I stumbled upon a small plot of headstones while building a fence on the family farm. The last date readable is around 1847, so I'm guessing it's from the early 19th century. It's not in any local township or zoning maps, though an old county record book does detail the family name, Mirth. Should I contact the authorities, restore the gravesite, have them dug up or what!?
This is waaay away from the house, in the woods, so I'm not creeped out.
2006-11-03 13:18:04 · 18 answers · asked by Don Karnage 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
Contact your local historical society. They will be able to direct you as to what is customary in your area. Don't be creeped out anyway. Just please treat the gravesites with respect as you would any other cemetery.
2006-11-03 13:26:34 · answer #1 · answered by swarr2001 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Hum. A old family burial plot. First don't tell anyone else where . as there are people that will steal anything laying around for un savory purposes.stop any work and block the site off. Contact the local church and ask for assistance.Call the police. and the local historical society . As they can handle the legalities of such a discovery. The laws differ
in each area but one thing is the same . Do not open the caskets as that is intentional desecration and theft. Take a picture of the site the way you left it. and if you have one a picture of what you could see before the discovery took place.make copies . give a copy to each of the other parties and keep one for your self, preferably the original ones.
The police will probably be there first. to check it out. there should be no problem with them. they may bring a coroner with them to take the caskets away .or call in a funereal parlor to do such . and to look for the original families descendants. if any are left.It will be a decision between you and them as to whether or not to move the remains to another graveyard or pay you to keep the area and the bodies there.
2006-11-03 22:45:30 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In most cases, yes you MUST contact the authorities. You can not remove any casket, there are rules and regulations in every state in the US (assuming you are in the US of course) regarding the graves, most of these sites are protect properties and you can face tough penalties for digging them up. Now if you do not mind them being there, then you should list the names if you can see them and the dates and contact the organizations that trace ancestral history, ancestry.com, etc... maybe you can find relatives that would want to move their ancestors. Have you checked any of the local historians in your area? I hope it is not a "sacred burial site"... that might be very difficult to deal with. Check with your local library as well, there may be some answers for you there. In my area, you can not even disturb the headstones without proper permission from the relatives, which incidentally actually own the property that each casket is laid in....
2006-11-03 21:34:01 · answer #3 · answered by SKayeMesqTX 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow. That would be so neat to find. I used to visit, often, a small,old graveyard I found while hiking once, and pay my respects. It was mostly children from the same time period yours is.
You need to contact the families (if you can) I'm sure they would be interested in what would happen to the remains of their relatives, no matter what you do.
Personally, I would restore it. Graveyards are places of respect and peace. No need to dig anything up. I don't think that would be right.
You should also contact the authorities, just to cover all your bases. There might be laws or restrictions on them that you don't know about.
It would be wonderful if you restored it. Maybe the family members might want to take part in the restoration as well.
Good luck and blessed be!
2006-11-03 21:29:44 · answer #4 · answered by LadyMagick 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I suggest going to the USGENWEB site there are thousands of historians and genealogists who would be interested including me. Just follow the prompts for your County and State and the Graves project and make inquiries. You may be able to answer questions some member of the Mirth family has been searching for for years...I have seen this happen more than once. Your county has a historical society I am sure they can help.
To disturb a grave even on private property is a crime by the way.
Nothing creepy about a graveyard it isn't the dead ones you need to worry about it's the live ones who make trouble.......
2006-11-03 21:35:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
My wife's family graveyard in Maine dates back to the 16th century. The grave stones include a war of independence grave and a civil war grave. When the land was sold It was registered and some research was done for verification. One of the veteran associations takes care of it along with the state.
You might want to do some research. I'd check the local churches for sure. They usually keep track of births and deaths.
2006-11-03 22:23:35 · answer #6 · answered by Terry 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Contact the authorities. Contact the local historical society. Is there a college near your town? Contact the anthropology department. This might be historically significant. there might be even famlies in the area or even the remains of a village or town. How interesting for you.
2006-11-03 23:14:42 · answer #7 · answered by copestir 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The respectful thing to do would be to take care of them as if they were your relatives. See if there is a local ghost club in your area that would like to help you keep these graves nice and neat. A lot of ghost clubs do more than hunt for ghosts, some clean up grave sites like this to help them get a good name in the community.
2006-11-04 00:40:15 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
On your land? Wow! If it was me, I'd restore it, research it, and respect it. I do NOT advise you to have the graves exhumed, for they have been resting on the grounds that they once lived, AKA, hallowed ground. I find it better to let the dead stay, as they are not noisy neighbors. You may contact the authorities if you wish to relinquish the cemetery. I, for one, would not. Your property should remain intact, for you must consider the wishes of the ones before you.
2006-11-04 14:32:25 · answer #9 · answered by Battlerattle06 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it were me, I would lovingly tend the graveyard to honor the people buried there.
I would alert the authorities and see if they could find any descendants who may not know that a family graveyard/plot exists.
Have a lovely rest of the evening...
2006-11-03 22:50:38 · answer #10 · answered by Goblin g 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Back when people like my Grandparents lived on big farms in the 1800's people would bury their dead family members on their own property.
My suggestion would be to (fence off the grave yard) maby put a gait to it,so people could go in,if they wished too. I would not suggest digging them up,or moving them. Better to let them rest in peace.
2006-11-03 23:11:49 · answer #11 · answered by starfish50 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋