John King has provided the latest - and most exciting - progress updates for the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio!

On September 4, 2025, John King, an original volunteer who has devoted countless hours working at the Old Burying Ground since 2014, has provided an updated progress report for this decade-plus long program entitled: 
"Old Burying Ground Preservation Project".  

This historic and scenic cemetery is located in beautiful Greenfield, 
Highland County, Ohio.  

This project is an all-volunteer cemetery preservation / restoration / conservation endeavor that ensures it addresses all of the needs of the cemetery, including resolving the negative issues 
impacting the grave markers and monuments that grace
the sacred grounds of this early Ohio cemetery's landscape. 
This all encompassing focus includes repairing
the cemetery's fencing and gates. 

"Old Burying Ground Preservation Project"

"As mentioned in the last update, weather played a major role  in our preservation efforts.  Too hot and humid for so many days we  did not think we should schedule time  for people to come out and stress  from the heat.  However, John King and Michael Lee Anderson  did have a few spur of the moment sessions  to see what we could get done.  We did manage to repair a few stones,  some in multiple pieces! " "We'll notify you when we have a  cleaning session scheduled." **************** All Photographs below provided by  John King on September 4, 2025: Gate Update . . . "A local person has taken the left side of the gate  that was severely damaged as reported  in our last update to his shop  and believes he can repair it.  We hope he can.  It will probably be a couple months  before we know anything." "We now have a beautiful sign near the entry gate.  It gives an overview of the cemetery,  shows a grid map of the burials,  and lists all the known burials  with reference to the map.  If you are in the area, stop by to see it." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Michael Lee Anderson  standing by the beautiful new sign.: "Since 2014, the Old Burying Ground (OBG)  in Greenfield, Ohio, has been undergoing work by a group of dedicated volunteers. Throughout each year, work sessions have been  held by key volunteers.  informing you of any upcoming work sessions, and offering information about this historic cemetery. We encourage your continued support in this effort and your sharing of this information with your friends. Thank you for caring." "How Can YOU Help? "Join us for an upcoming volunteer session.  You can stay as long as you like.  We will help you get started if you have not participated previously. Tasks range from cleaning stones, straightening stones, recording information, etc.  We post our scheduled sessions on the GHS website calendar  If you are unable to attend a session and still want to help, donations are always welcome as we do have to  purchase gravel and other supplies for cleaning and  repairing the gravestones.  Donations can be made payable to the Greenfield Historical Society and include a note that it is for the cemetery project.  Thanks for the support." Friends of OBG website The Old Burying Ground on Find a Grave

Sharing sad news of July 16, 2025 - Major Storm Damage occurred at the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio.

 Thanking John King of the "Friends of the Old Burying Ground" in Greenfield for alerting me to the severe storm damage done to this early pioneer cemetery in southern Ohio that contains the final resting places of so many ancestors of those who have ties to the area - and beyond.

 Earlier this year, on On April 4, 2025, the Old Burying Ground was given an award by "Scenic Ohio" along with six other Ohio cemeteries for the preservation efforts of the volunteers who have worked to improve and maintain its historic significance.

John King and Michael Lee Anderson are long time volunteers at the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield.  Since 2014, they have steadily continued with their work cleaning, repairing, and resetting markers and monuments.  

This massive complete cemetery preservation project has been a full-scale effort that has included additional volunteers over the years; attending to all of the preservation needs of this historic cemetery.

The Introductory Announcement and photographs of storm damage below are courtesy of John King.:

Old Burying Ground Preservation Project - 

12 page .pdf document with historical references. 

Friends of OBG website!

Old Burying Ground on Find a Grave

Old Burying Ground on BillionGraves

Greenfield Historical Society

Below is a September 16, 2016 photo, courtesy of Linda Ellis, who stood in front of the iron gated entrance to the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield.

Indeed this cemetery matters!: 

Sharing the latest report from "The Friends of the Old Burying Ground" in Greenfield, Highland County by John King.

"June 20th was a productive day at OBG. The rain had stopped, sun was out!

 Michael Anderson, Avery Applegate, and John King cleaned some gravestones, straightened a couple and began repairs on a large stone that was in multiple pieces.

One of the rewards of our cemetery preservation efforts is when people visit the cemetery while we are working and we can help them locate their relatives. 

A couple from Washington State, Rhonda and Patrick Clark, were traveling across the country looking for burial sites of Rhonda's family. In particular, they were looking for Edward Bryam, her 5X great uncle.

Would you believe we actually cleaned the gravestones of Edward and Rachel Bryam at our previous work session! Rhonda was thrilled to find them looking so nice. She also looked for some members of the Gibson family and at the cemetery in general.

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Our next tentative date for work will be Friday July 18th. We will start at 12:30 p.m., but it is likely that a couple of us will be there earlier than that. So if you have the time to help or just want to look at the progress, please plan to join us."

"Since 2014, the Old Burying Ground (OBG) in Greenfield, Ohio, has been undergoing work by a group of dedicated volunteers. Throughout each year, work sessions have been held by key volunteers." 

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Friends of the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio. 
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The Old Burying Ground on Find a Grave.

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A new volunteer work session announced for the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio.

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Adding a few photos from Linda's collection from a 2016 visit to the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Ohio! :

"2024 marked the completion of our mapping of the cemetery. By working in 50'x50' sections we identified the burials in each section, took pictures of the gravestones and updated the Billion Graves website and our Master List of Burials and Working List. A map was also created showing the individual sections that we created. Mike Anderson and John King looked over the cemetery in late April to see if winter had caused any damage, etc. There is plenty of work ahead of us for 2025. We will have a "Cleaning Session" to improve the looks of the gravestones of military veterans prior to Memorial Day. So on Friday, May 23rd, 1:00 p.m., we hope many of you will join us in this effort to honor our military veterans whose final resting place is in The Old Burying Ground.  The work will not be difficult. We will just use water and soft bristle brushes to clean the stones." ******************** "If you think you can join us on May 23, 2025, at 1:00 p.m., please email to let us know. You can stay as long as you want."  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As mentioned in our April email, The Old Burying Ground was recognized by Scenic Ohio as one of the recipients of this year's Scenic Ohio Award.    Scenic Ohio's awards program recognizes the work of organizations, agencies, and individuals that conserve, restore, maintain and manage Ohio's scenic places.     Our Historic Cemeteries are treasures to be honored as true "Gardens for the Living".  The restoration work at Old Burying Ground Cemetery is exemplary and an important example of what many historic cemeteries need. The work of restoration, preservation and maintenance of historic cemeteries is work of the highest order and to be encouraged throughout Ohio.  Six other cemeteries in Ohio were awarded:   1.  Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland   2.  Green Lawn Cemetery, Columbus   3.  Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati   4.  Ferncliff Cemetery, Springfield   5.  Mt. Tabor Cemetery, Mingo, Champaign County   6.  Old Burying Ground, Highland County   7.  Stratford Cemetery, Delaware County Thank you all for being supporters and volunteers to help make this happen!

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The 2023 work sessions conclude for John King and Michael Lee Anderson - volunteers since 2014 - preserving gravesites at the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio

 

Sharing from the Friends of the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield.:

"On October 4th John King and Mike Anderson (Michael Lee Anderson) continued preservation efforts at the OBG.  This was an unannounced session so we could finish a couple tasks before we broke for the season.  We were able to rebuild a small box tomb and repair and secure a couple of other gravestones. It is likely this will be our last session for the year as the weather cools down. We thank all of you for your continued support of this effort and look forward to next season at the OBG.   We did have 8 sessions this summer as well as the help of Amanda Koehler in continuing to map the cemetery." "Since 2014, the Old Burying Ground (OBG) in Greenfield, Ohio, has been undergoing work by a group of dedicated volunteers. Throughout each year, work sessions have been held by key volunteers Scott and Venus Andersen, John King, and Michael Anderson.  We encourage your continued support in this effort and your sharing of this information with your friends.  Thank you for caring." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Old Burying Ground Preservation Project ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ An earlier recap about the Old Burying Ground ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Friends of OBG website ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The Old Burying Ground in Greenfield on Find a Grave ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The Old Burying Ground in Greenfield on BillionGraves. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The Old Burying Ground on the website of the Greenfield Historical Society ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Sharing some of my photographs below.:  September 16, 2016 photographs of the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~