# I’m going to ‘adopt’ an old cemetery. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 1, 2006, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422 "2006-12-01T01:49:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2007, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/41 "2007-01-01T00:30:31Z")
God I’d drive to see this ! I’m in for a T-shirt and will be glad to contribute to the prep and artwork. Perhaps one of the color shots from the web link up there from my Portfolio- a few on the 2nd page are in fact of headstones covered in Lichen. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/42 "2007-01-05T00:47:08Z")
Update! This is a very new subdivision and the land near the cemetary is being prepped for a house; hmmm…makes you wonder who’d want to live in such close proximity to a graveyard! ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/43 "2007-01-05T13:54:00Z")
[QUOTE=Cartooniverse] God I’d drive to see this ! I’m in for a T-shirt and will be glad to contribute to the prep and artwork. Perhaps one of the color shots from the web link up there from my Portfolio- a few on the 2nd page are in fact of headstones covered in Lichen. 🙂 [/QUOTE] yay! glad this thread is still among the living (So to speak) count me in for a tee also. check, paypal whatever. gots to have me one of these! 😃 other possible sources for cemetery info: the local undertaking business if there is one. did somebody already mention the county tax records office? county coroner’s office (you’d be surprised what a county coroner knows) :eek: ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/44 "2007-01-15T00:27:43Z")
I will be there, of course, unless it falls on a hockey weekend. I want a t-shirt! ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/45 "2007-01-15T03:33:52Z")
We’ll be traveling south at least once this year so I’m popping in so I can subscribe to this thread. What would be be called… Lichenheads? ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/46 "2007-01-15T06:26:43Z")
One of my favorite teachers in Junior College had a hobby - he went to old graveyards throughout the Midwest and did paper rubbings of the headstones…I believe he used a parchment paper and charcoal. He had an amazing collection with some great pages from final words and images that had been carved in the stones. Some were framed and hung on walls throughout his house. That teacher has since passed away, but it was certainly a very cool idea - might be something to do - perhaps sell the framed pages to pay for the upkeep of the cemetery. I can remember when I was travelling through Europe there would be cemeteries in the oddest places - between two new high-rises, or behind some parking lot. It was always fascinating to go and walk through and wonder about someone who died 100 or 200 years ago. I also went to the cemetery in Westwood where Marilyn Monroe is buried (not easy to find, you have to look carefully as it is between two high rise buildings) and there are quite a few celebrities buried there. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/47 "2007-01-15T07:22:31Z")
[QUOTE=Tripler] More to follow. I will start writing letters out to some fo the churches 'round here. Hey, who do I go to to find death records on “T.J.”? The county? The township? Tripler Poor guy. We can’t tell if he died in '41, '43, or '45. [/QUOTE] The photo looked like it said 1947. If that wasn’t a 7, I’d say 1941. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/48 "2007-01-15T07:53:01Z")
[QUOTE=DMark] I also went to the cemetery in Westwood where Marilyn Monroe is buried (not easy to find, you have to look carefully as it is between two high rise buildings) and there are quite a few celebrities buried there. [/QUOTE] I’ll say. We circled the area a half-dozen times before realizing where the entrance was. Also there are Truman Capote, the two girls from the Poltergeist movies, IIRC Minnie Ripperton, Dorothy Stratten, Natalie Wood, and unmarked- Roy Orbison and Frank Zappa. Here’s a link- > **[\[100+\] Billie Holiday Wallpapers](https://wallpapers.com/billie-holiday)** > > Free Billie Holiday Wallpapers in HD, 4K and 8K for desktop, phone and tablet. Browse the full collection and download instantly. No sign-up required. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/49 "2007-03-06T21:35:53Z")
UPDATE: Hey **Random** , it seems you were _right!_ (not that I’m insinuating this is a random, rare occurrence. . .) 😃 Anyway, I was at the county Probate Court today fillin’ out license applications when I look over and see a library of tomes. I ask the clerk, “You guys got any cemetery records over there?” She mentions that there is one or two books located on top of the filing cabinets, and I meander over and start looking. Sure enough, a “Garvin & Askin” Cemetery exists, and it looks like it’s got a majority of names located in that little plot. It’s actually kind of interesting to see some of the different spellings of the names, and that good ol’ T.J. isn’t even listed. . . even though his is one of the more prominent graves. So, I’ve got this. Anyone have any more ideas? Would a search of deeds do any good? The clerk said birth & death records are private (unless you’re related), but the marriage records were public knowledge. I wouldn’t even know where to start. Well, I guess I would: start going over there and copying names and dates of death. Then start digging for marriage records, eh? I’m sure it’ll all lead to dead ends, but the research in and of itself seems to be interesting. Tripler Pun intended. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/50 "2007-03-07T02:59:49Z")
[QUOTE=Tripler] So, I’ve got this. Anyone have any more ideas? Would a search of deeds do any good? The clerk said birth & death records are private (unless you’re related), but the marriage records were public knowledge. I wouldn’t even know where to start. Well, I guess I would: start going over there and copying names and dates of death. Then start digging for marriage records, eh? I’m sure it’ll all lead to dead ends, but the research in and of itself seems to be interesting. Tripler Pun intended. [/QUOTE] I suspect that if you tell the clerk what you are up to, you will get all kinds of assistance, and perhaps the names of some people who could help you out. ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/51 "2007-03-07T04:23:23Z")
[QUOTE=Tripler] UPDATE: Hey **Random** , it seems you were _right!_ (not that I’m insinuating this is a random, rare occurrence. . .) 😃 . [/QUOTE] Glad I could help. I am a bit surprised that death records are considered private. Is there a local newpaper that carried obituaries at the time? Maybe a library might have old microfilm copies. For more recent burials, try the social security death index. ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/52 "2007-03-07T04:30:50Z")
On reread, the only likely candidate for the Death Index was TJ, and I did not find him when I looked. ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/53 "2007-03-07T04:37:52Z")
For likely, substitute possible. Vast majority of death index entries are after 1968. ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/54 "2007-03-07T04:50:41Z")
Here is a link to John L Akin in a Georgia death listing with the correct year and county of death: [http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=allgs&gst=&rank=1&=%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C&gsfn=&gsln=AKIN&gsby=&gsb2co=1%2CAll+Countries&gsb2pl=1%2C+&gsdy=&gsd2co=2%2CUnited+States+&gsd2pl=13%2CGeorgia&sbo=0&ufr=0&srchb=r&prox=1&db=&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-b&ghc=10&fh=270&fsk=BEEYcq8IgAAVMgAEe9U-61-](http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=allgs&gst=&rank=1&=%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c&gsfn=&gsln=AKIN&gsby=&gsb2co=1%2cAll+Countries&gsb2pl=1%2c+&gsdy=&gsd2co=2%2cUnited+States+&gsd2pl=13%2cGeorgia&sbo=0&ufr=0&srchb=r&prox=1&db=&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-b&ghc=10&fh=270&fsk=BEEYcq8IgAAVMgAEe9U-61-) ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/55 "2007-03-07T05:08:48Z")
Possible link for Clara Akin: [http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&gsfn=clara&gsln=AKIN&=&gsby=1916&gsb2co=1%2CAll+Countries&gsb2pl=1%2C+&gsdy=&gsd2co=2%2CUnited+States+&gsd2pl=13%2CGeorgia&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&sbo=0&ufr=0&srchb=r&prox=1&db=&ti=0&ti.si=0&gl=allgs&gss=asrf&so=3](http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&gsfn=clara&gsln=AKIN&=&gsby=1916&gsb2co=1%2CAll+Countries&gsb2pl=1%2C+&gsdy=&gsd2co=2%2CUnited+States+&gsd2pl=13%2CGeorgia&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&sbo=0&ufr=0&srchb=r&prox=1&db=&ti=0&ti.si=0&gl=allgs&gss=asrf&so=3) ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/56 "2007-03-07T05:10:24Z")
Possible links for TJ: [http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&gsfn=t+j&gsln=AKINs&=&gsby=&gsb2co=1%2CAll+Countries&gsb2pl=1%2C+&gsdy=&gsd2co=2%2CUnited+States+&gsd2pl=13%2CGeorgia&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&sbo=0&ufr=0&srchb=r&prox=1&db=&ti=0&ti.si=0&gl=allgs&gss=asrf&so=3](http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&gsfn=t+j&gsln=AKINs&=&gsby=&gsb2co=1%2CAll+Countries&gsb2pl=1%2C+&gsdy=&gsd2co=2%2CUnited+States+&gsd2pl=13%2CGeorgia&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&sbo=0&ufr=0&srchb=r&prox=1&db=&ti=0&ti.si=0&gl=allgs&gss=asrf&so=3) If the first one is him, he died in 1943. ---
**Author:** ![justpassingthrough](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@justpassingthrough](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justpassingthrough)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/57 "2007-03-07T14:54:09Z")
Tripler, good job on carrying through with this. Every now and again I poke around online to see what info I can find on my family tree, and just this week I’ve found mention of two different cemeteries that reportedly haven’t been maintained in decades. Unfortunately the nearest of the two is 7 hours away. And the farthest one is the final resting place of a Revolutionary War soldier. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/58 "2007-03-18T16:15:48Z")
Another update: We looked at the calendar, and thought the weekend of the 14th of April would work–the weather would be a little bit warmer, and it would give me a chance to do a little more research into the cemetery families. **Nawth Chucka** and a neighbor walked down there a few evenings ago and found that there are a lot of tree branches down, leaves all over, and the occasional thing of trash. Here’s what I’m thinking: we do a little cleanup and “shrubberizin’”, bring back the twigs and sticks to my place (down the street), and we’ll have a little grillin’ and a little chimnea-in’ that evening. I’ll supply the hooch, snacks, and the fire but I’d ask people to bring meats to their own particular taste (i.e., bring whatever you’d like me to grill for ya). At Red Top, there was a lot of meat that went ungrilled/uneaten, and I’d hate to waste anything. . . Oh, also, BYO-Rake, gloves, hoes, etc. Shovels and pickaxes ought not be necessary–I don’t want to make the current residents uneasy. 😃 So gimme some thoughts. I can look for a T-shirt place around here too. Given enough folks, I can get some group pricing. . . Tripler Dead & Lichen It: 14th April-ish (crowd depending). ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/59 "2007-03-18T19:05:16Z")
I will try my best to make it! I’ll know more as the date gets closer… ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422/60 "2007-03-31T14:39:17Z")
Hooray! Only two weeks left until the ‘Middle-Georgia-Clean-Up-An-Old-Cemetery-And-Hang-With-Two-Just-Engaged-(To-Each-Other)-Dopers-Dopefest’. I imagine we’ll be done with cleaning up by 5 and then the hanging out and drinking and chatting and eating will begin. Come to clean or come to hang, it’s all the same to us as long as we get to see folks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-m-going-to-adopt-an-old-cemetery/382422.md?page=4)