Exploring Almost Forgotten Gravesites in the Great State of Ohio

Dedicated to cemetery preservation in the great state of Ohio


"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."

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Update on Dean Cemetery - Buckskin Township, Ross County, Ohio - Maps and More.

Scott Andersen has submitted additional photographs and details from his September, 2011 trip to the Dean Cemetery in Ross County. He and his wife, Venus, worked to clear weeds and other overgrowth from the Dean burial ground.  

Scott placed pieces of paper with numbers by the stones he found and wrote the corresponding numbers on a handrawn sketch he created as a preliminary map for the Dean Cemetery. 
Below are some of his results:

Above is a panoramic view of a portion of the Dean Cemetery
Above is Scott's preliminary sketch of the Dean Cemetery
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Dean Cemetery
South Salem, Ross County, Ohio
From an exploration in September, 2011
By: Scott Andersen

1. Group of field stones along the south fence line.
These are not headstones, but they are cut or hewn stones.

2. Katherine Mark, 1807-1896.

This headstone has a poem on it, which I was not able to completely transcribe.

Katherine Mark
Died Nov 5 1896
In her 19 Year
“Remember Friends as You Pass….”

3. R. P. (Possibly this is Rachel Pummil 1779-1823)

4. John Milton.

John Milton
Daniel & Sa
Died Sep 22
In his 10 yr

This headstone is broken, and I believe that it should read:

John Milton son of
Daniel and Sarah
Died Sep 22 18XX
in his 10 year of age

5. Tall square marker, with “P. C.” inscribed upon it.
Also has a set of wings, and possibly a date.

6. Mary Brackney, 1778-1853. This headstone is in poor condition, cracked it two, and laying on the ground. There is more written on the stone beyond Benjamin Brackney’s name, but I was unable to transcribe it.

Mary
Wife of
Benjamin Brackney

7. Mary M. Lawhead, 1803-1833.
This headstone is on the ground, but is in good condition.

Mary M.
Wife of Thomas
Lawhead died Feb 11
1833 aged 30 years

8. William Lawhead, 1755-1823.
This headstone is in good condition, but is on the ground.

In memory of
William Lawhead
Who died Sep 29
1823 in his 66 year

9. Agnes Cunningham, 1757-1841.
This stone is in good condition


(Written as inscribed)
In memory of
Agnes wife of
Robert Cunning
Ham who departed
This life Aug 5th
1841 Aged 84
Years and 6 months

10. Samuel Cunningham, 1778-1845.
This headstone is in good condition

(Written as inscribed)
Samuel Cunning
Ham died June 9
1845
Aged 57 yrs 8 mo.

11. Small stone, broken off at the surface behind Samuel Cunningham’s stone.

12. R:C
Broken in two pieces, and on the ground.

13. Portion of a headstone, no writing visible. On the ground.

14. A D

This stone is in good condition, but is just laying around loose.

It was leaned up against Abraham Dean’s headstone when discovered.

15. Abraham Dean 1763-1806, Revolutionary War Veteran.

This headstone is in good condition, but is leaning severely.

In Memory of
Abraham Dean
Who died May 10
1806
In his 43 year

16. Group of cut fieldstones

17. Group of flat square stones, possibly the top of a grave.

18. Broken off headstone. No writing. On the ground.

19. Long rectangle of stone. No writing on exposed side. Another similar sized block abuts it, but is mostly buried.
(No. 20 - none)
21. H D
Stone in good condition, but has been broken off from its base.

22. Hannah Dean 1799-1828. This headstone is in good condition.

In
Memory of
Hannah wife of
John Dean
Who died April 19
1828 in her 29
Year

23. J. H. D. This small headstone is just in front of James H. Dean’s headstone. It is in good condition, standing up, but leaning.

24. James H. Dean 1822-1840. This headstone is in good condition.

James H. Dean
DIED
August 14th 1840
Aged 18 years 4 mo
& 16 days

25. Stones in a plot. One piece appears to be a finial.

26. Mary Polly Depew Dickey, 1791-1816. This headstone is in excellent condition.

In Memory of Mary Dickey
who died May 2 1816
In the 25 year of her age
-------------------------------
Ye young & gay come & see
The silent bed that waits for thee
Time was like you, we life possess’d
And time will be when you shall rest

27. Broken stone with no visible writing.

28. Alexander Wallace, 1803-1828.
This headstone is in good condition.
IN
Memory of Alexander
Wallace who
died Sept the 4th 1828
Aged 25 years

29. John Wallace, 1765-1832.
This headstone is in overall good condition.

Difficult to read because of moss growth. Leaning back.

IN
Memory of John Wall
Ace who died Feb 17
1832 Aged 67 Years

30. No visible writing. Otherwise, in good condition.

31. No visible writing. Otherwise, in good condition.

32. No visible writing. Somewhat 'pock marked.'

Headstone is leaning back, and could possibly have something written on its south side.

33. Headstone broken of near the surface.

34. Headstone fallen to the ground. No visible writing on exposed side.

35. M. D. Headstone is lying on the ground, but appears to be in good condition.
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Below are photographs of some of the gravestones with identifying numbers:

#2 Above
#3, #4, and #5 Above

#7 Above
#8 Above
#9 Above
#15 Above
#26 Above
#28 Above
#30 Above

~~:):):):)~~

The Dean Cemetery currently has 26 memorials posted for it on "Find A Grave."