Being that I am into Genealogy....that really saddens me that people can't show respect for the resting places of our ancestors. I was very upset to find my husbands 3rd great grandparents headstones missing. I know they were there in 1995 when I video taped the cemetery, but when we went back in April (2006), both his and hers were broken off!!! Now, it could have been broken from storms and such....we will never know...but the headstones are missing that were broken. I have spoken to the Nat Park Service who handles the old Salvo Campground (land that use to belong to my hubby's 3rd great grandfather) and they don't have records of finding their headstones.
He said that he would send out some folks to check the area (all fenced in)...could be buried in the sand (it's on the Sound Side)....if not....may have to find a way to raise money to replace the headstones. Just so glad I was able to visit the site long ago and capture all the headstones. There were more buried there...but alot of headstones were missing before our 1995 visit. And apparantely the site is still used as there was a burial in 2005.
Alot of grave sites along Hwy 12 are so overgrown and no one takes care of them anymore. Alot has to do with the storms that hit the Outer Banks too...with all that sand blowing around. Trying to get all that I can find on film for the future generations. I actually had to dig a ways down just to find the bottom of one headstone...sand has nearly buried it
The saddest one for me is in Buxton....on land that belonged to my hubby's great uncle, Nacy (dec'd). There is a family cemetery on the property, near the road. Someone built an apt bldg, small, nothing fancy, along the road. Out the side steps was my hubby's 4th great grandmother's headstone. I even took pics of that. I was so upset...how can they build so close to a grave!!!!! When we stopped by this past April (2006)...her headstone was missing!!!!!!!!! I tried looking under the building...as it's on stilts....and I think I saw it under there...but was not able to crawl under there at the time. So, will have to go back and see if I can find it.
It seems no one cares about these "MOM and POP" cemeteries...but city owned, that is a different story GRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Hope when you call, they are helpful. Maybe they have it, I hope. So nice of you to visit the Brooks family, I know they are happy to have visitors
(Pic of Bannister and Dorothy (Dolly) Payne Midgette. I know it's theirs as I have it on video
Whew!)
I have tried to tell the towns or counties but they don't seem to care. Unless that person had done someting historic, they have better things to do. Sad but true. Take care. RH
