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Archiver > INPCRP > 2001-06 > 0991449625


From: "Christine West" <>
Subject: [INPCRP] Status of the Lewellyn Graveyard in Bartholomew County, Indiana
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2001 21:46:13 -0500


I received a phone call today (Friday) about 3:00pm from Jim Van Ness of Crossmann Communities Inc. and their attorney (it was a 3-way call). They wanted to make sure I had been kept up todate on the progress of their subdivision, Shadow Creek Farms, located in SW Columbus Township, just below the fairgrounds (can be seen on the east side of I-65 on the south side of the overpass of County Road 200 South or St. Rd. 58 as a large construction site with many new houses already standing).

The last time I had discussed the cemetery with anyone it was the head of our Plan department in Feb. or Mar. of this year. He told me that the spots identified by us as potential sites of the cemetery were on ground that lay in Phase 5 of this new housing addition. Before moving on to a new section, 75% of the previous one has to be done. He seemed to agree with me that they only purchased 59.75 acres, not 60 ( the quarter-acre cemetery is deeded out as an exception, but not detailed as to where it is located) and that before plans on this phase would begin, they would ask the company to do all they can to pinpoint this cemetery.

Apparently the phases have been renumbered and phase 5 is now phase 2 and will be up for final approval by the Plan Commission Wednesday night. Once approved, the grading will begin in the next few weeks on the property, even though it can't be a recorded plat for at least 2 weeks, as our survey department head is on vacation. I was invited to be present when they did this grading so I could verify that the archaeologist they HIRED was doing his job of looking for signs of a grave. They said that once the entire parcel has been graded, it will be evident to the archaeologist the rectangular spots of darker soil that indicate a grave. They said they have a 7 page procedure list for the contractors of what to look for as they grade as well as who to contact and what to do should they find any evidence of these graves. They are mailing me that list immediately. They asked if I had any questions about anything, so I asked what happens if they don't see anything that resemb!
les the graves at that point? The answer was that they would continue to follow their procedures list and keep any eye out for it.

I am trying hard not to let the negative side in me affect my judgment on what is being done here, but I am naturally skeptical and have some questions that I believe should be answered by SOMEONE.

ONE: If the last burial was about 1863 ( we're only talking about 1 to 4 graves probably) and the ground that contained the graveyard has been under cultivation for at least 75 to 100 years, after heavy excavating machinery has pushed, then treaded over the ground, do they really believe it will be evident to the naked eye, even of a trained expert?

TWO: Why were the phase numbers revised? Why weren't people who actively work on checking this plans made clearly aware of such a change. If you lived next to ground that was once in the country and now was slated for development of this scale, wouldn't you want to know in advance when to expect the piece directly next to you to become a wall of houses? I would, because it would affect when I had to start looking for a new home in what remains of our "countryside."

THREE: Since the archaeologist in this case is being paid as a contractor, should a DNR archaeologists be there at all times? I think this is the only way to insure that everything is working right. I'm not accusing this archaeologists of any wrong doing, just being skeptical me.

FOUR: Do they Legally have the right to the quarter of an acre that has been excepted out of the deed for over a century? They purchased the ground with the full knowledge of how the deed read. It is not their fault a farmer 100 years ago decided his need for farm ground out-weighed his conscience and plowed it under. However, I have always heard it said we should learn from our past mistakes so we don't repeat them. Developing this property carefully and "keeping an eye out" for remains will not justify when that last house is built on that last lot in the parcel, taking up all 60 acres and wiping out all traces of a once-sacred site. They have mentioned before of all the park area they will have in this planned community. That is wonderful, but a cemetery ought to be a cemetery, not down-graded to a memorial park.

FIVE: What ever happened to good old-fashioned RESPECT? I appreciate them calling me, even though I would have appreciated it more if the Plan dept. had informed me of it last month when it was approved. I appreciate the fact that they have already invested money in the form of a GPR study to try to locate this earlier, I really think they should be praised for the effort. I'm just not convinced that every effort will be made to look for it, or that there will be anything there noticeable to the average Joe that spells out HUMAN REMAINS. Whether these were my relatives (they are) or not, I think the places that these pioneers worked and sweat on, wanted to and were buried on, ought to be respected as such and the profit of selling a house should not alter this respect.

That's all I have for now, I am sending this message, not just to the group, but also to 2 descendants of these Lewellyns and a reporter at the local newspaper who has written several wonderful articles about our cemeteries recently, as well as a few other people who might be interested in this information. I ask that Jeannie Regan-Denius, Lois Mauk and John Clark please email me directly about this issue () as well as anyone I am sending this to who is not a member of the rootsweb email group.

I want to thank those who responded to my questions recently concerning the Sweeney cemetery in Ohio township. I will update you later on the wonderful meeting I had this afternoon with the trustee and a township resident who is on their "Township Cemetery Board". I expected the negative, as always, and believe I came out of the meeting with a couple of new friends that seem genuinely interested in this subject of protecting our cemeteries. It just goes to show that there are people out there just as concerned as we are. I just wish we could magically find them all in this county (interested volunteers as well as grave sites) and get a group going that could right some wrongs.

Thanks for all of the inspiration and advice this group daily gives. I would be lost without your guidance!


Christine "Cris" LEWELLEN West
Columbus, IN

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