Reporting the sad news of a recent attack resulting in major vandalism at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio

 It is so heartbreaking to share this link to the "Findlay Courier" online news story, published July 28, 2021, with details and photographs of toppled over and lying on the ground broken 19th century grave monuments.  

All that is known, according to the report, is that an unknown vandal or vandals launched the vicious attack seriously damaging grave markers and monuments at several gravesites at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Findlay.

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Excerpt:

"According to the Findlay Police Department, the vandalism occurred overnight from Monday into Tuesday. Thirty tombstones were either toppled or damaged, all in the northeast section of the cemetery."

"The police department continues to investigate the incident, and anyone with information about who may be involved is asked to call the department at 419-424-7150 or Hancock County Crime Stoppers at 419-425-8477. Callers may be eligible for a reward."

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The Ohio Revised Codes that pertain to vandalism at cemeteries is 2909.05

2909.05 [Effective 9/30/2011] Vandalism

(A) No person shall knowingly cause serious physical harm to an occupied structure or any of its contents.

(B)(1) No person shall knowingly cause physical harm to property that is owned or possessed by another, when either of the following applies:

(a) The property is used by its owner or possessor in the owner’s or possessor’s profession, business, trade, or occupation, and the value of the property or the amount of physical harm involved is one thousand dollars or more;

(b) Regardless of the value of the property or the amount of damage done, the property or its equivalent is necessary in order for its owner or possessor to engage in the owner’s or possessor’s profession, business, trade, or occupation.

(2) No person shall knowingly cause serious physical harm to property that is owned, leased, or controlled by a governmental entity. A governmental entity includes, but is not limited to, the state or a political subdivision of the state, a school district, the board of trustees of a public library or public university, or any other body corporate and politic responsible for governmental activities only in geographical areas smaller than that of the state.

(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.

Amended by 129th General Assembly File No. 29, HB 86, § 1, eff. 9/30/2011.

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Effective Date: October 1, 2020

Ohio Revised Code 2929.18

(a) For a felony of the first degree, not more than twenty thousand dollars;

(b) For a felony of the second degree, not more than fifteen thousand dollars;

(c) For a felony of the third degree, not more than ten thousand dollars;

(d) For a felony of the fourth degree, not more than five thousand dollars;

(e) For a felony of the fifth degree, not more than two thousand five hundred dollars.

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There are 33,468 memorials posted on Find A Grave for the Maple Grove Cemetery in Findlay, Ohio.

Problems continue with the ongoing operation of Maple Grove Cemetery in Portage County, Ohio

Sharing from the Record-Courier in Ravenna, Portage County, Ohio this latest story from reporter Diane Smith:

Maple Grove Cemetery in Portage County, Ohio will suffer from budget cuts due to nearby Grandview Memorial Park that the township has assumed responsibility for in recent months.  

First, for better understanding, it helps to learn more about what constitutes a Union Cemetery:

"759.27 Union of municipal corporations and townships for cemetery purposes."

"The legislative authorities of two or more municipal corporations, or of one or more municipal corporations and the boards of township trustees of one or more townships, when conveniently located for that purpose, may unite in the establishment and management of a cemetery, by the purchase or appropriation of land therefor not exceeding one hundred acres, to be paid for as provided by section 759.30 of the Revised Code."
Effective Date: 10-01-1953 .

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"759.341 Union cemetery district."

"The legislative authority of each municipal corporation and the board of township trustees of each township that has united in the establishment and management of a cemetery under section 759.27 of the Revised Code, by an affirmative vote of a majority of each legislative authority and board, may form a union cemetery district comprised of all of the territory within the united municipal corporation and township for the purpose of levying taxes within the territory of the district for the establishment, operation, and maintenance of the cemetery. The legislative authority and board, acting jointly, shall constitute the taxing authority of the union cemetery district. Notwithstanding sections 759.37, 5705.19, and 5705.191 of the Revised Code, in order to adopt a resolution to levy a tax in excess of the ten-mill limitation within the district, a majority of the members of each legislative authority and board of township trustees constituting the taxing authority must vote in favor of the resolution. In all other matters, when the legislative authority and board are acting jointly as the taxing authority of the union cemetery district, each member of the legislative authority and board shall have one vote as described in section 759.37 of the Revised Code."

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Excerpt from the story.:

"This summer, the township asked the city to dissolve the union cemetery agreement, something that can't happen unless both sides agree.

The township cited financial constraints, noting that it also now operates Grandview Cemetery. 

Since then, city and township officials have met but haven't come to an agreement, except to explore cost-saving measures."

Also, it is worth noting that with this situation again we see an example of how there can be a negative "trickle down" effect when a township assumes responsibility for a for-profit cemetery, which Grandview Cemetery was, after the departure of the previous owners who were prosecuted because they committed crimes that directly caused adverse consequences for the cemetery and those who own lots in them.  

The cemetery then becomes one without a legal new owner. In other words it becomes abandoned.  

So, thus in Ohio, we can have an active yet abandoned cemetery.  Most of us might think of abandoned cemeteries as being those that have not had a burial in over 25 years, and are in the inactive status because of it.  We can see that may not always be the case.  

The Ohio Revised Code does not have in place a provision that would ease hardships that arise when these situations occur and the cemetery essentially becomes abandoned and orphaned if the township, or other type of municipality where it is located, does not agree in a timely manner to assume ownership and responsibility for it and its routine care. When they do ultimately agree to accept responsibility, the problems and expenses have greatly increased. 

As we can see, often with these types of disputes between two entities such as a town and a township regarding the responsibility and care of two close proximity cemeteries, in the end, at least one of those cemeteries will suffer.  

We see in this case, it is a scramble to resolve a financial situation by placing budget cuts on one cemetery resulting in a reduction of its staff in order to operate both cemeteries.  This move will in turn affect the ongoing maintenance of that cemetery in a negative manner.

A tense situation continues between the City of Ravenna and the Township over the continued care of the Maple Grove Cemetery in Ravenna

Sharing this most recent update regarding the continuing joint care of Ravenna's Maple Grove Cemetery by both the city and Ravenna Township stressing how it remains a costly unresolved issue, particularly for the township.  

Over 15,000 memorials are listed for Maple Grove on Find A Grave. 

The township cited that it took over Grandview Memorial Park which has over 3,400 memorials listed for it on Find A Grave.

The article explains that Ravenna and Ravenna Township have a Union Cemetery Agreement.  

The function of a Union Cemetery District in the Ohio Revised Code states.:

"759.341 Union cemetery district."

"The legislative authority of each municipal corporation and the board of township trustees of each township that has united in the establishment and management of a cemetery under section 759.27 of the Revised Code, by an affirmative vote of a majority of each legislative authority and board, may form a union cemetery district comprised of all of the territory within the united municipal corporation and township for the purpose of levying taxes within the territory of the district for the establishment, operation, and maintenance of the cemetery. The legislative authority and board, acting jointly, shall constitute the taxing authority of the union cemetery district. Notwithstanding sections 759.37, 5705.19, and 5705.191 of the Revised Code, in order to adopt a resolution to levy a tax in excess of the ten-mill limitation within the district, a majority of the members of each legislative authority and board of township trustees constituting the taxing authority must vote in favor of the resolution. In all other matters, when the legislative authority and board are acting jointly as the taxing authority of the union cemetery district, each member of the legislative authority and board shall have one vote as described in section 759.37 of the Revised Code."

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"There's not another jurisdiction in the state of Ohio that is responsible for two cemeteries, except for us," said Township Trustee Hank Gibson, the township's representative on the cemetery board. "I think anyone with a sound mind would say that's not fair."

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Below is a link to the Fallen Timbers Union Cemetery District and the cemeteries they are responsible for. 

The Fallen Timbers Union Cemetery District is even larger; comprised of five cemeteries.

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From "The Mirror" in Maumee, Ohio - "Waterville, Whitehouse, Waterville Township Move Forward on Union Cemetery Plan"by Karen Gerhardinger, Mirror Reporter

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Waterville Council Meeting Minutes, April 22, 2019 

"NEW BUSINESS"

"A. DISCUSSION – JOINT MEETING FOR THE APPROVAL OF TAX MILLAGE FOR THE FALLEN TIMBERS UNION CEMETERY DISTRICT ON MAY 13, 2019 AT 6:00 P.M.

At a January 7, 2019 Special Joint Meeting, the Waterville City Council, along with the elected officials of the Village of Whitehouse and Waterville Township created the Fallen Timbers Union Cemetery District. At this joint meeting, a Cemetery Board of Trustees was selected from representatives of the three participating jurisdictions and a general consensus was reached on how the district would be funded and the necessary steps needed to begin operations as a union cemetery. Legislation is on tonight’s Council agenda which will finalize the City’s financial contribution, provide assistance with equipment services and transfer the City owned Wakeman Cemetery to the District. The Ohio Revised Code requires an annual joint meeting of the participating members of the Union Cemetery District to be held at the Council Chamber of the largest participating municipality at its first regular meeting in May each year for the purpose of determining the annual rate of taxation for the District. Since Waterville is the largest member, the meeting is scheduled for May 13, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. at the Municipal Building prior to our regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. The meeting agenda and the District’s proposed 2020 Operating Budget was included with Council’s packet for their review and discussion. The rate of taxation approved at the joint meeting would be uniform throughout the District and is levied outside of the ten-mill limitation. The requested 0.46 mills includes the purchase of equipment thought to be part of the necessary “start-up” costs required to begin the operation and maintenance activities for the District’s five publicly owned cemeteries totaling 28.644 acres.

Mr. Frey, Chair of the Fallen Timbers Union Cemetery District Board of Trustees, stated that the 2020 Operating Budget was put together by the Cemetery Board and

was included in Council’s packet. This budget will need to be approved at the Joint District meeting on May 13 and at that meeting we will also need to set the levy that will be needed to fund the district in the future. 2019 will be funded through the seed money of $50,000 from each from the City of Waterville and the Village of Whitehouse.

Council held a brief discussion on the Fallen Timbers Union Cemetery District’s proposed 2020 budget. All three entities of the district will meet for the annual joint meeting on Monday, May 13 at 6:00 p.m. at the City of Waterville Council Chamber.

B. RESOLUTION 13-19 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE FUNDING AGREEMENT FOR THE FALLEN TIMBERS UNION CEMETERY DISTRICT

At the January 7, 2019 Special Joint Meeting creating the Fallen Timbers Union Cemetery District, an understanding was reached among the elected officials present that the Cemetery District would need an interim source of funding to operate in 2019 until property taxes were received in 2020. This Resolution authorizes a “Cooperative Funding Agreement” between the City, the Village of Whitehouse and the Cemetery District to provide a total of $100,000 to fund the operational expenses of the District in 2019. The $50,000, contributed each by the City of Waterville and the Village of Whitehouse respectively, would be paid back to each jurisdiction over a period of five (5) years at a rate of $10,000 per year. The $50,000 payment to the District was included in the 2019 Appropriations Ordinance.

Mayor Brodie moved to adopt Resolution 13-19. Mr. Bruno seconded the motion. Roll call: Mrs. Bruno – yes, Mr. Pedro – yes, Mrs. Duncan – yes, Mayor Brodie – yes, Mr. Frey – abstain, Mr. Bruno – yes. The motion passed.

C. RESOLUTION 14-19 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL EQUIPMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THE FALLEN TIMBERS UNION CEMETERY DISTRICT

This Resolution authorizes an “Intergovernmental Equipment Services Agreement” between the City of Waterville and the Fallen Timbers Union Cemetery District for equipment services involving the opening and closing of graves in the District’s cemeteries on a temporary basis until the District has the equipment and personnel to undertake this work on its own behalf. The city would charge the District $50.00 per hour per City Employee and $100.00 per hour for equipment.

Mr. Pedro moved to adopt Resolution 14-19. Mr. Bruno seconded the motion. Roll call: Mrs. Bruno – yes, Mr. Pedro – yes, Mrs. Duncan – yes, Mayor Brodie – yes, Mr. Frey – abstain, Mr. Bruno – yes. The motion passed.

D. ORDINANCE 06-19 AN ORDINANCE TRANSFERRING OWNERSHIP OF THE WAKEMAN CEMETERY TO THE FALLEN TIMBERS UNION CEMETERY DISTRICT AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

This Ordinance authorizes the transfer of ownership of the Wakeman Cemetery located inside the City of Waterville to the Fallen Timbers Union Cemetery District. The emergency measure is requested in order to transfer the property to the District as soon as possible in order to avoid any disruption of the operation of the cemetery.

Mayor Brodie made a motion to suspend the rules to allow for the passage of Ordinance 06-19 as an emergency measure. Mrs. Duncan seconded the motion.

Roll call: Mr. Bruno – yes, Mr. Frey – abstain, Mayor Brodie – yes, Mrs. Duncan – yes, Mr. Pedro – yes, Mrs. Bruno - yes. The motion passed.

Mayor Brodie made a motion to move for the passage of Ordinance 06-19 as an emergency measure. Mr. Pedro seconded the motion.

Roll call: Mrs. Bruno – yes, Mr. Pedro – yes, Mrs. Duncan – yes, Mayor Brodie – yes, Mr. Frey – abstain, Mr. Bruno – yes. The motion passed."

Another Ohio township trying to walk away from it's responsibilities to care for a cemetery - Ravenna Township, Portage County, Ohio

Sharing this July 26, 2020 story by Diane Smith from the "Record-Courier" -- 
"Ravenna Township wants out of Maple Grove Agreement" 

"City and township officials plan to meet in the near future to consider the future of Maple Grove Cemetery on North Chestnut Street, which Ravenna city and township have jointly operated for more than 20 years.

Ravenna Township Trustee Patsy Artz said the burden of rising costs at Maple Grove are too much to bear for the township, which took over Grandview after its previous owners, Ted and Myndi Martin, were sent to prison for defrauding customers. The burden of rising cemetery costs, she said, comes at a time when all local governments are short on funds because of COVID-19.

“By law, we only have to have one cemetery,” she said. “We cannot afford to maintain two cemeteries, nor do we need to.”

 Assistant Portage County Prosecutor Chad Murdock wrote a letter to the city in June, hoping to dissolve the partnership that operates Maple Grove.

 “With your consent, the board (of township trustees) would like, actually needs, to withdraw from the Maple Grove Union Cemetery,” he wrote. “To be fiscally responsible, the board must make some changes.”

 Maple Grove, though now located entirely within the city limits, was once the township cemetery. In 1995, the township sued the city, arguing that because the cemetery was in the city, both governments should jointly maintain it, and the Portage County Common Pleas Court ruled in the township’s favor.

 Ravenna Law Director Frank Cimino said that an opinion from the Ohio Attorney General has determined that both parties in a union cemetery must agree to dissolve the partnership.

 “If the city does not consent to it, they (township trustees) have no ability to withdraw,” Cimino told council’s planning committee recently.

 However, he said, the city and township could form a joint district to seek a tax levy to fund the cemetery.

 Councilwoman Amy Michael said she was concerned about justifying a tax increase to residents, and pointed out that the city is losing money as well.

 “There have been so many taxes and increases to our residents,” she said. “Some of our residents choose cremation and don’t even use that cemetery, or another cemetery. I’m not sure how we’d justify that.”

 Councilman Tim Calfee said he believes the cemetery needs to be fixed up, but now isn’t the right time to ask for a tax.

 “We don’t say when we’re having trouble paying our bills, ‘Oh, I don’t want to pay my bill anymore,’ ” he said.

 Mayor Frank Seman said he thinks both sides need to sit down and “politely discuss the situation.”

 But it’s not clear when, or how, the meeting would take place because of regulations on mass gatherings due to COVID-19.

“That cemetery, people watch it like a hawk,” Michael said. “A lot of our loved ones are there, and our history is there.”"

Maple Grove Cemetery has 15,384 interments on "Find A Grave"

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Grandview Memorial Park has 3,420 interments on "Find A Grave"

"However, he said, the city and township could form a joint district to seek a tax levy to fund the cemetery."

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/759.341v1

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759.341 Union cemetery district.

The legislative authority of each municipal corporation and the board of township trustees of each township that has united in the establishment and management of a cemetery under section 759.27 of the Revised Code, by an affirmative vote of a majority of each legislative authority and board, may form a union cemetery district comprised of all of the territory within the united municipal corporation and township for the purpose of levying taxes within the territory of the district for the establishment, operation, and maintenance of the cemetery. The legislative authority and board, acting jointly, shall constitute the taxing authority of the union cemetery district. Notwithstanding sections 759.37, 5705.19, and 5705.191 of the Revised Code, in order to adopt a resolution to levy a tax in excess of the ten-mill limitation within the district, a majority of the members of each legislative authority and board of township trustees constituting the taxing authority must vote in favor of the resolution. In all other matters, when the legislative authority and board are acting jointly as the taxing authority of the union cemetery district, each member of the legislative authority and board shall have one vote as described in section 759.37 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 10-20-1987.

 

There are so many elements at play in a situation such as this one.  More than one side to the argument has merit in this story.  Definitely, more discussions are needed to happen between all parties involved.  
Reaching out to obtain pertinent input from residents is crucial.  Some options include holding Facebook live 'town hall' type meetings, etc.  
Seeking different approaches to solve the problems at hand to better enable the living to do the right thing by those who are no longer with us and no longer who can speak for themselves. 

The fate of final resting places of those who came before us - whether they be long ago ancestors or our parents - and when you come right down to it, ourselves if we have invested in plots at a cemetery, all are at risk.  
At the heart of the matter is:  Respect, Dignity, Honoring final wishes.   All are at risk of  being lost if we as the living,  do not keep our commitments to those who came before us, to each other, and to ourselves.  
All cemeteries are part of their surrounding communities.  Cemeteries are comprised of sacred spaces and are living breathing landscapes full of cherished history. 
Yes, financial resources are considerations, but there are options, even workarounds, to achieve goals.  
We have seen how volunteers have cared for active cemeteries that were orphaned by their owners right here in Ohio -- Floral Hills Memory Gardens in Ross County and the Pickaway County location both have managed to sustained themselves through volunteerism and donations.  And, they have now done it for over 7 years.  Can they go on forever - of course not, but they are keeping these cemeteries going as best that they can until a new owner is put in place.  

Like everything else in life that determines whether there will be success or failure, it all comes down to the people involved.  How committed they are to solving a problem.  How devoted they are to seeking out solutions and gathering local community support.  

What we don't want to happen is for active cemeteries being 'fast-tracked' into a downward spiral of becoming like their long abandoned counterparts -- covered with overgrown weeds, landscapes dotted with sinking markers, and leaning monuments.  
As a nation and a society, we are at a crossroads because of changes in burial practices that are jeopardizing the future of long-established cemeteries.  
Additional options for long-term cemetery care need to be explored.  I feel adopting measures modeled after those cemeteries with owners that have been successful at handling these changes would be worthwhile to explore and carefully examine. 

....And, What about Trees at Cemeteries? Good or Bad or Both?

First - the Good: 

Sharing this June 12, 2017 story from the "Urbana Daily Citizen" in Champaign County, Ohio entitled:  "Planting Leaves of Comfort" by Joshua Keeran about the Woodstock Lions Club's mission to plant 100 new trees within a five year period at two Rush Township Cemeteries - Maple Grove Cemetery located just outside of North Lewisburg and the Woodstock Cemetery.  

Both cemeteries are active / registered cemeteries with newer burials and frequent visitors, which is important to note. 

As stated in the article: 

“The ash trees are gone, the maples are dying of old age, and no one is replanting trees to restore the natural beauty of the cemeteries,” said Woodstock Lions Club President Tim Kemper. “These cemeteries were plotted on peaceful parcels of land over two centuries ago.

“Visiting a cemetery to pay respects to loved ones is an emotional experience that can be enhanced listening to the breeze blow through the leaves of the trees, and the shade provided can be soothing on hot days,” he added."

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Next, the Bad:

But, what about the adverse events that so often strike trees over time that cause them to lose large limbs or even topple completely over?  Afterward a once tranquil (and safe!) scene will become a devastated landscape of scattered damaged and destroyed gravestones lying beneath downed branches and heavy limbs. 

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AND,

Trees do need some TLC as we know. 

Photos below are from the South Murray Ridge Cemetery in Lorain County, Ohio where there are several mature trees, however, many have not been routinely pruned.  Over time trees grow and their roots surround and encroach the markers and monuments as shown below.

(Also, gravestones under trees tend to develop more lichens and moss on them.)

 The large monument below is barely visible now.

It is tightly squeezed between two large bushes that have been

left unattended and allowed to become huge!

 If this one large tree to the right shown below became uprooted and toppled over, how many

grave markers would be destroyed? 

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Thus, I think we can see that trees are not the best of friends for cemeteries or grave markers due to several reasons although they provide welcome shade and some coolness on bright sunny hot days for those visiting them.  

It is important that caretakers properly and routinely care for the trees as well as the cemetery grounds so neither are neglected.  

Sharing a message from Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr. regarding "Find A Grave"

Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr. wishes to inform others about his decisions regarding posting further memorials on the website "Find A Grave." I am sharing his message here.  

Ralph's biography and contact information on his "Find A Grave"profile page can be accessed by clicking on the title above. 

(a view of part of the Spain Cemetery above adjacent to the Maple Grove Cemetery in Rush Township, Champaign County, Ohio)

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"I am no longer personally creating memorials for "Find A Grave." I've never been concerned about the number of memorials I could create...only about those I could accurately create and manage.  I will continue to maintain the memorials which I have created in the past, and to provide assistance to those in need.

I have taken more than 7000 photos of the markers in Maple Grove Cemetery, North Lewisburg, Ohio (about 4700 burials), and Woodstock Cemetery, Woodstock, Ohio (about 1600 burials), and will be happy to provide photos to anyone who is creating memorials on "Find A Grave" for individuals buried in either of these two cemeteries, OR anyone who requests photographs through the "Find A Grave" process. Contact me for assistance if you have a loved one, friend or associate buried in either of these two cemeteries.

There are a great many volunteers on "Find A Grave" who create vast numbers of memorials using only obituary notices. Often, many months or even years go by before photos of the grave markers are added - if ever - to these memorials. I personally believe that every memorial should have a photo of the gravesite marker, if one is available. And, this action should be as soon as possible after the posting of the memorial, regardless of who posts the photo. The gravesite marker sometimes draws attention to error(s) in the memorial text, and vice versa.

Some "Find A Grave" volunteers do not want any gravesite photos attached to their memorials unless they provide their own. Why then does "Find A Grave" have a feature for requesting photos of gravesites and attaching them to memorial pages? I don't believe maintenance implies ownership, unless the creator of the memorial is paying for the memorial to the exclusion of "Find A Grave's" advertising.

I have OFFICIALLY worked with the Board of Trustees of Maple Grove Cemetery and Woodstock Cemetery, Rush Township, Champaign County, Ohio, to officially photograph the cemeteries and transcribe the official records of the cemeteries.

I can thus assist with information regarding individuals buried in these two cemeteries, or photographs of the gravesite markers. 

I have the most extensive databases, created from transcribed original cemetery records, funeral home records, obituaries, and other sources. Even if a name which you are researching does not appear on the "Find A Grave" pages for these two cemeteries (Maple Grove Cemetery and Woodstock Cemetery) I can probably provide you with the available information.  Don't hesitate to ask.

Incidentally, in 2012, the entire databases and photographs for Maple Grove Cemetery and Woodstock Cemetery, Rush Township, Champaign County, Ohio, will be published on the Internet for access by and use of family history researchers. Watch for advance notice of the publication date here."

Ralph can be contacted at:

Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr. 

1536 Robins Circle

Ogden, Utah 84404

ralph.l.coleman.jr@gmail.com

Photographs needed for Spain Cemetery & Maple Grove Cemetery in North Lewisburg and Woodstock Cemetery in Woodstock, Champaign County, Ohio

**Sharing a new request for assistance from Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr.**:

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"I am in need of assistance of a sort.

I am beginning a project to gather up copies of old photographs of Spain Cemetery and Maple Grove Cemetery near North Lewisburg, and Woodstock Cemetery, all in Rush Township, Champaign County, Ohio.

What I am looking for are photos of funerals, Memorial Day gatherings, GAR, American Legion, etc. burial honors, ceremonies, or reunions from about 1870 to 1975.

I'll be sending off flyers for posting in North Lewisburg and Woodstock.

Good, clear, black-white/color COPIES should be sent to me at:

Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr.

1536 Robins Circle

Ogden, Utah 84404-6040.

Donors should include all of the details about the photos (who, what, where, when, why/how, etc) as well as their names and return addresses.

I want to incorporate photos into two projects I'm working on.

Full credit to providers of photos. 

If ORIGINALS are sent, they will be scanned and RETURNED to the owners as long as names and mailing addresses are included.

Please DO NOT write directly on the photos, unless it/they are original notes placed there by someone "once upon a time".

I want to use the photos to help determine tombstone locations, unmarked gravesites, ceremonies honoring the dead, etc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spotlighting Find A Grave Contributor Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr.

I am spotlighting Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr. and his contributions to Find A Grave. 

Please click on the title to read more about Ralph and his ongoing efforts particularly with Maple Grove Cemetery just outside of North Lewisburg,  Rush Township in Champaign County, Ohio; and at the Woodstock Cemetery in Rush Township's other larger town, Woodstock. 

Below is the latest information from Ralph about how he is handling adding photographs to memorials posted by others where the burial site information has been lacking on the memorial.
 

Due to Ralph's extensive ongoing research at these cemeteries, he has gained the knowledge of gravesite locations and is adding such information in the caption sections below the photographs he posts:

"I have a tidbit (more correctly, a suggestion) for folks who add photographs to Find A Grave memorials, and who might read your blogspot.

There are many memorials which have been posted without accompanying photographs of the grave sites. When I review those which have been posted by other people for Maple Grove Cemetery (North Lewisburg, Ohio) and Woodstock Cemetery (Woodstock, Ohio) for example, I attach photographs to those memorials from my photo files (if available) for those cemeteries.

Using the "caption" feature for photographs on Find A Grave, I usually insert the burial site information (if it does not appear in the memorial proper), and the date of the photograph.

This information has proven to be of interest - and some value - according to folks who have responded after I've added the photos. It has also helped make it easier for some people to find the locations of the grave sites within those cemeteries.

****With 4,200 burials in Maple Grove Cemetery, and about 1,565 in Woodstock Cemetery, I have a long way to go before this particular side project is completed.

I work at it periodically, just about every time I sign in to Find A Grave."

Ralph

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(please note Ralph's new email address below)

Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr.

1536 Robins Circle

Ogden, Utah 84404

ralph.l.coleman.jr@gmail.com

*********************************

Thank you, Ralph, for contacting me and sharing your information.

 

Your contributions are examples all Find A Grave contributors and contributors to similar sites such as Ohiogravestones.org can do well to follow!! 

Maple Grove Cemetery and Woodstock Cemetery - Rush Township, Champaign County, Ohio

Thanking Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr. on this Thanksgiving Day 2010

I received a nice note today from Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr. of Ogden, Utah.  

Ralph originally hails from North Lewisburg, Champaign County, Ohio. 

Ralph has been devoting countless hours of his time in research during the past two years in conjunction with personal hands-on work to document burials at both the Maple Grove Cemetery and the Woodstock Cemetery. 

These cemteries are in Rush Township which is located in the northeastern corner of Champaign County, Ohio.

Below is an excerpt from Ralph's note which updates his ongoing Maple Grove and Woodstock Cemeteries research and beyond:

"I'm still working on cemetery records at Maple Grove and Woodstock to make them more complete. I will have a revised database to send back to Rush Township so they can update the database I installed there when I was home last year. I have over 4000 burial records for North Lewisburg, so it will significantly increase the records they will have onhand for folks' research.

I'll have some publications put together which I will be donating to the libraries in Urbana and North Lewisburg as part of this process. I have records of cemetery plot deeds, burials, and so forth which will make it easy for people to research family lines and information without having to actually go to the cemeteries. I'm having this material professionally printed and bound before I send it off.

I've also been transcribing the 1870 and 1880 census records for North Lewisburg. I'm almost done with the 1870 report; I'll have it printed and bound and a couple of copies sent off to both libraries. I don't foresee having the 1880 census done until spring; at that time, I'll also print and bind and send off copies for the libraries."

Click on this post's title to link to Ralph's Blog titled:  "Along Spain Creek"

Also,
"Along Spain Creek" - Cemetery references

Thank you Ralph!!!

Nancy Spain information from Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr.

There are four Nancy Spains buried in Maple Grove Cemetery. Three are buried in the oldest portion of the cemetery, the part which was originally (and still remains referred to as Spain Cemetery). Burials started here in 1837, and continued until the 1960s with burials on very old family plots. Burial records only exist for the newer part of the cemetery area, referred to as "old" Maple Grove Cemetery and "the Gilbert Addition." Maple Grove Cemetery dates from 1890; the Gilbert Addition was added in the 1950s with the first burial there in the 1960s. There are about 4150 burials in the cemetery, not counting the burials in the Spain Cemetery portion.


Spain Cemetery was established shortly after the earliest pioneers arrived from Virginia, most of whom originated in Dinwiddie County. Many of these early settlers were Quakers, members of the Society of Friends. There are more than 211 Spains buried in the cemetery complex.

Unfortunately, Census records across the US did not record the names of females until the 1850 Census. You might want to try to find her listed in the census for Champaign County in 1850, and 1860. You might also attempt to find a marriage record for her and Audas in Champaign County during the appropriate time period. Some times these early marriages were recorded in county records; sometimes they were not. Death records were not required to be maintained until much later in the County's history. The clerk of the Probate Court at Champaign County Courthouse, 200 North Main Street, Urbana, Ohio 43078 (phone 937-484-1028 might be able to assist you in a search. There is a charge for copies of documents found.

All of the official burial records for Spain Cemetery have been lost for years. Information on burials there has been gleaned from existing, readable memorial stones by volunteer readers. I have the most up to date information from this source. Burial records via the local funeral home, dating back to 1892, are in my possession, but nothing from farther back in history.

The records for Maple Grove Cemetery, as contained in the original record books from 1890 - present day, are incomplete. I transcribed the original records in the summer of 2009, creating a digital database which is stored on my computer, and on the computer which I donated to the Rush Township trustees (in North Lewisburg). During the history of the cemetery, there were at least three sextons/caretakers who could neither read nor write. As a result, some individual burial records are incomplete with missing Christian names, dates of burial, mispellings of last names, etc. I also took over 7000 photographs of memorial stones. For the past year, I have been linking photos with the transcribed data, and supplementing this with additional information from funeral home records, obituary records, and news articles in area newspapers during the period. I probably have the most complete record of burials at Maple Grove Cemetery to be found anywhere.

There are the three Nancy Spain listings:

Nancy Spain, born 9 May 1775 - died 9 Oct 1841: no other information is available. - gleaned from an old transcript

Nancy A. Spain, born 1780 - died 23 Oct 1867: no other information is available. - gleaned from an old transcript

Nancy M. Spain, born 14 Jun 1787 - died 23 Feb 1848: no other information is available. - gleaned from an old transcript

It is a possibility that your Nancy Audas is the second name listed here. The Audas family was prominent in the area through the 1870s. A current street in North Lewisburg is Audas Street, which connects with East Street at the location of the now non-existant railroad crossing, and extends to the north.

There are no Audas burials in Maple Grove Cemetery. There are two known Audas burials in Butcher Cemetery, which is located on the west side of North Lewisburg, within the corporation limits, near Spain Creek. These are:

AUDAS, Martha

Wife of William

• June 9, 1809

September 8, 1846
(earliest known burial)

37 yrs. 3 mos. 2 days


AUDAS, William
December 5, 1800

March 31, 1867

67 years
(Nixon & Bolton page 99)

The Champaign County Genealogical Library, 1060 Scioto Street, Urbana, Ohio 43078, phone 937-653-3811, is a repository for microfilms of newspapers from the 1830s to the present day. You might attempt to locate an obituary for Nancy A. Spain by reviewing the newspaper which were in circulation at the approximate time of her death. The volunteers at the genealogical library have created an extensive obituary card file which also might be a source for information in attempting to ascertain if her maiden name was Audas.

I hope this information helps you in your search for Nancy Audas.

Ralph Coleman
1536 Robins Circle
Ogden, Utah 84404

Spotlighting - "Along Spain Creek" Blog - Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr.

Click on title to access Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr.'s blog, "Along Spain Creek" - specifically the section which offers links to both Maple Grove and Woodstock Cemeteries in Champaign County, Ohio. 

The burials for both are linked to the website of "Find A Grave" and Ralph has that link posted for the researcher's convenience in searching for burials at these two cemeteries offered on the site.

Ralph has done extensive work researching burials, both marked and unmarked, at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Rush Township, just outside the city limits of the Village of North Lewisburg in Champaign County. 

From Ralph:

"There are approximately 20 LOTS of the nearly 968 LOTS in Maple Grove Cemetery (appoximately 2%) which have more than four burials recorded in the original record book.

However, these lots generally contain the remains of a baby, (or babies), an infant, or the buried cremains of someone who was cremated. In some cases, the walkway areas adjacent to the lots were purchased and used as burial plots. It would have been very difficult to "squeeze" in five adults, complete with burial vaults, into the space allotted to individual lots within the squares. The lots were measured by length and width when the cemetery was laid out. Adjustments have also been made over the years for the placement of the roadways, and trees which have grown up in some of the lots, making some of the lots within individual squares unsuitable for burials.

One extreme exception to the "four graves per lot" rule of thumb, (and one of the lots referred to in my paragraph 1 above),

Square 83, Lot 1 contains SEVEN burials: George Holycross (baby), Annabelle Holycross, Thomas E. Holycross, Bertha Holycross, Alonzo Holycross, Annis Holycross, and Fred Holycross."

Maple Grove Cemetery - North Lewisburg, Champaign County, Ohio - Additional Information

Further information provided by Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr.

Record keeping from 1837 - the present in Maple Grove Cemetery AND Woodstock Cemetery, Rush Township, Champaign County, Ohio.


The township records ARE the cemetery records. The township trustees are responsible for burials in Maple Grove and Woodstock Cemetery. Those burials within North Lewisburg (Butcher Cemetery and Friends Cemetery) did not come under the jurisdiction of the township trustees.

Yes, when a cemetery plot is purchased a deed is issued; that's Ohio state law. Cemetery deeds for Maple Grove Cemetery started in 1892, and sold for $5 per gravesite. These were eventually upped in price over the years to the present approximate $1000 per Lot (4 graves). These deed records are kept under lock-and-key in the Rush Township clerk's office, in North Lewisburg.

I had access to the original records from May - August 2009. I have made an index of ALL of the grave deeds for Maple Grove Cemetery from 1892 - 2009. I prepared a hard copy for the trustees of Rush Township, a copy for myself, and have all of that data in a digital database on my computer. Everyone who purchased a Square, Lot, or Gravesite is listed in either the original deed records, the hard copy index, or in my digital database. This also includes transfers of ownership from one party (the original owner) to another over the course of the years. Deeds to cemetery plots, as held by family members, are often passed on to succeeding generations via wills. (As an example, I have never purchased a gravesite in Maple Grove, but the deeds to five gravesites in various locations of the cemetery have been passed on to me by members of my family. My name now appears in the deeds record book as owner, based upon transfer of ownership).

Can you imagine how many generations have done this over the years? Often, a relative who did not personally own a gravesite was buried in a family plot owned by others. The plot was already paid for; the family merely had to pay the fees for opening and closing the gravesite. Often, that same family, strapped by a lack of cash or for other reasons, never placed a headstone at the gravesite. Sometimes deed owners of the gravesites were not even buried in them; they moved on to another town, or were subsequent buried in yet another cemetery plot, or their burials were not recorded.

In a perfect world, all of this original data would have followed some logical, set pattern when recorded on those recordbook pages over the years. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Sextons came and went; trustees were elected every two or four years over the past 120 years; standards were not set and maintained.

Each of the pages in the original record book for burials was written on, by hand, in pencil, red pencil, ink or ballpoint pen by the sextons of the cemetery over the course of the time that Maple Grove has been in existance. Some of those sextons (who dug the graves) could neither read nor write, so no annotations were made in the book. Or, annotations made in the book were sketchy...often listing very little information, no first names, no burial dates, etc. Sometimes the gravesite of a wife who died and was buried was merely listed as "Mrs." with no first, maiden, or last name. In thousands of cases, the burial dates were not listed.

The funeral home(s) were responsible for maintaining a record of the burials. Unfortunately, the records of the home in North Lewisburg were borrowed by individuals over the years to transcribe them into other records. As a result, many records (to include complete years) have been lost forever.

I have carefully compiled records from the Freeman--Freshwater-Ferguson-McDonald-Vernon funeral home for the years which I indicated (1890-1910, 1926-1956). The records for the missing years cannot be reconstructed by the present ownership of the funeral home.

Today, when a burial becomes necessary, a gravesite is purchased, or a member of a family is able to ascertain ownership of the proposed burial plot. A member of the family walks with the sexton or trustee representative to the actual site to ascertain exactly where the individual is to be buried. This was not always the case in by-gone years.

I hope this information helps you understand the history of recordkeeping in Rush Township. And, that you appreciate the fact that since the 1970s a genuine, concerted effort, and standardization of recordkeeping in the township's cemeteries has been followed by the sextons and the trustees. In point-of-fact, Gene Coleman, Don Coleman, Cinda Bailey, and Mark Westfall have done a great job in helping to record burials property at Maple Grove for the better part of the past 30 years.

Spotlighting Maple Grove Cemetery - North Lewisburg, Rush Township, Champaign County Ohio

Click on title to link to Maple Grove Cemetery's records on the website of Find A Grave.com.

With special thanks to Mr. Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr.  for his extensive research of Maple Grove Cemetery's burial records.  Ralph has also taken hundreds of stone photographs of burials at Maple Grove. 

Bio and Links

Teacher, writer, published poet. Genealogy is not just a hobby; it's a passion. Researching the COLEMAN - HARPER - BRUNER - SHAFER - IMPSON -
BARNES - SALSGIBER family lines. Roots in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and Utah.
I have taken more than 7000 photos of the markers in Maple Grove Cemetery, North Lewisburg, Ohio, and Woodstock Cemetery, Woodstock, Ohio, and am posting them on an irregular basis. Contact me for assistance if you have a loved one, friend or associate buried in either of these two cemeteries in need of a photograph.
Contact: rlcolemanjr@hotmail.com

Link to Ralph's blog:  http://alongspaincreek.blogspot/

Information about Maple Grove Cemetery in North Lewisburg from Ralph:
• No deeds were sold to Maple Grove Cemetery until April 1892.

• The numbering system at Maple Grove Cemetery is SQUARE - LOT - GRAVESITE(S). The cemetery is divided into squares, which are then divided into lots, and then further divided into gravesites. Each SQUARE (numbered from 1 to 242) is divided into LOTS (originally numbered numerically from 1 - 781; in recent years this has been changed; lots are now numbered from 1-4, starting in the upper left corner of the SQUARE and going clockwise) and GRAVESITE(S) which are numbered 1-4, there normally being only 4 gravesites in each lot. Occasionally there is a 5th gravesite because burials were "squeezed in" the available room. In later years this practice has been abandoned. There are no gravesites numbered 6, 7, or 8 in the cemetery.
• The cemetery is divided into three sections, referred to from the oldest part of the cemetery (Spain Cemetery, the original burial grounds), to the "Old" addition...all of the cemetery which sits east of Gilbert Road, and the Gilbert Addition...all of the cemetery which sits west of Gilbert Road which was purchased from the Gilbert family with burials which began in the 1950s.
• The official Deeds record for Maple Grove Cemetery, which I transcribed from paper records into a digital database, show the earliest deed sold to a Holycross in 1895 to John H. Holycross. No Henry Holycross is listed in the records of deed ownership. There is a H. H. Holycross, who purchased gravesites in 1906.