Marsha and all, This has already been posted to many mail lists. There were also some posts to the Milwaukee list some time ago, and my recollection of the most recent post was that there is some doubt on the credibility of this report. Can I suggest that before doing anything, the accurate facts be determined and reported objectively to list subscribers. Thanks, Bob Fay List Administrator WiMilwaukee-L WiWashington-L WiKenosha-L On 3 Apr 2001, at 17:26, MAK wrote: > To whom it may concern, > > I have just read the attached email which outlines a plan to > desecrate a Milwaukee Cemetery, in Milwaukee, WI. I am > forwarding this to every genealogy mailing list that I am > on, and to the appropriate news media, and asking them to > forward it to everyone they know, to ensure that people are > informed on this intention: The plan is to dig up all the > graves, consolidated the remains, and re-bury them in > another location. > > If I understand correctly, no objections to this process > have been made. I would like to go on record, as saying, I > wholeheartly object. It is unthinkable that we would disturb > our dead. It is sad enough to think that these people were > without any worldly means, and had to depend on our society > for a home and for a grave. It is incumbent on each of us, > to remember these people with dignity in death, since they > most likely were not afforded it in life. It is appalling to > think that because they were poor, government can just step > in and throw their remains away, as if they are > insignificant. I CARE what happens to our cemeteries. They > are our past, our heritage, our link to who we as > Wisconsinites once were and still are. > > Even if you are NOT living in Milwaukee, please, think of > the implications. My fear is that if this is done in > Milwaukee, WI, perhaps a trend will be set in every county > in the state, maybe the nation. While I have no family in > this cemetery (that I am currently aware of), I do have > ancestors I can't find in Milwaukee, and others buried in > throughout WI in county "poor" lots, many who were women > left destitute when their husbands died, many veterans who > served our country, but had nothing upon old age. > > I ask you to reconsider, to rethink the message this > desecration would send to our living who are poor and > currently in homes due to financial hardships. > > Also, I just checked the State Historical Society site > at:http://www.shsw.wisc.edu/arch/preserve/index.html > > It says: "Burial Sites: All human burial sites, including > cemeteries and Indian mounds, are protected under state law > Section 157.70 Wisconsin Statutes. > http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html > > The laws applies to both public and private lands. Owners of > burial sites may receive property tax exemptions. The law is > administered by the SHSW Burial Sites Program." > > So, I am adding Chip Brown [email protected] who is > their contact. I also think this is so important that > Governor McCullum, should also be contacted. His email is: > [email protected] > > I give permission to replicate this in whole or part, and > publish so that all people will be given a chance to speak > out on this subject, and not push this issue to the back and > allow it to happen as if no one cares. I am also asking > that if you object that you email each of the individuals > listed below as I have, letting them know of your > objections. > > Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. > > Respectfully submitted, > Marcia Ann Kuehl formerly of Wisconsin Rapids, WoodCoWI, aka > MAK Born and raised in WI, 30 year resident, Retired Marine, > Concerned Citizen > > --------------------------- > Subject: - Milwaukee Cemetery To Be Desecrated > > > The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy > Newsletter and is copyright 2001 by Richard W. Eastman. > It is re-published here with the permission of the > author. > > - Milwaukee Cemetery To Be Desecrated > > This week I received an e-mail from Evelyn Oliveras that > expressed concerns about the plans of the Milwaukee County > (Wisconsin) Board of Supervisors. They reportedly plan to > dig up all the graves at the Milwaukee County Poor Farm > cemetery, place all the remains in one box and then bury > those remains someplace else. > > The Milwaukee County Poor Farm began operation in November > of 1852 with 24 people housed in a remodeled farmhouse. It > remained in operation until the early twentieth century with > additional buildings and a hospital constructed as the > indigent population grew. You can find more information > about the Poor Farm at "Jen's Photo Scrapbook Of the > Milwaukee County Poorhouse" at: > http://www.poorhousestory.com/WISC_PhotoScrapbook.htm > > Here is the message from Evelyn Oliveras: > > I need the help of each one of you who feels as strongly > as I do about cemetery desecration. We have a county > cemetery called Potter's field or sometimes referred to > as Milwaukee County Poor Farm which is about to be > desecrated by the county Board of Supervisors. They say > they will dig up all the remains, place them in one box > and move them to another location. These poor people > were already buried on top of each other originally, and > the whole thing is very sad to those of us who care. > > I am in the process of transcribing the burial registers > to post on the web, but it is a long difficult process > with different handwriting, etc. I have a full time job > and family as well, but I devote what time I can to it. > > The County says that they've had no objections from the > public and I say it is because no one really knows about > it. I didn't even know about the open forum they had to > discuss this and other issues until after it was over. > They plan to make their move within a month, so I am > beginning to panic. > > What I do need is for as many of you as will to email or > snail mail them and let them know that the eyes of the > rest of the world are on them. I have protested this > type of behavior in all different countries as well as > all over the U.S. and I know those emails counted. > > A friend in Finland has protested at every opportunity, > and it's wonderful to let them know genealogy has united > us all in an effort to preserve our heritage, our > country and our ancestors. And these people are > someone's ancestors. Milwaukee was an important Great > Lakes Port and many people entered through here from all > over. Many of the names are German, but when you have > 7-10 thousand names, you've covered most every > nationality. > > Please help us by letting the Milwaukee County Board of > Supervisors know how we collectively feel about this. I > have faith that our group can move mountains. Please > help us push. > > Mr. Tom Ament is the gentleman who appears to be in > charge of this cemetery project and Karen Ordinans is > the Director of the Board. You can see her Web page at: > http://www.co.milwaukee.wi.us/ordinans.htm. > > I did a bit of checking on Evelyn's information. At the > bottom of the Web page that she mentioned, you will find a > link to send e- mail to the Milwaukee County Board of > Supervisors. The e-mail address is: > [email protected] > > If you share Evelyn Oliveras' concerns, please write to > Karen Ordinans, Director of the Milwaukee County Board of > Supervisors at [email protected] You can > contact Evelyn Oliveras at: [email protected] > > I would also suggest that you write to the following news > organizations, some of which may have an interest: > > Martin Kaiser, editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal > newspaper: [email protected] > > Patrick Stiegman, vice president and editor of the > Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, Online Edition: > [email protected] > > News Department Metro Desk of the Milwaukee Journal > Sentinal newspaper: [email protected] > > Editor of the Shepard Express Metro, a weekly newspaper > in Milwaukee: [email protected] > > Editor of The Business Journal, a weekly business > newspaper in Milwaukee: [email protected] > > Jeff Kiernan of WTMJ News (Channel 4 in Milwaukee): > [email protected] > > Kent Wainscott of WISN News (Channel 12 in Milwaukee): > [email protected] > > News Department at WDJT-TV (Channel 58 in Milwaukee): > [email protected] > > > > ===== > =========================== > MAK = "Mar sea ah Ann Keel" > WI ACS http://www.rootsweb.com/~wigenweb/ > MAKs Sites http://www.rootsweb.com/~wiwood/links/MAK.html > =========================== > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! 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