Sharing my letter to the editor:
To the Editor:
"My
reply is to Tonya Tuttle whose letter appears in the “Record-Herald” on
January 2, 2014 regarding Walnut Creek Cemetery in Perry Township. I am
the “friend up north” mentioned in the November 27, 2013 story
submitted by Gail Allen. I live near Cleveland, Ohio.
Please
know also, that I have indeed “dug deeper”, however, and unfortunately I
saw what I consider the real issue with my own eyes during my last
visit to Walnut Creek Cemetery in early August, 2013. It was my yearly
visit to the gravesites of some of my early Fayette County Limes and
Doster ancestors.
I expected the cemetery would need to be mowed as that
would not be unusual, however, I was not prepared for the shock seeing
weeds and wild grass that were taller than some of the largest monuments
that sit atop high bases. Several flat markers and downed gravestones
were completely obscured beneath dead weeds and grass left from earlier
cuttings. I had to brush off thickened matted clumps to locate my
great-great-great grandfather’s War of 1812 marker I had installed for
him.
My
first visit to Walnut Creek Cemetery was July 10, 1981 with Dr. Bill
Limes and his wife, Rose, of Washington Court House. I have cherished my
photographs from that visit. Dr. Limes was so pleased to take me on
tour of the cemeteries where his Limes ancestors were buried in Fayette
County. Sadly, Dr. and Mrs. Limes have since passed away. I’m sure they
would be quite saddened to see the current deteriorated state of Walnut
Creek Cemetery. They would have never imagined it could happen. The
Hulda Limes stone Dr. Limes pointed out has now disappeared.
Since
that time, I try to make yearly visits to these gravesites and have
seen first-hand the results of the year after year decline of the
regular care at Walnut Creek Cemetery; particularly at the older
sections in the rear of the property and down the hilly slope abutting
Walnut Creek Road. Many earlier settlers of Perry Township were buried
there with family surnames of Doster, Ellis, Jury, Limes, and Todhunter
to name a few.
As
with every visit, I took several photographs at Walnut Creek Cemetery
during my August 2013 trip. On August 16, 2013, I wrote a letter and
sent it with my photographs to Mr. Richard Wilson, the Perry Township
trustee whom I have communicated my concerns to regarding Walnut Creek
Cemetery on several occasions over the years. I wrote to voice my latest
concerns about the abnormally high weeds and overgrowth that were much
worse than I had ever seen there in the past.
As
I later learned from another Perry Township Trustee, the 3 trustees’
arrangements are such that each one handles their own cemetery and the
other two handle theirs. Thus, Mr. Wilson has been the only trustee
handling the mowing at Walnut Creek Cemetery. I also had learned that
the other two township trustees have sought extra help from the
Probation Department when needed, however, Mr. Wilson does not seek the
same assistance.
I
followed up with a phone conversation to Mr. Wilson and learned of his
recent illness. He stated he would see that the weeds encroaching around
and in between the gravestones would be cut.
By
the middle of September, I inquired with Gail if she could be so kind
to take some photographs at Walnut Creek Cemetery if she was in that
area. I knew she had been photographing gravestones at other Fayette
County cemeteries as a volunteer. I wished to have a clearer idea if
indeed the overgrown weeds were cut down by that time.
Gail’s
Walnut Creek Cemetery photographs of September 30 included an
overflowing trash can and row upon row of larger monuments and
gravestones covered with chopped up dead weeds that were cut down. In
other words, the live overgrowth I contacted Mr. Wilson about was cut in
the past 6 weeks, but had not been removed and hauled away as should
have been done. As you know from Gail’s story, she took it upon herself
to proceed further after her first visit to ensure those piles were
removed.
The probation department was contacted and she personally
worked with them raking and removing the piles of dead weeds on October
18, for no pay of course. I appreciate greatly her taking the extra
steps that went beyond my original request to take photographs. A few
days prior, Gail attended the October Perry Township meeting and
provided a well-prepared presentation to visually document Walnut
Creek’s worsened condition, and state that she and others were concerned
because of it.
I
feel Mr. Wilson neglected to have provisions put in place for
continuing care of Walnut Creek Cemetery during his absence; which
evidenced by the cemetery’s poor condition as stated above, he did not
do.
If
the other two township trustees could garner extra help to maintain
their cemeteries when needed, then Mr. Wilson should have sought that
assistance as well rather than let the cemetery’s grounds become
overwhelmed with tall weeds and wild grass, including around the
entrance gate itself and other areas like the driveway.
I
have spent countless hours over the years at several cemeteries in Ohio
cleaning overgrowth around my ancestors’ gravestones, washing them, and
photographing them afterwards . However, I was not prepared for the
towering stalks of weeds and wild grass that I had to walk around during
my August, 2013 visit at Walnut Creek Cemetery. The lack of regular
care was unmistakable and made more glaringly accentuated by the forlorn
landscape of toppled and broken tombstones lying amidst other leaning
markers encrusted in aged lichens rendering the inscriptions unreadable.
Walnut
Creek Cemetery is Fayette County’s oldest active cemetery. It is one
with a proud Quaker history having started informal meetings in Perry
Township that led to establishing Fayette County’s first house of
worship in 1809. Veterans from as early as the Revolutionary War and the
War of 1812 are buried there. It remains an integral part today of
Perry Township and Fayette County. Its condition and appearance reflect
the values and character of those who are responsible for it and the
residents who reside near it.
Speaking
for myself and those interred at this historic burial ground, I
appreciate your husband’s work and that of others at Walnut Creek
Cemetery, whether it was done with or without pay, Tonya.
Hopefully others will be inspired to volunteer as Gail did. I would
encourage area Eagle Scout groups to make it a clean-up project, for
example. Walnut Creek Cemetery’s dignity and respect needs to be
restored to its grounds and gravestones to properly honor those who
chose it for their final resting place."
Sincerely,
Linda Jean Limes Ellis
Photograph of the Hulda Limes' stone below marking her final resting place at the Walnut Creek Cemetery that has has been missing for along time.
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