"Lake View Cemetery: Eternal home to Cleveland's most famous residents turns 150
Cleveland, Ohio - Cleveland’s most famous residents are eternal neighbors.
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Friday, June 21, 2019
Old Greencastle Cemetery Preservationists - A Plea for Help! - Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio
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About:
"A neglected cemetery that hadn't been touched in years. My dad and I set a goal of helping to preserve and maintain this forgotten cemetery. We use our own lawn equipment to mow, cut down trees, and weed eat the cemetery. We can always use donations, volunteers, and word of mouth to help preserve this cemetery. Old Greencastle Cemetery is most likely the oldest cemetery in Dayton. The earliest dated tombstone found in the cemetery was inscribed in 1817. Even before the church was erected, the land may have been used as a family graveyard. However, few of the graveyard's records prior to 1913 exist as many of the cemetery's records, graves, and gravestones were destroyed during the 1913 Dayton flood."
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"These Death Stocks are Barely Clinging to Life"
By Benen Ling
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"Specific Stocks"
"StoneMor (STON)"
"It's primarily a cemetery company, with an 80/20 split of cemeteries and funeral homes. It's the only stock with a major cemetery focus. Revenues have generally declined over last five years, as you would expect, while the company has tried to mask this with a series of acquisitions. It has only acquired an average of five cemeteries per year over the last 3 years, but it used to be much more active in rolling-up cemeteries and as such as a debt load reflecting that.
The debt load has gotten so onerous that earlier this year StoneMor breached debt covenants. Lenders have waived the breach for now, and are currently negotiating refinancing, but that may merely be delaying the inevitable. Free cash flow is weak, with most of the firm's cash flow going to interest payments. To make matter worse, the acquisitions that StoneMor spent so much on in the first place are underperforming. It hasn't made a profit in eight years and is pretty much a classic case of an over-acquisitive firm that's now overexposed to debt and drowning in interest payments. Some have taken the fact that Axar Capital (the largest equity owner) has injected a $35 million loan into the company as proof that StoneMor is capable of pulling off a turnaround. I would caution against that line of thought. Axar Capital is injecting cash into StoneMor because it is their largest equity holding, per their Form 13-F. I firmly believe that Axar is throwing good money after bad here.
Despite the serious decline in the stock, StoneMor could be going to zero. In late 2018, a Bloomberg story broke about StoneMor burying prepaid customers' graves before they died because doing so would allow the company to tap customers' pre-need trust accounts. Basically, they buried empty graves because it would allow the company to legally siphon off what its customers had paid in advance.
StoneMor is a classic short. It has weak free cash flow that's choked by debt, has had its reputation trashed by its own actions and is on the wrong side of the secular trend towards cremation in the funeral industry. Their bonds reflect this, with the 2021 bond yielding 14.3%. When looking for short sale candidates, experienced stock-pickers look for the most exposed, overleveraged candidates, and StoneMor certainly fits those characteristics."
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Thursday, June 20, 2019
Announcing two upcoming hands-on cemetery preservation work sessions at the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio - Tuesday, July 9th and Monday, July15th, 2019 - Start times for each day at 8:00a.m.
The Greenfield Historical Society has announced it will be holding two hands-on cemetery preservation work sessions at the town's historic early pioneer cemetery - The Old Burying Ground.
The dates are:
Tuesday, July 9th, 2019
Tuesday, July 9th, 2019
&
Monday, July 15, 2019
Both work sessions begin at 8:00a.m.
and go as long as possible!
Here is a link to the Greenfield Historical Society's
"I want to help" Page:
http://greenfieldhistoricalsociety.org/ghs-Volunteer.html
http://greenfieldhistoricalsociety.org/ghs-Volunteer.html
You can also contact the Old Burying Ground Project Team via email at:
jfking@earthlink.net
Here is a "Look Back" at the May 28, 2019 volunteer session at the Old Burying Ground.
THANK YOU!
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
"107 names added to Cleveland’s iconic Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument"
"107 names added to Cleveland’s iconic Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument"
The above link is to the WKYC-TV Channel 3 station in Cleveland and their report covering the event today of the addition of 107 names added to the Soliders' and Sailors' monument in downtown Cleveland.
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From the media press release about this event.:
"The Cuyahoga County Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, which commemorates the Civil War and
honors the citizens of Cuyahoga County who fought and worked for the Union will hold a special
ceremony on Wednesday, June 19 at 11 a.m.
At that time, the Monument Commission will announce the addition of 107 names of United States
Colored Troop Veterans to the Monument’s Roll of Honor to the 9,000 names already enshrined. All
107 were from, or enlisted, in Cuyahoga County and more than 100 of these were African-American
veterans. The name of each newly added honoree will be read aloud at the ceremony.
The date June 19 was specifically chosen as it is also known as Juneteenth – or Juneteenth
Independence Day, or Freedom Day – a holiday that commemorates the June 19, 1865
announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. state of Texas, and more generally, the
emancipation of enslaved African Americans throughout the former Confederate States of America.
Today’s significant addition to the Monument’s Roll of Honor is the result of nearly 20 years of
painstaking historical research and verification work using modern methods.
It began in 2002 with high school history teacher Paul LaRue of Washington Court House, Ohio and
Mr. LaRue’s Advanced Placement History Class students.
One of the Class’s projects involved
research on seven USCT veterans buried in a Washington Court House cemetery. Their work led to
new government issued military headstones to be installed on the graves, rightfully honoring those
who fought for our country.
This success led the Class to continue its research on burials of other USCT veterans within the State
of Ohio.
Their work came to the attention of the Governor’s office, which issued an executive order to
provide copies of Ohio Civil War enlistment records to the Class.
As the Class continued its work, the
names of several veterans from Cuyahoga County were uncovered.
Jerry Young – a Monument volunteer at the time (and now a Commissioner of the Monument) –
learned of the Class’s work in 2009. Mr. LaRue graciously offered the use of the microfilmed records
to the Monument for continued research.
The Monument formed a committee for this work.
For nearly a decade, Mr. Young; Committee Chair Jon Silvis, and Executive Director Tim Daley have
conducted extensive research on behalf of the Monument Commission that has included factchecking; verification and re-verification.
Today’s ceremony is the culmination of the many years of hard work and dedication of an educator;
his students; the Monument’s historians and Commission; the State of Ohio and Cuyahoga County.
Today we add the names of 107 American heroes to their rightful place on the Roll of Honor of the Cuyahoga County Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument."
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Links about Mr. Paul LaRue:
Advisory Council on Hisoric Preservation
Advisory Council on Hisoric Preservation
Sunday, June 9, 2019
Transforming the gravesite monument of 2nd great-grandparents and their infant daughter meant saving them
The once grand monument with a bible and prayer book carved on its top, marks the gravesites of my second great-grandparents on the Duvall side of my family. Sadly, however, it had developed condition issues that could no longer be ignored for many reasons. It needed much more help than I alone could give it.
My second great-grandparents were Jeremiah Duvall and Sigariah (Simmons) Duvall of Pickaway County, Ohio.
Jeremiah, his wife Sigariah, and their infant daughter who died October 29, 1843 at age 1 day, were buried at the Forest Cemetery in Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio.
Jeremiah Duvall's parents were Benjamin Penn Duvall and Nancy (Reed) Duvall buried at Green Lawn Cemetery, in Columbus, Ohio.
Sigariah (Simmons) Duvall's father was Stephen Simmons, a War of 1812 veteran.
The base of the Jeremiah and Sigariah Duvall monument had been severely cracked and sinking for several years. The structure of the base was compromised. Its ability to keep the monument standing straight was undermined because of it.
Also, the monument needed additional cleaning. It had been a couple of years since it was cleaned with "D/2 Biological Solution".
Propped up next to the monument was the small broken marker for Jeremiah and Sigariah Duvall's unnamed "Infant Daughter." It had cracked off at its base just below ground level.
The photo below shows the infant's marker next to the monument several years prior to restoration.:
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The side-by-side photos below of before and after cleaning, repairing, and the resetting work was completed, tell the story of the total transformation that took place for these two Duvall grave markers. They also received more support and protection from weed whackers and lawnmowers with the addition of an underlying concrete pad.:
(Below)
Additional photos
following the completion
of all of the needed
transformative tasks.
The transformation work for Jeremiah and Sigariah Duvall's monument and their unnamed infant daughter's marker was completed by:
Mark Smith, gravestone conservator and owner of
Mark Smith, gravestone conservator and owner of
"Gravestone Transformations.":
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Facebook:
Website:
Friday, June 7, 2019
Cleaning "Pesky" Zagorsky Gravemarkers - Calvary Cemetery, Lorain, Ohio - June 4 2019
Sharing "cleaning-in-progress" and after cleaning photos of the flat gravemarkers for brothers Andrew and Michael Zagorsky buried at Calvary Cemetery, Lorain, Ohio.
The cleaner of choice:"D/2 Biological Solution" - applied with a soft bristle brush, and using tap water from home whenever possible for lots and lots of rinsing!
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The problem with these markers is the pesky unpolished granite areas with their darkened streaks stubbornly staying year after year. Otherwise, "D/2" is doing a great job cleaning and lightening the polished granite surface.
The gravemarkers have been cleaned with "D/2" once a year since 2014.
Because I don't wish to use any solution stronger than "D/2", I'll see how these markers look this time next year.
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(Below)
Photos of the red granite marker - cleaning in progress - and after soft bristle brush cleaning and rinsing for Andrew and Josephine (Szczepankiewicz) Zagorsky.
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(Below)
Photos of the gray granite gravestone during cleaning and after cleaning and rinsing for Michael and Marie (Novascek) Zagorsky.
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Monday, June 3, 2019
Resthaven Memory Gardens in Avon - The latest Report from WKYC TV - Channel 3 news
Sharing this report with short video that clearly shows how severe the flooding is at Resthaven Memory Gardens in Avon, Ohio. This is a StoneMor owned cemetery; which means it is also a private cemetery.
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Sadly, the protest that was to take place yesterday was stopped by security set up at the cemetery by StoneMor.
The protest signs created and brought by those who had planned to hold them up high in support of their family and friends buried at Resthaven, however, were permitted to remain if installed at the gravesites. Not long after everyone had left Resthaven, though, the signs were swiftly removed and hauled away.
The protest signs created and brought by those who had planned to hold them up high in support of their family and friends buried at Resthaven, however, were permitted to remain if installed at the gravesites. Not long after everyone had left Resthaven, though, the signs were swiftly removed and hauled away.
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The results from a "Google" search for StoneMor lawsuits in the past year alone sheds more light on this company's all too often lack of responsiveness to resolve complaints in a timely manner. The story is the same or similar in nature at many of their cemeteries.
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The Rescuing Resthaven Cemetery Facebook Group is a well organized group that acts as a soundly informed resource for sharing of information. It supports those who seek help with resolving the flooding issues, and other problems that exist at the gravesites of loved ones or friends buried at this once lovely and well kept cemetery. It is Resthaven Memory Gardens best hope to regain its lost respect and have a brighter future because of their ongoing efforts to save it.
Sunday, June 2, 2019
From Wintersville, Jefferson County, Ohio -- "Not to be Forgotten"
"Not to be Forgotten"
"Graver marker dedication service today at Two Ridges Cemetery remembers special Union soldier"
By
Janice Kiaski
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Excerpt:
"Pvt. Martin Kean of the 9th Michigan Cavalry was wounded in the Skirmish of Two Ridges on July 26, 1863, as the Union forces were attempting to capture Gen. John Hunt Morgan, whose Confederate forces had entered Ohio. Kean was cared for by a Wintersville family, but died a month later on Aug. 27, the only death of the military effort."
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Saturday, June 1, 2019
Updated report - the sentencing of Theodore "Ted" Martin who, along with his wife Arminda Martin, commited fraudulent crimes against many who have purchased merchandise and lots at two Ohio cemeteries and one Pennsylvania Cemetery
Sharing this latest update from the "York Dispatch" in York, Pennsylvania.:
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Grandview Memorial Park (AKA Grandview Cemetery) in Ravenna, Portage County and Fairview Memorial Park in Delaware County are the two Ohio cemeteries impacted by the criminal activity committed by this couple who gambled away most of the money they received from customers.
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Excerpt:
"The pair bilked at least 223 customers of Suburban Memorial Gardens cemetery out of at least $493,000 since about 2010."
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The Cemetery Advocacy Facebook Group has been set up to share and discuss all of the unresolved issues these three cemeteries have had to deal with; and for the most part linger, caused by this couple's crime spree that thankfully has ended.
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