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, March 28, 2016

Grandview Memorial Park in Ravenna, Portage County, Ohio & Fairview Memorial Park in Delaware County, Ohio are Impacted by This Story

February 8, 2016
by Gordon Rago.  YDR.com - York (Pennsylvania) Daily Record 

**The above York, Pennsylvania News Report Affects Two Ohio Cemeteries**:



*************************
Ms. Ellis,

"You have the county’s correct for both cemeteries.  As of July 1, 2015, both Fairview Memorial Park and Grandview Memorial Park are no longer actively registered with the Division.  When the cemetery failed to renew their registration with the Division the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission referred the failure to register to the county prosecutors.  Additional referrals were made to the county prosecutors as well during 2015.  I am attaching a few recent article related to both cemeteries. "



Laura A. Monick
Registration and Resolution Section Chief
Ohio Department of Commerce
Ohio Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing
77 South High Street, 20th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
614-466-5384
www.com.ohio.gov

Friday, March 25, 2016

"Land, cemetery in Enon at center of dispute with neighbors"




From Katrina Oost:



"Reuben Winget, my 7xGreat-Grandfather...built this homestead with the land he received from the government for being a soldier in The American Revolutionary War. A Patriot should not be disrespected as he has been!"



Thursday, March 24, 2016

The Old Burying Ground in Greenfield Ohio has been added to the Ohio Historic Inventory at the Ohio History Preservation Office

The Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio has been assigned Ohio Historic Inventory (OHI) number HIG0031402 with the Ohio Historic Preservation Office.  

The "OHI" form for the Old Burying Ground is included in the Ohio Historic Preservation Office's records.
  
Below are images of the OHI form pagse including the photographs that are included with the document.  

Ongoing restoration work by volunteers at the Greenfield Historical Society and others is shown in some of the pages of photographs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Thanks:

Thanking Scott Andersen of the Greenfield Historical Society for his help with obtaining some of the photographs of the Old Burying Ground including the stone wall and providing its measurements.  

&

Thanking Ron Coffey, City Manager of Greenfield  for help with answering ownership questions about the Old Burying Ground.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The Ohio History Connection's Preservation Office provides information on how to obtain and complete the Ohio Historic Inventory Form.  Please see links below:






Ohio History Connection Preservation Office Contact Information for the Ohio History Inventory Form:

Inventory & Registration

Barbara A. Powers, Department Head
Brent A. Eberhard, Archaeology Survey and Data Manager
Ross Nelson, Survey and National Register Manager
Megan Rupnik, Survey and National Register Manager
Carrie E. Simmons, Technical Assistant
Susan Tietz, Survey and National Register Manager
Administers the National Register of Historic Places program in Ohio, and manages the Ohio Historic Inventory, and Ohio Archaeological Inventory.
***********
My contact:
Susan Tietz: stietz@ohiohistory.org - 614-298-2000


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



 



Bluffton Ohio Councilman Warren tells man to “shut up & sit down”



Please listen to how this man is treated by Bluffton, Ohio Village councilman Warren at 2:50.
Private citizen Ray was trying to get to the bottom of the runaround The Save Shannon Cemetery group has received for the last year by the Village of Bluffton Ohio, concerning the destruction of a cemetery his ancestors are buried in.  After the village appointed a handpicked cemetery commission that unanimously voted to put the cemetery back as it was and in a state of preservation, the village is now playing political games of tabling and not tabling the recommendation and parts of it. 

Tell Bluffton Village what you think of their BS, lies, intimidation, & destructiveness.

Roger Warren

Current Term Expires Dec. 31, 2017
2016 Committees: Utilities

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

"Cemetery Symbols Program to be Presented by Darke County Genealogical Society"

From the Tuesday, March 22, 2016, DarkeJournal:

"Cemetery Symbols Program to be Presented by Darke County Genealogical Society"

"Angela Hoschouer in cooperation with Darke County Genealogical Society will present a program on Cemetery Symbols on Sunday, April 3,2016 at 2:00 p.m. at Garst Museum.
 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Have you ever wandered through a cemetery and wondered about the meanings of the designs carved on old gravestones? 

Thousands of different religious and secular symbols and emblems have adorned tombstones through the ages, indicating attitudes towards death and the hereafter, membership in a fraternal or social organization, or an individual's trade, occupation or even ethnic identity. 

While many of these tombstone symbols have fairly simple interpretations, it is not always easy to determine their meaning and significance. 

Angela Hoschouer is the Manager of Development and Marketing for Woodland Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio has a history of managing multiple fundraising projects in the non-profit sector and coordinating many of Dayton's largest attended special events and programs. 

She is a founding member of the Randolph Twp. Historical Society, a member of the OH Genealogical Society with status as a First Family of Ohio, First Family of Greene County and a member of the Society of Civil War Families of Ohio.

This program is free and open to anyone. 

There will be refreshments served after the program, then followed by the meeting of the Darke County Genealogical Society."

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Problems Persist at Floral Hills Memory Gardens at Circleville and Chillicothe Ohio

The ongoing situations:  

Lack of ownership, no regular routine maintenance performed by paid staff for the grounds or offices, or keeping proper burial records -- these are issues that persist unresolved at Floral Hills Memory Gardens cemeteries in Chillicothe, Ross County; and Circleville, Pickaway County.  


For the Floral Hills Memory Gardens in Chillicothe, the latest online newspaper report from January 10, 2016 published by Reporter, Chris Balusik, of the  "Chillicothe Gazette"includes this quotation: 

"A consumer protection lawsuit was brought against the owners in 2012 by the AG's office due to the high volume of similar complaints, and people have periodically banded together independently to perform maintenance on the property when they felt it was lacking. 

Robertson, who said the AG's office was only concerned with those who had spent money on products and services they had not received and not about the upkeep of the property, lauded those who have volunteered and said it's disgraceful they had to do the work themselves."

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

There is a Facebook Page dedicated to the Floral Hills Memory Gardens location in Chillicothe with the following description: 

"A sad neglected Cemetery that is being forgotten by our leaders. 

The owners have abandoned it and the Township refuses to care for it.

The Attorney Generals Office has filed suit against it....but it sits in the hands of the legal system unkempt.

A cemetery that is located at 4284 US RT 23 Chillicothe, OH 45601. 

The owners Joseph Miller filed CH 13 after fleeing to Nevada, his partner Ronald Downey has fled to Michigan. Neither has left any means of upkeep and care of the grounds and are refusing to honor any of the prepaid services that have been purchased thru the cemetery.

 Attorney General filed a suit against the 2 owners in May 2012, with nothing of any significance being done to get a resolution to the problem. One of the items Mr Miller is trying to do is surrender the property in lieu of taxes owed. 

By ORC the property would then be handed over to the Township that the property is located. (Huntington Twp, Ross County). 

The problem is Huntington Twp has refused to accept responsibility for the grounds due to the trustees claiming they are not financially able to maintain the grounds, they also state the have seeked guidance thru their "Prosecutor" and have been advised that they do not have to take it. 

With all legal issues aside ..it is the attempt by this group to bring this tragic situation to the public and clean up the Cemetery grounds and find a resolution to further maint. of the grounds."

There are 3,348 interments at: 


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

Regarding Floral Hills Memory Gardens in Circleville, Ohio, the latest details include the following from Connie Jones, volunteer at the cemetery:

"I'm hoping someone can help me. I organize the volunteer clean up activities at 
 Floral Hills Memory Gardens in Circleville Ohio. 

There is an office building there where cemetery records are kept and the roof is crumbling.  I have gotten one of the local funeral homes to buy me all the supplies to replace it, but now I'm looking for someone who could help replace it.  If anyone has any ideas please please let me know.  Thank you."

"We are just volunteers who try to keep thing looking good there for the  families who can't. 

We need man power and tools."

Connie can be contacted at cslittle4450@gmail.com

who says:  

"Yes at this time I just need the roof done, and I'm the only 

contact at the Oliver-Cheek Funeral Home in Ashville who brought me the 

supplies for the roof -- I just need volunteers."

*~*~*~*~*

So, volunteers are needed to complete the roof work.

There are 476 interments at: 

Floral Hills Memory Gardens in Circleville on "Find A Grave"


A May 14, 2016 clean-up at the Floral Hills Memory Gardens in Circleville is being planned.  
Volunteers are needed, but there is no electricity or water available at the cemetery, and also it is bring your own supplies.     



Sunday, March 13, 2016

Your Local Ohio Public Library Contains Cemetery as well as Genealogy Resources Waiting for you to Explore!

It's raining and you can't go exploring at your favorite cemetery, so why not use the time to visit your local public library; either in person or online, to learn about the history of the cemetery and the lives of those buried in it!  
*********************
*********************
Below are a few links that include public libraries in our Great State of Ohio that are repositories of information that will enhance your knowledge of your favorite cemetery!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Findlay Hancock County Public Library

Guernsey County Public Library

Norwalk Public Library

Cemeteries of Summit County, Ohio - Akron - Summit County Public Library

Cemeteries -- Ohio Memory Project

Wayne County Public Library

Ohio Link Finding Aid

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Staying Up with the Latest News from D/2 Biological Solution, Inc.

Stay up with the latest information and news from D/2 Biological Solution on their Facebook Page that also contains a link to their website.

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

D/2 Biological Solution, Inc. "hints" it is considering possibly introducing a quart size in its product line that has been used for cleaning and inhibiting biological re-growth on gravestones.  That would come as
welcome news for those who would wish to purchase a smaller size for their smaller sized projects.  

Sharing below contact information for D/2 Biological Solutions, Inc.:  

"Contact Us":

D/2 Biological Solutions, Inc.