The following letter of introduction from Jeannie
Regan-Dinius, the
Indiana Department of Natural Resources Cemetery Registry Project
Coordinator was published on the INPCRP-L mailing list on Monday, March
5th, 2001:
"I would like to introduce myself as the new Cemetery Registry
Coordinator. It has been a very busy week, with over 175 calls and emails
coming into the office with information about cemeteries. I have also been
looking at some wonderful websites with information on cemeteries.
I would like to address the cemetery project and other cemetery issues administered
by our office. The Cemetery Registry Project's goal is to identify and
locate ALL cemeteries and burial grounds in the state. The scope of the
project is not to list individuals buried within cemeteries.
We realize that other groups and individuals have been working for
years in their individual areas and that there are statewide databases
being started (Indiana State Library's and the Indiana Genealogical
Society's).
My first two weeks of the job has been spent focused on fielding media
inquiries and calls from individuals resulting from the press coverage.
Starting this week I will be contacting individuals or groups who already
have databases or research started. If I have not contacted you, please
email me. I am willing to come visit any group or individual who has
research completed. Please email, we'll set-up a time and day.
The form which you've all heard about, which is almost finished, will
soon be ready to distribute. The form will ask for questions like exact
location (USGS mapping), number of burials, condition of cemetery, etc.
Please be patient for this form. It needs to go through the State
Commission on Public Records for an official form number first.
This is the only project concerning cemeteries we have in this office.
We have NO list of endangered cemeteries. Our other focus concerning cemeteries
comes with accidental discoveries of human remains and artifacts. Moving
of cemeteries is a Department of Health issue.
I look forward to speaking with everyone concerning their project,
research, and cemeteries in their area. Together we can make this project
a success."
Jeannie Regan-Dinius
Cemetery Registry Coordinator
