Hi everybody, This message is coming from my address because Peggy Dyas has had some trouble posting to the list today and asked if I would give it a try.....here's crossing my fingers. Nancy > Hi List, > I've been following these posts the past couple of weeks and can only > say that Ann Brown is an angel on Earth. I could vision her alone in > that courtroom, facing that Dr. Reed, and was disturbed by that. I > don't know if my own measure of courage would have gotten me that far. > But I am now brightened to hear so many of you supporting Ann in her > efforts, and just wish I could be down in Mississippi to join in. > > It does seem that in the "olden" days, injustices were fought in > person.....by way of groups of people physically gathering to voice > their protests. Nowadays we must do it by Email, phone or letter, I > guess. > > My own ancestors are buried in Church Hill, Jefferson County. Knowing > that I might not ever get there from Virginia, Ann Brown generously gave > her time to photograph my Allen graves there. These photos are so > important to me. It could just as easily have been those graves, if Dr. > Reed acquired that property. > > I often hear current researchers say how they would like to buy markers > to put on their ancestors' graves. How disturbing to think that these > new markers could be plowed under, even now. > > Does anyone have an actual copy of the law or statute (or whatever it's > called) which makes it unlawful to desecrate graves, even when they are > on private property? If so, could it be posted on this mailing list? > Is it only a state law, or is that law also a Federal one? > > Since I began genealogy five years ago, I've heard it said many times > how old graves on farms get plowed over all the time. This was such a > surprise to me, as I always thought that graves and graveyards were > "permanent"....sacred, never to be discarded like so much rubbish. My > Alleins are buried in the church yard at Christ Church. It does alarm > me to think that if for some reason the church sold the property, Dr. > Reed and other wrongdoers like him could do the same thing to those > graves. > > I'm sure our ancestors believed their final resting places would be > permanent, but they have little power in death. So....we are so lucky > to have dedicated people like Ann Brown to fight in their behalf, and > for the benefit of their descendants now and in future generations. As > more grave sites are destroyed, there will be fewer and fewer photos to > take, that's for sure. > > Yes, please send me a copy of Dr. Reed's response. > > Peggy Dyas > >Virginia Beach >> Researching: Allein, Fitzpatric, Wood of > Church Hill, Jefferson Co., MS > > >