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, August 28, 2022

Sharing a "Youtube" video by a You Tube contributor - August 27, 2022 - Mount Tabor Church (defunct) and Cemetery

Sharing this Youtube video taken by a contributor August 27, 2022 at the Mount Tabor Church Cemetery in Salem Twp., Champaign County, Ohio.  It runs just over 9 minutes.  

Mentioning that sharing cemetery videos helps others not able to visit to see the current condition of the grounds, markers, and monuments. 

Noting how Ohio History Connection markers at cemeteries can attract visitors to stop and read it, thus learning more about a cemetery.  In this case, a now defunct church and cemetery. 

The two majestic white bronze monuments that also make this cemetery unique and historic are shown briefly in this video.  It is good to see them still intact!  

Sunday, August 14, 2022

Re-visiting Otis C. Pratt and receiving answers regarding his epitaph carved on the Pratt monument.

Otis C. Pratt would be regarded as an obscure Ohio artist and sculptor whose lifespan was November 24, 1845 to his death on September 24, 1921, if it were not for the diligence of an unknown W.P.A. (Works Progress Administration) worker, who sometime during the 1930s, stopped to read his lengthy epitaph on a mid-sized white marble monument at the Greenwood Cemetery in Wellington, Lorain County.  

The monument also marks the grave of his mother, Rachel Camilla Warner Pratt, who died in 1877 at the age of 51.  Her husband, Lyman B. Pratt, lived until 1897 and later married again but is buried alone also at Greenwood Cemetery.  Otis was their only child.

It was intriguing to read Otis C. Pratt's lengthy epitaph published in "The Ohio Guide" on page 125, with a veiled reference to him appearing on page 364.  

Also, thanks to Find A Grave, there are posted photos of the inscriptions for Otis C. Pratt on one side and his mother on the opposite side.  

However, it became a bit puzzling upon realizing what was obviously a lack of space on either side that would be needed to entirely accommodate an epitaph approximately 21 lines in length. 

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

So, an in-person visit to Otis C. Pratt's gravesite was in order to resolve the lingering questions and some nagging doubts if the epitaph was really carved on the monument at all?  

The monument was rather easy to locate in the cemetery thanks again to the unknown author who wrote that it was in the southwest corner of the cemetery.: 

Upon arrival at the cemetery's entrance, a quick left turn and short drive was all that was needed to bring the Pratt monument in clear view.  

Then a walk around examination of the monument's sides revealed that there is just enough detail left of the fading multi-line epitaph that was carved on the front side of the marker above the surname of PRATT spelled out in large raised capitol letters that provided the needed answers.  

Photographs below were taken during the August 10, 2022 visit to Otis C. Pratt's gravesite.:

Below is a close-up view of the front of the monument and what remains to be seen of the epitaph. The last word in the last line is "Farewell".    

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

Also below, take particular note of the last sentence in the red outline box on page 364 of "The Ohio Guide".:

*******

Below is a partial transcription of Page 125 in “The Ohio Guide” of Otis C. Pratt's epitaph the unknown author regarded as important enough to include in the publication under the category of “Art”.:

“In wind-swept Greenwood Cemetery on the edge of the village of Wellington, Lorain County, is the grave of a neglected artist who composed for his headstone an unusual epitaph.  This plaintive cry, perpetuated by Otis C. Pratt (1845-1921), gives voice to the sense of bafflement that must have been common to many artists in early Ohio who found themselves without encouragement or support;

"Stranger: I live in an Age when
 coruption [sic] was in our Government
and the ballot box was begged [sic] for;
When martyred Presidents and riots
echoed over our land; When Law and
respect clung to the rich and shunned
the poor; When money and fashion
had the brains, and Talent went
over the waters, for want of Free
Schools of Art supported by our
Government.  Such were the conditions
which caused my Landscape discovery
to decay with me, as Nature shows it.
Farewell P.R.A.T.T."

*******

Thus, initially due to not seeing any photographs of the other two sides, with the one assumed to be the back of the monument - which is traditionally blank; the last hope rested on the remaining side that it contained Otis C. Pratt's epitaph. 

Thankfully, the hope was realized upon a close up view of the monument's entire front. Indeed carved on it was the epitaph which reveals to us more about Otis C. Pratt and the times he lived in.  How fortunate we are that the carving was much more readable almost 100 years ago than it is today.  

It is quite sad because of its deteriorated condition a stranger visiting now most likely would just pass by the Pratt monument; perhaps glance at it; but then keep walking.

*******

(See earlier blog posts from January 5, 2022 and February 15, 2022)

Friday, August 12, 2022

The Holmes County W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Maps have been added to the right sidebar of the blog

Thanking Krista Horrocks, Project Reviews Manager with the State Historic Preservation Office of the Ohio History Connection, for alerting me to these Holmes County W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Maps being available online through the Holmes County, G.I.S. Department in the PDF format

*********

These maps are now also available in photo / .jpg format on Flickr.  See the link to them on the right sidebar of the blog.

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

These W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Maps follow the familiar format seen in most other such maps in Ohio counties.:  There is a Cemetery Index Page, and the maps have page numbers in the lower right-hand corner. 

Because there is also a cemetery locator map for Homes County, the corresponding cemetery number is shown on the map penciled in above the cemetery name in the Legend Box. 

Below is an example of the cemetery symbol on the map appearing as a cross inside of a rectangle. In this instance it is shown in the color red.: 

On the map page, which is number 43, the number "124" appears above the name Temple Cemetery in Holmes County denoting its number on the county's cemetery locator map. 



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

It should be noted that the township for  Salem Cemetery in Holmes County is shown as "Clark Township" on the Holmes County map.  Although it is true that the northern half of the Salem Cemetery is located in Holmes County, the correct township for the cemetery there is Killbuck Township.  

Looking at Coshocton County, which is where the southern half of the Salem Cemetery is situated, that Legend box shows that the cemetery is located in Clark Township.  

So, it is good to keep in mind that both Holmes County and Coshocton County positioned on a portion of its southern border, have townships named "Clark". 

Below are the Holmes County and Coshocton County W.P.A. Cemetery Plat maps for the Salem Cemetery.:

It is easy to see below how the Salem Cemetery straddles the border between Holmes County and Coshocton County.:
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Holmes County is home to large Amish and Mennonite populations, and thus this fact is reflected by some of the names of its cemeteries which are family cemeteries.  Prevalent surnames include.: 

Hershberger, Miller, Raber, Troyer, Weaver, and Yoder.

********** 

Find A Grave's listing of cemeteries in Holmes County, Ohio that have Mennonite identifications.  

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Below is a "World Cat" link to a definitive book about the Amish in Holmes County.:    
"Cemetery directory of the Amish community in eastern Holmes and adjoining counties in Ohio" by Leroy Beachy  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"George Washington directed a group of soldiers to march to Sandusky. On May 30, 1782, the troops camped at the "Big Spring" just north of Holmesville. During the night William Lee Mactobe, one of the soldiers, died and was buried on the hill southeast of the spring. It is the first recorded death and burial within the limits of the county. At this same location occurred the first recorded birth in the county."
See the Bushey Cemetery in Prairie Township below.  William Lee Mactobe is listed as a burial on the Bushey Cemetery in Prairie Township - page 65.  The war number by his name is shown as "3" -  a war with native American Indians on the frontier.: 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Spotlighting American Revolutionary War veteran Pvt. Jonathan Grant buried at the McCullah (McCulloch) Cemetery in Salt Creek Township in Holmes County.: 
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This collection of W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Maps contains an Addenda of "Location Unknown" veterans in Holmes County. 
Four names are listed.:
Arnold Arnold - with a penciled in correction of "Albert" for a given name, who is shown with a number"1" in a circle by his name meaning he would have been an American Revolutionary War veteran.
William Hendrickson, who is also listed as a veteran of the American Revolutionary War,
Arthur Phillips with "31" in a circle by his name denoting he was a veteran of the "World War" or sometimes called the "Great War" at that time;
and
Jonathan Wheaton, listed with number "1" in a circle for American Revolutionary War soldier who was buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio.  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 
Additional resource:

“LIBRARY SPACES FOR THOSE WITH NO FACES:  the OHIO AMISH LIBRARY OF BERLIN”

"Blog of the Special Collections Division of the Ohio Library Council"

https://sscdblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/14/library-spaces-for-those-with-no-faces-the-ohio-amish-library-of-berlin/

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

I enjoyed working with these maps and learning more about the people and history that are truly unique to Holmes County, Ohio!  

Monday, August 1, 2022

NCPTT - "Cemetery Preservation Foundation" - Several topics to read and study on the NPS/NCPTT website

The National Center for Preservation, Technology and Training (NCPTT) has not had its own stand alone website for about a year now.  Its content, however not all of it, has been transitioned over to the National Park Service's website.  

This blog has updated links in the right sidebar to the cemetery preservation articles and blog posts, etc. that go directly to the new updated NPS / NCPTT website. 

Below is the introduction for the "Cemetery Preservation Foundation":

"The following is intended to help support the understanding of methods and practices of preserving the resting place of our ancestors. 

For many these sites are of value for reasons from the historical understanding of our forbearers and the intersection of societal groupings to the objects of art or intangible heritage they contain. The value of preserving these sacred spaces allows us to understand our past and what we value as a society. 

Many sites and people do not know where to start in preserving the resources they manage or cherish especially as the integrity of their physical spaces becomes unstable as time passes. 

These pages are meant to give a foundation to discuss the challenges of preserving our ancestors’ resting places and give direction in formalizing an approach to maintaining or in many cases saving these sites."

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

While all of these instructions may not exactly fit a particular cemetery's situation, the information presented can serve as a foundation - meaning basis - and general guide that would apply to most cemeteries, and the grave markers in them, with regard to their needs. 

Categories include.:

SOURCE DOCUMENTS:

Where to Start

~*~*~*~*~

Understanding the Cultural Landscape

~*~*~*~*~

Understanding Materials

~*~*~*~*~

Be sure to check out the "You Might Also Like"with links below to articles.  

One link of interest is the "Preserving Grave Markers in Historic Cemeteries (Preservation Brief #48)

~*~*~*~*~