I forwarded the comments Tony made about legal rights in cemeteries to some cousins. We have a similar problem with access to a cemetey in west Texas. It is on a ranch and the ranch owner recently built a dam. However, the water did not cover the cemetery and he alows us to visit. But one cousin sent me the letter below. Be warned, it can happen. Grant << j: Re: Texas cemeteries Date: 9/26/99 4:33:32 PM Pacific Daylight Time From: [email protected] (Helen Nunnally) To: [email protected] DON'T TELL ME ANYTHING ABOUT OLD OLD CEMETERIES IN TEXAS. THE STATE OF TEXAS IN FACT DID SELL BUT GOT ON THEIR GOLDEN HORSE AND TRIED TO UNDO WHAT THEY HAD ALREADY DONE, SELL A CEMETERY. I FOUGHT THEM TOOTH AND TOENAIL UNTIL I NO LONGER HAD THE FUNDS TO FIGHT THEM WITH. THE PEOPLE THEY SOLD MY FAMILY CEMETERY TO WERE FROM HOUSTON. THEY PUT A BUS IN THE CEMETERY. THEY ALSO PUT WATER LINES AND OUTDOOR TOILETS IN MY CEMETERY. I FINALLY GOT THE GUTS TO TELL HER, TO EITHER MOVE THOSE TOILETS OR SHE WAS GOING TO FIND HERSELF WEARING A NUMBER INSTEAD OF A NAME. THEY SAID THAT SHE HAD INSTALLED ALL OF THESE PORTOTOILETS IN ORDER TO HAVE SOME KIND OF SEANCE MEETING AND THAT SHE WAS HEAD OF THAT. I HAVE NO PROOF. SHE ALSO TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS GOING TO TAKE UP ALL OF MY MARKERS AND MAKE A PATIO FOR HER BUS. THAT IS WHEN I TOLD HER SHE BETTER NOT MOVE ONE HEADSTONE UNLESS SHE HAD A COURT ORDER STATING THAT SHE COULD REMOVE EACH INDIVIDUAL STONE FOR THAT WAS THE LAW. MY GR. GR. GRANDPARENTS ARE BURIED THERE BUT THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO....73, INCOME RELATIVELY LOW FOR THE YEAR SINCE WE RETIRED 11-12 YEARS AGO. SO TEXAS CEMETERIES ARE GOVERNED BY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU HAVE. THEY HAVE DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT MY CEMETERY AND I USE TO GO THERE AS A CHILD. MY GR. GR. GRANDFATHER WAS BURIED THERE AND I HAVE PROOF THAT HE STARTED THE HELPED TO START THE CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE 1800'S. THE CEMETERY WAS A VERY LARGE ONE BUT LONGER. GREED FOR LAND TOOK OVER. SO IF YOU HAVE A CEMETERY AND YOU CARE FOR IT, AND YOU HAVE THE MONEY, FIGHT FOR IT. I DID ALL I COULD AND I WISH EACH OF YOU COULD GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT THE CEMETERY THAT I USE TO GO TO AS A CHILD, LOOKS LIKE NOW. THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME OUT AND DO SOMETHING IF YOU HAVE AN OLD CEMETERY. DON'T LET GREED DESTROY YOUR HERITAGE. BLESSINGS, HELEN. >>