Old Indian / Pioneer / United Brethren Cemetery - Ottawa, Ohio

This is a copy of a report I wrote in the summer of 1998 attempting to urge the town of Ottawa, (Putnam County) Ohio, to renovate and restore their Pioneer Cemetery. Not only did they not do it, but through their neglect, they allowed it to fall into utter disrepair again after all the hard work we put into it.

Native Americans take note: This is a known Ottawa Indian burial ground - the last known one in Putnam County. This graveyard should be recognized and kept up with some reverence.

Veterans take note: There are at least two War of 1812 vets buried here. They deserve recognition.

And yes, I am angry about this situation even now, ten years later.

• Smaller File Size (6M): Download pioneer_cemetery_smaller.pdf
• ***Larger File Size (35M): Download pioneer_cemetery.pdf

IMPORTANT NOTE: The larger file size does not have *that* much better resolution on it. My suggestion? Download the smaller file size, and if you see something that truly interests you or is vital to your research, contact me and I will scan it in color or do a direct scan from the original document to which the text refers (I have many of the original documents here at home and will donate them to the appropriate body when I am done with them - they were collected by my great aunts); this report scan is from a ten-year-old printout since the original data file has been lost, so some of the images are less-than-stellar, even on the "original" (note the print "waves" on the pictures - not so great from ten years ago).

Oh. Yes. Page 22 is missing. I have no idea where it went. If you need it, you might contact the Putnam County District Library in Putnam County, Ohio... they were given an original copy of this back in the day and may still have a copy. If it wasn't lost in the Flood of 2007.

Speaking of the Flood of 2007. I don't see Ottawa doing *anything* for this cemetery any time soon due to the flood - they are still reeling from it, and may never recover they way they want to. But we need to keep watch - this is an endangered property and must not be lost to development. Help? I'm in Memphis, TN and can't very well oppose the actions of the Village of Ottawa from here... anyone local willing to help out??