Taking a look at the discoid markers - AKA "ring headed Celtic" markers at the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Madison Township, Highland County, Ohio.

The Old Burying Ground sits on the West side of the gently flowing waters of the Paint Creek separating Greenfield, Madison Township, Highland County, Ohio and Buckskin Township of Ross County on the East side. 

Since 2014, this early to mid 1800s burial ground, where some of the town's pioneer settlers rest in peace, has become a most prominent place to be and witness the unfolding  preservation progress that is so evident in this conservation project that I'm sure is the pride of Greenfield. 

The landscape of cleaned, repaired, and re-set markers and monuments welcome visitors to linger awhile to read their epitaphs and marvel at the unique carvings of motifs and symbols as well as learn their names, dates of death, and their ages at death.

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Thanking all of the dedicated volunteers who have worked to make this transformation possible!  

Those hearty souls are primarily from the Greenfield Historical Society who have been trained to properly clean, repair, and re-set the markers and monuments at their town's pioneer cemetery.

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Here we'll focus on three special white marble markers that are admittedly small in size but hold a mighty presence at the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield! 

These markers were created in the distinctive discoid design not often seen at most Ohio cemeteries!    

These rather rare discoid markers are sometimes referred to as "ring headed Celtic markers".:

Cordelia Macey DePoy

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Corporal Thomas Coffey

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Ellenor Coffey

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Adding this possibility for another discoid marker at the Old Burying Ground. 

It is not known at this time if this marker was actually repaired and epoxied back together.  

It appears it was taken apart for restoration so it may appear to be as seen in the photograph on the left if the process wasn't completed.:  

It is listed on BillionGraves as an unknown marker.  

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Sharing this Youtube video about discoid markers here in America entitled.:

"The Necked Discoid Grave Marker - An Archaeologist's Study to Learn More about the Unique Headstone" 

by Rich Kuenneke

Teresa Straley Lambert will present Cemetery Iconography at the Dorcas Carey Public Library - Large Meeting Room - Tuesday - January 23, 2024 at 6:00PM

The Dorcas Carey Public Library will be the site for an upcoming presentation by Teresa Straley Lambert who will explain in detail the meanings of grave marker symbolism also known as iconography that helps tell the story of a life lived perhaps long ago that just might not exist anywhere else.  

Most grave markers and monuments have motifs and symbols as well as their name, death date, and age at death that pertain specifically to the person and the life they led. 

Learn what those additional carvings and exquisite embellishments signify - i.e. an open bible on top of the marker may mean the deceased was a preacher during their lifetime.  Small markers with a sleeping lamb carved on top identifies the gravesite is for an infant.  

There is so much more to learn! 

Well-known author Teresa Straley Lambert, will share her vast knowledge on this subject that is also a fascinating study to enjoy while visiting a cemetery!     

Captain Fairbanks Church III buried at the Huron Cemetery in Erie County, Ohio and the vandalism that most likely destroyed his one of a kind grave marker.

First, thanking Mr. Matthew J. Weisman, well-known Great Lakes ship builder historian, author, and public program presenter for so kindly alerting me to the unfortunate disappearance of this uniquely carved sidewheel steamboat grave marker for Captain Fairbanks Church III who was laid to rest in 1843 at the Huron Cemetery - Huron Township in Erie County, Ohio. 

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Taking the opportunity to share here also details of the upcoming January 24, 2024, 7:00p.m. Zoom Meeting offered by the Lorain County Historical Society to be presented by Mr. Weisman.: 
Bicentennial Speaker Series:

200 Years of Ship Building, Industry and Commerce on the Black River  

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Sadly, information provided by some Huron (Erie County, Ohio) area residents who have personal knowledge of the Huron Cemetery, state there are several downed and sinking markers, while others are stacked up elsewhere at the cemetery.  

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Thus, it is quite possible that this once intact grave marker, that for so long stood prominently at the Huron Cemetery, fell victim to a vicious vandalism attack after this photo of it was taken in August of 1963. 

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I do feel it is befitting to also offer some biographical information about the life and shipbuilding career of

 Captain Fairbanks Church III as shared to me by

Matthew J. Weisman:

Excerpts:

“ADZ, CAULK, AND RIVETS”
A History of Ship Building Along
Ohio's Northern Shore
A Thesis
Presented to
The Graduate Faculty of the University of Akron
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts
Richard J. Wright
August, 1963

______________________

"FAIRBANKS CHURCH"

(1791-1843)

 “Fairbanks Church was born about 1791. 
His place of birth is unknown.
Church was a master carpenter for James Day
 in Black River, Ohio.

The yard was located on the west bank of the Black River. 
In 1819, he built the General Huntington
along with James, Day, Augustus Jones 
and Enoch Murdock. 
The schooners Ann (1819) and Young Amaranth (1825)
were also built there by Church and Day. 
He later relocated to Huron, Ohio
where he established a shipyard.
 The schooner Marengo (1831) appears to be the first vessel built by Church in Huron. 
The steamer George Washington was built
 there in 1833 by Church and Captain Augustus Walker. 
She ran for the Huron Steam Boat Company with Captain Walker as her Master. 
Church and Walker also partnered in the building of the Sheldon Thompson (1833). 
Church was well-known for building side-wheel steamer in the 1830s. 
The United States (1834), DeWitt Clinton (1836), Cleveland (1837), Great Western(1838)
 and General Scott (1839) were all side-wheelers built by Church in Huron. 
The steamer Sandusky (1834) appears to be
his only build at Sandusky.
 The James Monroe, a side-wheel steamer, was built in Monroe, Michigan by Church in 1834. 
In 1841, Church and Joseph Keating built the Toledo,
also a side-wheel steamer, in Toledo, Ohio. 

The name Toledo was changed to Indiana before going into service.
Fairbanks Church launched a small steamer on June 13, 1839 which was described as "the greatest little boat ever built on these or any other waters." 

She was named the General Scott. 
This was the last steamer built by Church. 

In 1841 he built the schooner Woodbridge, and in

1842 the schooner Rebecca and the brig Henry Clay.

Fairbanks Church was a well-known and respected shipbuilder who had built vessels with many of the top builders of his day. 

He also was the mentor of Cleveland shipbuilder Luther Moses. 

Church died in 1843 at the age of 52. 

He is buried in Main Street Cemetery.

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It is fitting that a side-wheeler steamer is carved into the top of his grave stone and that “Master Shipbuilder” is inscribed under his name.”
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Sharing a link to Captain Fairbanks Church III's memorial on 

Find a Grave 

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 Now, returning to the subject of the disappearance of Captain Fairbanks Church III's grave marker. 

After further research, it was learned that a violent vandalism attack did occur on August 14, 1975 per reports published at the time in "The Journal" - the newspaper for Lorain, Ohio.:

From the Sandusky Register newspaper:

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No one can put a price tag on lost respect and dignity for the cemetery itself as well as for all of the damaged and destroyed grave markers on its landscape.  Too much history has already been lost and those who caused such destruction should receive penalties that match the severity of their crime.

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Ohio Revised Code  Section 1721.14 effective January 9, 1961 - Cemetery Policemen 

Ohio Revised Code 2909.05 - Vandalism - September 30, 2011 - 

(C) No person, without privilege to do so, shall knowingly cause serious physical harm to any tomb, monument, gravestone, or other similar structure that is used as a memorial for the dead; to any fence, railing, curb, or other property that is used to protect, enclose, or ornament any cemetery; or to a cemetery.

(D) No person, without privilege to do so, shall knowingly cause physical harm to a place of burial by breaking and entering into a tomb, crypt, casket, or other structure that is used as a memorial for the dead or as an enclosure for the dead.

(E) Whoever violates this section is guilty of vandalism. Except as otherwise provided in this division, vandalism is a felony of the fifth degree that is punishable by a fine of up to two thousand five hundred dollars in addition to the penalties specified for a felony of the fifth degree in sections 2929.11 to 2929.18 of the Revised Code. If the value of the property or the amount of physical harm involved is seven thousand five hundred dollars or more but less than one hundred fifty thousand dollars, vandalism is a felony of the fourth degree. If the value of the property or the amount of physical harm involved is one hundred fifty thousand dollars or more, vandalism is a felony of the third degree.

(F) For purposes of this section:

(1) "Cemetery" means any place of burial and includes burial sites that contain American Indian burial objects placed with or containing American Indian human remains.

(2) "Serious physical harm" means physical harm to property that results in loss to the value of the property of one thousand dollars or more.

VIRTUAL CEMETERY TOUR - HAYWARD-NEWLAND CEMETERY - SCIOTO COUNTY - VERNON TOWNSHIP - ELI ALLEN'S "WANDERING APPALACHIA" WEBSITE:

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The Hayward-Newland Cemetery on Find a Grave.:

A link to the Harrison County W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Maps has been added to the right sidebar of the blog

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

Below are the townships that comprise Harrison County.:

Archer, Athens, Cadiz, Franklin, Freeport, 

German, Green, Monroe, Moorefield, North, 

Nottingham, Rumley,

Short Creek, Stock, Washington

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This collection of W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Maps is from the Map Office of Harrison County. 

First, please note that this collection of W.P.A. Cemetery Plat maps is missing several of its map pages.  In a few instances, there are also partial map pages. Thus, it became necessary to type up the handwritten original Cemetery Listing Index Page. 

Below is a listing of the names of the cemeteries that show the missing map pages in this collection that should have been there based on the handwritten Cemetery Index that was provided.:

1. Alley Cemetery -  Short Creek Township – Map Page missing – Page  59 

2. Atkinson Cemetery -  Short Creek Township – Left side of the Map Page missing – Page 57 

3. Beech Springs Cemetery - Green Township – Map Page missing – Page 71 

      4. Bethel Cemetery - Green Township – Map Page missing – Page 50 

 5. Blue Ridge Cemetery -  Green Township – Map Page missing – Page 23

6. Cannan  Cemetery – German Township – Map Page missing – Page 23

7. Centre Unity Cemetery -  Cadiz Township – Map Page missing – Page  22

8. Colored A.M.E. Cemetery - Short Creek Township – Map Page missing - Page 60

9. Franklin Cemetery – Franklin Township – Map Page missing – Page 85

10. Furbay Cemetery - Short Creek Township – Left side of Map Page missing Page 57

11. Furguson (Ferguson?) Cemetery  - Green Township – Map Page missing – Page 60

12. Greenmount Cemetery – Freeport Township – Map Page missing – Pages 3 - 7

13. Greenwood Cemetery  Green Township – Map Page missing – Pages 44 - 49

14. Hann (Haun?) Cemetery  - German Township – Map Page missing – Page 23

15. Hopedale Cemetery – Green Township – Map Page missing – Page 51

16. McGaw Cemetery  - Archer – Map Page missing – Page 85

17. Old Deersville Cemetery  - Franklin Township - Map Page missing – Page 88

18 . Olive Branch Cemetery - Short Creek Township – Map Page missing – Pages 52 - 56

19. Patterson Cemetery – Franklin Township – Map Page missing – Page 86

20. Ridgeview Cemetery – Archer Township – Map Page missing – Page 78

21. Short Creek Cemetery - Short Creek Township – Map Page missing – Page 58

22. Stiers Cemetery - Short Creek Township – Map Page missing – Page 59

23. Utterback Cemetery – Franklin Township – Map Page missing – Page 85

24. West Grove Cemetery - Short Creek Township – Map Page missing – Page 61

25. Wilson Cemetery - Short Creek Township – Map Page missing – Page 60

26. Wood Cemetery – North Township – Map Page missing – Page 85

 27. Zion Cemetery – German Township – Map Page missing – Page 22

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Below is a composite of the Project Title Page:  

"Veterans Graves Registration" 

and

 the Addenda of the veterans with unknown burial locations in Harrison County, Ohio.:

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Below is the W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Map for The Old Cadiz Cemetery - Cadiz Township, Harrison County, Ohio.  

The W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Map for this cemetery lists 9 Revolutionary War veterans and two War of 1812 veterans.  

Only one American Revolutionary War veteran's burial location is designated for its Row and Grave number on the map page, which is number 32. 

Old Cadiz Cemetery on Find a Grave.

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The W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Maps for Fairview Cemetery in Rumley Township have updated veteran burial information.   These maps are up through the Vietnam War with their listing of veterans. This is a very interesting listing to read for its detailed information.:

The Fairview Cemetery in Rumley Township, Harrison County, Ohio on Find a Grave.

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Hopefully, one day the missing map pages for the Harrison County W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Maps will be found and included in their collection of these maps. 
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Tidbits of Treasures Tumble from "Twice Told Tales" - From the Harrison County News Herald - April 24, 1980, by John Campbell -Tuscarawas County's Mears Cemetery

 The Mears Cemetery is indeed located in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. This newsworthy tidbit about it though comes from the "Harrison News Herald" in Cadiz, Harrison County, Ohio, on April 24, 1980. 

Featured in the "County Seat Mirror" by John Campbell are the "Twice Told Tales".  Arranged as a date-by-date listing of "treasured tidbits" that otherwise just might not be re-published for a new and larger audience, we can read them as an unfolding history. 

Here we find short paragraphs that can contain key answers to a researcher's lingering questions.  

Of note in the last two paragraphs is the focus shift to the stonecutter J. W. Glasgow.   

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Leah, consort of Samuel Mairs exquisitely carved grave marker that was perfect in 2011.

Samuel Mairs matching carved grave marker. 

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July 16, 1825.: The "Harrison Telegraph" unclaimed letters at the Cadiz Post Office.  

Note John Glasgow.:  

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Samuel Mairs (Mears) - Find A Grave Memorial by David, a Find a Grave Contributor. 

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So keep an eye out for those tiny but treasured tidbits about your favorite subject, and when you least expect it, you just might learn all you need to know about it from them!

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