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"

Cindy, Check your statutes to see if you have one that states that property is either owned by individuals or by the people. In California, our statute says that when title to property fails for want of a legal heir or next of kin, the property "reverts to the people." Here that means to the state via it's inferior subdivisions, the counties. This statute is within our "Government Code" and Michigan probably has something similar that helps to govern the actions of the "people" - the government. Let me know what you find. Sue Silver ssilver1951@jps.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cindy & Dale Frie" <skifri@qtm.net> To: <INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2001 6:24 PM Subject: [INPCRP] We have run into a snag! > 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 > >

Mike, Thanks again for the info. The Cat Scan results came back today. He has a small lump in the upper lobe of his lung. The doctor believes it is 99% benign, but he wants a biopsy of it to make sure because it is not calcified. If Greg was a smoker, he would be concerned. He said that most lung lumps are benign if the person is a non-smoker. But Greg's family are all smokers and he has been exposed to second-hand smoke all his life. And cancer runs in his family. So we will see. The doctor asked if he was hit in the chest anytime recently. The answer was no. And if he had been exposed to anyone with TB. The answer was no. So they did a TB test on him anyway. We should hopefully get in with a specialist sometime this week. We are to hear from the doctor's office tomorrow to see who with and what time. I will keep you updated. Thank you for your concern. You are very nice. Take care! Angela ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sue Silver" <ssilver1951@jps.net> To: <INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, November 05, 2001 9:07 AM Subject: Re: [INPCRP] We have run into a snag! > Cindy, > > Check your statutes to see if you have one that states that property is > either owned by individuals or by the people. In California, our statute > says that when title to property fails for want of a legal heir or next of > kin, the property "reverts to the people." Here that means to the state via > it's inferior subdivisions, the counties. > > This statute is within our "Government Code" and Michigan probably has > something similar that helps to govern the actions of the "people" - the > government. > > Let me know what you find. > > Sue Silver > ssilver1951@jps.net > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Cindy & Dale Frie" <skifri@qtm.net> > To: <INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2001 6:24 PM > Subject: [INPCRP] We have run into a snag! > > > > 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 > > > > > > > ==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== > Blessed are the Elderly, for they remember what we will never know.