Please for give the earlier, hastily sent, sarcastic message(s). The owners of St. Michael's Cemetery have presented reasonable demands, by law, if not to the eye of others or historically. This is a public relations disaster. >From a letter to parishioners, no date, signed by the pastor, Reverend P. Austin Leger: PERPETUAL DUES: COST: $800.00. Includes the payment of dues to St. Michael's Society for the upkeep of the cemetery and relieves the family of any further payments. Perpetual CARE: COST: $1,500. Included the payment of dues and the maintenance and repair of tombs as needed. It is necessary that the tomb be in reasonably good condition at the time that perpetual care is begun. PERPETUAL CARE: COST: $2060.00. Included the payment of dues and maintenance and repair of double wide or double high tomb as needed. It is necessary that the tomb be in reasonably good condition at the time perpetual care is begun. Of you are interested call the rectory to schedule a meeting. ************************************************************************************************************* The legislative acts of 1974, No. 417, ~1 address CEMETERY COMPANIES, this should be found in the main library of the parish seat ************************************************************************************************************* St. Martin of Tours has an undated, 2 page policy statement: POLICY TO RECLAIM AND RESELL ABANDONED CEMETERY SPACES 6 conditions are to be met 1. A certified or registered letter will be mailed to the last known owner of record that the Cemetery Authority is trying to locate owners, heirs and/or successors to take over the care and responsibility of the space in question, and that the Cemetery Authority will reclaim said space if no legitimate claim is forthcoming. This requirement will not be applicable if our records do not contain the name and address of any owner of said space(s). (Sample letter appended.) 2. For 24 years, we will advertise in Teche News that the cemetery authority is trying to locate owners, heirs and/or successors to take care and responsibility of listed tomb and that the cemetery authority will reclaim cemetery space if no legitimate claim is forthcoming. 3. the advertisement shall be published once a month during year twenty-five of the 25 year period. 4. A notice will be posted on the cemetery space during the last year of the 25 year period to the effect noted #2 above. 45. In no legitimate claim is made on the cemetery space, the cemetery authority authority may take possession of abandoned interment space(s). The cemetery authority can then sell the space. 6. In the event that a legitimate claim to the space in question is presented to the cemetery administrator, the Cemetery Authority reserves the right to deny any requests for permits allowing the use of and/or access to the cemetery space until all financial obligations of the owner or heir or successor are met. ***************************************************** re #1, I do not have a copy of that letter. Are there any photojournalists on the list? Here is your book: Lost Monuments in South Louisiana's Historical Cemeteries.

Mary/George, Is there any explanation as to what they will with what is interred in the plot? Bill in NH Mary and George wrote: > > Please for give the earlier, hastily sent, sarcastic message(s). The > owners of St. Michael's Cemetery have presented reasonable demands, by > law, if not to the eye of others or historically. This is a public > relations disaster. > > >From a letter to parishioners, no date, signed by the pastor, Reverend > P. Austin Leger: > > PERPETUAL DUES: COST: $800.00. Includes the payment of dues to St. > Michael's Society for the upkeep of the cemetery and relieves the family > of any further payments. > > Perpetual CARE: COST: $1,500. Included the payment of dues and the > maintenance and repair of tombs as needed. It is necessary that the tomb > be in reasonably good condition at the time that perpetual care is > begun. > > PERPETUAL CARE: COST: $2060.00. Included the payment of dues and > maintenance and repair of double wide or double high tomb as needed. It > is necessary that the tomb be in reasonably good condition at the time > perpetual care is begun. Of you are interested call the rectory to > schedule a meeting. > ************************************************************************************************************* > > The legislative acts of 1974, No. 417, ~1 address CEMETERY COMPANIES, > this should be found in the main library of the parish seat > ************************************************************************************************************* > > St. Martin of Tours has an undated, 2 page policy statement: POLICY TO > RECLAIM AND RESELL ABANDONED CEMETERY > SPACES 6 conditions are to be met > > 1. A certified or registered letter will be mailed to the last known > owner of record that the Cemetery Authority is trying to locate owners, > heirs and/or successors to take over the care and responsibility of the > space in question, and that the Cemetery Authority will reclaim said > space if no legitimate claim is forthcoming. This requirement will not > be applicable if our records do not contain the name and address of any > owner of said space(s). (Sample letter appended.) > > 2. For 24 years, we will advertise in Teche News that the cemetery > authority is trying to locate owners, heirs and/or successors to take > care and responsibility of listed tomb and that the cemetery authority > will reclaim cemetery space if no legitimate claim is forthcoming. > > 3. the advertisement shall be published once a month during year > twenty-five of the 25 year period. > > 4. A notice will be posted on the cemetery space during the last year of > the 25 year period to the effect noted #2 above. > > 45. In no legitimate claim is made on the cemetery space, the cemetery > authority authority may take possession of abandoned interment space(s). > The cemetery authority can then sell the space. > > 6. In the event that a legitimate claim to the space in question is > presented to the cemetery administrator, the Cemetery Authority reserves > the right to deny any requests for permits allowing the use of and/or > access to the cemetery space until all financial obligations of the > owner or heir or successor are met. > > ***************************************************** > re #1, I do not have a copy of that letter. > > Are there any photojournalists on the list? Here is your book: Lost > Monuments in South Louisiana's Historical Cemeteries. > > ==== LA-CEMETERIES Mailing List ==== > US-IMMIGRANTS-PRE-1800 > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Immigration/US-IMMIGRANTS-PRE-1800.html > > ============================== > Ancestry.com Genealogical Databases > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist2.asp > Search over 2500 databases with one easy query! -- ----------------------------------------------------- Click here for Free Video!! http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/

We have no information as to what will be done with that plot once it is empty. One explanation is the remains will be reburied on the site, a slab poured over, the space above sold! There is about 1/2 acre on the south side of the cemetery with no graves. Christophe Chevalier deL'Homme's tomb, our family's concern, has artistic value. It is the work of one of the most well known monument designers of the era. The artist designed at least another at St. Michael's, the Grevembergs. He was brought up from New Orleans where he had a studio and designed monuments in cemeteries there. Chevalier had no children. We have 2 other tombs in that cemetery, surnames well known in Louisiana. they are not flagged. Had we known of the problem, it would have been addressed years ago. St. Martin of Tours advertised. Few of us live in Acadania, or read the Teche News. Maybe Time or Newsweek should run a piece about the plight of historic cemeteries, Smithsonian could be interested. Mary

I was just reminded that the church gave 25 years, this is the lasts year of the salvation process. Because the letter from the pastor and the policy papers from St. Martin were not dated I assumed this was the fifth year. The owner will exercise the right to dismantle the flagged tombs when the owner's 25th year of advertising ends. Sorry about my confusion. Mary