The resurrection of a fledging cemetery in Franklin Township is underway with a new owner at the helm.

Zachary Keys said he took over Union Hill Cemetery after Memorial Day in his quest to revive the burial place.

Keys said he’s done a lot of work in the time since such as mowing, fixed about 20 headstones, fixed the flagpole (took it apart and put a new flag on it), and worked on the wall near Court Street.

“I volunteered to help mow and said I would take it (the cemetery) over,” Keys said. “He (former caretaker Anthony Frantz) worked two jobs, so it was kind of hard for him to do it.”

For Keys, the 5.5-acre cemetery at 140 Union Hill Road holds extra sentimental value, as he has about 20 family members buried in it.

“I was upset with how it was looking,” Keys said. “Every now and then, people will come out and help.”

Keys said he started a GoFundMe fundraiser for the cemetery called Support Zac’s Cemetery Revival Effort.

To date, $200 of the $10,000 goal has been raised, which will help pay for gas.

Keys, who said it takes him about 2½ days to mow the whole cemetery, said he has a zero-turn mower, weedwacker, machete, and hedge clippers.

He added it would be nice to have a chainsaw to cut trees down, as well as about a half-ton of dirt due to some of the graves that are sinking.

Keys said his plans are to get the wall cleared out, open more plots, put a fence on the far west side, and eventually get a statue of Jesus and put it by the flag.

“I have a ton of space for families who would like to be buried (at the cemetery),” he said.

Keys said he’s thankful for his wife, Sarah, who has helped him and support him in his endeavor.

“To me, the cemetery looks a lot better,” he said. “I’m getting compliments on how it looks.”

For more information on the cemetery, call 916-413-0993.