How you can help with
hands-on cemetery preservation
Talking about or having an interest in cemetery preservation is great. The more people who are aware of the problems and concerned with them, the better. However, the weeds keep growing while we talk!
We'll do it next (whenever) shows good intentions, but the weeds keep growing.
It's (fill in the blank)'s responsibility to care for the cemetery is true in many cases. However, for whatever reason, the people who should be caring for the cemeteries haven't. We can't help that, and if these people are comfortable in shirking their responsibility it's their choice. Still, the "it's their responsibility" attitude doesn't solve the problem. The weeds keep on growing!
Cemetery preservation is a hands-on activity. The people buried in endangered cemeteries can't help themselves, and meanwhile Titus County is losing more of its historical heritage each day the cemeteries are neglected. Roll up your sleeves and join us!
The Titus County Historical Commission has formed a cemetery committee to try to preserve cemeteries, but they need your help.
Here's what you can do:
If you own land where a cemetery is located, the most important thing you can do is to keep good fences around the cemetery. Please fence the cemetery, if it isn't, and please repair broken fences promptly to prevent livestock from damaging monuments. Livestock damage and destruction of monuments, in many cases of monuments that are over 100 years old, is very expensive and often impossible to repair. Weeds and undergrowth be cut later and general cleanup can be done by families or anyone else who is interested.
If you are a member of the general public or a business person who is interested in cemetery preservation, the things that are needed are:
Land owner's permission for us to work on the cemeteries located
on their land
Land owner's cooperation to keep fences repaired around the cemeteries
to prevent their livestock from further damaging the cemeteries
Fencing materials (barbed wire and posts or other) to fence around
small cemeteries that do not have a fence to prevent livestock from
further damaging the monuments.
Labor to build the fences, reset fallen monuments, and other things
required
Labor to help clean briars and underbrush from within endangered
cemeteries
A few people who are skilled in the use of chain saws to remove trees that
are endangering monuments. The ability to drop a tree where you
intend to is important to prevent accidental damage to makers,
which would negate any benefit of removing the trees or limbs.
Skilled labor and equipment to upright and reset monuments that have
been toppled by livestock. This must be done properly to prevent
further damage and personal injury to those working on them.
Funds to purchase materials and services that aren't donated.
Volunteers from the community to help keep the cemeteries clean
(at least once a year) after the initial clean-up is done so they
don't become overgrown again.
If you are interested in donating materials, some time, use of your equipment, or your specialized services to help clean and fence some of the worst overgrown and most endangered cemeteries to prevent them from becoming totally lost, please contact the Titus County Historical Commission. Let them know what you can provide like willing to work, use of special equipment, or if you have special skills to donate.
If you are on the board of an established cemetery, please consider "adopting" a small cemetery that does not have a board or trust fund. Many of the small cemeteries would not require much time or money to keep in good condition.
If you cannot donate labor, but would be willing to donate funds, contributions to the Titus County Historical Commission are tax-deductable. 100% of funds donated to the Historical Commission for cemeteries will be used for cemetery restoration and preservation.
