The OES visited Kramer Cemetery on July 30, 2007. Established in 1810, Kramer Cemetery has at least 112 recorded burials, but it was hard to tell on our visit. Many of the tombstones have been broken, weathered or removed from the sites. The grounds the cemetery occupied did not seem large enough for 112 burials, so we are almost certain that some of the cemetery grounds has been farmed. Even using GPS, it was difficult to find the cemetery and moderately difficult to get to. According to records, the first burial at the cemetery was Philip Kramer, son of Ludwig, who died in 1812 at six-years-old. The last recorded burial was Jacob Kramer who died in 1866 at 64-years-old. The cemetery was abandoned shortly after the last burial. Weeds and brush engulf the cemetery with potential for ticks and being penetrated by two-inch thorns. Since nearby Hendren Cemetery has been revitalized, Kramer Cemetery has taken the crown of being the cemetery in the worst condition that we have ever visited. Perhaps a Boy Scout Troop or some other organization will step up some day to bring this forgotten cemetery back to life.
Kramer Cemetery is in a farmer’s field about 300 yards east of Saylor Court in Canal Winchester; Franklin County.
Photographs
Kramer Cemetery was located in and around this grove of trees in a farmer's field.
The tombstone for John Miller was one of the few standing stones in the cemetery. John was born in 1810 and died on July 15, 1833.
One of the many broken and weathered stones that were on the ground.
This broken tombstone was covered by weeds.
The inscription on this tombstone had been worn away by years of erosion.
This unusually red-tinted tombstone was damaged too bad to tell who was buried there.
The tombstone of 2-year-old Eliza Harman, who died on July 8, 1842, about two months after her second birthday.
This grass and weed covered marker was too weathered to read.
This tombstone stood in thick weeds.
Still in decent condition was the overturned stone for Edward Kramer, who died at three weeks and two days old in 1831. Notice the misspelling of weeks on the stone.
Another overturned stone in thick brush.
We uncovered this tombstone that belonged to Barbery Slife, daughter of Henry and Catherine Slife.
We turned this rather large stone over so we could read it only to find the words had worn away.
This tombstone was so deep in the brush that we didn't even attempt to uncover it.
We spotted this tombstone in the weeds on our way out of the cemetery.
Our last look at Kramer Cemetery shows how overgrown its grounds had become.
