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     Gordon C. Meyer  gmeyer@itctel.com

                                Saving Graves                   

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A collaborative effort of cemetery preservation advocates working to increase public awareness and activism in preserving, protecting and restoring endangered and forgotten historic cemeteries worldwide.
"Saving Graves is dedicated to providing leadership, education and advocacy in preserving and restoring endangered and forgotten cemeteries worldwide."Saving Graves is strongly committed to the preservation and protection of human burial sites from unauthorized and unwarranted disturbance, by man or nature

Saving Graves was formed to educate and assist in the worldwide networking of people interested in protecting, restoring and preserving our historic cemeteries. We believe that the willful desecration or destruction of human burial sites is unacceptable in a civilized society. All over the globe, cemeteries have been threatened by neglect, insufficient funds, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy. These cemeteries constitute a memento of great achievements of the common everyday people that lived and worked there, contributing greatly to both culture and science, leading to the creation of a better place for those that followed. It is our primary objective to increase the awareness and highlight the importance of our historic cemeteries as sources of community and state pride, while promoting an attitude of reverence and respect, and encouraging the further preservation of these unique historical resources for future generations to appreciate and learn from. If society fails to appropriately and adequately deal with this issue through some definitive action, whether legislative or otherwise, not only will genealogical and historical resources likely be irreparably harmed, but society will potentially lose a valuable resource for charting its inexorable course into annals of human history.

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Hague Town Ship Cemetery before cleanup                                Hague Town Ship cemetery after Cleanup 

                                                                                                                     Hague Township Cemetery July 2, 2009

This Cemetery was purchased by the Hague Township, from Benjamin McPeek in 1889, for $20.00 the amount of land bought was 2 acres. The first Burial took place in 1886 and the last was in 1943. 

Renovation of this Cemetery was started around 2000, and was completed in 2002. We maintained this Cemetery from the starting date until October, 2008, hoping the township would acknowledge there obligation, but as you can see, by the above pictures this didn't happen. The township refuses to do any thing, about taking care of the cemetery, and the supervisor made the statement " that he will let it t grow back to weeds", this might not all be true, because the commissioners have said they will spray for thistles.

There are rules and regulations that might  help in these situations, here, are just a few, 8-2-15. Regulation and maintenance of abandoned cemeteries. The township board of supervisors may regulate and maintain abandoned rural cemeteries within their township. The regulation and maintenance may include the mowing and cutting of weeds and grass, the repairing of fences and corrective measures relative to grave markers. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this section may be appropriated from the township general fund. The board of supervisors shall notify the board of county commissioners in writing that the board of supervisors will maintain an abandoned cemetery.
Source: SL 1993, ch 67.

7-26-6. Cemeteries subject to county maintenance. For the purposes of § 7-26-7 the term "abandoned cemetery" means a cemetery, in which no burial of a human body has taken place for five years and which has not been, for a period of five or more years, maintained by any person, church, religious or benevolent society, or any civic organization.

8-2-15. Regulation and maintenance of abandoned cemeteries. The township board of supervisors may regulate and maintain abandoned rural cemeteries within their township. The regulation and maintenance may include the mowing and cutting of weeds and grass, the repairing of fences and corrective measures relative to grave markers. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this section may be appropriated from the township general fund. The board of supervisors shall notify the board of county commissioners in writing that the board of supervisors will maintain an abandoned cemetery.
Source: SL 1993, ch 67.

For more information on the Hague Cemetery, Click on the link Below, this will have a short history of the Cemetery,  and the names of the burials, along with a short history of the burials.  

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