Hi Gang,
I wanted to share a couple of e-mail I received recently. Just to let
you know that this project IS getting noticed and is drawing more
people.
Brings to mind another point: I need a volunteer to create a web page of
resource for the project. This would be a maintained listing of names
and addresses of cemetery restoration veterans and experts people can
contact when thay have questions or problems with some aspect of
restoration/preservation. Any takers, PLEASE?
I am going to be creating a web page of newspaper e-mail/snail-mail
addresses we can use to get informatin to the public. If anyone has any
of these addresses or can get them, please send them along to:
ssattert(a)citznet.com Lois and Charles Moore have both already
contributed several of these addresses to the cause but the goal is to
get information for every newspaper in the state.
Also: It has been pointed out that the front page of the INPCRP web site
still refrences Dee Floyd-Pavey as the Assistant Coordinator. OOPS!
Sorry, I had forgotten that I needed to make that change. I'll get it
taken care of "post-haste".
**********************
(From: Ramona Duncan-Huse)
I was glad to see your web page for the Pioneer Cemeteries Restoration
Project; it is a very ambitious undertaking and I wish you well. Your
page
is very informative about the goals and expectations of the project. I
was
very happy to see a reference about contacting experts for treatment to
the
stones. Many individuals may not excercise caution. A website out of
England on cemetery restoration promotes highlighting names with
permanent
marker... since this information is available on the web, people may
think
that this is acceptable practice. You may wish to promote excercising
caution to the county co-ordinators; especially when permanent damage
could
be done. People could also be tempted to use cleaning agents (acids) to
clean the stones, cement to fasten fragments together. etc. I am sure
you
have thought about all of this, but thought I would pass along some
thoughts... GOOD LUCK with the project! If you have any questions about
actual 'treatment' maybe some of my colleagues would know, and I could
put
you in touch with them. Let me know. Regards,
Ramona Duncan-Huse
Head of Conservation
Indiana Historical Society Library
315 W. Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN. 46202
317-232-1879
fax 317-233-3109
Opinions expressed are not that of my employer.
***************************
(From: Ernie Lasley)
Hello Scott,
I ran across your Pioneer Cemeteries Restoration Project webpage, and am
interested in becoming involved in the project. I have been working on
restoring an old Pioneer cemetery in Patoka Township, Gibson County for
the
last two years.
There are about 29 abandoned cemeteries in Patoka Township, and
approximately 200 in Gibson County.
I have been working with Patoka Township Trustee Walter Scott on this
project, as his unofficial "Cemetery Manager". Our long range plan is
to
locate and clean up all 29 abandoned cemeteries, and maintain them
regularly.
When Walter took office 3 years ago, he had no cemetery budget to work
with. He has slowly built up a fund for cemeteries, and some donations
are
received from descendants.
The cemetery we are presently working on is a fairly large one, with
close
to 100 graves located so far. 76 of them have been identified to date.
It
had been completely destroyed by a farmer (now deseased) who was trying
to
claim the ground. The former Trustees did not want to get involved in
an
effort to stop him, fearing political ramifications.
The cemetery is known as Marsh Creek Cemetery, and is located 3 miles
southwest of Princeton. It is also called Woods Cemetery after the
Indiana
Pioneer Joseph Woods, who is buried there. We found a few old records
of
the cemetery, and had the lot resurveyed by the county surveyor last
spring. A new chain link fence has been installed, and 44 of the grave
markers have been repaired and reset. There are three known Veterans in
the cemetery, 2 Revolutionary war and 1 Civil war. New government
stones
were ordered for these, and have been placed. We are researching
information from a county history on 2 men buried here who may have
fought
in the Battle of Tippecanoe and the War of 1812. An organization called
"Woodmen of America" donated a real nice flag pole, and it has been
erected
in the center of the cemetery.
Joseph Woods and his family settled this area in 1809. The first known
burial was 10 year old Joseph Woods, grandson of the Pioneer, who died
on
June 26, 1817. There may be older graves that have not yet been
identified. The last burial that has been identified was that of the
Civil
War soldier, David D. Woods, who died in Murpheesboro, Tennessee on
February 23, 1862, while serving with Co. D, 58th Regiment, Indiana
Volunteers. I can send more detailed information about the cemetery, if
you would like.
I have learned quite a lot about cemetery restoration from this project
and
would like to assist in your statewide project. Since this cemetery was
completely destroyed, the locating, mapping, repairing, and replacing
stones in the proper location was quite a challenge. I have learned
some
valuable skills that I would be willing to share with others, or if time
allows, would volunteer to offer assistance or oversee projects in this
area.
Write me if you would like more information.
Ernie Lasley
(I have suppressed his address and phone number)
e-mail elasley(a)comsource.net
***************************
--
Scott Satterthwaite
Indiana Pioneer Cemeteries Restoration Project State Coordinator
http://www.citznet.com/~ssattert/inpcrp/
Huntington County InGenWeb Coordinator
http://www.citznet.com/~ssattert/HiGenWeb.html
Huntington County Biographies
http://www.citznet.com/~ssattert/hibios/huntbios.html
Well County Biographies
http://www.citznet.com/~ssattert/webios/
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Cemetery: (n) A marble orchard not to be taken for granite.