In a message dated 6/26/01 11:02:33 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
IN-CEMETERIES-D-request(a)rootsweb.com writes:
<< Subject: Re: Eagle Creek, Hamilton Co. >>
I wish to take note of the recent discussion on cemeteries that are not
staffed or the office may be closed.
All cemeteries are not affluent in money to run them. They do good to keep
someone on hand to mow the grass. Some don't even have that.
In 1997 I visited Glen Cove Cemetery in Knightstown, Henry Co., IN. There
was no one at the office so my brother and I walked out and found an elderly
man mowing the grass. He did take time to show us the rolledex file he kept
on the internments.
He showed us the grave sites we desired to visit.
Now this past month my sister and I visited Glen Cove together and I was
surprised to see a note on the door saying the office would be opened in a
hr. It was not so we walked and drove over the sections. Came back the next
day and the lady was in the office. The bad rain they had two nites previous
did some damage to a building and she needed to see to it being fixed. She
was very gracious and I was given another surprise in which there was a good
sized drawer file fixed for all internments there not the rolledex I
expected. They also have a phone in the office # is 765-345-9181. There is a
humorous story behind that addition.
The cemetery has recently been turned over to the city of Knightstown, why
for the card file now. The lady only has 27 hrs. a wk to work so some days
and/or afternoons the office will be closed.
They have recently gone over to Greenfield to visit there cemetery and see
how they have been working since 97 when I visited there last in getting
their records on computer. I believe that Glen Cove was an IOOF Cemetery, I
could be wrong and if so I will stand corrected. There is another cemetery
in Knightstown that we did not have time to visit and is across from a church
not to far from Glen Cove.
<< I would hate to travel to a cemetery, only to find out it was closed on
Thursday,
or some such nonsense.>>
As to this statement, all cemeteries can not afford office help 40 hrs. a wk.
let alone one at all for the smaller ones. I suggest that if this happens
take down the address of a close by church or write a letter to the city
officials and get info that you disire.
I know if you travel from one state to another the disappointment in not
finding a loved one buried somewhere but that is the breaks of small towns
and small cemeteries. Libraries have books on grave yards and this is not a
new item to search for as they are in the libraries and some dates go way
back.
Genealogy is a hard fought research, it does not come easy, and when you do
it yourself there is much satisfaction in it. I have read the best of
coloumist and there creed is 'do it yourself and you know it is done
correctly' this may take some time and yrs. but when the break comes it is so
sweet to say 'I found them".
I had an Uncle Everett we could not find, however this trip to the same
cenetery and one very small that has not office and no one that day mowing
the grass, we found him. Not in the section we were told he was in but over
by a fence and he did have a military stone we were happy to see. Just walk
and look and read and you will find someday or sometime.
Please excuse my soap box but sometimes I just have to climb up and do some
deep and long exertations.
Thank you for your time in reading this.
May the Great Spirit guide you and help you along your path of travel.
Beej in AZ