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."

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Spotlighting Milldale Cemetery (AKA School Land Cemetery), New Boston, Scioto County, Ohio

Thanking Andrea Smith Nelson for the cemetery and grave marker photographs, Eva Smith for the obituaries, and Mindy 'Malinda' Huffman Cook for sharing the Milldale Cemetery map.  
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Milldale Cemetery needs much improved maintenance and restoration of several gravestones.


From Eva Smith:   

"Eliza Ellen Presley Bailey and sons David and Joseph Jr."

"Eliza Ellen Presley Bailey – 1888-1930, metal marker. Eliza Ellen Bailey, 40, gave birth to her seventh child, son David Marshall Bailey, on 10 Dec 1930 and died the next day in Mercy hospital. Infant son David died in June 1931, six months after his mother’s death, and his brother Joseph W. Bailey Jr., 4, died the next month, in July 1931, after being struck by a car. Mrs. Bailey was born in Scioto County, Ohio, a daughter of Howard and Lettie Presley and spent most of her life in Portsmouth, Ohio. She was a member of the New Boston Christian Church. She was survived by her husband Joseph W. Bailey Sr.; six children, Nellie, Robert, Albert, Virginia, Joseph W. Jr., and David; a brother, John Presley of Columbus, Ohio; and three sisters, Mary Locher of New Boston, Ohio, Laura Schomberg and Hattie Neal of Hicksville, Ohio. Her son David’s obituary lists another child, Ruth, who preceded him in death. Services for Mrs. Bailey were held from the Emrick funeral home with Walter Bagley officiating. Note: A funeral notice says that interment was in Greenlawn cemetery. However, family members say she was buried in the Milldale Cemetery and a 1997 cemetery inventory supports that. Sources: 1. 1997 Campbell-Underwood inventory, No. 59 on the map. 2. Family members. 3. Obituaries, The Portsmouth Times, 11 Dec 1930, Page 17, and 12 Dec 1930, Page 25.

David Marshall Bailey – 1930-1931, metal marker. David was born 10 Dec 1930 in Ohio, a son of Joseph H. Bailey Sr. and Eliza Ellen Presley Bailey. His mother died the next day. David died six months later on 14 Jun 1931. In addition to his father, David was survived by brothers Albert, Robert and Joseph Jr. and sisters Virginia and Nellie. A sister Ruth preceded him in death. Sources: 1. 1997 Campbell-Underwood inventory, No. 58 on the map. 2. Obituary, The Portsmouth Times, 15 June 1931, Page 13. 3. Ohio death records.

Joseph W. Bailey Jr. – 1925-1931. Metal marker. Joseph W. Bailey Jr., 4, died after being hit by an automobile around midnight on 25 July 1931. According to a newspaper article, the little boy had stepped out into the street from behind a parked car. The driver, who was exonerated, rushed the Joseph to the hospital. Joseph was a son of J.W. Bailey Sr. and the late Eliza Ellen Presley Bailey. 

This was the third death in the Bailey family within a few months. Mrs. Bailey died in December 1930 after giving birth to her seventh child, David. David, six months old, died in June 1931, a month before Joseph was killed. Mrs. Bailey and David are also buried in the Milldale Cemetery. Joseph was survived by his father, sisters Nellie and Virginia, and brothers Robert and Albert. Sources: 1. 1997 Campbell-Underwood inventory, No. 57 on the map. 2. family members. 3. Child Suffers Fatal Injury; Struck By Auto, The Sunday Portsmouth Times, 26 July 1931, Page 1. 4. obituary, Rites Tuesday For Bailey Boy, The Portsmouth Times, 27 July 1931, Page 2."
 
 

From Eva Smith:     
 
"This looks like: "Rice, Corpl. William M. -- 1982 inventory notes: “Co C 40Ky Mt Inf. Broken and leaning against tree.” 1997 inventory: No. 61 on map. Tombstone photo taken 2010. Sources: 1. 1982 Ramsey inventory. 2. 1997 Campbell-Underwood inventory." 
The tombstone is in worse shape than in 2010."