The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-07-31
A CITY Or THE DEAD.
DoHb, as 60 the FutnrD Of Walnut Grove
Cemetery at Martins Ferry Elizabeth
ZRus Hurled There,

Cemetery at Martins Elizabeth
ZNne Hurled There.
There Is some doubt as to the future
Of the old Walnut Grove cemetery in
Martins Ferry Just what disposition
will be made Of II IS not known. It
seems that the cemetery viii soon be
thing Of the past, or It viii be enclosed
ana allowed to remain much us It is,
The question as TO the title has been
raised and there is a difference OF opln-
ION concerning this, II the ground Is
not claimed by the Martin heirs & IS
possible that a claim will be made by
the Elle,t heirs, The claim Is made by
some persons that the ground rlghtful-
ly belongs 20 the Martin heirs, while on
the other hand some make the claim
that the Elicit heirs would become che
rightml owners should the old ceme-
terry be entirely abandoned, Several
hold that the original burylng grounds.
which consisted OF only that part inside
If the brick enclosure. is the only pOr-
Ferry, and that the remainder was ap-
propriated without any right whatever,
and used as n public cemetery, by the
city, and that one family would make
burial here and another there and
then lay claim TO lot, Burials were
made here for many years until the
place was so crowded that old graves
were frequently discovered when new
ones were dug,
As an example one case might be CIV
en- Two beautiful young girls died
very suddenly of dlphtherla, and their
graves We're not marked. The family
moved from Martlp's Ferry and In la
ter years the matter OF grave stones
was brought up and upon Inquiry It
was learned that two other bodies had
been inferred over these, This condition
was largely due TO the lack Of records,
Investigation last nlght revealed the
fact that the city OF Martin's Ferry
holds deed for all the ground occu-
pied by the old Walnut Grove cemetery,
at least for most OF 1t, The deed In
cludes not only the old cemetery inside
Of the brick walls, but nearly oil of the
ground surrounding this, which was
used for cemetery purposes. The eX-
ceptlon Is a little ground on the hill on,
the north side of the cemetery. The
deed for the cemetery was given by Eb-
eneZer Martin and wife 90 Martins
Ferry, In 1867, and to fall back to the
Martin heirs should II be entirely aban-
doned, or something Ike this, When
the transfer was made a. ID. Rice was
mayor of Martins Ferry, and S. Il.
Dean clerk,
Three of the c0uncllmen were BenJa-
min Hoyle, William Wiley and John
Ryner. The cemetery trustees were II,
w. Smith, j. 4. Hanes and David Park.
ana they had the grounds enclosed with
high fence, after the transfer was le-
gally made.
The Walnut Grove cemetery was not
used after the Riverview cemetery WIS
purchased by the city and the old GEM
etery was badly wrecked by the cy-
clone in 1887. which destroyed nearly
every walnut tree ih this cemetery and
Walnut Grove which was noted for its
beauty and so much admired by men of
travel and others who had seen It,
What remained of many bodies has
been removed to the new cemetery and
other cemeterlej since the cyclone and
many persons have been unable to re-
move the remalus of their friends, Sew
eral lots in the cemetery had been
purchased from Ebenezer Martin, one
OF which by William Alexander and Gf-
terward sold TO William Alexander
The present condition OF this old
burying ground Is not credisa6le 20 the
city of Martins Ferry Of those who
have friends buried here and every
thing should be removed from the old
grave yard or the cemetery trustees
should Immediately have the ground
surveyed and have n fence put up on
the lines of the ground and enclose 1t as
should be done.
Section 2j2l, Revised Statutes. say
"the trustees shall take possession and
charge and have the entire manage-
ment, control and regulation OF all pub
lie grave-yards burial grounds and
cemeteries, located in or belonging to
the corporation, subject to its ordi-
nances and they shall direct whenever
thay may deem IL necessary, the laying
out OF such grounds and cemeteries in
to lots, avenues, walks and paths or
other subdivisions, which lots shall be
numbered, the avenues named, and a
plot thereof made so as to exhibit a
fair and distinct outline OF the ground
and the same shall be kept in the office
OF the clerk Of the corporation for the
use Of the public.
II VIII not be surprising II the heirs
OF this ground will make an effort to se-
cure control Of It. Among the many
bodies buried in this old cemetery Is
that az Elizabeth Zane, who carried q
keg OF powder to the fort and was fired
upon By the Indians during the troubles
OF the Revolution IN this part Of the
| country.
The grave OF this heroine Is in the
brick enclosure and IS without a single
mark except q small mound, The grave
Is In the northwest corner OF the en-
closure and this fact is not genrllly
known.
They Hal ~ surimmhge.
officer McCausland yesterday arrested
Hugh Harrison and Henry shallcross.