I wish I could take you to this site directly, but it won't let me. http://michiganlegislature.org Do not search. This is for pending legislation. Go below to "Michigan Compiled Laws" under Search and click on. This will get you to MCL Quick-Start which will allow you to search the word cemetery. This should get you 175 returns of Michigan Cemetery law, where surely you can find an answer to your question in time. If you have trouble getting there, e-mail me back. You might also search township trustee, etc. Jon >From: "Cindy & Dale Frie" <skifri@qtm.net> >Reply-To: INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com >To: INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [INPCRP] We have run into a snag! >Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2001 21:24:29 -0500 > >Hello everyone I sure hope someone can offer some advice here! I know I am >asking about Michigan laws but I'm hoping some one some where can help. > >Since March we have been working along side a group of volunteers in one of >the "township" owned cemeteries in Berrien County. We have been cutting >down >old trees and bushes that were taking over "the headstones". As well as >repairing broken stones and cleaning them, and we are still repairing >headstones. > >The cemetery we have been cleaning is actually two cemeteries. One consists >of a 1/2 acre, that became a cemetery in 1907 that is owned by the >township. >The other cemetery is an acre which was started on or before 1854. The two >cemeteries are divided by a row of 3 maple trees. Since there is not other >physical boundary between these cemeteries they appear to be one. > >There have been burials in the acre cemetery as late as 1996 if not 1999, >under the jurisdiction of the township. > >The acre cemetery was deeded by the land owner to about 10 men for the sum >of $1.. According to a local history book (which by the way was written by >a >local judge) the land was deeded to the settlement of Bainbridge. > >About a month ago the township decided since there is no legal document >stating the land was turned over to the township the acre cemetery is in >fact not owned by the township and therefore will stop taking care of it! > >Does anyone on this list know of any Michigan Cemetery Law that can hold >the >township responsible for the upkeep of the acre cemetery? > >Cindy L (Skiles) Frie >"SkiFri" > > >==== 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