Wow. Good bit of detective work. Have you probed to make sure the
stones are there? I will assume so. Well, the first thing is to get
permission before doing anything. Second, please understand that as of
the first of the year, there is no legal basis whereby you may restore
this cemetery. Of course, there is also nothing preventing it as long
as the landowner approves. What you are now faced with is what amounts
to an archealogical dig. A very long difficult task to be sure. I
would reccommend you ask a _trusted_ professional archealogist or
preservationist for the step by step details. You will have to unearth
and record each stone (old stones that have been buried become very
soft and often crumble like a dirt clod when moved), measure the
locations, create a plat map, and reset the stones somehow. It is very
likely that this woman who cash rents out the property won't be willing
to part with a piece of income. Not to mention the farmer who might
oppose you as well.
I don't want to discourage you. I don't want to give you any false
hopes either. What you are talking about is a very large undertaking to
be sure. If some sort of bounderies for the cemetery could be
determined, maybe you could talk the owner into deeding (read: giving)
the land to the township. Maybe, just maybe, the Trustee would work
with you to get the cemetery back in shape. Good luck, If there is
anything I (or anyone) can do let me/us know.
--
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Scott Satterthwaite
Indiana Pioneer Cemeteries Restoration Project State Coordinator
http://www.citznet.com/~ssattert/inpcrp/