Coal Company Blocks Historical Family Cemetary

Aug. 6, 2009 - PRLog -- No Access To Graveyard Defies Families Rights And WV Law

WV Coal Company, Horizon LLC is strip mining in Boone County near Danny Cooks family graveyard. This cemetery dates back into the 1880's with ties to the Civil War. The company, willfully refuses to provide adequate access even though they have blocked the entrances.

"Those are my ancestors buried on that mountain" Danny Cook stated, "Many think we West Virginians are poor simple-minded folk and can be walked on come what may. Cook blood runs through my veins as well as it does in the land in Boone County and in those grave sites on that mountainside. True West Virginians, unlike many Americans, hold on to their heritage and honor it. Do I think coal mining is bad? Of course not. I am the son of a coal miner, as were both my grandfathers on the Cook side of my family and White side."

Horizon is also knowingly violating WV state law, Article 37-13 A-1, which stipulates that....  "Access of certain persons to cemeteries and graves located on private land. For the purposes set forth in section two of this article, the state recognizes that the owners of private land on which a cemetery or graves are located have a duty to allow ingress and egress to the cemetery or graves by family members, close friends and descendants of deceased persons buried there...."

The family just wants to be able to enter the graveyard as they always have, the coal company is showing them that producing coal and money allows them to do what they want.

To read the entire story, go to:

http://www.westvirginianews.blogspot.com/