Graveyard
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Destructionby Daine and Martha Harrison |
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| An example of an unkept and forgotten family cemetery | McMillin Cemetery, located about 1/2 mile northeast of Love Knob in Barren Co. The sign was added by the project volunteers. |
In nearly a year since we became involved in the cemetery project, I have reached the conclusion that the main factor in the deterioration and destruction of these little graveyards is neglect by the families involved. You really can't hold the farmer liable, when the fence falls down and the cattle get in the graveyard. But when the only living relatives are in another state, it is difficult for them to do anything to maintain them. Ideally, an answer to the problems would be to have an organization responsible for cleaning up a cemetery, repairing fences when necessary, and trying to mow it at least once or twice a year, and keep it in a condition to stop total deterioration. Funding could come from family donations, public fund drives, and government funding. (Hah!) If county magistrates were made aware of how many tourists visit the county to do family research and find the burial places of their ancestors, perhaps they would be more receptive to radical ideas like this. I would like to be able to clean and restore every graveyard we visit, but it just isn't possible. We have to have family interest, family support, and family donations before anything meaningful can be done. Martha and I both feel very strongly that by marking these cemeteries, we are making people aware that someone cares about them, and knows that they still exist. And maybe they will think twice before damaging them."
KRS 433.660 Any person who willfully mutilates the graves, monuments, fences, shrubbery, ornaments, grounds or buildings in or enclosing any cemetery or place of sepulture; or violates the grave of any person by willfully destroying, removing or damaging the head or foot stones, or the tomb over the enclosure protecting any grave, or by digging into or plowing over or removing any ornament, shrubbery or flower placed upon any grave or lot shall be fined not less than ten dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more then six months, or both.
KRS 525.115 Violating graves (I) A person is guilty of violating graves when he intentionally: (a) Mutilates the graves, monuments, fences, shrubbery, ornaments, grounds, or buildings in or enclosing any cemetery or place of sepulture; or (b) Violates the grave of any person by destroying, removing, or damaging the headstone or footstone, or the tomb over the enclosure protecting any grave; or (c) Digs into or plows over or removes any ornament, shrubbery, or flower placed upon any grave or lot. (2) The provision of subsection (I) of this section shall not apply to ordinary maintenance and care of a cemetery nor the removal and relocation of graves pursuant to procedures authorized by and in accordance with applicable statutes. (3) Violating graves is a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class D felony for each subsequent offense. (Enacts. Acts 1992, ch. 420, § 2, effective July 14, 1992.)
