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, July 31, 2017

"Pickaway Places" -- A Renewed Focus Placed on the Christian Cemetery in Williamsport, Ohio

It has been a few years since this blog featured  stories about the Christian Cemetery and its restoration work done around 2007, but this early burial ground is once again the focus of a feature article in the "Circleville Herald" in Pickaway County published online on July 29, 2017.  

Yes, much work was completed at this old Christian Cemetery and overall the cemetery has benefitted.  

Unfortunately, however, I fear that some bleach was used to clean the white marble gravestones.  Much more appropriate products should have been chosen for cleaning them such as Orvus Paste (Orvus Paste is often used as a shampoo for horses or soap to clean quilts) or D/2 Biological Solution.  
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You can find the Christian Cemetery on "Find A Grave" with 290 interments listed for it. There are three outstanding photo requests for grave marker photos.  
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The Christian Cemetery is a smaller size cemetery that holds its unique significant historical influence on the surrounding community.  It deserves to be kept in good repair in all ways to protect and preserve its history.  

  

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Despite the Weather Being "Iffy" the July 23 2017 Work Session at the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield was a Success!

Sharing a link to the Greenfield Historical Society's website, and specifically its page for descriptions and photos pertaining to its latest work session at the Village's pioneer cemetery known as its "Old Burying Ground" that is adjacent to the Traveller's Rest.  

Click HERE to view the in-progress photos of the work being done by the dedicated volunteers.

As with these work sessions since they began in 2014, many gravestones were cleaned, some repaired, and others completely reset -- all by trained volunteers!  



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Friday, July 21, 2017

Spotlighting the Old Huntington Cemetery in Lorain County, Ohio & Hattie Pratt - The "Blue Girl"

Sharing photos of various scenes to be found at the Old Huntington Cemetery in Huntington Township, Lorain County, Ohio that were taken on Sunday, July 16, 2017.

Hattie Adele Pratt's name was inscribed on a tall black granite monument there as was her brother's and parents' names on the other sides.  
It is one of the newer monuments at the Huntington Cemetery.  

However, an original white marble marker was found in an outbuilding with Hattie's name carved on it that has sparked a lot of mystery about her real final resting place.  
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"Three year old Hattie Pratt was the subject of an Archibald Willard painting named “Blue Girl”. 
Hattie died of diphtheria in 1862 at 3 years of age.  The painting was done from a photo a few years later. 
There is an obelisk in Huntington Cemetery inscribed with the four Pratt family names: Benjamin - father; Alta - mother; Jerome; Hattie.  
What is believed to be Hattie's headstone was found under a post of an outbuilding on the Pratt farm in the 1990's and is currently on display at the Huntington Historical Society Museum."

 
 
The 7 photos below are views of the monument
for the Pratt Family:
Hattie Pratt, Jerome Pratt
and their parents - Benjamin and Alta M (Houghton) Pratt

Hattie Pratt was the subject for the "Blue Girl" painting
by Ohio's famous artist, Archibald M. Willard.
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

REMINDER: Next Work Session at Greenfield's Old Burying Ground is Sunday, July 23, 2017 from 8:30a.m. to Whenever!

Reminder.:
From the Greenfield Historical Society in Greenfield, Ohio.:
Email address:

info@greenfieldhistoricalsociety.


"Our next scheduled work session at the OBG will be Sunday, July 23rd. We’ll get started around 8:30am. 
Join us if you can and stay as long as you wish. If you can make it, reply to this email.

We appreciate your help in this project and look forward to seeing you soon."
John and Scott
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"Our last work session was June 28th, 2017. Volunteers included Scott and Venus Andersen, John King, Melanie Peters, Diana Zimmerman, and Mike Anderson.

You may view all of the work session pictures by visiting the Greenfield Historical Society website and selecting any of the links to "Tombstone Repair".
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"Sharing Our Story"
"Next month, the South Central Ohio Preservation Society (SCOPS) will have their quarterly meeting in Greenfield, specifically to learn more about the OBG Restoration Project and see our progress.

This is a great opportunity to not only engage others in this project, but also to share more of the rich heritage of Greenfiel"d.

How Can YOU Help?

"Join us for an upcoming work session. You can stay as long as you like. We will help you get started if you have not participated previously.
Tasks range from cleaning stones, straightening stones, recording information, etc.
We post our scheduled sessions on the GHS website calendar."
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Thursday, July 13, 2017

The Ohio Genealogical Society is Seeking Historical Accounts of Ohio Cemeteries for publication!

Susan Dunlap Lee, the senior editor of the "Ohio Genealogical Society's Quarterly" publication is seeking contributing authors for this publication on the topic of preserving cemeteries through sharing of historical accounts of those interred in Ohio's cemeteries.  

Susan has provided the following information thus far.:


“..articles are more about the people in the cemetery, their relationship to everyone there, point out military graves, personal data. Sort of "My Town" kind of article that you can put together from those who are buried in the cemetery. Far from the usual cemetery inscriptions.”


Susan Dunlap Lee can be contacted directly at the following email address:  ogsq@ogs.org.
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If you are an Ohio Genealogical Society member, or have access to a library that contains OGS publications, you can reference the recent feature articles about the Stratford Cemetery in Delaware as an example for the type of content, etc. Susan is seeking for publishing cemetery articles.

Example.:


From Vol. 56 No 3. 2016 OGSQ (Ohio Genealogical Society Quarterly starting on Page 320.:
"Stratford Cemetery: Restoring a Pioneer Burial Ground in Delaware County, Ohio"
Based on report by John Tetz
(Interview by Laurel Sheppard, OGSQ Assistant Editor)
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Please contact Susan Dunlap Lee directly at ogsq@ogs.org if you are interested in sharing your historical story about an Ohio cemetery you have researched; and/or if have any questions. 

Thank you!

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Work Sessions Continue at the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio - Sunday, July 23, 2017 - beginning at 8:30a.m.

Work sessions continue at the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield - Sunday, July 23rd, 2017.
Sharing from the Greenfield Historical Society in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio.
Please contact the Greenfield Historical Society directly via their email listed below. :
Email: info@greenfieldhistoricalsociety.org
"Our next scheduled work session at the OBG will be Sunday, July 23rd. We’ll get started around 8:30am. Join us if you can and stay as long as you wish. If you can make it, reply to this email.
We appreciate your help in this project and look forward to seeing you soon."
"John and Scott"

Saturday, September 23, 2017 - 10:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. - Cemetery Preservation Workshop at the State Line Cemetery - Wayne County, Indiana with Misti Spillman

Announcing an upcoming hands-on cemetery preservation workshop scheduled for Saturday, September 23, 2017 from 10:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. to be conducted at the State Line Cemetery with Misti Spillman. 

On "Find A Grave" State Line Cemetery is listed under Richmond, Wayne County, Michigan.  The State Line Cemetery appears to straddle both Ohio and Indiana; but is listed as an Indiana Cemetery.

Link to the Map provided on "Find A Grave" for the State Line Cemetery.

Please refer to the informational page provided below by Misti for registration and further details.:

Monday, July 10, 2017

Sharing photos from a Recent Visit to the Butcher (AKA Walnut Grove) Cemetery in North Lewisburg, Champaign County, Ohio.


I had been two years since I last visited the Butcher Cemetery "AKA Walnut Grove Cemetery" when I visited it on June 29 and again on July 2, 2017.

The overall condition of the property from the front by the street to the rear where a group of trees and bushes exist is in an improved state since my previous visit.
  
Many of the small plot markers that were obscured with overgrowth are now easily visible!  Nice to see them.

The fence in area near the front was cleaned up considerably and three American Flags were placed on veterans flag holders there.  

All of the veterans who have government issue gravemarkers also had American flags flying next to them. 

There were some downed tree branches in the back, and of course the downed grave markers and monuments were still in the condition I last saw them.  That situation will not change unless and until proper hands-on preservation work is conducted to address the various condition issues of the affected grave markers and monuments.  

The cemetery sign is now a nice newer metal one that is secured to the wood frame.  Two flags were placed on each stake that holds up the wood frame.

Thanking those who are placing American flags at the Butcher Cemetery, both on the grounds and at the gravesites of the Civil War veterans buried there.  
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Civil War Veterans Buried at the Butcher Cemetery:








Above photo:
Linda Jean Limes Ellis with my "This Place Matters" message
to help bring awareness! 
Bringing awareness that All Cemeteries Matter!
Newer Butcher Cemetery Sign!
Above two photos:
The fenced in area at the center front of the Butcher Cemetery.
Note that tree trunks are embedded in some of the fencing. 
Above photo:
Long distance looking up the hill at the Butcher Cemetery
The Mary E. Good marker on large base is seen in the left forefront
and the smaller size monument is for George "Little Georgie" Bush. 
Above photo:
The Adaline D. (Limes) Winder and Aaron Winder / Birddie B. Sherrett monument.  Birddie B. was a granddaughter.  
Her mother was Phebe Annie Winder Sherrett who has her own slanted upright marker.  
All were buried on the same lot.

Above two photos:
Ronald Ellis cleaning the back of the Aaron and Adaline Winder monument.  
Above photo:
Side view of the Aaron and Adaline D. (Limes) Winder monument.
 The small marker has the inscription: "Birddie B." on the top
 
Above photo:
The entire back of the Aaron and Adaline D. Winder monument was cleaned with D/2 Biological Clean on June 29, 2017.  
The lichens were removed with a soft bristle brush. 

This photo was taken on July 2, 2017.  

The D/2Biological Solution will continue to inhibit biological growth on the monument during the months ahead.
Above photos:
The plot markers found near the Winder Family grave markers and monument.
"ADW" initials reference Adaline D. Winder.
 
Above photos:
More views of the Winder Family grave markers and monument
Birrdie B. Sherrett's name appears on a side of the large monument.
Also, the small upright marker in the middle has "Birddie B." carved on the top.

Above photo:
Leaning marker for Corp. William Apple

Above photo:
Marker for Harrison Apple
Above photo:
Monument for Jane Stokes.
On the opposite side of this mid-size monument is 
the inscription for Delmore Berry 

 
 
Six photos above:
Various views of fallen gravestones and monuments 
at the Butcher Cemetery in the back area of the cemetery. 

  
 Above:
Bases and other stones at the back of the cemetery  
 
   Above two photos:
This large monument is off-center from its base. 
Dr. J. M. Butcher and his wife, Nancy's monument above.
His son's broken partial white marble marker below. 
Above photo:
The Butcher Family plot area.
The tall black granite monument For Dr. J. M. Butcher is leaning.