More Family Cemeteries Dying Away in the South

C

ChrisNJ

Explorer
Jan 31, 2006
149
0
Medford
One of my most favorite things is coming upon an old family plot out in the woods, I find them mesmerizing. I think I need to go visit again the few I recall the locations of. Thinking like yoda I am.
 
RednekF350

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,058
3,328
Pestletown, N.J.
We did the engineering and surveying for a residential subdivision in Bowers Delaware last year and a family plot was discovered during the review process.
I did the boundary fieldwork and there was no indication of graves or of any kind of protected area on the farm.
Our plans were submitted for a historical commission review and their records indicated a possible family plot assocaited with the only house on the 250 acre tract.
Our client had to hire an archaeologist to poke around and after a month long dig that included removing one of the barns, a substantial cemetery was uncovered. It was cool as hell watching the workers scrape away the soil about an inch at a time by hand and uncovering the silouhettes of the pinch toe coffins. I think we ended up with 20-30 graves.
The archaeologist reasoned that the cemetery started as a family plot but since travel was so limited and difficult a hundred or so years ago the farmer probably started letting his neighbors get planted too.
Another cool fact about older cemeteries is that generally, all of the graves have an east west orientation with the feet to the east so that when the biblical return of the Lord occurs (from the east) the dead will arise and be facing Him.
Pastors were sometimes buried with feet to the west so that they would be facing their congregation.
I am sure Ariadne can expound further or correct me if necessary.
I was amazed at what was found.
The town required that the general area be fenced and protected with historical explanatory plaques installed and the rest of the development was approved.
Scott
 
bobpbx

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,677
4,851
Pines; Bamber area
I don't believe in cemetaries as we know them today. They are unrealistic. They cannot survive eternally. How about plots of state land rented for internment of ashes. Only wooden markers allowed and individual families are responsible for upkeep of the marker. The rental goes to a caretaker who keeps the location of ashes on a GPS database. After 50 years from closing when full, the land is reverted back to wild land and all wooden markers are removed.
 
BEHR655

BEHR655

Piney
Feb 19, 2003
2,707
8
Merchantville, NJ
www.behr655.smugmug.com
bobpbx said:
I don't believe in cemetaries as we know them today. They are unrealistic. They cannot survive eternally. How about plots of state land rented for internment of ashes. Only wooden markers allowed and individual families are responsible for upkeep of the marker. The rental goes to a caretaker who keeps the location of ashes on a GPS database. After 50 years from closing when full, the land is reverted back to wild land and all wooden markers are removed.
Click to expand...

Let's not and say we did. :D

Steve
 
Teegate

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,967
8,710
Boyd said:
Speaking of markers, has anyone else noticed the memorials on top of FRM and Bear Swamp Hill? What's up with those?...
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Descibe them.

Guy
 
Boyd

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,829
3,010
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
On top of Forked River Mountian - the side with the view - someone has setup a little memorial of sorts. There's a chair and some sort of wreath on a tree. My friend and I were looking at this and figured someone's ashes are probably scattered there and the chair is so their spirit and admire the view (?)

There's a similar sort of thing on top of Bear Swamp Hill. It's just below the base of the old fire tower. I don't recall the details since it's been a month or two since I was there, but basically there's a little memorial of sorts. And strangely, they seem to have planted a little tree there which still had a tag from a nursery on it when I was there.

Not sure, but there may have been more than one memorial at these places. Has anyone else noticed these? Also, it appeared that somebody had chopped down a couple trees on the side of FRM (with an axe or hatchet) to enhance the view....
 
Boyd

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,829
3,010
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
Well that's what I figured too, and I can think of worse places for my spirit to roam after I'm gone :) However, if 20 or 30 people decide this is a good idea then that's a problem....
 
Teegate

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,967
8,710
bobpbx said:
I have seen both. People who passed away who loved the area, so their friends or family chose the memorial for them.
Click to expand...

Is that the one you sent me the photo of Bob?

Guy
 
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