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."

Showing posts with label James L. Murphy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James L. Murphy. Show all posts

Sunday, August 30, 2026

Remembering and thanking Lolita Thayer Guthrie and James L. Murphy whose early help inspired me to believe that I could make a positive difference with my cemetery research work in Ohio.

I could not be as involved with cemetery preservation in Ohio and research the subject as much as I can in order to share with others what I learn along the way without the early guidance and hands-on help I received from two influential people who I am sure inspired others as well.:  Lolita Thayer Guthrie of the Ohio Genealogical Society and James L. Murphy of the Ohio Historical Society. 
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Lolita Thayer Guthrie:

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James L. Murphy

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Sunday, March 4, 2018

Spotlighting a New Update from "Past Lives Photography" that also Brought Back a Memory and a Sad Discovery for me.

Beth Wilson Shoemaker and her "A Grave Sight Cemetery Photographs by BAWS" posted a new link on Facebook, on March 3, 2018, connecting to her Past Lives Photography Blog (a link for it is also included in this blog) with an update detailing her visit to the almost lost and forgotten Mastin Family Cemetery in Clay Twp., Scioto County, Ohio.  

Learning of Beth's discovery led to my own recollection of someone who helped me in 1997 with documenting a relatively obscure Ohio cemetery --- the Friends (Quaker) Cemetery in North Lewisburg, Champaign County Ohio.  

I am writing about surveyor, Mr. James L. Murphy, who, himself, had paid an earlier visit to the Mastin Cemetery.  Thankfully, he shared his research results on the USGenWeb site on November 16, 2007.  He provided his listing of the inscriptions on the gravestones he found at the Mastin Cemetery.  His work included surveying the little cemetery for the Ohio Historic Inventory . The cemetery information was added to the official records at the Ohio Historical Society (now the Ohio History Connection).  The OHI number for the Mastin Cemetery is SCI0046813.

So, while searching for information on the Mastin (Mastin Family) Cemetery in Scioto County, I decided to do a "Google" search for James L. Murphy who I had not communicated with for several years following our exchanges regarding the Friends Cemetery.  
Sadly, I learned that he had passed away on October 8th, 2012.  

I dedicate this blog post to James L. Murphy whose assistance helped me complete the first Ohio Historic Inventory Form that I finished in 1997.  Over the years, I completed seven more OHI forms for other early Ohio cemeteries.

Sharing James L. Murphy's "Forgotten" Cemeteries and the Ohio Historic Inventory publication.  

Please take a moment to read it, and if you feel so inclined, contact the Preservation Office of the Ohio History Connection to learn more how these forms can help protect Ohio's almost forgotten cemeteries.