Exploring Almost Forgotten Gravesites in the Great State of Ohio

Dedicated to cemetery preservation in the great state of Ohio


"A cemetery may be considered as abandoned when all or practically all of the bodies have been Removed therefrom and no bodies have been buried therein for a great many years, and the cemetery has been so long neglected as entirely to lose its identity as such, and is no longer known, recognized and respected by the public as a cemetery. 1953 OAG 2978."

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Brecksville (Cuyahoga County) Ohio - Brecksville Cemetery Tour - Sunday - September 23, 2018 beginning at 1:00pm.



Sharing from the Strongsville Community Blog on "Cleveland.com"




BRECKSVILLE, Ohio -- "Experience local history and more at a historic walk through Brecksville-Highland Drive Cemetery. 
With Halloween just around the corner, it is the perfect time to take an autumn stroll through a cemetery.
Sponsored by the Brecksville Historical Association and the Brecksville Center for the Arts (BCA), the guided tour will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23. 
It will focus on the "Four H's": Headstones, History, Heroes and Horticulture. All four will be weaved together for a unique fall tour.
Every participant will receive a tour booklet containing historical facts about each  stop. 
There will also be a painted-rock scavenger hunt.
Refreshments will be served at the BCA building across the street from the cemetery after the walk.
If the weather does not cooperate, a presentation about the cemetery walk will be given at the BCA building.
Brecksville-Highland Drive Cemetery is located just south of Ohio 82 on Highland Drive. For more information, go to brecksvillehistoricalassociation.org."


Also known as Brecksville Highland Drive Cemetery, Center Cemetery, Highland Cemetery, Highland Drive Cemetery
LOCATION
9012 Highland Drive
Brecksville, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, 44141 USA  
PHONE440-526-1384
MEMORIALS3,099 added (82% photographed)
CEMETERY ID1972738

Link to Cemetery Map:


https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1972738/brecksville-cemetery/map
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https://goo.gl/maps/fcbCFEj5XfD2
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Greenfield Historical Society's September 14, 2018 work session went exceedingly well!


Sharing this link to the Greenfield Historical Society's latest recap of the work session held on September 14, 2018.:

Lots and lots of work done and it continues!
"It was a foggy start, but by mid morning the sun came out and the temperature rose. We spent about 4 hours repairing some stones, cleaning stones, and attempting to remove some broken headstone pieces that had been concreted into their slab bases. Joining in were Scott Andersen, Venus Andersen, John King, Mike Anderson, and Jackie Doles. Teena Thorton was also at Travellers Rest working on the flower beds."
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Thursday, September 13, 2018

"Tombstones repair continues" -- From the "Morrow County Sentinel" -- Updated Report about Tim Foor's Restoration of the Pagetown Cemetery


"PAGETOWN — What a difference several weeks of hard work can make."
"The landscape of the dilapidated, historic Pagetown Cemetery has taken on a new look, thanks to the efforts of Tim Foor. Broken tombstones have been repaired and reset along County Road 26, south of Marengo.
Weather has been a challenge, with several days of heavy rain halting work this month.
“The rain slowed us down. You can’t risk it as holes were filled with water, but they drained. When it drops below 50 degrees you can’t do the repairs,” he said.
When it gets colder than that the epoxy won’t set.
Bennington Township trustees hired Foor in early August to help repair the stones, damaged by nearly two centuries of weathering. Lichen build-up, cracks in the stones and bases were evident. Most are sandstone, others are marble.
Foor estimated there could be as many as 230 graves buried in the rectangular lot. The first burial was in 1821 and the last burial was in 1876.
As of Sept. 13, he’s repaired about 30 of them.
“The marble sits around and it starts to crumble,” Foor said as he carefully placed pieces together that he’s found on the site.
“You have to scrape it. Glue things together. I try really hard not to mess up the letters,” he said.
Foor has about 10 stones to finish.
In the corner of the field sits a large pile of rocks that he’s uncovered and he’s certain are not part of any tombstones.
The first row is composed primarily of Wilson family members. Foor tried to make out the intricate letters on one of the stones.
“It’s all busted up. You can’t read it any more.”
A transcription list from the Morrow County Genealogical Society also aided him in starting the project.
“I was able to follow the path they took through the cemetery with the list.”
Up until 1848, this area was part of Delaware County. So Foor got records from the auditor’s office there to help fill in the gaps.
Working on the Marcus Page family obelisk is tenuous.
“It’s pretty level, but it’s twisted a bit,” he said. “Cleaning that up is an all-day project.”
Finding as many pieces to the smaller grave stones involves a bit of detective work.
“I’m putting pieces together trying to see what matches.”
He is intrigued by the Kenedy family buried at Pagetown. Rachel was buried in 1828. Her brother George has no death date and there is a Norton there also.
“The initials N.K. are on his foot stone,” Foor said. “A lot of the graves here have foot stones, and those can be a little hint.”
The engraving of A.M.W. matches the head stone of Abby Mary Wilson, who, according to the epitaph, was in her “34th year of being” when she passed away.
His efforts have attracted attention from Columbus media outlets and cemetery preservation groups on social media.
“My goal has been to just preserve it and do as little harm as possible,” Foor said. “I just want to make it look nice again.”"