I just wanted to let everyone know that I have contacted the Oklahoma state Senator, James Inhofe about the cemetery. Below is a copy of the message that I sent to him. Usually if you go to the top first you get a quicker response time....they really don't want the bad publicity....politics never change:) I'll let everyone know if I hear anything. Tami P. Ramsey [email protected] Pulaski County VA GenWeb Coordinator & Listowner http://www.rootsweb.com/~vapulask/ Webmaster Wilderness Road Regional Museum http://www.rootsweb.com/~vapulask/wrrm/index.htm Webmaster for New River Historical Society Homepage http://www.rootsweb.com/~vanrhs/ RAMSEY Family Webpage http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ramsey/ SULSER Family Webpage & Listowner http://sulser.rootsweb.com/ Dear Senator Inhofe; Following my signature below are some letters that were written to editors within Oklahoma about a disturbing occurrence regarding a cemetery that has been razed. Although I do not live in your fair State, nor do I have family buried in that particular cemetery, I do have many ancestors that have their final resting place in Oklahoma. The fact that nothing has been done about this atrocity concerns me because I was led to believe that Oklahoma had laws that protect cemeteries, especially one that is of historical significance. Naturally my concerns are that if this can happen to one cemetery in Oklahoma and nothing is done about it that it could very well happen to one of my ancestors final resting places as well. People buried their loved ones with the understanding that their loved ones would rest in peace....... It is my sincere hope that you will take some action on this matter. This has circulated through many genealogy lists and as a result of that many people are very concerned. Thank you for your time and I hope that now that this has come to your attention that the right door will be opened and developers will think twice about desecrating a cemetery. Tami P. Ramsey Dublin, VA [email protected] Pulaski County VA GenWeb Coordinator & Listowner http://www.rootsweb.com/~vapulask/ Webmaster Wilderness Road Regional Museum http://www.rootsweb.com/~vapulask/wrrm/index.htm Webmaster for New River Historical Society Homepage http://www.rootsweb.com/~vanrhs/ RAMSEY Family Webpage http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ramsey/ SULSER Family Webpage & Listowner http://sulser.rootsweb.com/ Old Claremore cemetery being bulldozed? Editor: I certainly hope you are able to do something about the horrible situation of a land owner bulldozing an entire cemetery off into a ditch! This is a historic cemetery, containing the graves of early Oklahomans and Indians. In the mid to late 1800's the town of Claremore was 3 1/2 miles north of its present location. They moved it so it could be on the railroad. At the old town site was a small cemetery with some fairly large headstones. It now sits in the middle of a ranch. Some one up there has been bulldozing trees and brush and have bulldozed the cemetery off in a ravine. Is there anything that can be done about this? I've contacted the county commissioner, the mayor,and the Rogers County Historical Society. Nothing has been done. The county commissioner contacted is Gerry Payne. He didn't know that the cemetery existed and he did go check on it and told me that I was right. That it was the old Claremore Cemetery and that it was gone. I would appreciate anything you could do to correct this situation. Jack Childers, Oklahoma City Famous cemetery Editor: I have learned of the bulldozing of a cemetery site in Rogers County near Claremore. I hope that you will have this matter investigated and bring this issue to the public. To my knowledge, some of these graves are ancestors of Will Rogers and also of the Cherokee author and historian, Dr. Emmett Starr. I also understand that there are Bushyheads buried there. As you may know, three or four Bushyheads were recognized in 1998 for their significant contributions to the Cherokees on the Trail of Tears. While I presently live in Virginia, I still have property in Washington, Nowata and Muskogee Counties that has been passed on through my families from the Cherokee Nation. I hope that you can bring this matter to the public so that further actions may be halted. Keith Lowrey, Glen Allen, Va. Desecrated cemetery Editor: I have received an e-mail that an historic cemetery in the Claremore is in eminent danger of being bulldozed. It supposedly has ancestors of Will Rogers and Emmitt Starr. This must be stopped if such a thing is occurring. It is unconscionable to allow this to happen. Isn't there a law against desecrating a grave? I believe the citizens of Claremore would be outraged if such a thing was known to them. Dennis Muncrief, Sulphur, OK Graves bulldozed Editor: I have received e-mail from the Rogers County genealogy page saying that the Old Claremore Cemetery has been bulldozed into a ravine. I have many ancestors buried in cemeteries in Rogers County. I find this very disturbing. I do not know what the laws of Oklahoma are pertaining to cemeteries on private property. I would appreciate if these facts are true that your newspaper investigate this situation and make it known public. Larry W. Ward, Fort Worth