I have read the conversation about the cemeteries in Barbour Co with interest. I don't think the problem of untended cemeteries is as widespread as the picture that is being painted. The people who live in Barbour County are generally attentive to the cemeteries in which their relatives are buried. The cemeteries associated with active churches are well tended by church members. In smaller churches, everyone helps unless they are physically unable. The larger cemeteries (& many smaller ones) have committees - people from the associated church, supported by public donations, who care for them. Periodically, you will see a notice in the Barbour newspapers reminding people to send in their donations. I also know of family cemeteries on private property that are being well maintained by descendants today. The problems occur with small family cemeteries where there are no family members living nearby to provide care and with the cemeteries associated with a church which is no longer active. The number of family cemeteries on private property increased as land was sold out of the family. As roads and transportation improved during the 1900s, the number of inactive churches increased with people moving memberships to the larger churches. In some cases these cemeteries became overgrown because there were no descendants who even knew of their existence until genealogy became a hot hobby. Care of these specific untended cemeteries is a real problem, primarily because there is no one to assume the responsibility there. It seems to me that would be a good project for a genealogical society to oversee. Clearly, the responsibility will be more effective if it is assumed by an organization that will exist 25,...100 years from now. Claire Chicago