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."

Thursday, June 7, 2018

The latest News Release from the Ohio Department of Commerce SHOULD READ: Ohioans Facing Issues with REGISTERED Cemeteries can seek help from the Department of Commerce

The latest (May 21, 2018) News Release from the Ohio Department of Commerce fails to include a very important word in the title of the News Release; and that word is:  "registered" which should have been placed before the word "cemeteries".
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Also, the link in paragraph two for the laws and guidelines, which is the "Cemetery Minimum Maintenance Guidelines" By The Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission", states:

"ORC Section 4767.06(H) Adopt and Publish Suggested Minimum guidelines for all cemeteries registered in the state of Ohio under ORC 4767"  

So, it is in the linked document from the News Release that we see the word "registered".  

Registered is a very important word!  

Indeed Registered is the word to keep in mind when you are considering filing a Complaint with the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission about the unresolved issues you have with your cemetery of concern.  

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'Read below and weep' if your cemetery comes under one of these categories:

(C) Sections 4767.02 to 4767.04 of the Revised Code do not apply to or affect a family cemetery or a cemetery in which there have been no interments during the previous twenty-five calendar years. As used in this division, "family cemetery" means a cemetery containing the human remains of persons, at least three-fourths of whom have a common ancestor or who are the spouse or adopted child of that common ancestor.

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 Below are images of the two pages
of the Cemetery Registration Form
for Registered Cemeteries:
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Below is my response from the Department of Commerce's Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing.  

The Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission comes under the above Divisions.
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My request to file a complaint on an inactive and unregistered cemetery was denied because the cemetery was Unregistered due to its inactive status.