In
this series, some of the general surveys of Defiance County cemeteries
will be shared, transcribed as written on the original W.P.A. reports, with a few punctuation and/or spelling changes
for readability. The surveys were probably done around 1936.
For more up to date information on the cemeteries, check out this chart on our website:
http://defiancecountygenealogy.org/cemeteries.html)
Moats Cemetery
1. Name of cemetery:
The Moats Cemetery, so named from the people who donated the land on which it is located and now live in the first house east of it. Up until about 1900, a town by the name of Moats was located near here on the C & N R.R.
2. Location, how reached:
In Delaware Township in section #4, near the Cincinnati Northern Railroad, it is 3 1/2 miles north and 1 1/2 miles east of Sherwood. It is on no state route - U.S. #127 runs to the west of it half mile. It is located on the winding mud creek road and on Mud Creek.
3. Caretaker:
In general, it is kept up by the Moats family, but is controlled by the trustees of Delaware Township and Mr. A. J. McFeeters is the official caretaker.
4. General description, size, appearance, etc.:
This Moats Cemetery is a very nice, well kept up, rural graveyard, is laid out in lots and contains about four acres of well wooded grounds. It is surrounded by a new ornamental wire fence painted green. Over the gateway is the name in iron scroll work. Brick posts support this overhead archway. The grounds are also well cut and the shrubbery trimmed. The trees are also well kept; it is clean, pretty and well looked after.
There are many new, modern granite markers of the heavy type. It is not connected with any church; however, the old church which was at the old hamlet of Moats was Methodist. The building still stands, but is not used. This cemetery stands on a small knoll on the banks of Mud Creek - some beautiful scenery surrounds it.
5. Name and date of first burial recorded:
The old part of the cemetery date back to 1852, a person whose last name was Duch and whose first name is not readable was buried here in that year. From then until the late nineties, the graveyard was used as the burial grounds for the people of the town of Moats. Then it was, for awhile, completely abandoned until twenty years ago when it was fixed up and laid out in lots and opened up as a rural cemetery, used mostly for the neighbors in the near vicinity. This was in the year 1915.
(That stone could not be located, but here are several very early stones found.)
6. Names of important persons buried there:
The name of Moats predominates in this cemetery, this family having four granite markers erected. The town of Moats was named from these people who practically owned the town, saw mills, grocery, ran the post office and were station agents.
Paul Moats of Sherwood, automobile dealer, is a grandson of one of these old men who started Moats village, as are also the Douglas Moats family who still live here and are well to do farmers today, owning just about a section of land.
7. Markers of unusual appearance:
The markers range from the old, white slab ones to huge granite ones of the modern type. I would say the finest is that of Coys which is a dark gray sand stone and granite.
8. Unusual epitaphs: None
9. Is cemetery used for new burials? Yes.
C. Cadwallader and C. Gish,
Reporters
Consultant: A. J. McFeeters,
Sherwood, Ohio
(The
Works Progress Administration was formed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt
in reaction to the Great Depression as a means of employing Americans
and stimulating the economy. Established in 1935, one of the projects
of the W.P.A. was to conduct Historical Records Surveys, one of which
included finding information on cemeteries and the graves of veterans. The
W.P.A. was disbanded in 1943, but the historical information provided
on these surveys continue to be of interest and are, thankfully,
preserved.)
