Sharing from the "Scioto Post" - "sciotopost.com" - July 26, 2023 - "Volunteer Still Fighting for Floral Hills Memory Gardens" - By Kevin Coleman

Sharing the latest news coverage about the Floral Hills Memory Gardens located in Ross County, Ohio.  It is from Mr. Kevin Coleman of the "Scioto Post" newspaper.  

Mr. Coleman has provided an excellent presentation pinpointing the details central to the sad story of Floral Hills Memory Gardens in Ross County, Ohio.  

Floral Hills Memory Gardens is an Active yet orphaned and unregistered cemetery left languishing in this state for over a decade - twelve years to be exact - due to no fault of its own or that of the lot owners at the cemetery.  

What is different about this news story is that U. S. veteran, Mr. David Robertson, is featured in two "Scioto Post" Youtube videos.  In the first one he tells of his personal connections to Floral Hills Memory Gardens and shares that several others he has discussed the cemetery with do as well.  

In the second video, David Robertson shows two Floral Hills Memory Gardens cemetery plat maps that he has in his possession. He mentions that he has shared copies of them with the Ross County Recorder's office so that the cemetery would be officially filed.  Floral Hills Memory Gardens was started in 1960 as a cemetery that is open to the public.  

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Floral Hills Memory Gardens is well represented on Facebook with it own Page entitled "Clean Up Floral Hills Memory Gardens." started by David Robertson.  

Below is an in-depth history of Floral Hills Memory Gardens found in the "About" Section of its Facebook Page.:

"A cemetery that is located at 4284 US RT 23 Chillicothe, OH 45601. The owners Joseph Miller filed CH 13 after fleeing to Nevada, his partner Ronald Downey has fled to Michigan. Neither has left any means of upkeep and care of the grounds and are refusing to honor any of the prepaid services that have been purchased thru the cemetery. The Attorney General filed a suit against the 2 owners in May 2012, with nothing of any significance being done to get a resolution to the problem.

One of the items Mr. Miller is trying to do is surrender the property in lieu of taxes owed. By ORC the property would then be handed over to the Township that the property is located. (Huntington Twp. Ross County). The problem is Huntington Twp. has refused to accept responsibility for the grounds due to the trustees claiming they are not financially able to maintain the grounds, they also state the have sought guidance thru their "Prosecutor" and have been advised that they do not have to take it. With all legal issues aside ..it is the attempt by this group to bring this tragic situation to the public and clean up the Cemetery grounds and find a resolution to further maintenance of the grounds."

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Floral Hills Memory Gardens is on Find a Grave with 3,725 memorials posted on it.  

Also, currently there are  52 open photo requests for grave marker photographs to be taken and posted on the Find a Grave website. 

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We look forward to future updates about Floral Hills Memory Gardens in Ross County, Ohio from the "Scioto Post" and other news outlets as well.  Updates offering much more hopeful news indeed for a brighter and secure future for Floral Hills Memory Gardens.

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As always, we thank Mr. David Robertson and all of the volunteers who have extended their help for the betterment of Floral Hills Memory Gardens throughout this entire time while it awaits its new legal owner; an entity that can properly care for all of its needs going forward.

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Sharing Eli Allen's Virtual Cemetery Tour: Shumway Cemetery #2 in Scioto County, Ohio from the Youtube Channel of Wandering Appalachia

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The Shumway Cemetery #2 in Scioto County, Ohio on Find A Grave.

Sharing this Public Notice from the Columbus Dispatch - July 24, 2023 - Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus - intent to reclaim 50 year old abandoned lots in the cemetery.

 "Public Notice: Green Lawn Cemetery, 1000 Greenlawn Ave, Columbus, Ohio, hereby announces its intent to reclaim the below listed interment rights which have been abandoned for over 50 years. 

Claimants who can prove Next of Kin blood relationship status with the owner have 120 days from this notice to contact the cemetery at the above address or 614.444.1123 to establish successor-in-interest rights."

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Section M Lots:

26N Geo. Evans; 

26S John Newkirk

Section 111 Lots:

14 Wm. E. & Betty Blair; 

29 Esther Hoffman; 

300 Wm & Jewell Slater; 

348 John Cooper; 

383 Geo. & H. Norma O’Hara; 

459 Samuel and Avenell Bentley; 

573 Sallyann Lovsey

Section H Lots:

 6 David Davis; 14W Henry Mallory; 

32W Stephen Covert

Section I Lots: 

9 Zilpha Bailey; 

38 Thos. Sparrow; 

42 Robert Campbell; 

58 David Jones; 

61 Edwin Shoemaker; 

62 Elijah & Wm White; 

75W Henry Pringle; 

75E Jonathan Peters; 

83 James Hoge

Section J Lots:

 

8 Christian & Eliza Barringer; 

62 CC Coburn & John Beal; 

74 SD Thacker; 

88 Mrs. Frederick Salada; 

97 John Miller; 

107 Evan Lewis; 

116 Thos. Willis; 

127 Hare Orphan Home; 

133 Jacob Kechla; 

140 Augusta Sufford; 

150S Annie Morgan; 

168 Kate Brown

Section 63 Lots:

 

8 Margaret Rorty; 

43 Isaac Hughey & Noble Rockley; 

45 Elsie Eckert

Section 68 Lots:

39 Edwin Brown; 

62 Lena Schneider; 

69 David Watson & Dickson Moore;

79 Henry Ossing; 

193 Rachel Pixler; 

258 Wm. Barrett; 

271 Isabelle Sharp; 

348 Bible Literature Intl.; 

386 John Ebright; 

393 Wm. Jones; 

396 Edgar Abbott; 

4459 Irving Grant"

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