Grandparents grave plot, my grandfather owned, now hes dead how can i own it?

Question: Grandparents grave plot, my grandfather owned, now hes dead how can i own it!?

his children have all died but one and she isnt there mentally!.

the guy said the owner of the deeds was him but as hes dead know one owns it!. how can I own the deeds!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

*chuckle*
Kelly, we get some strange viewpoints, when people who don't do genealogy see our questions!.
The original record will normally be with the cemetery office (if there is one), which determines WHO bought the plot in the first place!. While there is space, this commonly is important, as to deciding who has the right to get buried!. There normally are no "deeds" as we would know them, but family tends to know who has those rights, in the immediate sense!. They do pass to immediate children!.!. like his daughter!.!. who would have the rights to use of any open plot!. That goes "straight" down!.
For research purposes, and if it is full, the issues change a little!. If you are talking someone 200 yrs ago, you are not talking about rights to be buried there!. Some states have laws concerning old cemeteries, which indicate that "family" has authority and rights to access!. This usually extends to any descendants, since they are equally related!. In those cases where a cemetery is being moved (like for a lake being built), they actually do try to find family, so they know and may choose where to re bury the person!. Another view!.!. if the grave is old old (1964 is "new" in cemetery thinking), then perhaps a desc!. has the right to put a new stone there!. Most of the time, that will not cause any conflict!.!. although I HAVE seen where one desc was determined to put a new stone with her dates!.!. and others were upset, since they felt the info was incorrect!.
As best I can tell you!.!. the usual would be that all of his children had interest in the plot, since all of them were heirs!. Technically, daughter that is living still has "controlling" authority!. You don't say if she has children!. After her death, it can be that rights go to her children!.!. but SOMETIMES (your state/country would have to clarify law)!.!. ALL grandchildren would share rights!. Not necessarily "ownership"!. I doubt that there are any actual deeds/ documents to have signed over to anyone!.
The person you spoke with, is probably right to say that NOW, NO one person has exclusive rights (although if there is an open space, it would logically be usable for the daughter)!. From daughter down (once she is dead), then any rights probably pass, by law, to all grandchildren including you!. I don't think you have a way to "get" her ownership rights!. But you MAY already have legal rights as a grandchild, that are shared with any other grandchildren!. I don't think you can get exclusive ownership!.
If there is something in particular that you want to do (new stone, etc), send me a note, and I will see what I can find for you!.
(yahoo is nuts this morning, says questions are deleted when not)
Kelly !! look at resolved questions, "who owns grave deeds""Www@QuestionHome@Com

I would think that either the property would have had to been willed to you or, you can go to your local court house or, speak with an attorney and see if you can petition for the property to be turneed over to you due to circumstances!.If your Grandfather is buried in the plot though he is still the owner and is using the plot!. No one should be able to get ownership because the owner would be the person who is buried in the plot and no one else can use it anyway! This is the purpose of buying a burial plot in the first place!. You can however visit anytime you like and possibly buy a nearby plot if available!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You don't say where you live, and regulations may differ from place to place, and country to country!.

My husband's grandfather is buried in Scotland, and I have seen (and have a photocopy of) the purchase record!. The plot was bought outright, not on a lease for a certain number of years!. We know that he is the only person buried in that plot, so there is room for other family members to be buried there !.!.!.!. except it is unlikely to happen!. After the grandfather died, his widow and only child (both now deceased) moved back to Ireland!. In theory, each of the grandchildren inherited the right to be buried there, but they are more likely to be buried in the local cemeteries in the Irish towns where they live now!.

My own grandparents are in a double plot in a rural graveyard!. None of their children or grandchildren live close by, and my Mum told me that if we ever needed it, we could use that grave (we are the family members living closest)!. So far as I know there are no deeds of ownership, but the church would have records showing who had purchased each plot in the first place!.

Talk to the church or graveyard officials!. If it is the plan that the mentally ill daughter will be buried there one day, and perhaps you or your own family in due course, it is no harm to have matters clarified!. I don't know if burial plots are "signed over" to a subsequent "owner" in the same way as house deeds!. They would set you right on this point!. I think it is very likely that the next generation of family members would simply have the right to be interred there, without "ownership" coming into the picture!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Sure you can own it!.!.!.!. first you'd have to dig up your dead grandfather and find a way for him to "un-use" it, check his will records and next of kin, and once you provide the proof, you can throw his remains away in the trash and have yourself buried there!. Or you can have the daughter buried there, and later on do the same with her so you can "own" it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You haven't mentioned where the plot is located, but the basic answer is that it depends on the laws of your state (if in the USA)!.

Here's a listing of the laws for Arizona (in the Source box), you can Google "cemetery plot ownership laws" or something similar + the state to find out what applies in your situation!.

also, you could check with the cemetery sexton where the plots are, they can tell you what the laws are specific to that cemetery and state!.

I hope this helps!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Contact the Cemetery Association for that cemetery about what you should do!. Each state has regulations pertaining to cemeteries and burials!. This will tell you the rules of your state!.

Normally no one thinks about what happens to the plot until someone wants to build a mall on top of it!. Then they must find all family members to get approval to move the graves, which tells me that even though you don't have the paperwork, you still in a way "own" it!.
search google for your state regulations!. If you still need help, call your neighborhood funeral home and they can advise you further!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I suppose it depends on what country we are talking about here, but I was under the impression that no-one owns a plot so to speak in a graveyard, you usually lease it for a period of about 100 years, after which if there are no new burials, the plot can be re-used for another family!. If the guy who "owned" the grave has since died then I assume any ownership rights died with him, so you'd probably have to contact the cemetary office and take out a new contract on this plot in your name!. I shouldn't have thought it would be that difficult, but it really depends on the local authority concerned - at the most all you'd have to do is prove kinship and thats a simple matter of a death certificate probably!. Google the local councils website and look up bereavement services and phone or email someone in the department who deals with this kind of thing all the time!. They'll point you in the right direction and how much it will cost you to lease a grave!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Uh, if he's not buried there - this was an extra plot!? It would be part of his estate, which would go to the surviving child!. Perhaps you could offer to purchase it from her!.
OK, now that you've added the info - there is no plot to be 'owned' - it is being used!. If you are talking about the actual documents regarding the plot, perhaps they are with his daughter somewhere in the home!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I'm not sure what ur asking but once u buy a plot to use that's its!.!.!.you cant resell it!.!.you buy the plot, then u are buried there then the cemetery maintains the ground in your plot!.!.!.!.if u want a copy of the deed see the cemetery!.!.!.its not like buying real estate you don't "own" a plot the same way u own land!.!.!.whether u having living relatives or not the plot owner never changes!.!.!.!.!.if i buy one for myself and when die get buried there my children or any other relative isn't entitled to that deed!.!.its just a piece of paper saying i bought the plot it has no $$ value!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think maybe the only way to settle it for sure is either to contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau, or ask a solicitor to act on your behalf!. Check with the CAB first, as at least this isn't going to cost you anything!Www@QuestionHome@Com

well, if no one from the family is using the plot i'd talk to his lawyer about it!. if he didn't have one you may want to ask one of your choosingWww@QuestionHome@Com

not wishing to insult you at this delicate time, but would he be buried in his plot!?Www@QuestionHome@Com