In 2015, Chuck Colton learned about the Old Saltsburg Cemetery for the first time. He remembers sitting on the steps of the historic Saltsburg Catholic church when a friend asked if he’d ever visited the old burial ground on Salt Street. Chuck didn’t even know there was a cemetery there. He’d always had a soft spot for cemeteries, though, having grown up mowing the grass at cemeteries where his ancestors are buried. Chuck decided to go check it out.
The city of Saltsburg lies amidst the rolling green hills of Western Pennsylvania’s Indiana County. The cemetery was laid out between 1817-1820. It occupied a piece of land behind the proposed Presbyterian church that was under construction at the northern edge of town. In 1832, just before the church was finished, it caught fire and burned to the ground. The local newspaper reported how the firestorm burned many wooden grave markers behind the church. A new church was built in its place, and the cemetery grew. It became the final resting place for hundreds of early Saltsburg residents and over time, became excessively crowded.
In 1868, a new and larger burial ground opened nearby. Now known as Edgewood Cemetery, town officials urged residents to move the remains of their loved ones and reinter them in the new cemetery. Some did, but many graves remained in the old burial ground. Over the decades, the Old Saltsburg Cemetery fell into decay and disrepair. The congregation built a new Presbyterian church just down the road and tore the old one down. The Old Saltsburg Cemetery became neglected and overgrown. Trees, creeping myrtle, and poison ivy eventually choked out the headstones, and graves inside the cemetery seemingly disappeared. Headstones fell over or broke, and many became damaged or covered in lichen, making the inscriptions illegible.
A road-widening project in 1954 had a negative impact on the old cemetery. State officials widened the narrow road that ran adjacent to the cemetery. During construction, workers reported unearthing graves and moving headstones as they graded the area with a bulldozer. At the time, the disturbance of the cemetery was not reported in the local newspaper. Again, the neglected cemetery fell into disrepair.
Chuck recalled approaching the cemetery, located right behind the fire hall, for the first time. “I walked up to a white privacy fence, opened the gate, and peered inside. Most of the headstones were lying flat. There were thick woods with trees growing everywhere. Poison ivy was covering some of the graves. I suddenly had a feeling that I needed to do something about it, but I didn’t know where to start.”
Chuck decided to attend the Saltsburg borough meeting and ask borough officials about maintaining the cemetery. They showed little interest at first, but a reporter covering the meeting published a story about Chuck’s request, and soon people were talking! Chuck received dozens of phone calls from residents who had stories or historical information to share. Others offered to help with the cleanup. Before Chuck knew it, he was organizing a cemetery restoration project.
Chuck’s sister Terri started an Old Saltsburg Cemetery Facebook page as a way to disseminate information and get volunteers and supplies. They scheduled their first community cleanup day and hoped for the best. The cleanup day arrived, and Chuck was thrilled to see dozens of volunteers show up. The township sent two big trucks, tools, and city workers who volunteered their time on a Saturday.
Chuck’s professional career in metallography taught him the importance of photo documentation, and Chuck photographed every detail in the cemetery. He carefully recorded the location of each unearthed grave and headstone. As public interest grew, Chuck and Terri organized an “Adopt a Grave” program. People wanting to help restore the cemetery can adopt a headstone and help cover the costs of repairing, cleaning, and resetting the old headstones.
Along the way, Chuck even discovered some people in his family tree buried in the Old Saltsburg Cemetery. Using a copy of the old church records, old newspapers, and other sources, Chuck is trying to document each person buried in the cemetery. He utilizes Find a Grave® to create memorials for each grave, spending hours searching through historical records to attach biographical information to the memorial. He even takes the time to make family connections and links parents and siblings. Chuck has talked to grateful descendants who have discovered ancestors buried there, thanks to his efforts.
To Chuck, each grave represents a life lived – and a life that should be remembered. He treats the cemetery grounds as sacred and feels that it is his stewardship to do all he can to keep this history from becoming lost. Chuck has many favorite stories he’s discovered during the cemetery revitalization, but two that come to mind are Aaron Wyatt and Maria Hawkins.
The headstone of Civil War soldier Aaron Wyatt was perched precariously on a steep hill in the southwest quadrant of the cemetery. On April 15, 1861, when President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to enlist in military service, twenty-seven-year-old Wyatt soon left his wife and two young sons to travel to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he enlisted as a private in Company C, 4th Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry. Later he received a promotion to First Sergeant and saw action at some of the Civil War’s bloodiest battles, including Antietam and Gettysburg. Wyatt received battle wounds at Gettysburg, but it was typhoid fever that killed him on November 8, 1863, at a hospital at Warrenton Junction, Virginia. In 2017, volunteers carefully restored Wyatt’s headstone. His grave stands proudly alongside two other soldiers buried in the cemetery.
A second discovery that touched Chuck’s heart is that of Maria J. Hawkins. Maria was born in Indiana County in 1834. She was one of nine children born to Adam Elrick and Jane Scott Marshall. When Maria was just 12, her father died, leaving her mother Jane with eight children and one on the way. At age 19, Maria married Shepherd M. Hawkins and became the mother of three young children. In 1858, 24-year-old Maria died and was buried in the Old Saltsburg Cemetery. Chuck found Maria’s headstone lying flat and covered with lichen. He carefully cleaned it, revealing beautiful detail not seen for more than 150 years. Chuck created a Find a Grave® memorial for Maria. It includes images of the headstone before and after restoration. While resetting Maria’s headstone, Chuck discovered something touching and surprising. Buried beneath layers of dirt and vegetation was a tiny headstone for Maria’s baby daughter, also named Maria J. Hawkins. Mother and daughter were laid to rest next to one another, leaving Chuck to wonder if the baby’s birth may have been related to the mother’s death.
Chuck knows that his cemetery restoration project will take a lifetime, and he is committed to the long haul. It has brought him joy and satisfaction. “It has bloomed into something I never expected,” he said. Chuck hopes that his journey at the Old Saltsburg Cemetery might inspire others to look for opportunities to care for cemeteries in their communities.If you would like to learn more about the ongoing restoration of the Old Saltsburg Cemetery, check out their Facebook page here. See more amazing photos and the memorials for those buried at the Old Saltsburg Cemetery here on Find a Grave®.
Great story. I’d love to see a series of articles on how to safely restore old stones for those of us who are attempting to photograph markers for Find-a-Grave. I spend most of my photograph time either digging out stones covered in grass and mud or trying to clean them enough to be able to get a readable photo. It would be nice to know the tricks of the trade.
There is a product called D/2 biological solution. It’s used in Arlington cemetery. I have used it myself and it just wonderful. If you buy a kit to start it comes with brushes and spray bottles. It can be bought by the gallon as well. I have pictures to show if you can contact me. It is expensive to start but sooooo worth it.
Diane, would you be so kind as to send photos of the before/after when using the D/2 solution? I have 2 headstones (120 years old) that are no longer readable due to lichen. I am concerned about harming the stones so I want to research the best approach. This is a small 9 grave rural cemetery of my family in NC. Thanks so much! Feel free to email me.
I have used The D2 solution, it works well and is expensive. I have used a product bought from Lowe’s that works as well. It “Wet It and Forget Forget It” The D2 solution is use as is and the Lowe’s product is a concentrate, mix with water at a 5 to 1 ratio. I read it has been approved for use in National cemeteries. The last I bought was $30 per gallon which will make 6 gallon of cleaning solution. That is a cost of $5 per gallon compared to $52 a gallon of D2. Believe me, it works just well and the same procedure .
Where do you get this D/2 at. I have a family cemetery from 1823 and I would love to clean the old head stones. Would you know a way to repair broken ones?
Can you send me information on this cleaning product. I would like to restore some of the stones at a couple of old country churches in my area.
Email drjlwilliams@aol.com. Please mention find a grave in the topic area so I know it’s legitimate. Thank you
I am honoring my Revolutionary War Patriot’s wife’s grave with a big ceremony and I spent $600.00 for the approved garden marker with her name and who she was that will be buried at the head of her grave marker. I want to get a good photo. Her grave stone is called a box stone the size of the body. There is a lot of inscription on it but for a photo you can not see it well. What do you suggest I do so the lettering will show up in a photo? We plan to put the photo on the cover of our program for the ceremony by ASDAR’s two chapters Cahawba of Birmingham, AL and William Rufus King Chapter of Selma where the grave is located in a private family cemetery Givhan behind a plantation called Balsora on Nov. 6, 2021. You can email be at hbadham@gmail.com or better yet text me at 202-213-7788 and I can show you a photo of the grave stone that I sweep and just poured water and nothing growing on it. Halcyann Badham, Birmingham, AL (home- 205-970-0315)
Tread lightly, my friends. Most, if not all cleaners and “methods” are harmful to these delicate stones. Most cemeteries will not allow you to do ANYTHING to a headstone. At the very least, you can be asked to leave – at the most, the police can be called for defacement and you can get ushered out by them and pay a fine. PLEASE visit the sexton or caretaker before you do anything – just to get permission. Oh, and if it’s not a relatives stone? They see that as vandalism. Good luck!
This is the web site I follow when clean stone markers. Very good information. https://cemeteryconservatorsunitedstandards.org/standards/cleaning/
I have successfully used a plastic pancake turner to remove lichens from headstones
I have visited many cemeteries of my ancestors all over the Eastern States. Some were maintained well while others did not. Few have saddened me. In Ghent, Kentucky, my ancestors’ brother & his children were buried in the backyard of someone’s house. The trees squeezed the graves. Nothing the house owner would do anything about it. Another ancestral cemetery in Sellersburg, Indiana was settled by a mobile home owner and most gravestones were kicked off by the owner’s cows. No respect there.
This is so great! What a sweet thing to do!
I agree. It’s wonderful to restore the headstones to readability and keep these forbearers in human memory.
very nice, Thanks for sharing with all of us
What an absolutely beautiful story and photos. Thank you Chuck and your many volunteers who helped preserve this cemetery. I am sure the souls of those buried there are smiling down on you. You will be rewarded many times over for your efforts! GOD bless you!❤🙏
I remember as a child we went to Catskills for vacation
and between Big Indian and Pine Hill on ?route 9? on right side about a mile from PineHill
there was a small cemetery…….I used to go and walk among the headstones and wonder about
the people who were buried there…..
Just a suggestion for an interesting cemetery to visit. It was on a small hill with a stone fence just a little off the main road on the right hand side. (I think the dirt road off Rt 9 was to Rose Hill, a house beqyeathed to NYS.
Big Indian & Pine Hill are on Rt 28. Rose Hill Road is on right. You may be referring to the Pine Hill Cemetery. It has beautiful Stone Pillars at the entrance. It’s listed on Find a Grave.
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What a wonderful thing to do for others, God and keep up the wonderful work
What an awesome job! My heart is touched by your committment to these long dead.
I applaud you, Chuck! I agree that each grave represents a life lived by people who should be remembered. Thank you for your diligence and care!
I would like to know what was used to restore the headstones. What Chemicals and Washing procedure? Were any headstones reinstalled on their base or were they just left propped upright at it appears in the photos. What permits were required to do the work? Was there any beureaucracy in the way of the project? Was there any opposition from people to restore the cemetery ?
Great project!
An article on the best way to clean stones would be valuable as many well meaning people may unintentionally do mor harm than good.
I have a civil war cemetery in wetuge Illinois that is so covered you can’t get to it. I can’t get anyone to help clean it up. Any suggestions
Go to either a city Council meeting or a county commissioners meeting and take a reporter from my local TV station or the area paper with you! That usually gets a positive reaction! The more local people that know about your endeavor the more likely you are to succeed! Wishing you the very best of luck!
Try to get your local media involved, they can spread the word and rally volunteers.
A local Scout troop took responsibility for a very old cemetery in our area. Years of neglect had nearly erased this historic graveyard from our town’s memory. It is now a beautiful place to visit.
Perhaps you could contact one of the Scout troops in your area and suggest this as a project for them to consider.
Good luck.
Contact your local Daughters if the American Revolution (DAR) chapter. I think that they would help you get assistance.
Hi Diane,
I am from that area. Where is the cemetary located? I may be able to assist.
Wen Ward
thank you for restoring the cemetery and putting photos on findagrave.
My outmost gratitude to Chuck! May the Lord bless him with His Grace each day of his life. I wish I lived there to help.
Claude
Sorel-Tracy, Québec, Canada
I had previously found a photo of the headstone of one of my great-great-grandfathers, Dr. Jonathan Washington Jones (1813~1852) on Ancesty. From the photo, it was clearly laying on the ground and was all blackened. Earlier this year, I learned where the cemetery was located in Catawissa, MO, though, now part of Robertsville, both abound 25 miles West of St. Louis. In late August this year (2021), I went to St. Louis to visit family, several cousins still live in the area.. My cousin from near Seattle and her husband came in too. The 3 of us drove out to the Mitchell Cemetery, at the intersection of County roads N and O with Fox Hill Drive – sorta between Robertsville and Catawissa.
There are a number of Mitchells there, as well as some Ruckers and others, including Jones and Musicks – both ancestors of ours. The exciting thing, as far as our GGGF, Dr. Jones was concerned was that some kind soul had repaired and cleaned the headstone and left it stood up! It was quite beautiful! I wish I could put a photo here! Thank you very to that kind soul!!
Hello, just reaching out and saying hi to a fellow Musick ancestor!
What a great community effort – the cemetery looks lovely and the gravestone restorations are amazing! Kudos all around.
Love your heartwarming story. Wish we had more “Carlton’s” in this country. Too many of the older cemeteries are going to waste and are no longer kept up.
Greetings from beautiful New Zealand. Great work, I am a family History “fanatic” and I frequently request a photo of ancestors gravesites here in New Zealand, Canada, USA and Great Briton where many of my ancestors are. Often there is no grave marker which saddens me. I think that restoring a grave site would be very satisfying knowing that you are making sure that that person will not be forgotten. Keep up the good work
Regards
Julie
This little cemetery reminds me of the very out of the way small cemetery where my 3x great grandfather is buried in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, The name is Concord Cemetery. I only found it because someone had created a memorial for him on Find-a-Grave. This little cemetery could only be found by GPS off a very rural road in Wisconsin. Someone is maintaining this little cemetery. The lawn is well kept. There are flowers planted there. I was so touched by the fact that this little cemetery was remembered and well taken care of! I love that you and several volunteers have taken care of this almost forgotten Old Saltsburg Cemetery!
Wonderful story. I have heard that a farmer destroyed a cemetery in my community. He didn’t want to bother working around it. I am so glad to know someone wants to save a cemetery.
I happened to be working on some genealogy today – ancestors that had moved westward from New York. How fitting that this wonderful piece should hit my Inbox at this time. Your work here is meaningful to many who search for more information from the past. Thank you.
I have about 8 ancestors buried in a tiny cemetery in Kentucky. I have pictures of some of the broken tombstones. Too bad that someone did not take this tiny cemetery into fixing it up. I can not prove my great great grandma since her tombstone is missing and I can not find a marriage record for her. A tombstone picture would have helped me to prove that she was married to my great great grandfather who fought in the War of 1812. I have her husband’s father as a DAR Patriot and she is listed as Nancy X since I can not prove her maiden or married name.
My family started settling in Parke Co. Indiana about 1820. They were farmers. Most of them set aside land on their farm for families who passed away. As time passed towns were established in the county and the administration of the town set aside land for a community cemetery. The towns maintain those cemeteries so the disaster that happened in Saltsburg would not happen. However because of the transportation limitations in those early days the farm cemetery still thrived if the family was still there but if they moved on West, as many did, the new owner often let the cemetery be overgrown. The same thing happened when a Church cemetery was abandoned, for whatever reason. The county and state have tried to catalog these cemeteries using records they can find. Genealogists appreciate their efforts but they know that many family members rest in unknown places. The Elder cemetery, my family, was restored by a young boy scout seeking his Eagle Scout badge, but his efforts have been lost because there were no provisions for follow up care. I write to appeal to all rural towns to form and organization to preserve this history before it is entirely lost. Local Genealogy organizations are forming all over the country because of the interest Ancestry.com has aroused. Perhaps they would take this on as project.
On my first trip to Israel, our guide told us, “You honor the living by respecting their dead.” My hat off for the cemetery keepers.
God Bless Yal,
WFD
A very uplifting story in this article. So many cemeteries are neglected.
Cemeteries are sacred places. Chuck has done a Great Work. I remember what Colonel Paul Warfield Tibbets of World War II Fame said: “There is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer.”
I got a chance to see what Chuck was doing with this old, neglected cemetery a couple years ago. What great work. Of note, I’m now on a board of a historical Battlefield Park in Kernstown, VA. Like Chuck, we are taking great care in researching and refurbishing the cemetery located on our park, in this case a family cemetery circa 1758-1872.
There is a long forgotten heavily overgrown cemetery in the middle of Camp Ripley, MN. It was a settlement cemetery and most of them were small pox victims and buried in that cemetery before the land was sold to expand Camp Ripley. I came across it while scouting for a area for our Training Course and out of respect we chose another area away from the cemetery. There is a small sign stating what it is and to inform soldiers training in the area to keep out. I wish that tiny cemetery could be maintained so the people there will be remembered and rest in peace somewhat considering they now are buried in the middle of an active Military training site.
I would like to know if anyone knows how to fix broken head stones, I see so many old headstones that have been broken when the fell or were pushed over and have been laying in the dirt for many years. I would love to know if anyone have ever had any success with mending and resetting these old stones.
What a Wonderful thing to do. You sure are an Angel for taking the time to take up a Huge Job. It looks so Nice. I belong to Find a Grave also. It sure has Helped me in so many ways. I want to leave something for my Family to Look at and keep things going. You Should be PROUD of yourself. God Bless you. And Keep you Safe. 🙏
Wonderful work. So glad our gggf’s headstone has been restored and moved to a safer place.
Thank you to Chuck and all involved.
Jan Chindlund (great great granddaughter of Aaron Wyatt)
What a wonderful story! I’m so happy history was able to be honored and restored. My son worked on our small church cemetery for his Eagle Scout Project, but being in Nebraska, our stones are not nearly as old as those in Pennsylvania (thus less fragile). I know this was a huge project and was likely difficult and frustrating at times, but definitely worth it!
I understand the joy of bring the cemetery “back to life”. My husband and I started the reclaiming and cleaning of our country church in Fleming. Ga. We also have Civil War family members there, we used ssome cleaner from Catheral Stone to clean ours, some were so black that the wording could not be read, now they reflect the sun they are so white. I am proud to spot my G G grandparent’s from a distance circa 1820’s
Great story. There is an old cemetery in Missouri that my great grandparents are buried in deep in the wood. I believe only their Graves are clearly marked with stones. Its known as the Emmons cemetery I believe. Thirty or so years ago it was rediscovered and cleaned up by the park service if I recall and they kept it up for a while but it’s fallen to ruin again. It’s near impossible to get to by car..the road dirt and rutted, used mostly by hunters. I tried to find it a few years ago but it’s so overgrown I couldn’t. I remember when it was rediscovered an elderly family member was the only one that knew some of who was buried where. Now it’s all lost again. A shame but nature reclaims what we don’t keep up with and no one seems to care.
What a wonderful job. Thank you for doing this. I also have used the product D2 and found it to be a great product. Expensive but well worth the investment.
I have ancestors buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery In Lexington, VA. The sexton said a friend of hers was going to show her how to clean headstones correctly. She volunteered to clean my ancestor’s headstones as there was no persons to hire.
Reading this brought tears to my eyes. God bless you Chuck and all of the others that have helped.
Very interested in the work you are doing there. I have relatives from Saltsburg and have hit a dead end when it comes to figuring out what happened to them.
I’m from Indiana PA. I used to visit an Aunt who lived outside Saltzburg. Beautiful area. Thanks so much for your loving touch in this community!
What a wonderful and inspiring story. Great job Chuck
Great work! Such a beautiful thing to do. There is one in Arizona I’d love to work on, but lots of wooden crosses and metal crosses. Does anyone know if graves are protected now, or is it up to states? If building a home, I thought you couldn’t abuse them…. Like the cow example. Either way,thank you!!!! I take photos for others also, it is a shame when they cannot be found’.
I have a farm in Greene county, tennessee! On it is the Hunter Cemt, with about 40 graves ,I have put on find a grave about 15 known , there are no name markers , just field stones at the head and foot of them, my father bought the farm in 1929 and made a promise not to destroy it , the county moved the road next to it and destroyed some, but I am 78 years old and I keep it mowed l I don’t know what will become of of it when I am gone. Charles kite
It’s wonderful the work they did at the Old Saltsburg Cemetery. A huge congratulations to the team of people who worked together to accomplish their goal.
I live in Missouri and have recently located the grave of a my ancestor in the Owings Cemetery, a completely forgotten cemetery. Find-a-Grave told me my G4 Grandmother is buried there, but no one I spoke to in the very small town of Truxton knew of the 1 acre cemetery…not even the post office. I saw a resident, who lives near the cemetery, in her yard and asked her about the cemetery and she replied, “Sure! I’ve been there several times!” The problem is accessibility. She and I did make it there one afternoon. It was so surreal to be walking in the woods and come upon 40+ headstones with vines, trees, weeds, etc. growing all around. The new owner of the property, that surrounds the cemetery on 3 sides, has granted me access to the cemetery by crossing his property, where it is much closer.
When I saw the story of the Old Saltsburg Cemetery, I was amazed at how much they look alike and that prompted me to make this reply. I wish there were a way to post photos here. I also wish there were a way to find out who some of the graves belong to that have broken or illegible headstones. My plans are, after a good, hard freeze to avoid snakes, I will go there and attempt to clean some of the headstones and cut away some smaller trees, vines and weeds. I know it won’t be like Old Saltsburg, but it will be a little improvement.
Interesting story. Thanks for sharing. Are there any people named Salthouse buried there?
Thank you Chuck! Need more people like you! People nowadays don’t have respect for the living, let alone the dead. Young people don’t realize the hard lives their ancestors had and the sacrifices they made. Especially young men volunteering to go to fight in wars. Even lying about their age to do so. They don’t make them like they used to. Respect the dead!
God bless you in your efforts to make families whole. Truly you have the spirit of Elijah as you find lost family members and unite the hearts of the fathers to the children and vice versa. Milly Day
Odd coincidence this hit my inbox today, as yesterday I happened to be on the other side of the county and made a detour down a very narrow country lane to visit my 4x great grandfather’s grave site. A single marker stand literally 15 feet from the road edge in a corn field. I have an image of his pay voucher for service in the Revolutionary War stored for safe keeping. My son now makes the 8th generation in this county. I can only hope that when he is my age he will appreciate his family history as much as I do. When my son was born I did not know my ancestry beyond my 2x great grandfather. One of my great grandfather’s 7 brothers, at age 81, wrote a book about his experiences in the confederate army. That book meant a lot to me and we named our son Nelson after him. Unknown at the time was that the civil war veteran was named for his 2x great grandfather the revolutionary veteran. I can only hope that the 3rd Nelson does not become a veteran of a 3rd major conflict.
We also use and recommend D2 Biological solution for cleaning markers. It may be sprayed directly onto the markers and allowed to work it’s magic on it’s own or with careful assistance of soft brushes after allowing the lichen and such to soften. One must be very careful on soft stones so as not to erode, so this is where D2 works wonders. Spraying the marker and allowing nature to work is effective if hesitant about using anything more aggressive such as tools, and one will realize gratifying results upon each return visit.
We have unearthed, cleaned and reset several of our ancestors markers. We’ve also sprayed other markers of significance as they are encountered, but the cost of the solution keeps us from doing more.
There are many cemeteries which have markers shoved to the side and buried such as one I believe one of our Civil War veteran GGgrandfather’s was placed in Mpls. His marker remains one of the missing. We know of several instances locally where this occurred as well. We only just found a pile of markers adjacent to a small roadside cemetary while fulfilling a find-a-grave request. The new owner of the site told us he would allow and assist us in unearthing those. I believe they were shoved aside to either widen the highway or the adjacent parking lot.
I agree each municipality should be accountable for securing every burial site in their jurisdictions. Too many times our “progress” has invaded these sacred grounds and without the concern and respect they deserve, literally tossing history aside as piles of rubble.
Doing this, we learn more about our history. Not what some politician wishes to make us believe, real history.
I found my fifth great grandfathers grave in Leesport, Pennsylvania last month. I was so thrilled I cried. He is in the Historic Bern Cemetery. He was a Revolutionary war vet. My question. Are you allowed to just go in and clean the headstones of a relative. My great grandfather was a volunteer in the Civil war. He is buried in Roebuck cemetery between Rockford and St. Mary’s, Ohio. His stone is in real need of cleaning. What do you use on the stones to clean them so as not to damage them and are you allowed to do this?
Enjoyed reading about the work Chuck has done. While working on my Partin – Dodson family tree, I found that the old Partin home place with our family cemetery had been torn down and a school built on the property in Ellenwood, Georgia. I panicked! Living in another state, I called and emailed dozens of GA. State, County, town and school officials – even the Governor.. Within a week the building contractor of that school called me and assured me that he had fenced in all nine of the graves and surrounded the fence with shrubbery practically at the front door of the school! The graves included my grandfather, grandmother, great grandfather and Partin cousins.. So, be persistent to find help with grave locations..