I have a couple of other suggestions, but they're not especially "easy". There may be or have been a cemetery caretaker, hired mainly to dig graves and mow the grounds. If you can get a name from the cemetery director, these people sometimes have a lot "in their heads". I have even found that they sometimes kept their own records and once even got those records from a surviving daughter. If you can also unearth anyone in the parish who does genealogy, they may be your biggest help. Unfortunately, once the stones are gone......they're gone. My own horror story with an IA parish is that when the deserted church burned, the parish priest just sent in a caterpillar to push all the burned debris off to the side and into a farmer's field. Along with the debris, all of the oldest tombstones, closest to, and surrounding the church, were pushed off to the side too. They are now buried and broken, having been plowed into a working field. That's combined with not allowing anyone to examine old records (those of us who have asked, have been told we ought to "get a life" beyond the past). It ends up being very similar to your story. Pat On 5/18/07, Tate <ptated1@yahoo.com> wrote: > > Thanks so much for your interest, Pat. And, yes, this is frustrating. We > have more than forty members of our family buried at St. John's > Cemetery. We are losing headstones and the cemetery has no records...It is > awful. > > I thank you for you contact information. I will be in touch with them. I > found several books they have published on local cemeteries this week. At > least they are trying...Unlike those businesses that get paid to care for > our cemeteries. > What a paradox! > > Thanks so much, > > Pamela Tate > > Pat Williams <genealogistgrrl@gmail.com> wrote: I completely understand > your frustration, however, my understanding is that > this message board is exactly that. There is no guarantee that members of > the Wyandotte County Genealogical Society will see your post. Many of the > people who belong and post are from other states and outlying areas. > > The address of the Wyandotte County Genealogical Society is: > Wyandotte County Genealogy Society > PO BOX 4228 > Kansas City, KS > 66104-0228 > > You might also let the Wyandotte County Museum and genealogical center > with > the Trowbridge Library know about your problems. They have a county > historian employed. > > http://www.wycokck.org/gen/wyco_generated_pages/Historical_Museum_m386.html > info@wycokck.org > > Unfortunately, your findings at the Catholic Cemetery are not unusual. I > have the same issues in dealing with parishes in Iowa. There are also many > old cemeteries in Wyandotte County that are maintained by the Parks > Department and are being lost to vandalism and neglect. > > Good luck! > Patricia Williams > > On 5/15/07, Tate > wrote: > > > > For more than a year now my efforts to identify a grave with a missing > > headstone in our family plot has proven unproductive. > > > > I have found that the miserable state of cemetery records are common > place > > even in the Catholic Church. At St. John's Cemetery, Catholic > Cemeteries > > has no idea who is buried where...and the agency Director, Robert > Chenoweth, > > discourages the research efforts of his staff and deliberately > roadblocks > > our family efforts. > > > > The Archdiocese office has little time to attend such matters. Father > > Horvat of the parish office at St. Anthony's and St. Mary's parish > records > > has no burial records from St. Marys...though he has been most kind. So, > > Church records have not proven helpful either. > > > > I had all but given up hope when on a whim I decided to give the Kansas > > City Kansas Public Library a try. I found the most delightful book on > St. > > John's Cemetery written by Wyandotte County Genealogy Society...Wow. > > > > I wish to thank the incredible people of the Wyandotte County Genealogy > > Society for their generous work in helping to preserve our rapidly aging > > cemeteries. What irony to find the book was written with cooperation of > the > > former staff at Catholic Cemeteries. We certainly could use their help > now, > > believe me. > > > > With the stone missing and all evidence of records missing, too...our > > family member may not be found now that Catholic Cemeteries has lost the > > stone. > > > > I am anxious to see if the evidence from the book will prove beneficial. > > At least we have a chance now thanks to your organization! > > > > I have a question: > > Has any work been completed indexing St. John's burial plot/grave > > maps? And if so, do they index individual grave records? > > > > In closing, I have a wish for your website. Wyandotte County has many > > exciting historical cemeteries. It would be wonderful if your > organization > > could present your incredible volume of work online. In this way the > scope > > of your hard work could make far more impact on human lives. > > > > Please do relay my deepest thanks to the hard working members of the > > Wyandotte County Genealogy Society. As someone who has been a > genealogist > > for more than thirty years myself, my appreciation is as real as it > gets. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Pamela Tate > > > > > > > > > > Tate Dunham Design Studios > > > > 9257 Lowell Ave. > > Overland Park, KS 66212 > > 913.642.6935 > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > KSWYANDO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > KSWYANDO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > KSWYANDO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Those are great ideas, Pat. For more than a year now I have tried to engage cooperation of the the Cemetery Director and the caretaker, but they have been most unpleasant. Still, you are right...those who maintained the cemetery before them will hold answers to many puzzles. I will make a few contacts and see if I can stir any former Directors interest. And they might know groundskeepers....ummm. I'll bet that groundskeepers tend to stay in the industry. The ones I have met lately do not speak English. Yet, finding some former groundskeepers could prove to be a goldmine. This could take some strategy. And time. You are a little "Sherlock Holmes"! Great Ideas, thanks. Tate Pat Williams <genealogistgrrl@gmail.com> wrote: I have a couple of other suggestions, but they're not especially "easy". There may be or have been a cemetery caretaker, hired mainly to dig graves and mow the grounds. If you can get a name from the cemetery director, these people sometimes have a lot "in their heads". I have even found that they sometimes kept their own records and once even got those records from a surviving daughter. If you can also unearth anyone in the parish who does genealogy, they may be your biggest help. Unfortunately, once the stones are gone......they're gone. My own horror story with an IA parish is that when the deserted church burned, the parish priest just sent in a caterpillar to push all the burned debris off to the side and into a farmer's field. Along with the debris, all of the oldest tombstones, closest to, and surrounding the church, were pushed off to the side too. They are now buried and broken, having been plowed into a working field. That's combined with not allowing anyone to examine old records (those of us who have asked, have been told we ought to "get a life" beyond the past). It ends up being very similar to your story. Pat On 5/18/07, Tate wrote: > > Thanks so much for your interest, Pat. And, yes, this is frustrating. We > have more than forty members of our family buried at St. John's > Cemetery. We are losing headstones and the cemetery has no records...It is > awful. > > I thank you for you contact information. I will be in touch with them. I > found several books they have published on local cemeteries this week. At > least they are trying...Unlike those businesses that get paid to care for > our cemeteries. > What a paradox! > > Thanks so much, > > Pamela Tate > > Pat Williams wrote: I completely understand > your frustration, however, my understanding is that > this message board is exactly that. There is no guarantee that members of > the Wyandotte County Genealogical Society will see your post. Many of the > people who belong and post are from other states and outlying areas. > > The address of the Wyandotte County Genealogical Society is: > Wyandotte County Genealogy Society > PO BOX 4228 > Kansas City, KS > 66104-0228 > > You might also let the Wyandotte County Museum and genealogical center > with > the Trowbridge Library know about your problems. They have a county > historian employed. > > http://www.wycokck.org/gen/wyco_generated_pages/Historical_Museum_m386.html > info@wycokck.org > > Unfortunately, your findings at the Catholic Cemetery are not unusual. I > have the same issues in dealing with parishes in Iowa. There are also many > old cemeteries in Wyandotte County that are maintained by the Parks > Department and are being lost to vandalism and neglect. > > Good luck! > Patricia Williams > > On 5/15/07, Tate > wrote: > > > > For more than a year now my efforts to identify a grave with a missing > > headstone in our family plot has proven unproductive. > > > > I have found that the miserable state of cemetery records are common > place > > even in the Catholic Church. At St. John's Cemetery, Catholic > Cemeteries > > has no idea who is buried where...and the agency Director, Robert > Chenoweth, > > discourages the research efforts of his staff and deliberately > roadblocks > > our family efforts. > > > > The Archdiocese office has little time to attend such matters. Father > > Horvat of the parish office at St. Anthony's and St. Mary's parish > records > > has no burial records from St. Marys...though he has been most kind. So, > > Church records have not proven helpful either. > > > > I had all but given up hope when on a whim I decided to give the Kansas > > City Kansas Public Library a try. I found the most delightful book on > St. > > John's Cemetery written by Wyandotte County Genealogy Society...Wow. > > > > I wish to thank the incredible people of the Wyandotte County Genealogy > > Society for their generous work in helping to preserve our rapidly aging > > cemeteries. What irony to find the book was written with cooperation of > the > > former staff at Catholic Cemeteries. We certainly could use their help > now, > > believe me. > > > > With the stone missing and all evidence of records missing, too...our > > family member may not be found now that Catholic Cemeteries has lost the > > stone. > > > > I am anxious to see if the evidence from the book will prove beneficial. > > At least we have a chance now thanks to your organization! > > > > I have a question: > > Has any work been completed indexing St. John's burial plot/grave > > maps? And if so, do they index individual grave records? > > > > In closing, I have a wish for your website. Wyandotte County has many > > exciting historical cemeteries. It would be wonderful if your > organization > > could present your incredible volume of work online. In this way the > scope > > of your hard work could make far more impact on human lives. > > > > Please do relay my deepest thanks to the hard working members of the > > Wyandotte County Genealogy Society. As someone who has been a > genealogist > > for more than thirty years myself, my appreciation is as real as it > gets. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Pamela Tate > > > > > > > > > > Tate Dunham Design Studios > > > > 9257 Lowell Ave. > > Overland Park, KS 66212 > > 913.642.6935 > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > KSWYANDO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > KSWYANDO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > KSWYANDO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to KSWYANDO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message