us on his schedule for four weeks, the Cemetery has many trees to trim, stumps to ground out, and other spring preparatory things to be done. It all takes time."

Carol B. Cramer
Bloomingburg Cemetery
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Per the publication "Ohio Cemeteries 1803 - 2003" by the Ohio Genealogical Society, the Bloomingburg Cemetery straddles the Paint and Union Township boundaries in Fayette County, Ohio.
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Currently, "Find A Grave" has 390 memorials posted for the Bloomingburg Cemetery, including one famous burial which is for Corporal Henry Casey, Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. 
He served in the 20th Ohio Infantry, Company "C".