Fayette County Genealogy Project

LETTER TO THE EDITOR BY KEN O'NEAL

Ben Franklin was respected and considered to be one of the most intelligent men of his day, once said, "Show me your cemeteries, and I will tell you what kind of people you have." What do you think Ben would think of the inhabitants of Fayette County ?


I believe what he said then still holds true today. How many visitors to our county judge us by how we take care of our cemeteries? I know of several that have been destroyed apparently to improve a lawn, even though there was a law passed in Pennsylvania in 1994 against that sort of thing, but who do you report such a abuse of law to? No one seems to be interested.


What do you think Ben would think of the inhabitants of Fayette County? Sure there are some cemeteries along the main highways, that are always looking good, but what about some of the ones that are off the main road?

Hill Grove, with its many head stones toppled by vandals, still looks good, better than two cemeteries in Dunbar.

Have you ever visited the Mt. Auburn or the St. Aloysius Cemeteries? There are junked vehicles parked right up against the sign for the St. Aloysius cemetery, and junked cars setting against and even over some headstones, in the back of Mt. Auburn cemetery.

I don't know about you, but I think anyone with any respect at all would at least place the junk farther from the cemetery. But the real disgrace is the people of Fayette County, our elected officials included, for not demanding that he do so, or spend some time as a guest of the county

This abuse has been going on for several years, and so far, is no closer to ending, than it was when it started. Want to see for yourself? Just take a ride on Pechin Road, and take road up the hill through Mt. Auburn Cemetery. Then take a ride down Church Hill road past the St. Aloysius Cemetery. Then you too might wonder what Ben Franklin would think of us. Not very much, I'm afraid.

Ken O'Neal

Connellsville

Return to Cemetery Index

Return to Main Index