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Archiver > CEMETERY > 2003-07 > 1057938942
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Subject: Re: [Old Bones CEMETERY-L] [Fwd: {not a subscriber} Moving headstones a few y...
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 11:56:15 -0400
References: <137.21e0ed5b.2c315728@aol.com> <009401c34785$5d491940$d7874843@pavilion>
Questions to pass along....
1. Is this cemetery a private/non-profit/family cemetery or a church/"for
profit" cemetery?
2. What are the codes/laws in your state regarding each?
3. Was the cemetery ever recorded on any deeds/land transfers?
4. What are the codes/laws in your state regarding deeds/transfers?
5. When was the last burial in this cemetery?
6. What are the codes/laws in your state regarding "abandoned" cemeteries?
There are lots of questions that need to be answered in order for anyone to
move further it sounds like. I can only speak for myself and my own efforts
with cemeteries in the Commonwealth of Virginia that if there has been no
burial in a private/family cemetery within a certain number of years that
cemetery becomes what is known as "abandoned" and another set of codes/laws
then applies. Deeds/land transfers are only required to be researched back a
certain number of years, so unless the cemetery was excluded from sale AND
it was recorded as such on later deeds/transfers that may or may not prove
fruitful. If this is a private/family cemetery and is lawfully belongs to
the property owner surrounding it and codes/laws have been thoroughly
researched that give the property owner all rights to the cemetery then I
would suggest approaching it from two angles...first, tread lightly and get
written permission to come on the property for purpose of research and/or
restoration of the cemetery...by doing so, the property owner may be more
willing to have the area remain intact if someone else is willing to do the
hard work..and second, get legislation in to your state's government to get
the codes/laws changed to give family members and those buried in these
cemeteries the rights and protection they deserve. I have recently submitted
legislation myself and know that it is being looked over carefully by at
least 3 of the 4 I sent it to.
~Sheri Millikin
(Pebble Creek/Dungarvon Cemetery, Hanover Co., VA)
*keeping her fingers & toes crossed & saying lil' prayers every night that
the laws/codes will change in favor of families & private cemeteries here in
the Commonwealth of Virginia*
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