Sharing from "The Reporting Project" - Licking County, Ohio.: "Popeye Thompson Family Cemetery" & Taking a look at Ohio's small family cemeteries in general.

Sharing from "The Reporting Project" in Licking County, Ohio. "See You Down the Road: A family cemetery's unusual location near Alexandria" 

By Margo Ellis - February 12, 2026
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The "Popeye Thompson Family Cemetery" on Find a Grave.
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It isn't often when we discuss the small family cemeteries in Ohio that we stop to consider that there are some that are in the category of burials within the past 25 years - which would place them in the "Active" category. Thus, since also there is space for future burials perhaps, this small cemetery fits that description and will for some years to come. However, their other designation is that they are a small family cemetery and on private property. 
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Normally, most Active cemeteries are eligible to be Registered.  A Registered Cemetery is afforded stronger protections than those that are not.  

One of those protections lies with the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission. The OCDRC accepts complaints about cemetery problems and acts upon them with follow ups to those who are responsible for a cemetery's care.  The OCDRC will not  accept complaints regarding cemeteries that are not Registered, thus making it less likely problems will be resolved in a timely manner for those cemeteries.   
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We need to learn more about these family cemeteries.  

How many of them are there in Ohio?  After asking the question online which as we know now is answered by "AI" (which has some disclaimers included), I was lead to several links.  

One paragraph of many that is included is shown as such.:
"Registered vs. Unregistered: As of May 2024, there are over 4,100 registered cemeteries in Ohio. Since family cemeteries and those with no burials in the last 25 years do not have to register, thousands of "tiny, abandoned family graveyards" make up the difference between the registered count and the ~14,000+ total estimate."

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Thus, according to my calculations there are roughly 9,900 of those "tiny abandoned family graveyards" in Ohio.  

Sadly, these marginalized cemeteries are fading fast -- and too much history has already been lost because of it.

So, it was quite exciting to read this account of the Popeye Thompson Family Cemetery.  

It now has a greater hope that its legacy will endure much longer because of those who shared its family history story.   
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Spotlighting the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Newark, Licking County, Ohio - Major Improvements Made at Cemetery's Entrance

Sharing from the Newark Advocate in Newark, Ohio.:

"Cedar Hill Cemetery Entrance Sees Major Improvements" - By Maria DeVito, Reporter

Cedar Hill Cemetery on "Find A Grave"

Spotlighting a "Columbus Dispatch" News Story about Gravestone Photograph Volunteer Ron Cruikshank

Click on title to read a heartwarming story written by Lori Kurtzman that was published on July 9, 2012 in The Columbus Dispatch about Mr. Ron Cruikshank of Licking County, Ohio and his dedicated efforts to clean and then photograph gravestones at the Pataskala Cemetery in Licking County, Ohio. 

This is among the best written accounts I have read regarding volunteers who devote their own time to cleaning and also recording gravestone information to share with others on various websites.  

Highlighted in the story is the "Ohio GenWeb Tombstone Photo Project" that is part of the "Ohio GenWeb Project" offered on the website "Rootsweb.com."  Mr. Robert Sizelove has been its long time project manager.  I am pleased to see him receive the credit for his dedicated efforts with this project.  It has been my pleasure to work with Robert over the years on the "Ohio GenWeb Tombstone Photo Project."

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Currently, on "Find A Grave," the Pataskala Cemetery has 4,883 burials listed.  The Kirkersville Cemetery is also mentioned in this story and interments there listed on "Find A Grave" number 2,260.

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The Licking County Tombstone Photo Project lists several cemeteries in Licking County with interment information provided by contributors including for both Pataskala (with two links) and Kirkersville cemeteries.  

Spotlighting the Licking County Genealogical Society - Chapter of O.G.S.

Click on title to link to the fantastic website of the Licking County Genealogical Society, a Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society.

This website is chock full of links!!!

Be sure to check out the "Main Menu" and "What's New" information.
There is also a "Beginner's Corner" and an extensive listing of resources for researching in Licking County, Ohio.
If Licking County, Ohio is one of your focuses for Ohio research, including cemeteries, this is a "must see" website to visit now and in the future.
The last update to their website was made on February 23, 2012.

Newark Memorial Gardens - News of recent thefts of bronze flower vases

Click on link to read an April 8, 2011 WHIOTV.com story about recent thefts of bronze and brass cemetery vases totaling over $13,000 from gravesites at the Newark Memorial Gardens Cemetery. 

"Newark Advocate" story about the upcoming Association for Gravestone Studies Conference to be held in Granville, Licking County, Ohio - June 22 - 27, 2010

Click on title to link to a great story in the "Newark Advocate" (June 18, 2010) about the upcoming "AGS" Conference to be held in Granville June 22 through the 27.  

Beth Santore deserves a huge thank you for her role in bringing the AGS Yearly Conference to Ohio.  

Thank you Beth!!

Beth hosts the website: Graveaddiction.com

Quoting Beth from the final paragraph in the news story:

"I think learning about the different reasons people study gravestones will give people more reasons to look at them," she said. "If we can get more people interested in cemeteries, they will be interested in taking care of them."

The key word is interest !  Without it, Ohio will lose more history to the elements of time, weather, vandalism, and most sadly, neglect at its burial grounds. 

Licking County Ohio Genealogical Society - Meeting March 7, 2010 - 2:00p.m.

"Next Meeting:

Sunday, March 7, 2010, 2:00 p.m.

at Zerger Hall, 745 East Main Street, Newark, OH.

General Meeting:

Program: "Walking and Reading Cemeteries"

Presented by: Robert Sizelove, OHGenWeb Tombstone Photo Project Manager.

Meeting and Program are FREE and open to the public.

Please plan to attend and bring a friend.

For more information call the LCGS Library at 740-349-5510."

Cemetery Photos on the Licking County Genealogical Society website