My concerns about Riverview
My concerns about Riverview
I'll be updating this over the next few days - trying to summarize what I know and links to information that have already published. For now, I just wanted to get this started to give everyone concerned a place to come for current information and to voice their concerns and indicate what they've already attempted to address the problems with the cemetery.
I can remember visiting Riverview as a little boy - most of my relatives are buried there. My great grandmother, great grandfather, grand parents & aunts and uncles and most recently my mother and father are all at Riverview. When my father was buried there in 1996 and my mother in 1999, the place still looked pretty good. The grass was mowed, there were a few flowers about and although it looked a bit tired, you don't really expect cemeteries to look vibrant now do you?
Unfortunately, procrastinator that I am, I never got stones for either my mother or father's graves. I know exactly where they are, but from what I understand I'm among the lucky ones. Many people do not know where their family members are buried and apparently cannot get access to the records from the current owner.
A recent posting on another forum indicated the grass was knee high and there are sink holes on the grounds. There was a hearing this week for a developer who is putting up condos adjoining the cemetery who wants to demolish the chapel which is said to be partially on his land.
The current owner purchased the cemetery a few years back, and from what I understand has been unable to maintain it. When I first read the report of Rev. Tom Davis purchasing the property, it sounded like a good thing - a neighborhood cleryman who would give those interred there the respect they deserved. What happened?
Soon after the cemetery was purchased I attempted to phone Rev. Davis. I left a message to offer my services to transcribe and put the records online. I received no response.
I'd like to hear from anyone who has contacted Rev. Davis, city officials, members of the community, etc. Tell us anything you can that you think might help.
Thanks -- Jim Gish
New to blogging
Since I'm new to blogging, I'm still in experimental mode - trying to figure out how to use all the capabilities of blogger. This is a test of a new posting--I'm trying to figure out how others can post comments. So, I'm setting "Allow comments" -- that should enabled anyone to post info to this blog. We'll see.
5 comments:
Well, that obviously worked. So, if you have anything you'd like to say about Riverview, you can simply click on the "comments" link below and have at it.
Thanks, Jim
Jim:
Thank you for setting up this blog.
I am passing the site on to others.
My brother, sister, mother, and I spent 2.5 hours at Riverview on Sunday before Memorial Day cutting the grass around my dad's grave. My parternal grandparents are also in that section near the Washington Street entrance. The grass was 3 feet high. It was obvious that about 30 other families were caring for sections of the cemetery too. It helps to know we are not alone and there are many "Friends of Riverview".
My best,
Lee Anderson
Jim: Thanks for putting this together. Think a few if not many of my relatives are at Riverview (Needham, Hill, Burris).
Is this a safe place to walk around and look for relatives?
Any chances of finding someone without additional information?
For Dr. Anderson:
Any chance of these names being in your book?
Thanks
Bruce Needham
TheNeedhamGroup@aol.com
Thanks Bruce. My hope is that this will provide some useful information to folks looking for the facts on Riverview.
As far as walking around there, I would guess that it's probably fine during the day, but I haven't been there for quite a few years so I don't know for sure. I know that Lee & Chrissie and others go there, so they should be able to give you their opinion on that.
It's a fairly large cemetery, so just walking it and trying to find someone is a challenge. It's made especially difficult by the high grass & weeds, but it sounds like the mayor's stepping in to have things mowed should help (if it hasn't already).
Good luck. If you go and check it out, I'd be interested in your impressions. I'd also be happy to post some photos if you happen to take some.
Thanks,
Jim
Dear Bruce, I've got the book and found Paul Wesley Burris by his grand daughter Cindi Starr, no Hill family members are mentioned nor Needham. I've looked at the Oakland Cemetery of Atlanta site because its an Historical site and feel we need to find the oldest graves, take pictures and see if we can find out information regard them. The book, "Reading the Stones" by Dr. Lee Anderson has an appendix with information and pictures of the office, "Rules and Regulations of 1872" and maps with the sections shown.
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