Exploring Almost Forgotten Gravesites in the Great State of Ohio

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Indiana Stone Carver Casey Winningham Creates New Gravestones to Replace Damaged Originals at Hill Cemetery in Sandusky County, Ohio.

From Casey Winningham of "Past Times Remembered":

"Here is a replacement stone I made for one that was in a Cemetery in Sandusky County, Ohio.

The original was destroyed by a car accident. Luckily we have good photos taken before the accident.

I was able to match the 5 different type styles in the lettering. Now for her husband's stone which met the same fate."

Above:

Indiana Carver, Casey Winningham, standing with his newly carved Susannah Smith limestone grave marker.

Click HERE to view the Susannah Smith memorial on "Find A Grave" that includes a photograph of the original gravestone prior to the accident that destroyed it.

Click HERE to view the Stephen S. Smith memorial on "Find A Grave" that includes a photograph of the original gravestone in poor shape even before the accident. He was Susannah's husband.

Both burials are at the Hill Cemetery in Ballville Township, Sandusky County, Ohio.

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The cemetery is also known as: Hill - Chapel Hill - Hills Corners - Salem and appears on page 576 of the publication:

"Ohio Cemeteries 1803 - 2003", K. Roger Troutman, Editor, published by the Ohio Genealogical Society.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Announcing "Cemetery Workshop - "Restoration 101" at the Harmar Cemetery in Marietta, Ohio - September 20, 2014 - 9:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. - Misti Spillman

Saturday, September 20, 2014 - 9:00a.m. to 3:00p.m.

Harmar Cemetery, 119 Wood Street, Marietta, OH

Marietta Cemeteries Coming Alive updated the event photo.

Marietta Cemeteries Coming Alive

Registration form for Misti's workshop.

Marietta Cemeteries Coming Alive created the event.

"Join Marietta Cemeteries Coming Alive (MCCA) as we welcome gravestone restorer Misti Spillman. She will be conducting a workshop for beginners who are interested in cemetery restoration. The cemetery workshop will take place at Harmar Cemetery, 119 Wood Street, Marietta from 9am to 3pm. The cost is $25. The workshop will focus on cemetery preservation techniques, including fixing breaks, resetting, cleaning and how to mix stone dust to fill in cracks. The entire workshop will be spent in the cemetery, where participants will gain more hands-on experience repairing stones. Lunch is not provided but there are numerous restaurants in the area.

Misti Spillman has a background in researching and restoring cemeteries. She worked as an AmeriCorps member at the Ohio History Connection and created a cemetery toolkit as a guide for people who want to restore cemeteries. She also serves as a reference and liaison to numerous museums and historical societies throughout Ohio.

Registration is restricted to 20 people for Misti Spillman’s workshop on Sept. 20th. Applicants will be notified that they have a place. Other applications will be held on a waiting list. If sending by mail, please include your check with the application. If sending by email, mail check separately to Marietta Cemeteries Coming Alive. We cannot accept payment by credit card. Make checks payable to Marietta Cemeteries Coming Alive and mail to the address above. If your payment is not received by September 5th, your place will be offered to the person on the waiting list. No refunds are possible after Friday, September 12th. If the workshop is cancelled because of weather, refunds will be given.

Further information: please contact Misti Spillman at Spillman.4@wright.edu or 937-489-1369."

Complete registration and email to chrispainter1966@gmail.com
or detach and mail with payment to:
Marietta Cemeteries Coming Alive
Attn: Chris Painter
105 Cityview Avenue
Marietta, OH 45750

PLEASE NOTE: This is a beginner’s course to learn how to properly restore and reset gravestones. Cleaning starter kits will be available on the day of the workshop to purchase, along with Marietta Cemeteries Coming Alive t-shirts.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Paying A Return Visit to Walnut Creek (Quaker) Cemetery, Perry Township, Fayette County, Ohio

I paid another visit to Walnut Creek (Quaker) Cemetery in Fayette County a few weeks ago to check on my Limes and Doster gravesites. The cemetery grounds were a bit better maintained than what I witnessed during my visit one year ago. Dead grass and weeds were not piled up high obscuring gravestones in the older section.

There was still some weed overgrowth between many of the gravestones, especially those in close groups -- most markers which have long been in need of one type of repair or another including cleaning, repairing, and re-setting -- none of which will ever be done by the trustee responsible for the cemetery's maintenance since the only legal responsibility the township has is to mow the grounds and hopefully rake up afterward at least once or twice a year.

It is anyone's guess the number of gravestones at Walnut Creek Cemetery that have now sunken out of sight.

I did some cleaning with water and Orvus soap on the Athaliah (Doster) Limes gravestone, as well as the Levi and Mariah (Doster) Ellis gravestones. (See below.)

Fortunately, the William Limes (War of 1812 veteran) grave marker is a replacement and did not require any more work than brushing off the dirt and rinsing with water.

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Above:

Athaliah Doster Limes' grave marker after cleaning with Orvus soap.

Above:

Athaliah (Doster) Limes' grave marker after cleaning with Orvus soap and her husband, William Limes' War of 1812 marker to the left.

(Also close up view of William Limes' marker below.)

Above:

Levi Ellis' gravestone after cleaning and removal of dark orange biological growth.

Below:

Mariah (Doster) Ellis' gravestone after cleaning and removal of dark orange biological growth.

Above:
George Washington Knedler's gravestone

Above:
A grouping of stones that include those for George Washington Knedler, Sarah Binegar, and Evangeline Ellis, that need cleaning, repairing, and resetting, and much better clean up of encroaching weeds around them.