Monday, November 22, 2010

Man bulldozes cemetery dating to 1800s

Published : Thursday, 18 Nov 2010, 11:58 PM EST

• By: Phil Sanchez

BOONE COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) - It was bulldozed and destroyed — a graveyard that dates back to the 1800s turned in to a pile of rubble.

Family members of people buried there want answers. so they contacted 24-Hour News 8.

The cemetery dates back to 1830 and is in the middle of an area spanning more than 40 acres in rural Boone County.

Henry King stood on that property Thursday, on top of his great-grandfather’s resting place, and the resting place for dozens of others.

“Don't disturb the resting, it might be a bad taboo,” King said.

The land was sold earlier this year by a pair of brothers who needed the money to pay for their aging mother’s nursing home.

“I don't understand what the big deal is,” said Don Hill, the man who now owns the property.

Hill, a farmer who purchased the land earlier this year, ripped up the land a couple weeks ago and tore down the trees surrounding it. 24-Hour News 8 tracked him down at his Frankfort home Thursday.

“I owned a farm for 20 years down the road and never heard anything about tombstones,” Hill said.

Henry King contacted the Indiana Department of Natural Resources earlier this week.

“Right is right and wrong is wrong,” King said. “I just want something done right ... that's all I'm asking.”

24-Hour News 8 reached out to the brothers who sold the land. They say they're not pleased with what Hill has done. However they don't think there is anything they can do.

DNR said their investigation is ongoing. Hill can't do anything with that part of the land until the investigation is complete.

Watch video here.


2 comments: