The Garrison Corner Cemetery Association’s first meeting was held in the spring of 1991. The group came together with the goal and desire to preserve the Garrison Cemetery on Shawnee Trace Road, near Blanchester, Ohio. The group consisted of relatives of those buried at the cemetery, residents or former residents of the Garrison Corner Community, representatives of local Historical and Genealogical Societies and representatives from the Marion Township Trustees. The group had been called together by Joy Garrison Cauffman. Joy’s father, Foster Garrison, at that time was 90 years old and he was extremely distressed that the cemetery had been vandalized and was in dire need of restoration. Foster said that the cemetery must not be lost to future generations. Joy made the commitment to her father that she would try to form a group to restore the cemetery. Joy made a call to Joann Rude Chamberlin (whose ancestor’s are buried at Garrison Cemetery) and thus was formed the foundation for the Garrison Corner Cemetery Association.

The Garrison Corner Cemetery Association has grown and prospered over the past 15 years. On March 10, 1992, tax-exempt status was approved by the Internal Revenue Service and also in 1992, the Garrison Cemetery was officially entered into Ohio’s Historic Inventory. In 1997, the Ohio Historical marker approved by the Ohio Historical Society was unveiled at the Memorial Day Service. In 2001, a granite monument was placed at Garrison Cemetery. One side of the Monument is in memory of the Garrison Corner Civil War soldiers who served with the Grand Army of the Republic and died in the service of their country. These soldiers, Private Peter Garrison, Private Felix Rude and Private Lewis Rude are buried in the South. Information is given on the monument as to date of death and Regiment. The monument also reads: "They live in the memory of their families forever although their remains were never returned to Garrison Cemetery". The other side of the monument is in memory of individuals buried at Garrison Cemetery who have unidentified graves but for whom the GCCA has documentation of their burial.

The cemetery is enclosed with a white picket fence and there is a bronze sign identifying the cemetery, a flag pole and various plantings. The entire cemetery was probed (every 6 inches) for lost and broken stones. This project was done by Boy Scout Troop 154, Wilmington, Ohio . Scout Troop 47 from Blanchester and Scout Troop 149 from Martinsville. This was the Eagle Scout Project of Robb McCracken of Troop 154. In 2005, a marker was dedicated to Lemuel Garrison, Revolutionary War Soldier who did not, previous to this marker, have an official marker.

Blanchester Boy Scout Troop 47, Blanchester, Ohio, under the leadership of Scout Master Roger Deeter, participates each year in our Memorial Day Program. Also, in May of 2005, boyscout Shane Ott organized his service project toward his Eagle Scout Award. Shane , twelve scouts, their advisors and parents cleaned the memorial stones and fence at Garrison Cemetery. Walter Meadors, Marion Township Trustee was present during the time this work was completed.

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