Celestine A. or Celestinea Collins? She died in 1814 and was Buried at the Dean Cemetery in Ross County, Ohio - How Her Once Fragmented Gravestone is Whole Again Thanks to Venus and Scott Andersen

Sharing two reports from Scott and Venus Andersen describing their discovery of a missing piece of the Celestine A. or Celestinea Collins' gravestone at the Dean Cemetery.

The three photogaphs that follow show "before" and "after" views of their progress making this gravestone whole once again:

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October 22, 2013:

"This stone is unusual, at least at the Dean Cemetery.  It is of a red lime or sandstone, totally different from all the others there.  It has a big chunk missing at the top just above the inscribed name Collins.  

I began digging around it to get it standing straight again, and Venus found a small piece of the missing chunk.  It has the letters "CE" on it.  I got the stone standing straight, and meanwhile Venus was probing around behind the stone looking for the rest of the missing chunk.  Other things to work on, so I was off to investigate the lower portion of another stone we had identified on a previous trip.  

Venus would not give up on that chunk, and after about 20 minutes of probing, she found it!  The rest of the first name was on the stone, and a date, 1814.  The name is Celestina.  

So, I've got to research Celestina Collins, who died in 1814, and see what can be learned.  Venus was my hero today.  I'd been hoping that we might find the rest of that stone somehow.  I'm still shocked that she did."

October 24, 2013:

"The Bizzare just gets odder.  While I was at the cemetery today, I sort of assembled all the pieces Venus had found of the Collins stone.  Had a chance to get all of the mud off of them yesterday afternoon.  

We couldn't do much with them after digging them up, they were just so muddy.  Anyway, I now think her name is Celestinea Collins.  That's all in capital letters on the stone, so it could potentially be Celestine A. Collins, but there doesnt seem to be a "period" between the E and A. 

I found a copy of the Buckskin Prebyterian Church sessions book at the historical society today.  It has a transcription of the Dean Cemetery from about 1950, best I can tell.  This piece of the Collins stone was missing even then according to the transcription.  

If 63 years ago the missing chunk wasn't obvious, lying there on the ground where you could pick it up and read it, how long has it been buried?  At least 70 years, maybe more?"

Exploring the Old Settlement Cemetery on Mayfield Road, Chester Township, Geauga County, Ohio

Thanking my friend, Rick, for stopping to visit and taking some photographs at the "Old Settlement" Cemetery located on Mayfield Road (Route 322) east of Chesterland in Geauga County, Ohio.  

On page 223 of the book:  "Ohio Cemeteries:  1803 - 2003" K. Roger Troutman, Editor, published by the Ohio Genealogical Society 2003:  "OLD SETTLEMENT - East of Chesterland, 1.9 miles east of SR 306.  South side of US 322 (Mayfield Road.)  Between Sperry Road and Kenyon Drive."

As the photographs reveal, the cemetery grounds appear to be maintained on a routine schedule.  However, as with most inactive cemeteries of its age, we see gravestones that are broken, leaning, and sinking out of sight.  Many early gravestones now have unreadable inscriptions.   

Thus, unfortunately, no conservations measures have been taken to preserve the gravestones themselves.

(Above) Longer shot view near Mayfield Road - facing West

(Above) Longer shot view near Mayfield Road - facing East

(Above) Longer shot view including the ornate bi-color monument for David Scott and his wife, Mary Scott.

(Above) Close-up view of the ornate bi-color monument for David Scott and his wife, Mary Scott).

(Above and Full view below) Monument for Artes Scott and his wife, Martha Scott.

 

(Above) upright marker for Horace N. Fisk.

(Above) Dark gray granite monument for  J. O. Chamberlin and his wife, Emily C. Chamberlin.

(Above) Cracked gravestone for James Tanner.  The lower portion appears to be missing.

(Above) Marble tablet marker for Justice Miner, "He was a Revolutionary War veteran who served at West Point. "

(Above) Gray granite monument for Orvill Nichols and his wife, Lavira Nichols.

(Above) close up view of Reuben Scott inscription on large monument.

 

(Above) close up view of the base of the large  Reuben Scott monument.

(Above) Full view of the large Reuben Scott monument.

(Above close up and photograph below) Large dark gray granite monument for  Silas T. Gilmore and his wife, Lois Nichols Gilmore

The above photograph illustrates how well the proper amount of sunlight cast down on a gravestone can make the inscription much more clear and readable. 

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The Old Settlement Cemetery currently has 140 interments listed for it on "Find A Grave."

Spotlighting the Repair of the Joseph Hull Gravestone - Old Burying Ground - Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio

Thanking Scott Andersen for sharing these "before" and "after" photographs shown below of the Joseph Hull gravestone at the Old Burying Ground in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio. 

Scott first saw this 1875 white marble gravestone on October 12, 2013 and began his work to repair (re-piece!) it immediately.  

The top photograph is an 'as found' picture of the Joseph Hull stone as it lay on the ground in a state of several broken pieces.  

Scott said that fortunately the base for the stone was still intact, however, there was an added problem of a broken off stub from the gravestone itself still stuck in the base.

The next photograph documents the progress of the restoration work applied to the gravestone now seen repaired and ready to be installed back in its base.  

The last two photographs were taken after the work was completed showing the cleaned and repaired gravestone securely back in its slotted base.  

The last photograph shows the stark contrast between the Joseph Hull gravestone standing straight and tall next to a 'neighbor' gravestone that is leaning to its side and in dire need of cleaning.  

Thanks to Scott, the Joseph Hull gravestone has resumed its stately stance to once again properly honor the person whose name is inscribed on it.