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Archiver > OH-NW-HERITAGE > 2003-04 > 1049681344
From: Bill <>
Subject: Black Swamp Heritage Articless, 6 Apr 2003, Vol 2 #14
Date: Sun, 06 Apr 2003 22:09:04 -0400
Black Swamp Heritage Articles
(c) Bill Oliver
6 April 2003
Vol 2 Issue: #14
ISBN: 1542-9474
Good Evening from the Black Swamp of NWoHIo,
Somewhere I read that a cemetery illustrates the story of
the people who lived in a community over a certain period of
time. Some of them have long histories and some of them
have very short histories, yet have been in existence for
many decades. Whether they are on a quiet hill overlooking
a scenic view of that community or surrounded by modern
civilization there are stories told by the silent stones of
families and residents. Some of these stories are
disappearing and are in such a terrible state. Within laid
to rest were the founders of our towns and counties and
their burial sites are historical spots.
This week the topic for tonight's article has changed
several times. And, really, not just the topic. When I get
an idea I get a quick introduction down on paper quickly
before everything that I think of evaporates from my mind
like hydrogen peroxide does on my skin. First, I was going
to write about language and accents. I've lived in so many
places in my life that I would emulate many dialects of our
wonderful King's English ... thus, when I was corrected in
my "speech" last week, as to where the accent should be
placed, I thought I would write about "speekin' kentucky".
Well, it will have to wait for another time. Another topic
I began was ghost stories.
Well, from the ancient Greeks we have much folklore or
mythology about "spirits" of the "dearly departed" ones.
These ancient people held that the deceased did not recede
into their heaven unless, or until, they were completely
forgotten by the living. To keep the memory "alive" in the
living, monuments, statuary and eventually tombstones were
created. If this be true then it is easy to understand why
there are apparitions roaming our graveyards. When I find a
new ancestral gravesite, I often feel that a "presence"
meets me and welcomes me ... don't you?? But, as said
earlier, this is another story for another time.
I also received requests from several points of view to
speak about graveyard etiquette, so I thought, gee that
would be a good topic to explore. That led to some folks
talking about restoration of stones ... hey ... another
great topic. Someone distracted me wanting to know the laws
in my home state for cemeteries and who was responsible for
cemeteries. Wow!! Another person came out with just the
idea of cleaning up a rather small apparently abandoned
cemetery.
When someone, quite independent of all the above, from my
Father's home state and neighboring county contacted me
about abandoned and neglected cemeteries and forming a
restoration project, I gave up and decided to concentrate on
this last idea. A while back I wrote about a cemetery in
Johnson county, Illinois which contained many registered
graves of surname kin. I know that those buried there are
resting in "peace" because it is off the road, on private
land and the site is quite pleasant to wander through. It
has a beautiful carpet of myrtle and in all truth is now a
"wooded acreage". Most of the stones are lying flat and are
covered, plus being made of sandstone are deteriorating
rapidly. Though there is a listing of those buried there,
there is no "plat-map" that I was able to find to know where
anyone is buried.
In another part of this same county is another graveyard
located within a swamp area. It too is on private
property. There a 3rd Great Grandad [sic] is buried. The
owner of the property is quite nice and appreciates visitors
who check with him and are courteous enough to be respectful
of the site. But, the owner does not make a conscious
effort to maintain it, and I lay no guilt that direction.
Yet, to some of us these sites are very important. The word
"sacred" doesn't seem to be applicable, but certainly there
is a feeling quite unexplainable when you are standing
beside the ground where lies a distinctive ancestor. An
example is the feeling of belonging when you discover that
you have found an ancestor twelve generations back. A
feeling of connecting very distant times together. That was
the awe of my oldest granddaughter when I pointed out the
stone of her ancestor, buried a century and a half ago
outside of Fostoria, Ohio, after attaining the grand age of
over eight decades. A woman who might have been born during
or just before the forming of our country. One can
understand the excitement of archaeologists and historians
who discovered a 2000 year old ossuary that bore the
inscription "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus" in
Aramaic. Like many peoples, our Native Hopi have very
strong traditions. If they maintain them, they will sing of
"Loved Ones" a thousand or two years from now. If not
.........
When I was a tad-of-a-lad there was "Armistice Day". The
family would get into the car and make the rounds of the
cemeteries and clean up around the graves of our relatives.
We would plant flowers and stick flags into the ground. As
I grew older, the day changed to "Memorial Day", but the
ritual was much the same, only honoring all our relatives,
not just those who died in the service of our country. We
don't do that so much any more. We depend on Veterans
Organizations to plant the flags for a day, and we sit on
our couches and watch parades. And, as a result, our
graveyards become neglected and abandoned and they virtually
disappear. A hundred years from now if the land is still
farmed, the farmer will "turn up" stones, maybe pieces of
caskets and bones and folks may wonder who, what, where
..... If, instead, urban sprawl has consumed [paved over]
the graveyard, our knowledge and our strong traditions will
not be discovered again until someone decides that
excavation of the ground take place.
In our travels around Nebraska, Barb and I have found
gravesites out where space is in abundance; where miles
would pass before any evident sign of civilization. The
"buffalo" grass might be tall enough to envelope the fence
around a single or multiple grave site, but the graves would
be well tended and neat. The "town" cemeteries all fit into
the terrain, none had lush, green grass, except maybe for
short periods after a rain. They were neat; taken care of,
exhibiting no neglect or abandonment. There are still some
strong "traditions" in existence there.
In Ohio, a place where I have more first hand experience,
the Township Trustees are assisting local groups in
reclaiming abandoned cemeteries. Volunteers are doing the
manual work, but they are not always doing it alone. There
are many websites tolling these efforts. Do a google
search.
Down near the Ohio River in Massac county, Illinois I
suspect lies one of my 3rd Great Grandads [sic]. Frederic R
CRENSHAW, by name. A man born about the time of the
earthquake at New Madrid as well as in that geographic area;
a man born not in the state of Missouri, but in the
Louisiana Territory. I very much hope to visit the
suspected area between Unionville and Brookport during the
month of June and possibly join in some "clean up" work
sponsored by the State Comptroller's Office.
Maybe, just maybe, that 3rd Great Grandpa will see me out
looking for him this June .... and, maybe, just maybe he
will guide me to him. What say you??
Wado,
Bill
-=-
Notes:
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/OH-NW-HERITAGE/
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/BlackSwamp/intro.htm
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