That is not the case in the US, at least. A cemetary does not own the bodies buried on their premises, any more than a parking lot company owns the cars parked in their lots. For example, every once in a while there will be a story about a cemetary being caught digging up “old” bodies in order to bury “new” bodies. They get in severe trouble with the law for that unauthorized activity. If the cemetary owned the bodies that would not be the case.
I don’t know the facts about who “owns” a corpse, but permission to disinter a body generally must be obtained from the next of kin, regardless of how long the body has been buried. A judge can grant a request to disinter if no next of kin can be found, but those orders seem to be pretty rare.
I have a small animal cemetery in my yard. My parents, best friend and my dog in my office (ashes). I also have a freeze dried bat in my kitchen…various skulls and last but not least assorted frozen spiders and insects in my freezer.
Based on what happened to George Corwin, I’m guessing that in Massachusetts 350 years ago the estate owned the corpse at least until it was interred. He died owing a debt to Philip English. In addition, Corwin had been a judge at the Salem witch trials during which English and his wife were accused of witchcraft. Having an understandably large amount of animosity towards Corwin, English successfully put a lien on the body of Corwin. As a result, the corpse was unable to be removed from the house for fear that English would have it seized. After the debt was payed Corwin was put in the ground.
I own my best friend’s remains.
I believe my family owns owur parents’ remains, My brothers were supposed to make the arrangements. ere supposed to take care of their services and never did. I’ll probably have them buried with the Masons. My dad was a 35 degree Mason/Shriner. He actually bought a plot, but I have no idea where it is and my brothers (who were there) won’t try a figure it out.
Legally here you aren’t supposed to bury or scatter your friend’s or pets ashes in your yard…but no one ever says anything. If I buried a human body I expect they would have issues.
Right now I just want to get my parents taken care of and out of my office. It’s important in my heart to respect their wishes and have them buried as they wished.