Sharing some newspaper stories about the W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Map program that helped identify veteran burials in Ohio.

 Sharing various Ohio newspaper stories published about the W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Map program that identified burial locations of veterans of wars, uprisings, insurrections, etc. from the American Revolution up to and including World War I (known at the time as the "World War" because WWII had not yet occurred.). 

Examining Ohio Attorney General Opinion No. 2007 - 005 - What constitutes a "Family Cemetery" and Registration Requirements.

Ohio Revised Codes Section 4767.02

"(D) Sections 4767.02 to 4767.04 of the Revised Code do not apply to or affect a family cemetery or a cemetery in which there have been no interments during the previous twenty-five calendar years.
As used in this division, "family cemetery" means a cemetery containing the human remains of persons, at least three-fourths of whom have a common ancestor or who are the spouse or adopted child of that common ancestor."

The Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission 

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I feel it is important to keep in mind that the Ohio Attorney General Opinions do have a unique value as a resource to research and reference when answering questions regarding the meaning of the content of these Ohio Revised Codes which can have references to other codes included in some of the paragraphs. The "OAG" Opinions are helpful to clear up misunderstandings.

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A Consumer Guide to Ohio Cemeteries

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**Remember that family cemeteries are not eligible to be Registered, and as such complaints regarding their care cannot be brought to the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission because they are Not Registered!

Any problem issues have to be worked out with whoever owns the cemetery and is responsible for it.**

Per the Ohio History Connection - the original OH-I Form continues to be approved to use, including for cemeteries.

Prefacing that an Ohio Historic Inventory Form (OH-I Form) can, at this point, continue to be used and submitted for Inactive Cemeteries as well as for Active cemeteries. 
It is important to note this form offers a layer of identity and public recognition for a cemetery being documented and placed on record with the Ohio History Connection that it would not otherwise receive.
  Inactive Cemeteries, as well as small family burial grounds, are excluded from being recognized and as well regarded as their Active cemetery counterparts.  Citing these examples: being left out of the process where someone can submit complaints about a cemetery's lack of proper care to the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission that steps in and works to resolve such problems.  
In addition, Inactive and small family cemeteries are not afforded the designation of being Registered with the state of Ohio.
Cemetery Registration is a key element for a cemetery to have. That is where sadly discrimination exists that further disadvantages these cemeteries that truly are the most vulnerable.  
Thus, the OH-I form after its completion, review, and acceptance, is assigned its official number and included in the database of the Ohio History Connection.   
Per Petra C. Knapp, Survey & National Register Manager with the State Historic Preservation Office, that it would be acceptable to use the original "OH-I Form" (Ohio Historic Inventory Form) for a cemetery.  
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It is advisable to check with Petra to be sure that an OH-I Form has not already been completed, and an official OH-I number assigned for the cemetery you are considering to complete and submit the form for it. 
It is advisable to check with Petra to be sure that an OH-I Form has not already been completed, and an official OH-I number assigned for the cemetery you are considering to complete and submit the form for it. 
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Please see below an example of a completed OH-I form.  
Also, is an image of the two-page form that exists as a .PDF fillable blank form that I am unable to share here in that particular format.
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Contact Petra C. Knapp for questions.

Petra C. Knapp| 

Survey & National Register Manager

State Historic Preservation Office, Ohio History Connection

800 East 17th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43211

p. 614-298-2000 |

pknapp@ohiohistory.org

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Convert Latitude and Longitude to "UTM" 

Link to The original .PDF OH-I Form 

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The 2023 Ohio History Connection - State Historic Preservation Office Awards - The Deadline is June 1, 2023.

 2023 State Historic Preservation Awards deadline for submission is coming up fast - on June 1, 2023. 

Link to Non-fillable online form. (There are some issues accessing the fillable-form.)

"Your award nomination must be submitted electronically.

Click here to download the Awards nomination form and learn more. 

Contact our office at shpo@ohiohistory.org if you have any questions."

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"Nomination must be posted no later than June 1 POST THE COMPLETED NOMINATION and images, or images worksheet, to Dropbox and share with tharrah@ohiohistory.org

  OR: 

SEND NOMINATION AND A DISK OF IMAGES TO:
State Historic Preservation Office Awards
State Historic Preservation Office
800 E. 17th Ave.
Columbus, OH 43211-2474 "

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"Each year, our State Historic Preservation Office recognizes achievements in historic preservation by presenting awards in two categories.":

Public Education and Awareness, and Preservation Merit. People, organizations, businesses and public agencies are eligible for the awards.

Below are images of the announcement:

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Did you know that the Ohio History Connection (OHC) has a blog? Here are links to a two-part blog series written by OHC's Krista Horrocks - Projects Review Manager at the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office

This subject just might come under the "Who knew?" category -  or a nagging question - that begs a good answer.  So here it is.:  

Yes the Ohio History Connection (OHC) (formerly the Ohio Historical Society) has a blog.  The blog is specific to historic preservation in the State of Ohio.

When we consider historic preservation perhaps the first thoughts top of mind are the preservation of structures or perhaps battle sites, but not in this case.  

This blog is in two-parts discussing the discovery Krista Horrocks made of two grave markers that mysteriously were moved from their original gravesite locations to being on display at the Ohio History Connection! Each has their own story and Krista spotlights them individually in their own post.  

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The first blog post was published on February 21, 2023 entitled.:  

"Two Gravestones Out of Place: Part 1of 2 The Emma Kearnes Stone" 

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The second blog post was published on April 4, 2023 entitled.:

"Two Gravestones out of Place: Part 2 of 2 The Micheal Brucker Stone"

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Each marker has its own history separate from the other.  However, thanks to their common fate, their final destination brought them together at the OHC's Ohio Village. 

Krista Horrocks tells us the rest of their stories! Her outstanding sleuthing skills have served these markers well.  

Sharing her results as she has enables us to learn so much more about them and their history that inspires us to take the same steps if we were faced with the same situation!  

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W.P.A. research continues by examining the "The Ohio Guide"

Over the past year or so there have been blog posts here featuring links to the Ohio W.P.A. Cemetery Plat map collections shared on "Flickr" for various counties. 

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These types of maps can be a "gold mine" of information for those who are researching burial locations of veterans who served from the Revolutionary War up to and including 

World War I.  

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Spotlighted also have been individual Veterans Graves Registration cards.  These records are not as difficult to find.  

Most of the time county recorder's offices in Ohio have them; or they have had them placed in a county archive. 

Either way, there may be a small charge to obtain a copy of one. 

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We have learned about the Defiance County and to a lesser extent the Champaign County Ohio Writer's Project / Historical Records Survey descriptions of cemeteries which are proving to be an even more elusive type of record produced by the W.P.A.  

It is hoped that more Ohio county W.P.A. Cemetery Plat Maps come to light and be posted on the Internet free for anyone to access.
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Now we come down to examining another W.P.A. document that is actually a comprehensive publication called "The Ohio Guide" .  

The good thing is that you can "Google it" and find dozens of references to it!  

Even better you can access it via the website.: "FamilySearch", view it there, and download it to your computer or other device.

Co-incidentally, when I started this blog post in the final days of December 2021, I happened upon an article published in the Cleveland "Plain Dealer" on December 30, 2021 in the newspaper's "Travel Section" by Robert L. Smith, special to the "Plain Dealer".: 

 "Revisiting 'The Ohio Guide', the Depression era handbook highlighting top spots in the Buckeye State." 

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"The Ohio Guide" was part of the "American Guide Series" that came under the WPA Federal Writers' Project.
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The Campbell Library at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey has an extensive history on this subject posted online. 

The results of conducting a word search for the word "cemetery" in the online version of "The Ohio Guide" produced 44 "hits".  An interesting one appears on Page 125 for Otis C. Pratt who was buried at the Greenwood Cemetery in Wellington, Lorain County, Ohio.:

Photograph courtesy of  Mr. Al Leiby

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So, happy hunting for "The Ohio Guide" by the Works Progress Administration - originally published by the University Press, Oxford, New York in 1940.

Old newspapers tell us that all was not well regarding some of Ohio's cemeteries during the 1930s.

 While researching Ohio newspaper stories about the cemetery documentation work conducted by the W.P.A. workers in the 1930s, I became aware of many other "newsy" cemetery stories published on the same pages as the W.P.A. related stories.  

I learned that many veterans were buried in unmarked graves.  

I learned that fraud by cemetery owners is a crime not unique to our times.  I learned that cemetery owners engaged in fraudulent activities to scam unsuspecting people out of their money by not delivering goods to customers that were promised.  

Sadly, I also learned that thefts at cemeteries happened then just like they are happening today.  

Ohio House Bill 444 - Signed into law by the Governor of Ohio - Effective April 9, 2021 - Affects transfer of cemeteries to townships

 Ohio House Bill 444, affecting Ohio's township cemeteries, was signed into law January 9, 2021 and will take effect April 9, 2021.  

State Representative, Cindy Abrams, a primary co-sponsor of HB 444 published an announcement of the passage of the bill on January 12, 2021.  Brian Baldridge is the other primary co-sponsor of this bill. 

A link to the legislative summary of HB 444.:

"Under current law, Ohio’s 1,308 townships must receive legislative permission from the Ohio General Assembly in order to enact any new abilities to carry out their duties to the public. H.B. 444 authorizes Ohio’s townships to execute decisions individually to help improve local government services and operations."  

Provisions of the bill include:

"Putting minimum standards in place regarding the transfer of cemeteries

 Allowing for another source of revenue for townships through Industrial Development Bonds

Addressing public safety concerns by making emergency responses more efficient

Providing flexibility to create Special Improvement Districts to spur economic growth

Establishing liability protections for county treasurers, municipal treasurers, and township fiscal officers for loss of funds in certain circumstances

Clarifying property tax law in regard to liens"

Proponent testimonies are included and available for download.

Happy Father's Day! Remembering my father today in a bit of a different way.

 

Wishing all of the fathers, and those who are role model fathers for others, a wonderfully happy Father's Day 2020! 
This Father's Day is unlike any other, however, because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continuing across America, and indeed around the world. 

I do feel confident, though, that our 21st Century resources being utilized by professionals in the fields of science and medicine are the best equipped in history to meet and ultimately conquer the challenges presented by this deadly disease. 

It does help though, to have a supportive and loving father by our side to reassure and guide us through it.  

But, that is not possible for many of us is it, for one reason or another.

For those of us who have lost our father, please know he is only a thought away if we so desire to ponder what he has meant to us.  We have our memories, photographs, artifacts, his life history, and all he shared with us that offer a cradle of comfort whenever we choose to draw nearer to them.  If you have studied your father's life then you know about his occupations, hobbies, his character, insights, education, sports affiliations, accomplishments, and his triumph over tragedies that made him unique and strong.  

So, one way we can honor our father is to share what we know about him and his life.  We can do that in different settings -- privately or publicly. 

One public way to offer honor and respect for a deceased father is to post an online memorial for him.  

I chose to do that on "Find A Grave".  

I created my father's memorial several years ago, but today I decided it was overdue for me to take the next step and sponsor it.  

The cost wasn't much, $5.00, but it enables removal of any pop-up advertisements on his memorial page.  It also permits me to post more photographs than the normal limit of 5.  I felt good about doing that as a small gesture.  It was my small way of conveying my appreciation for his love and concern for me during our time together.  

So, thank you daddy for being a role model for me, for all of your loving support and concern for my welfare, for your grins and hugs, and for teaching me how to properly catch fish and worms!

  

Here is my Find A Grave memorial for my father, Harry Limes.    

Spotlighting "A Grave Site: Cemetery Photography by BAWS" - by Beth Wilson Shoemaker

Spotlighting the Facebook Page of:  "A Grave Site"  Cemetery Photography by BAWS - Beth Wilson Shoemaker. 

The latest photo album is from a recent visit to the 

 Pioneer Memorial Cemetery Aka Columbia Baptist Church Cemetery  Cincinnati, OH

Maj. Benjamin Stites

The Pioneer Memorial Cemetery on CincinnatiParks.com

The Heritage Village Museum