The Courier Electronic Edition

Cemetery population tops 30,000


Q: How many people are buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in Findlay? -- K.H., Findlay.A: There were 30,214 people buried in the city cemetery as of late last week, said Jim Rhodes, superintendent of public works.

Plus, there are 10,342 reservations, or graves sold but unoccupied.

That leaves 6,171 graves still for sale. They are $500 each, and city residents get a $50 discount.

Eighteen civic-minded fellows started Maple Grove Cemetery with 20 acres along the Blanchard River in 1854. Findlay took it over in 1860 and land was added through the years, according to "The History of Hancock County," 1881.

"The entire occupied part of the grounds is profusely planted with evergreen and shade trees, whose beautiful foliage and inviting shade dispel much of the gloom naturally surrounding such a place ... Maple Grove Cemetery is fast becoming one of the most beautiful burial places in the country," the book says.

And why not? Tourists are told the cemetery is among the things to see in these parts.

It has a statue of a Civil War soldier, which once stood in front of the courthouse, and four Civil War cannons. There's fine stonework everywhere. Old color postcards are available on eBay for $4 to $8.

By the way, four former congressmen are buried there: William Mungen (1821-1887), Ralph D. Cole (1873-1932), Tennyson C. Guyer (1912-1981), and Jackson E. Betts (1904-1993).

So is "plain, terse" Jacob Rosenberg, who founded "The Democratic Courier" in 1836.

Also there is Forest Charles "Tot" Pressnell of Findlay, a righthanded pitcher who had a 32-30 record with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Chicago Cubs from 1938 to 1942. He died in 2001.

With an average of only 108 graves dug every year, it will take nearly 153 years to fill the 16,513 places remaining.

So, take your time. -- Peter Mattiace.

Q: Do I have to put a license plate on the front of my car?

A: Yes. Failure to display a front license plate on an Ohio-registered car is a registration violation. -- Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Q: Does President Truman's name take a period or not?

A: You mean is it Harry S Truman?

Don't try to impress people with this "trivia" any more: You're wrong.

"The evidence provided by Mr. Truman's own practice argues strongly for the use of the period," says the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Mo.

"While, as many people do, Mr. Truman often ran the letters in his signature together in a single stroke, the archives ... have numerous examples of the signature written at various times throughout Mr. Truman's lifetime where his use of a period after the 'S' is very obvious.

"Mr. Truman apparently initiated the 'period' controversy in 1962 when, perhaps in jest, he told newspapermen that the period should be omitted ... He said that the 'S' did not stand for any name but was a compromise between the names of his grandfathers, Anderson Shipp Truman and Solomon Young," the library says.

Also, "The AP Stylebook" calls for the period. It says:

"Asked in the early 1960s about his preference, (Truman) replied, 'It makes no difference to me.' AP style has called for a period since that time." -- Peter Mattiace.

If your kind of curiosity leads to these kinds of questions, Just Ask will answer them on Mondays. Just ask by e-mail to justask@thecourier.com, by fax to 419-427-8480, or by mail to Just Ask, The Courier, P.O. Box 609, Findlay, OH 45839.