Jack, Maybe you're right, you don't have time for showbiz! Keep on them. Jon >From: Jb502000@aol.com >Reply-To: INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com >To: INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [INPCRP] Barrens aka St Johns Lutheran, and DNR >Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 22:54:59 EDT > > >Open Letter to the List, >Today I spent the day checking on the Grassy Barrens Cemetery AKA St. Johns >Lutheran. George Haas sold one (1) acre of ground for $1.25 of Lawful Money >of the United States of America to three trustees of the St. Johns >Evangelical Lutheran Synod. It was sold and recorded the 25 of September in >the year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty-seven ( 9/1847) >And it STILL IS IN THE SAME NAME AS OF 2 PM TODAY. It is Nontaxable >ST.JOHNS >LUTHERAN CHURCH. It has not been Sold, Traded, or Bartered to the DNR, or >the >Nature Conservancy, nor any other State agency. The assessor tacked on the >front of the listing "The Trustees of Central Barren Methodist Church." But >no one in office now new why. It was there when they came into office. I >drove up to Central Barren and looked for Trustees. I found one that was >very willing to talk to me. I asked about their connection with St. Johns >Cemetery (Sorry Barrens) He said they had absolutely no connection what so >ever. Absolutely None, and how did I get them Connected. > I explained about the Recorders office list. He said they are >WRONG. I asked if I could Quote him, he said Yes. He would tell this to >anyone. I explained about the Cemetery. He gave me the Name of 90 year old >Frances Quebbeman in New Salisbury. I drove over and we Talked. She is >sharp >as a Tack She said at one time the DNR wanted to purchase 40 acres by the >cemetery. Dad had it appraised at $14,000. DNR countered, he said no. They >sold it off in parcels. After a while the DNR started burning off the >cemetery. Neighbors started complaining, but they still burnt it off. She >even said that cemetery there has a native Grass. I asked if her father had >any on his property, she said no, he kept it plowed up. I told her that a >burial took place there in 1924, did she think it was grown up then. She >said >NO. Them Germans kept everything clean. I said, then the Grass and Weeds >have >not been there since 1847. She said no, never. She is quite familiar with >the >area she was born in 1911, and George Haas who sold it to the Church was >her >GGGrandfather. >After checking the Legal Aspect, and talking to others The DNR, in MY >OPINION >took over the cemetery and started burning it off. That's funny. I can't >even >stick a Probe in the ground because I, in my recklessness may damage a >piece >of Tombstone. > I repeat, they should go somewhere else and plant the Grass and Weeds >and get the H--- out of this cemetery. I keep hearing this grass used to >rejuvenate itself after a fire in it. Well, take the seeds someplace where >a >Culture allows a Cemetery to return to a Natural State and toss it in >there. >Maybe lightning will strike close by. Gosh they'd be tickled to death. I >also >would be glad to help gather seeds if someone wants their own cemetery to >look this nice. What about setting aside an area in Crown Hill for >something >nice like this. A real historic part of Indiana in Marion County where >everyone that visits the State Capitol can see it. This one is hard to >find. >I have to tell people where it is supposed to be. Saddly,This whole thing >is >so silly it is beginning to get funny the more I think of it. I'm checking >tomorrow with the National Gravestone Studies Association. If they believe >in >fire in cemeteries, we can just burn them all. (With proper fire >protection) >Except in Certain counties in Indiana that cannot burn anything. That would >be unfair to them. I know I live in one. > Does the DNR have the permission of the legally constituted power >over the Cemetery, the Morgan Township Trustee, in writing? Cleaning of a >cemetery should come under a Cover letter from the Trustee. If anyone out >there cleans one up, you should First get a Letter covering the Cemeteries >under the jurisdiction of your Township Trustee giving you his Permission >to >do what ever the law requires of him. It's just advice, might keep YOU out >of Trouble Please, Don't anyone come on Line and agree with me. >I >know this last week I have said enough to cause my self problems down the >line, but i'm 68 and can still stand up for myself. I welcome a chalenge >it's >all I have to look forward to. But since 1847 the Deed is still good. >Another St Johns was started in 1862, 2 miles away, But no Burials allowed >in >the Deed > >Jack E. Briles Sr. >Floyd County INPCRP Coordinator >Po Box 444 >New Albany, In. 47151-0444 > > >==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== >THIS IS A CEMETERY ----- > "Lives are commemorated - deaths are recorded - families >are reunited - memories are made tangible - and love is >undisguised. This is a cemetery. > "Communities accord respect, families bestow reverence, >historians seek information and our heritage is thereby enriched. > "Testimonies of devotion, pride and remembrance are carved >in stone to pay warm tribute to accomplishments and to the life - >not the death - of a loved one. The cemetery is homeland for family >memorials that are a sustaining source of comfort to the living. > "A cemetery is a history of people - a perpetual record of >yesterday and sanctuary of peace and quiet today. A cemetery >exists because every life is worth loving and remembering - always." > --Author unknown -- Seen at a monument dealer in West Union, IA > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp