well we were renting a field one time that had a big copse of trees in it. and in the middle of these tress was a small grave plot. needless to say you couldnt plow over that but Ive seen some real winners that we had as hired hands.... we had this one ol' boy from arkansas, we werre cutting wood at the time to subsdize the farm and we asked him if he knew how to use a chainsaw and fell trees...he did but was dissapointed that we didnt have bow saws, just traditional stright blade saws..those of you who know how to cut down a tree understand the notching process, make a notch where you want the tree to fall and then make the back cut...well this guy was cutting two cuts one from each sive making a V and then he would push the tree out of the side some times even throwing himself at the tree....most times if the tree was big it would just pinch the saw and we would have to push the tree with the bucket loader....
So I could see soe guy charging across some field on a tractor not thinking that those stones are anything more than really thinn rocks.
Scary huh?
Seamus

"it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifing......nothing"
MacBeth

Both of the stories in a large scale in Georgia to one right here on our doorstep in Farmington is really a sign that without attention the past can so quickly be lost. Perhaps we could organize sone afternoon when we could tend to some of these cemeteries even for an hour or so. We as re-enactors tend to like to talk about what a shame it is to have our history wash by us, but perhaps this is a way would could actually do something about it...

anyone have any legitimate comments on this idea?

Ok, sorry about the really bad pun, but I do have to say that if we are serious about organizing and doing something about the state of cemetaries and upkeep I am quite willing to help out.

I have to say that most cemetaries I see in Maine are very well kept, but of course I don't generally look at all the little ones... but most seem to have some group sponsoring them to mark the graves of veterans. I guess we'd have to contact these groups and see if there are any cemtaries that need to be adopted.

We are a talented, intelligent group of folks, I think we could do this! I'm not an idea person, but I am a good worker bee, so just point me in the right direction!

The Missus

Have work gloves will travel. I'd say we're a proper bunch of scofflaws to get the job done. After all if people have an untended cemetery on their property they either a) don't know it's there or b) can't take the time & effort to clean it up. I would think most folks would be happy to have us help.
Just such an issue happened here in Winterport. There was a family plot back in the woods that had fallen into major disrepair. As one of the graves is that of a Union man, my husband was of course interested. We were going to approach the current owner of the property about our group doing a cleanup & maintenance. But before he did that, my husband took his Aunt out to the site & told her of our plan. She pulled Historical Society rank & contacted the local Boy Scouts who took over the project. Am I dissapointed? Not at all. I'm just glad the cemetery is being somewhat kept up.
My point? We're all non-profit, public service groups. So lets do some public service here. Spring's coming & we could all do with fresh air & excerise. So you find the plot, I'll bring my work gloves & cammo. We'll do some good & run from the cops if need be.
~Miss Patti

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind~Dr. Seuss

I unofficially promote Matt Bray Director of Cemetery Restoration.
Lead the way my young lad! and we shall follow!
Seamus

"it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifing......nothing"
MacBeth

Oh wow. I am suddenly so totally disillusioned. Here I was thinking you were the sane one in the marriage & come to find out Seamus had to use your dowry for bail money. I guess love is grand, be it in the looney bin or a holding cell.
~Miss Patti

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind~Dr. Seuss

That's the scary part, Miss Patti. I AM the sane one!

I'm a puppy mill commando! Sort of like PETA rescuing lobsters, which ARE good eating, as opposed to wee Mexican pups. Then again, I've never tried it... do you put bar b que sauce on them or just slap 'em on a bun?

... I covered a News story a while back where PETA was doing an oversized Lobster rescue from a restaurant. They waded out with it down in Kennebunkport and the chick slipped on some seaweed and dropped the big 'ole crustacean on a rock smashing the thing to smitherines... Talk about a PETA NO-NO!

2nd Lt Eric R. Reeder
United States Army
Corps of Topographic Engineers
"Hawks and Eagles fly like Doves"

As I said I was told this, I hadn't actually done any research on it. However after searching a bit I came up with the following. It's a State law. I'll send Mike the links to both sites a bit later (i'm at work now)

A Compilation of
Maine Veterans' Laws

Revised January 28, 2004

CHAPTER 83

CEMETERY CORPORATIONS

§1101. Maintenance and repairs; municipality

In any ancient burying ground, as referenced in Title 30-A, section 5723, or public burying ground in which any Revolutionary soldiers or sailors or veterans of the Armed Forces of the United State of America who served in any war are buried, the municipality in which said burying ground is located shall keep in good condition and repair all graves, headstones, monuments or markers designating the burial place of said Revolutionary soldiers or sailors or veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States of America who served in any war and shall keep the grass suitably cut and trimmed on those graves from May 1st to September 30th of each year.

Also the following is an excerpt from http://wiscassetnewspaper.maine.com/2004-08-05/veteran_remembered.html

According to state law, it is the owner's responsibility to provide access to ancient burying grounds on private property in order for municipalities to maintain the gravesites of veterans going back to the Revolutionary War.

The towns are responsible to keep in good condition and repair all graves, headstones, monument or markers designating the burial place of all veterans, and keep the grass suitably cut and trimmed from May 1, to September 30 of each year.

It is not clear in the law, if the landowner must maintain the entrance into the cemetery.

The law does clearly states veteran's graves shall be decorated with an American Flag and appropriate holder on Memorial Day. Jeanne feels very strongly that her husband should not be denied that honor regardless of his burial place.

Keep taking your blue mass!!
Asst. Surg. SD Scroggins

You better watch out Vicki, they are going undercover now...

http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=48482

Cpl Marc Averill
29thGA

Maybe this is something that will present itself in the future, you know one noble cause...and then we will move on it en masse. we will keep our eyes peeled until spring......
Seamus

"it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifing......nothing"
MacBeth

And if we get arrested I can really gimp it up, lean very heavily on my cane (while still keeping my head high, of course) and hope someone takes a picture of the big bad police arresting a little old crippled lady for unlawful community service! I'd proudly wear a MaineMilitia tee!

I can't wait, I haven't broken a law in, oh, maybe 10 minutes! Hee hee!

Seriously though, guys, we find a cause and I'm there.

The Missus

Its Sad how Cemetaries fall into disrepair or just complete forgottonness(is that even a word?) As those of you who are students of Seamus know(even that kashmiri family, stop sending me goats,please!)
I lived for a time in Ga. and old forgoten cemetaries are part of the landscape....There was one that had lovely carved stones covered in ivy and other such bracken with an old pagewire fence and just outside the fence were many depressions in the ground. Graves with no markers...it was where the slaves were buried..seperate but really close.
For a time we were cutting wood to support the Farm, as we had year after year of Drought and misfortune. and one of the jobs was to cut off wood from a cemetary for a AME church, the cemetary was not close to the church was right on a major road but was so poorly taken care of, the temporary markers that are placed before a real marker can be put out often were dated in the 1930s and sometimes were inside trees or trees were growing right in the middle of the grave. we did our best to cut down the trees without hitting any stones and we were mostly succesful, our only mishap was on tree landed on a crypt top cracking it...opening it up...I looked down but saw nothing like it was empty..we filled it in and hoped we wouldnt bring down some curse...I did cut myself in the leg with my chainsaw but not bad, just a two inch gash that has healed into a 3/4 ince scar on one knee...
the long and short of it, the guy who had us do the cleaning thought the church would get paid for the wood we took, we got the wood check and told them for all the trouble we should get more than the wood check(I belive my father did give them a split of the proceedes but they were imagining a larger check than they got, we probally only swapped dollars on the whole operation and vowed to never cut wood in a cemetary again....
oh and we chastised them for letting their graveyard get that way.
Just another slice of life(and death)
Seamus

".....and with a prick upon my thumb, something wicked this way comes..."
MacBeth