The sad fact that large and small older cemeteries do get moved, tombstones get stolen, broken, lost and many times early records don't exist, is a situation that has happened & it will probably continue throughout the entire United States. It takes an honest protest effort by the citizens who live in a particular area to save "the past". On the other end of the argument, some people don't care about the history and heritage that is lost. Some say, it all depends on who yells the loudest, while others say the pending taxes, that could be made on changing the purpose of the land, will decide the fate. ... It appears that many old cemetery sites in our country have become school grounds and business property.

Tombstones in any cemetery belong to the lot/grave deed holder. The broken and crooked tombstones at cemeteries (including Wesleyan Cemetery) can not legally be repaired or moved by anyone except the cemetery or a descendant of the deceased.

A cemetery lot/grave and the purchased tombstone are private property, just as a house is. Someone owns (inherits) the deed, although many are not aware of that ownership and usually it is forgotten, lost or trashed after a generation or two. Tampering with the grave or tombstone is trespassing and charges can be filed by the "owner" and also by the cemetery.

This being true, one must wonder how any cemetery was ever allowed to be moved. The fact that small cemeteries do get moved, leads one to think that the immediate family died out, later generations moved away and "politics" took over the decisions, allowing the land to be put to another use. ... Then one must wonder who reimbursed the family for the lot purchase price and original burial expenses, assuming there were original costs.

Many older graves with their wooden boxes (they say) left nothing to be moved, a fact that is repeatedly encountered throughout our country. This would leave only the headstone to be moved and where/how they (the grave and/or stone) are moved can be a total loss. ... At Wesleyan Cemetery, what was moved into Wesleyan (bodies and/or tombstones) is still under research for the cemeteries we have found. The possibility of more cemetery names may exist. ... Along part of the Hoffner Street fence in Wesleyan Cemetery, is an area of tombstones that is thought to be from the Presbyterian Cemetery which was at 4th & Walnut. Currently (Oct 2001) this area is covered by poison ivy and the record microfilmer can not recall seeing any records on these stones. We will be adding more details to this site, as found.

Wesleyan Cemetery was set up, where families were to pay yearly fees for maintenance (annual care). Very few yearly payments come in and with the age of many graves, it's not hard to rationalize that most of those families have long ago "vanished", leaving a lack of funds for care. Total yearly income is $600 a year from yearly maintenance payments, even though there are many newer burials.

A current problem is that during the last few years, most burials have been of the very poor, those that have no family and indigent burials, which are paid burials by the county. As Wesleyan has an area for indigent burials, here's what happens: The county pays the cemetery $300. Of that $300, the man "with the backhoe" gets most of it. The cemetery gets to keep very little of the collected payment. The city pays NO annual fee for maintenance of those graves, nor does anyone else.

When you bury someone, you think the remains will be there forever. It's a sad FACT that it isn't guaranteed. It's a shame that legally, decisions can be made to put that land to other uses. Perhaps one day businesses will realize that they would be much more "respected" if the public could see that business caring for the past. ... Burials from early cemeteries, moved into Wesleyan are assumed to have both the headstones and bodies moved by most readers. It's doubtful that both were moved with most.

A list of early cemeteries &/or stones that were moved to Wesleyan Cemetery was compiled in August, 2001 while researching for this website, with much of the information provided by Mr. Robert Merkle, who was the trustee at the time. The cemeteries and/or stones moved to Wesleyan are as follows:

1. Old Quaker Cemetery which was across the street from Garfield school.

2. Wesleyan Methodist Cemetery on Catherine St (downtown). This was full & was moved to build Wesleyan College at the site.

3. An Episcopal Cemetery, which we currently can not find a location for.

4. Court St. Cemetery

5. Presbyterian Cemetery which was at 4th & Walnut. The Hoffner St. "wall" is thought to be made up of stones from this cemetery. This area is currently covered with poison ivy (Oct 2001) and the microfilmer of records does not recall seeing any records for the headstones being moved to Wesleyan Cemetery.

6. Burials from around the Gordon Chapel are at the north end of property on Colerain Ave. The chapel burned down before 1900 and the chapel property was absorbed into the cemetery.

7. Wesley Chapel on 5th St., which is now the front lawn of Proctor & Gamble.

8. Two Greek Orthodox Churches: St. Nicholas & Holy Trinity. These burials are in the middle of Section R.

The following groups/organizations have large plot areas at Wesleyan Cemetery:

1. The Salvation Army

2. The House of Refuge

3. Methodist Ministers

Military Veterans are eligible for headstones or markers provided by the Veteran's Administration. Information can be found on the VA website as to who is eligible, how to order stones, and many other related subjects.

Although Government Headstones and Markers are free, they must be placed on a foundation or "base", which must be provided by the applicant. Arrangements for setting a Government-furnished headstone or marker in a private cemetery is the applicant�s responsibility and all placement costs are at private expense.

Cemetery staff in national, military post or base cemeteries are responsible for setting the headstone or marker (including providing the foundation or "base") at no cost to the applicant. Some State veterans� cemeteries may charge the applicant a nominal fee for setting a Government-furnished headstone or marker.

We welcome any information you may have from documents or family stories! Please use the email links below to send any information you would like to share.

Donna

You are visitor since 5 August 2001.

Problems or broken links should be reported to the webmaster.

© Copyright 2001, 2002 by Sherri Hall. All files on this website are copyrighted by their submitter and creator. They may be linked to, but may not be reproduced on another website or in any other form, without specific permission of the submitter, owner, publisher and this site moderator. Although public records are as such not copyrightable, the manner in which they are presented, including the notes, comments, etc. are. The information on this site is provided free of charge, by volunteers, for your personal use only.