Sarah, Amazing what happens when the media gets involved. Great response to James, very to the point and well written. G. Winters ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sarah" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 1:21 PM Subject: letter from Scottish Rite Temple... > ----- Original Message ----- > From: James A. Rodriguez [email protected] > To: Sarah ; Jessie Degollado KSAT-TV > Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 12:05 PM > Subject: Latest KSAT report > > > Hello again Sarah and Jesse- > > I'm not sure if either of you have anything directly to do with KSAT-12's news coverage of the Alamo Masonic Cemetery situation, but they've caused a lot of harm to an innocent party with their 10:00 PM news coverage on Wednesday. The story they aired prominently featured the Scottish Rite Cathedral, of which I am the "General Secretary" or manager. Alamo Lodge is a tenant in our building, but are otherwise unconnected to the Scottish Rite Cathedral or the Scottish Rite of > Freemasonry. They also interviewed our inside and outside security guards, neither of whom are members of Alamo Lodge or have any direct knowledge of the situation. > > The implication of the visual part of the story is that Alamo Lodge must be well-off to have such an impressive building. Unfortunately, it is not their building and they own no part of it! > > Is there a person I can contact at KSAT-12 to try to set the record straight? The end result of the story is that I have had several members of the public and some of our Scottish Rite members calling, angry and upset, and asking why the Scottish Rite would let something like this happen. > > We certainly sympathize with the situation at the cemetery, and will be happy to coordinate some volunteers from the 27 local Masonic Lodges and our youth groups if there is an organized effort to clean up the cemetery. > > Thanks, > --James Rodriguez > "the DeMolay guy" > Secretary, Recorder and Registrar > San Antonio Scottish Rite Bodies > (210) 222-0133 Phone > (210) 222-0136 Fax > (866) 222-9293 Toll-Free > http://scottishrite.albertpikedemolay.org > > ******************* > > Hello again James! > > Yes I had something directly to do with the news coverage last night. I called them to come, and I was the little old lady in the blue sweater that did the talking. I will be happy to contact KSAT-TV and see if we can schedule another appearance, to undo the harm we have caused to an innocent party, the Scottish Rite Cathedral. To keep the Scottish Rite Temple out of it, we could film at the cemetery. > > I'm confused about these Masons not being a part of Scottish Rite or Freemasonry. Their website at http://www.alamo.tx-mm.org/ identifies them as "ANCIENT FREE & ACCEPTED MASONS OF TEXAS" and your website says that "Scottish Rite Masons continued in an informal organization for years thereafter during which they held occasional smokers and observed the annual Maundy Thursday Feast. In 1907 the number of Scottish Rite Masons had grown large enough to consider again the establishment of the Bodies in San Antonio. A meeting of a group was held at Masonic Temple on June 20, 1907, and there was then organized the Scottish Rite Masonic Club of San Antonio." I was born and raised in San Antonio, former Rainbow Girl, and I always thought the Scottish Rite Building was for the Masons and the DeMolays and the Eastern Stars and the Rainbow Girls, especially thir parties and special events. > > After Don Lively's letter of May 26th, I chose to cease correspondence with him. You haven't acknowledged the last 2 emails I sent to you on the 16th or the 17th of May, so I assumed you were no longer interested. Since the Masons are still in charge, perhaps you should contact Don Lively about a clean-up day, then let me know so I can post it on the internet to all of the interested genealogists and veterans. His email address is [email protected] , and he is in the phone book. The Sons of the Confede rate Veterans are very interested in getting the disgraceful place cleaned up, since by now we have identified almost 50 CSA vets. I haven't contacted the veterans of the other wars, to tell them about the situation, but I will. On Memorial Day I had a little ceremony, and cut away brush from the headstones and placed flags on the graves, and found all the other veterans that way. > > Perhaps you could help me with something else as well...the only list of graves was done by the SAGHS in 1982 from gravestones, in their tremendous effort to document the cemetery and get a state historical marker. There are missing gravestones and I want to see them replaced. (You have a copy of that letter). Do you think you could get an official list of the burials, so we can make sure everyone is identified after the restoration? I have requested it twice, with no luck. > > Would you like a copy of the flyer we passed out yesterday? I'm planning on another one if some Masons don't get out there this weekend. > > Sincerely, > Sarah Reveley > "The Cemetery Lady" > US Chairman and Publicity Director > Task Force to Clean Up the Neglected Alamo Masonic Cemetery > San Antonio Neglected and Disgraced Bodies > [email protected] > http://www.rootsweb.com/~txbexar2/alamomasonic.html > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ============================== > Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. > New content added every business day. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx >

>>Headstones in The Alamo Masonic Cemetery were recorded by members of the San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society and with the results being published (1985) in a book that can be obtained from the society. Please check their web pages for more information. http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Etxsaghs2/pubs.htm <<Diane Thank you for that! The cemetery list is also online at http://www.angelfire.com/folk/alamo_masonic_cem/index.html . The SAGHS has done a tremendous job. There are photos of the gravestones on the website, which has been very helpful to me, because you can see what the cemetery used to look like, before the Masons quit maintaining it. In 20 years the bushes cover many of them. Ant nests keep me from clipping away some of the bushes. :( If lists that are now online are keeping the SAGHS from selling the book and getting needed funds, perhaps we could all figure out another way to help them. I would be happy to charge for guided tours of the Alamo Masonic Cemetery, and donate some of the proceeds to the SAGHS. I need to raise funds for replacement of the State Historical Marker, and for a Historical Cemetery Marker once we get it designated Sarah

----- Original Message ----- From: James A. Rodriguez [email protected] To: Sarah ; Jessie Degollado KSAT-TV Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 12:05 PM Subject: Latest KSAT report Hello again Sarah and Jesse- I'm not sure if either of you have anything directly to do with KSAT-12's news coverage of the Alamo Masonic Cemetery situation, but they've caused a lot of harm to an innocent party with their 10:00 PM news coverage on Wednesday. The story they aired prominently featured the Scottish Rite Cathedral, of which I am the "General Secretary" or manager. Alamo Lodge is a tenant in our building, but are otherwise unconnected to the Scottish Rite Cathedral or the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. They also interviewed our inside and outside security guards, neither of whom are members of Alamo Lodge or have any direct knowledge of the situation. The implication of the visual part of the story is that Alamo Lodge must be well-off to have such an impressive building. Unfortunately, it is not their building and they own no part of it! Is there a person I can contact at KSAT-12 to try to set the record straight? The end result of the story is that I have had several members of the public and some of our Scottish Rite members calling, angry and upset, and asking why the Scottish Rite would let something like this happen. We certainly sympathize with the situation at the cemetery, and will be happy to coordinate some volunteers from the 27 local Masonic Lodges and our youth groups if there is an organized effort to clean up the cemetery. Thanks, --James Rodriguez "the DeMolay guy" Secretary, Recorder and Registrar San Antonio Scottish Rite Bodies (210) 222-0133 Phone (210) 222-0136 Fax (866) 222-9293 Toll-Free http://scottishrite.albertpikedemolay.org ******************* Hello again James! Yes I had something directly to do with the news coverage last night. I called them to come, and I was the little old lady in the blue sweater that did the talking. I will be happy to contact KSAT-TV and see if we can schedule another appearance, to undo the harm we have caused to an innocent party, the Scottish Rite Cathedral. To keep the Scottish Rite Temple out of it, we could film at the cemetery. I'm confused about these Masons not being a part of Scottish Rite or Freemasonry. Their website at http://www.alamo.tx-mm.org/ identifies them as "ANCIENT FREE & ACCEPTED MASONS OF TEXAS" and your website says that "Scottish Rite Masons continued in an informal organization for years thereafter during which they held occasional smokers and observed the annual Maundy Thursday Feast. In 1907 the number of Scottish Rite Masons had grown large enough to consider again the establishment of the Bodies in San Antonio. A meeting of a group was held at Masonic Temple on June 20, 1907, and there was then organized the Scottish Rite Masonic Club of San Antonio." I was born and raised in San Antonio, former Rainbow Girl, and I always thought the Scottish Rite Building was for the Masons and the DeMolays and the Eastern Stars and the Rainbow Girls, especially thir parties and special events. After Don Lively's letter of May 26th, I chose to cease correspondence with him. You haven't acknowledged the last 2 emails I sent to you on the 16th or the 17th of May, so I assumed you were no longer interested. Since the Masons are still in charge, perhaps you should contact Don Lively about a clean-up day, then let me know so I can post it on the internet to all of the interested genealogists and veterans. His email address is [email protected] , and he is in the phone book. The Sons of the Confederate Veterans are very interested in getting the disgraceful place cleaned up, since by now we have identified almost 50 CSA vets. I haven't contacted the veterans of the other wars, to tell them about the situation, but I will. On Memorial Day I had a little ceremony, and cut away brush from the headstones and placed flags on the graves, and found all the other veterans that way. Perhaps you could help me with something else as well...the only list of graves was done by the SAGHS in 1982 from gravestones, in their tremendous effort to document the cemetery and get a state historical marker. There are missing gravestones and I want to see them replaced. (You have a copy of that letter). Do you think you could get an official list of the burials, so we can make sure everyone is identified after the restoration? I have requested it twice, with no luck. Would you like a copy of the flyer we passed out yesterday? I'm planning on another one if some Masons don't get out there this weekend. Sincerely, Sarah Reveley "The Cemetery Lady" US Chairman and Publicity Director Task Force to Clean Up the Neglected Alamo Masonic Cemetery San Antonio Neglected and Disgraced Bodies [email protected] http://www.rootsweb.com/~txbexar2/alamomasonic.html

Headstones in The Alamo Masonic Cemetery were recorded by members of the San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society and with the results being published (1985) in a book that can be obtained from the society. Please check their web pages for more information. http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Etxsaghs2/pubs.htm

>Hi list members, I am trying to find out where my relative was buried. And any living cousins. < Try this: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tx/bexar/cemeteries/ There may be another way to get to it, but this sure is easy. Click on every one, because sometimes there is more than the name suggests. Last night I accidentally found this while searching for two of my cousins, Heino and August Staffel....Yes I do have family to research, I don't just fight Masons who neglect their cemeteries. ;-) Sarah Reveley Researching New Braunfels Kleins and Texas Heusers http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/r/e/v/Sarah-Reveley/?Welcome=994300144 ooooO ( ) \ ( \ _ ) Ooooo ( ) ) / ( _ / ooooO ( ) \ ( \ _ ) "Say maiden can thy life be led To join the living with the dead Then trace thy footsteps on with me We're wed to one eternity" --John Clare (1793-1864)--

I too liked "The Story Teller". Thinking I might like to put this in a family newsletter I edit, I did some research and found this web site with the article and the author. http://pages.zdnet.com/patbylock/id48.html Thanks for sharing. Diane > >

I saw the coverage of KSAT also. I just wish the news team would have shown footage of the cemetery so people could see it's condition. Maybe they will show more stories about the cemetery. Sarah should go to the KMOL troubleshooters and have them help her. They seem to have a way with getting answers. Ron Hesdorff

Thanks! That website gives the contact email address, no response. There is no mention of cemeteries on that site anywhere. It is a very well done website, lots of detail. Lots of photos of their parties, marches to the Alamo, horses, trips to Europe... ----- Original Message ----- From: Ross McClain To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 10:15 PM Subject: Re: Maintained family plots in the Alamo Masonic Cemetery Sarah the Grand Lodge of Texas http://www.grandlodgeoftexas.org/ Good luck with you noble edevors !

I loved the part where a Mason asked you if you had nothing else to do and you said "No". That made my day. Good for you Sarah. Naomi Crain

The Task Force made it to the 10 PM News!!! They showed the MasonoDome and their historical marker, Debra handing out fliers, said we had gone to the source with the issue. It was cool.....they showed that unhappy Mason, I forgot he refused to shake my hand. Then they said that the Masons refused to comment to their reporter. He was the cute one on the left. Cousin Tom was in the straw hat and shorts on the right. (I must say, however, all of the Masons were very nicely dressed in business suits, I have no idea where this one in sloppy blue jeans came from. I hope his wife saw him on TV.) Then they show me saying "Well what they need to do is turn it over to the City, the city has done a beautiful, beautiful job of restoring and maintaining the 8 cemeteries they have in the area." Or something like that. I said beautiful twice, the city should have liked that. ;-) By the way, whenever you call a reporter, their voice mail will usually say "If this is an emergency, call the news desk at -------" and that's how you get them to be on the scene. ;-)

Sarah the Grand Lodge of Texas http://www.grandlodgeoftexas.org/ Good luck with you noble edevors !

>>Sarah go over that lodge head and go to the Grand Lodge of Texas<< I did, they wouldn't answer my emails. They wouldn't even answer the emails of the Mason in Ireland who is on one of my genealogy lists. [email protected] is the email address. Thanks for all of your suggestions and support Ross, I really appreciate it. Sarah

Sarah go over that lodge head and go to the Grand Lodge of Texas.

When a man is raised a Master Mason it all about burial rites. What a pitty a Master Mason took the attude they did. I am forwarding this to North East Ohio to some people I know that are very envolved in restoring old cemeterys.

I agree with you Diane. The genealogy mailing lists are meant to be a discussion panel for all us to post any kind of message about our ancestry. We should all be concerned about our cemeteries, as we will one day end up in one. Maybe some of us can't discuss the possibility that the cemetery we will one day rest in will become another Alamo Masonic Cemetery. The Masonic cemetery was a beautiful thriving cemetery a short time ago, look at it today. Those of you who choose to think this is not the means to discuss this matter should drive over to the cemetery for yourselves and see it's condition. And, when you do think about your resting place and what it might look like in 30 or so years. This cemetery is filled with prestigious and wealthy individuals from San Antonio's past. It just goes to show it could happen to any cemetery. My only questions are, where the members of the West and the Driscoll families? Do they realize the condition of this cemetery? Can't one of the families, like the West family who buried Sandra West in her sports car there, use their influence to have the cemetery cared for? What ever happened to perpetual care? We need to continue to voice our opinions about our cemeteries, for our ancestors and ourselves. Ron Hesdorff

>>My only questions are, where the members of the West and the Driscoll families? Do they realize the condition of this cemetery? Can't one of the families, like the West family who buried Sandra West in her sports car there, use their influence to have the cemetery cared for?<< Tom Frost, the man who owns Frost Bank, told me he hoped I had better luck with the Masons than he had, he had even offered to donate the fence. I reached him thru customer service. Their plot is very well kept. If anyone in San Antonio has influence, you would think it would be Tom Frost. There are several families that hire someone to keep their plots maintained, but I doubt if they go there to visit. From memory, here are the family plots that were mowed the first time I was there: Menger West (1 of 2 plots side by side) Dewees (where the dead drug addict was found in April) Swearingen Driscoll Sinclair Newton (they even have carpet grass, but next to their plot is a lot of beer cans) Allerton Bell I have sent emails to several of these families. The Dewees descendant, a member of the DRT, felt nothing could be done. The Wests didn't respond. Tom Frost told me he hoped I had better luck with the Masons than he had, he had even offered to donate the fence. The Clara Driscoll Foundation in Austin had one lady respond, told the group at a luncheon. One lady there was interested because her family was in San Antonio, she never responded to my phone call. The Allertons have been great, they were incensed, have complained to the City and the Masons, and have stayed in contact with me. I can't get the Menger Hotel to answer my emails. ALL of my correspondence has been via email. I really don't have time to telephone people. I'm doing the best I can. If anyone wants to try contacting them, please do. I started out with message boards and surname lists, but these people must not be on any. :( >>What ever happened to perpetual care?<< According to the Allertons, there was perpetual care, but the Masons just quit, so the families had to. According to the Masons, it is uncared for because of "gross neglect of the families." You know, I'm as shocked and horrified as the rest of you. I have no answers, either. It is just so bizarre. I have my own opinion on how this has been allowed to happen. Even tho the Eastside cemetery complex is just a few blocks from downtown, it is off the tourist circuit, in a very poor, predominantly black side of town. But even that can't be the real reason, 30 other cemeteries are maintained. Why can't they spend some of the $150,000 they have in a cemetery fund?

Way to go, Sarah. G. Winters ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sarah" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 9:10 PM Subject: Alamo Masonic Lodge #44 meeting update > This evening my Cousin Tom and I went down to the MasonoDome to hand out flyers, and Debra from this List was there, I was thrilled! > > Debra took us up the big steps to show us around. The policemen inside the main building took flyers, suggested we get clearance from the building owners to be inside, or just go stand on the sidewalk. They told us about the back entrance to the basement where the meeting was. Soon a constable the building hires appeared, but he took a flyer and was very pleasant. > > About 15 Masons showed up between 6:15 and 7:00, and we gave them all flyers. There were mixed reactions, some stopped and talked, some were not at all happy to see us, some politely accepted the flyer and kept going. One Mason said Well why don't we Masons just clean it up? > > KSAT-TV came and that really irritated a few of them. Another Mason came out and was quite argumentative, asked me if this was all I had to do and I said yes. KSAT started filming. The Mason refused to speak to the reporter. I don't know if it will be on KSAT at 10, but during the meeting the Masons probably assumed it would be. > > I can't fill you in on their meeting, however. I can only hope for the best. I haven't done anything like that since I was in Girl Scouts selling cookies and we stopped people on their way into Piggly Wiggly. It wasn't as hard as I thought. I have some flyers left, I think I'll see where the other Lodges meet. ;-) > > > ============================== > Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for > ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx >

This evening my Cousin Tom and I went down to the MasonoDome to hand out flyers, and Debra from this List was there, I was thrilled! Debra took us up the big steps to show us around. The policemen inside the main building took flyers, suggested we get clearance from the building owners to be inside, or just go stand on the sidewalk. They told us about the back entrance to the basement where the meeting was. Soon a constable the building hires appeared, but he took a flyer and was very pleasant. About 15 Masons showed up between 6:15 and 7:00, and we gave them all flyers. There were mixed reactions, some stopped and talked, some were not at all happy to see us, some politely accepted the flyer and kept going. One Mason said Well why don't we Masons just clean it up? KSAT-TV came and that really irritated a few of them. Another Mason came out and was quite argumentative, asked me if this was all I had to do and I said yes. KSAT started filming. The Mason refused to speak to the reporter. I don't know if it will be on KSAT at 10, but during the meeting the Masons probably assumed it would be. I can't fill you in on their meeting, however. I can only hope for the best. I haven't done anything like that since I was in Girl Scouts selling cookies and we stopped people on their way into Piggly Wiggly. It wasn't as hard as I thought. I have some flyers left, I think I'll see where the other Lodges meet. ;-)

I do not begrudge Sarah the time or space she is using on this list. If it weren't for people like her, I expect far more of our cemeteries would be in the same shape as this Masonic Cemetery. If this isn't a "chat room", can you explain why it is okay to discuss who is a cousin to whom and how we might be related and where the records are found and not a cemetery clean-up project? Get your priorities straightened out. Many, many genealogist discuss cleaning up cemeteries and even solicit help on lists every day. Sarah is using this list exactly as it was intended -- in my humble opinion -- and* *if you are tired of this topic, it really doesn't take a lot of time or energy to hit your delete key. Please feel free to do so, immediately. It certainly takes much more effort to grouch about it. Why are you wasting your precious time? ~~~~~~~ Sarah, my sympathies about some of the short sighted people who can not see their way clear to helping you but would rather chastise you. You are doing a great job and many will appreciate it and remember how hard you have worked on this project. I know I will. Diane Scannell A list member who has people buried in the Masonic Cemetery and thinks it is every bit as disgusting as Sarah does. I just don't have the good health to get out there with my gardening tools to help her clean it up. Wish I did!

Hi Sarah, I just read your email about you handing out flyers to the masons and KSAT-TV news reporting your story at 10:00pm this evening. I then turned on the tv and saw you! Wow...That's great! I hope the publicity helped! Great Job, Karen __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com