I feel 100% like you do and I think it is time for our Government to act on this issue. Verlman York ----- Original Message ----- From: Doug Park - The Mystical Gravehunter <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2002 2:55 PM Subject: [KY-CEM] KENTUCKY Bill 572 - Kentucky Historic Cemetery Preservation Program > All, copy of a letter I sent to several KY Senators today regarding KY Bill > 572. Hope many of you share the same feelings on this issue as I: > > > Dear Kentucky Senator, > > Beginning in the late 1700s, six (6) generations of my Kentucky Pioneer, > Park Family were buried in Kentucky soil in Nelson, Estill (Irvine and > Wagersville), Madison, Lincoln, Clark, and Boyle Counties. In my frequent > exploration of their final resting places, I have been witness to and cried > over the desecration and neglect of their stones and surrounding grounds. > Some of these rural Park Family cemeteries have been vandalized and leveled > by unfeeling construction companies. Although, I am proud to have written > and published a book in memory of my KY ancestors in Madison and Estill > Counties, in particular, the travesty of their final resting places > continues to haunt me and many other descendants who are Kentucky Citizens > with roots in the commonwealth, by virtue of their courageous pioneer > ancestors. If it were not for these brave pioneers, we would not be, and > neither would Kentucky. > > One tragic example of this neglect is the Park-Miller Cemetery on the > grounds of the Eastern Kentucky University Farm in Richmond, near the > silos, where cattle have been allowed to trample the graves of many of my > ancestors there, including Rev. John Mills Park (1806-1877) and wife, > Martha Oldham (1812-1851). EKU Farm workers are aware of the fence that is > down around it, yet for whatever reasons, the University has not taken > action to resurrect it in order to keep the cattle out or to restore the > damage to the tombstones already done there. To this day, my ancestors' > tombstones on the EKU Farm are still being crushed and defecated on by > unknowing cattle--despite letters to EKU by members of the Park Family of KY. > > This and other cemetery neglect throughout Eastern Kentucky, is a disgrace > to my family, our state, and to the pioneer history that enriches us all. > The lives of our Kentucky ancestors are the very fabric of our ideals and > values we continue to today, for all of us who live in and adore the Great > Commonwealth that is Kentucky! And this is how we choose to remember our > Kentucky Pioneer-Ancestors?! I say NOT! Surely, it is not the legacy they > imagined for themselves and their families prior to their passing. It is > disrespectful, irresponsible, and heartless to fail in preserving their > memory with both dignity and admiration. > > As a Kentucky Colonel, I respectfully ask you to PLEASE push KENTUCKY Bill > 572 -- Kentucky Historic Cemetery Preservation Program in the KY Senate! I > am told that although it passed in the House of Reps, it has yet to receive > any attention in the Senate. Won't you please help! My father was born in > Richmond, KY, graduated from EKU. I have many cousins who still live in the > Bluegrass state; the majority in Madison and Estill Counties. In fact, some > who are members of the Estill Co. Historical Society, are trying to do what > they can to preserve and restore these family cemeteries. But, it's not > enough! We need this bill. My conscience says that anything less sends the > wrong message to our people and sets a poor precedent for other forms of > neglect in the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky. > > > Thank you for your attention and support. I hope to hear from you sometime > soon. > > Respectfully, > > William "Doug" Park > Kentucky Colonel > > > > > > ==== KY-CEMETERIES Mailing List ==== > If you wish to subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Kentucky Cemetery list, use > [email protected] or [email protected] if > you are on the Digest list. > To learn more about my world visit http://dwp.bigplanet.com/kburnett > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >