YOUNG TRACT BURYING GROUND - Page 2
	1976 - 1983 After contacting McSorley and learning that he had no intention of changing his farming practices, I began to collect information that would be useful in reversing the process.  One key document was a land deed which mentioned the size of the Cemetery (about 1/4 acre in size) when an 11 acre parcel was sold out of family hands in 1837.  I checked topographic maps, survey records, aerial photos, historical information and was able to plot where the Cemetery was once located.  This was further confirmed by local resident (and Young descendant) George Robinson who resided across the Highway from the Cemetery and played there as a child.  Armed with what I though would be more than sufficient evidence I approached the Town of Haldimand Council, and the Cemetery Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations whose purview included registration of cemeteries.  Promises to me, buck passing, warnings to McSorley, but nothing happened to change the status quo.  It seems that all the officials I spoke with had their hands tied since there was nothing in the legislation at any level that would intervene and stop a person from doing what they pleased with their land - even though I proved it was not McSorley's land.  In desperation I turned to the media and got extensive coverage from the Haldimand County newspapers and the "Hamilton Spectator". 1984- 1993 In learning that McSorley was about to sell his property to a German conglomerate I was able to find the name of the attorney who represented the buyer, the Schenenfelt Corporation (Timmerman family), and informed him that if there was to be a land transaction, then the issue of the Cemetery would need to be addressed.  This transaction did absolutely nothing since McSorley remained as a tenant on his property, but the deed or transfer did include a caveat that part of the 11 acre parcel on the original John Young Jr. part of the Young Tract contained a cemetery of about a quarter acre not claimed by McSorley.  Even this was not sufficient to get any government official to act to stop the plowing.  In addition to the government officials, I went to the media again and again and continued to obtain extensive coverage of the matter by the above newspapers.  All the while I continued to apply pressure on the Town Council and the Provincial Government - to no avail except to ensure that the matter became a sore spot to all and a bone of contention that most just wanted to sweep under the carpet.  Meanwhile I was trying to raise a family in nearby Hagersville, and had no money for a Court challenge, and was exhausted from my fruitless endeavours.  1994 - 2000 Ultimately in 1994 I approached the CTV Ombudsman Dale Goldhawk ("Goldhawk Fights Back").  This resulted in a meeting in Council chambers, with council members, myself, McSorley and some of his cronies - including a member of the Young family.  While the cameras were rolling McSorley defended his actions saying that no one had said anything at the time the Cemetery was dismantled (not true), and that by plowing he was actually protecting the Cemetery from the depredations of foxes and groundhogs.  Ultimately, under considerable pressure, McSorely agreed (later confirmed in writing from the new owners) that the area where the Cemetery was located would no longer be plowed - but that the issue of restoration and access would have to wait.  I had to settle for this "compromise" since at that time I emigrated to California where circumstances for the first few years were such that I could not devote time and effort to ensuring that the Cemetery was protected.  As it turns out, the area left unplowed was a token postage stamp size plot.  Prior to my leaving for California, and despite further letters between Town (County) and Provincials and McSorley, it all amounted to little more than hot air. In 2001, I visited the family cemetery of my wife in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri.  We were warmly invited to visit the out - of - the - way plot by the present owner who sees it as his duty to keep the area fenced and permit all Arthur family members access to the last resting place of their ancestors.  When I compared this to the disturbing situation with respect to my family cemetery along the Grand River in Ontario, I vowed to see the project through to completion - full restoration. The next leg of our 2001 trip took us to visit my parents in South Cayuga, and I dropped into the office of the Cemetery Administrator for the County of Haldimand.  Since I left for California things had changed.  The Town of Haldimand got out of regional government and went back to being the County of Haldimand; and the responsibility for cemeteries was shifted from the Recreation Director to a person whose only role was to tend to the cemeteries of the County.  I had gone there with the intention of initiating a lawsuit against the County and land owner but was re-assured by the Cemetery Administrator that things had now changed, and that if I would just give him the information about the cemetery where the Young and Nelles families were buried he would ensure that the project would be in that years budget, but that the family would have to deal with the matter of fencing since there were budget limitations.  I agreed that this was fine, and the Cemeteries Administrator said he would keep in touch - having a timetable of a year to the completion of the location and registration of the Cemetery.  Meanwhile.......................... Unfortunately circumstances were soon to conspire to demolish my agreement with the Cemeteries Administrator.