To Whom It May Concern, We are writing this letter in response to the information we have received concerning the Sale of Tombs/Grave Sites at the St. Michael's Cemetery in St. Martinville, La, for back maintenance fees. The St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinville, Louisiana, who own the cemetery, are acquiring the old ancestral plots to resell them, we assume for lack of space, and for past unpaid fees. The church has already paved over the original cemetery which housed the Original Acadian Ancestors that Immigrated here from Acadia! It is now a Parking Lot! We, as Guardians of our Ancestors Tombs and Genealogist, Historians, hope to put an end to this destruction. The remains, history and genealogy of these tombs desperately need to be need to be preserved for future generations to come. By sending this letter we hope to get your support in this effort. We need to join together to save our Acadian History. This effort is being named "Rest In Peace": St. Martinville Project Save. We hope to gather all the support from the Community, Descendants World Wide, All Societies: Historical, Military, Genealogical, Family Organizations and anyone with an interest in saving these old Tombs/Graves from desecration! We with "Rest In Peace" would appreciate your input and or backing in this effort. Spear heading our group are: Annette Eschete, Youngsville, LA Andre Courville, Breaux Bridge, LA And many other new volunteers world wide. If you are interested in lending moral support and agree with our premise, please contact us immediately as time is of the essence. This has been going on for at lease 5 years already. We will be setting up a web-site for all to sign a "Letter of Protest" of this destruction and "Eviction" of the deceased remains in this cemetery. Please Join us in helping to stop this blatant destruction of our past. Our Ancestors where evicted from Acadia in 1755 and found a loving home in Louisiana. Now their remains are being evicted! Will this ever stop! Please note*: That some of these graves that are tagged to be aquired and sold are marked with Civil War Placques and Veterans Placques. Any help you can lend will be appreciated by one and all in our group. If you have any ideas, contacts or groups interested in joining us please let us know as soon as possible. If you could post this letter at any of your meetings, or send to your members we would be grateful for your help. We can be e-mailed at: restinpeace@genealogysearch.org Also find the petition at www.geocities.com/restinpeace_stmartinville Thank you in advance for your help! Sincerely, "Rest In Peace" Annette Eschete Andre Courville

Good job, folks!! But please, please make some contacts and do something about the laws in Louisiana dealing with such things. There should be legal steps to take but the laws of Louisiana (and I quickly add "elsewhere" since old cemeteries are in deep distress all over the country) do not afford enough protection for the dead. Floreda At 10:59 PM 06/14/2001 EDT, you wrote: > >To Whom It May Concern, > >We are writing this letter in response to the information we have >received >concerning the Sale of Tombs/Grave Sites at the St. Michael's Cemetery >in St. >Martinville, La, for back maintenance fees. > >The St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinville, Louisiana, >who >own the cemetery, are acquiring the old ancestral plots to resell them, >we >assume for lack of space, and for past unpaid fees. > >The church has already paved over the original cemetery which housed the > >Original Acadian Ancestors that Immigrated here from Acadia! It is now >a >Parking Lot! > >We, as Guardians of our Ancestors Tombs and Genealogist, Historians, >hope to >put an end to this destruction. The remains, history and genealogy of >these >tombs desperately need to be need to be preserved for future generations >to >come. > >By sending this letter we hope to get your support in this effort. We >need >to join together to save our Acadian History. > >This effort is being named "Rest In Peace": St. Martinville Project >Save. > >We hope to gather all the support from the Community, Descendants World >Wide, >All Societies: Historical, Military, Genealogical, Family Organizations >and >anyone with an interest in saving these old Tombs/Graves from >desecration! > >We with "Rest In Peace" would appreciate your input and or backing in >this >effort. > >Spear heading our group are: >Annette Eschete, Youngsville, LA >Andre Courville, Breaux Bridge, LA >And many other new volunteers world wide. > >If you are interested in lending moral support and agree with our >premise, >please contact us immediately as time is of the essence. This has been >going >on for at lease 5 years already. > >We will be setting up a web-site for all to sign a "Letter of Protest" >of >this destruction and "Eviction" of the deceased remains in this >cemetery. > >Please Join us in helping to stop this blatant destruction of our past. >Our Ancestors where evicted from Acadia in 1755 and found a loving home >in >Louisiana. >Now their remains are being evicted! Will this ever stop! >Please note*: That some of these graves that are tagged to be aquired >and >sold are marked with Civil War Placques and Veterans Placques. > >Any help you can lend will be appreciated by one and all in our group. >If >you have any ideas, contacts or groups interested in joining us please >let us >know as soon as possible. > >If you could post this letter at any of your meetings, or send to your >members we would be grateful for your help. > >We can be e-mailed at: restinpeace@genealogysearch.org > >Also find the petition at www.geocities.com/restinpeace_stmartinville > >Thank you in advance for your help! > >Sincerely, > >"Rest In Peace" >Annette Eschete >Andre Courville > > > >==== LA-CEMETERIES Mailing List ==== >US-IMMIGRANTS-PRE-1800 >http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Immigration/US-IMMIGRANTS-PRE-1800.html > >============================== >Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: >Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. >http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com > >

For those who are veterans contact 1-800-827-1000 which is the toll free number for each state's Veterans Administration Regional Office. Perhaps they can help somehow. Regards, Leon ----- Original Message ----- From: <Kera103034@aol.com> To: <LA-CEMETERIES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 8:59 PM Subject: [LA-CEMETERIES] Sale of Tombs/Grave Sites at the St. Michael's Cemetery > > To Whom It May Concern, > > We are writing this letter in response to the information we have > received > concerning the Sale of Tombs/Grave Sites at the St. Michael's Cemetery > in St. > Martinville, La, for back maintenance fees. > > The St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinville, Louisiana, > who > own the cemetery, are acquiring the old ancestral plots to resell them, > we > assume for lack of space, and for past unpaid fees. > > The church has already paved over the original cemetery which housed the > > Original Acadian Ancestors that Immigrated here from Acadia! It is now > a > Parking Lot! > > We, as Guardians of our Ancestors Tombs and Genealogist, Historians, > hope to > put an end to this destruction. The remains, history and genealogy of > these > tombs desperately need to be need to be preserved for future generations > to > come. > > By sending this letter we hope to get your support in this effort. We > need > to join together to save our Acadian History. > > This effort is being named "Rest In Peace": St. Martinville Project > Save. > > We hope to gather all the support from the Community, Descendants World > Wide, > All Societies: Historical, Military, Genealogical, Family Organizations > and > anyone with an interest in saving these old Tombs/Graves from > desecration! > > We with "Rest In Peace" would appreciate your input and or backing in > this > effort. > > Spear heading our group are: > Annette Eschete, Youngsville, LA > Andre Courville, Breaux Bridge, LA > And many other new volunteers world wide. > > If you are interested in lending moral support and agree with our > premise, > please contact us immediately as time is of the essence. This has been > going > on for at lease 5 years already. > > We will be setting up a web-site for all to sign a "Letter of Protest" > of > this destruction and "Eviction" of the deceased remains in this > cemetery. > > Please Join us in helping to stop this blatant destruction of our past. > Our Ancestors where evicted from Acadia in 1755 and found a loving home > in > Louisiana. > Now their remains are being evicted! Will this ever stop! > Please note*: That some of these graves that are tagged to be aquired > and > sold are marked with Civil War Placques and Veterans Placques. > > Any help you can lend will be appreciated by one and all in our group. > If > you have any ideas, contacts or groups interested in joining us please > let us > know as soon as possible. > > If you could post this letter at any of your meetings, or send to your > members we would be grateful for your help. > > We can be e-mailed at: restinpeace@genealogysearch.org > > Also find the petition at www.geocities.com/restinpeace_stmartinville > > Thank you in advance for your help! > > Sincerely, > > "Rest In Peace" > Annette Eschete > Andre Courville > > > > ==== LA-CEMETERIES Mailing List ==== > US-IMMIGRANTS-PRE-1800 > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Immigration/US-IMMIGRANTS-PRE-1800.htm l > > ============================== > Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: > Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. > http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com > >