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."

Monday, August 18, 2014

Paying A Return Visit to Walnut Creek (Quaker) Cemetery, Perry Township, Fayette County, Ohio

I paid another visit to Walnut Creek (Quaker) Cemetery in Fayette County a few weeks ago to check on my Limes and Doster gravesites.  The cemetery grounds were a bit better maintained than what I witnessed during my visit one year ago.  Dead grass and weeds were not piled up high obscuring  gravestones in the older section.  

There was still some weed overgrowth between many of the gravestones, especially those in close groups -- most markers which have long been in need of one type of repair or another including cleaning, repairing, and re-setting -- none of which will ever be done by the trustee responsible for the cemetery's maintenance since the only legal responsibility the township has is to mow the grounds and hopefully rake up afterward at least once or twice a year.  

It is anyone's guess the number of gravestones at Walnut Creek Cemetery that have now sunken out of sight.  

I did some cleaning with water and Orvus soap on the Athaliah (Doster) Limes gravestone, as well as the Levi and Mariah (Doster) Ellis gravestones. (See below.)  

Fortunately, the William Limes (War of 1812 veteran) grave marker is a replacement and did not require any more work than brushing off the dirt and rinsing with water.   

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Above:
Athaliah Doster Limes' grave marker after cleaning with Orvus soap. 

Above:
Athaliah (Doster) Limes' grave marker after cleaning with Orvus soap and her husband, William Limes'  War of 1812 marker to the left.
(Also close up view of William Limes' marker below.) 
Above:
Levi Ellis' gravestone after cleaning and removal of dark orange biological growth.

Below:
 Mariah (Doster) Ellis' gravestone after cleaning and removal of dark orange biological growth.
Above: 
A grouping of stones that include those for George Washington Knedler, Sarah Binegar, and Evangeline Ellis, that need cleaning, repairing, and resetting, and much better clean up of encroaching weeds around them. 
Above:
View of a wired together small gravestone that needs cleaning.  I was not able to read the inscription.