West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-06-09

Effort so Have the ssody zccVuovcG
10 OlcnvyOod Cemetery 90 wash
ingtor--a TaIls With sac owner
% Monticello,
~ meeting cf The lOt-owners and
trustees OF Glcuwoood Cemetery last week
a communication from Mrs. Meckcbam.
the granddaughter of Thomas jefferson,
was submitted for action. She says che is
the near, 81 relative now living of Thomas
jefferson; that Monticello, J Persons
homestead, ~ here he was buried, has pass
ca out Of the control o: his family; that
she has examined Genwo0d Cemetery
and has selected IA place 10 the grounds
which she deems eligible AMI suitable for
| The burial If the remains OF her grand
father ana If the Board OF Trustees will
! convey a suitable and sufficient lot OF said
grounds to the United States st the place
| selected, ia trust, for The burial of Thomas
| Jefferson and such OF his family as may
be hereafter removed there or buried
there, she will procure the removal Of the
remains of Jefferson 10 that place az as
early day AS may 10 practicable and con
yenient. Immediate action on the propo.
sinon was taken At the meeting, and the
Board of Trustees ordered the deed to be
executed conveying the ground elected in
fee sl;nple to the United States for the
purposes expressed. The lot owners
unanimously approved the action OF the
Board.
Jefferson NJ. Levy, the owner OF Month
cello, who 10 practising lawyer in New
| York City, IN reference 20 the proposed
removal of Joffcreon's body, says:
! The spot where Jefferson was buried
was elected 10y himself and thore are
! peculiar reasons why his wishes should
! be respected. " hen Jefferson and Dab
neY Carr were young men they made AN
/ agreement that whichever of them should
| die first should he buried by the suryi-
| vOr under a certain oak tree at A!orticel.
! 10, which WAS a tavOritc with them both.
! Dabucy Carr died iu Franco in tho ti.no
| of the Revolutionary War and, after the
| war was over, Jefferson, ia nc cordaIce
| with his agreement. bad the BODY Of Carr
/ brought t. this country and buried nm
! der the oak. When J, ncrsou died nc
| expressed In his will his desire TO be
| buried i'm the same secluded spot beside
| his friend. llC also lett directions as to
the monument TO be cree cd over him.
| lis wife aud children were buried i'm
the same plot of ground. The Randolph
| family have used il as a buryiug ground
ever since.
Monticello was bought fifty years ayo
! by my uncle, Commodore Lew, who
thought so much OF Jefferson tbat he
expended 10000 for statue of him i'm
| Washineton. 1T the time of tho war the
| property was conii.calcd ON account of
| the loyalty Ct the OF the owners. and il
was involved i'm litigation after Il "a war.
! a bill mas been PASSED by Congress an.
| propriatiug $4,000 for the repair of tho
! burying ground and the erection of Il
monument Co JCilerso and Iieuteuant-
Colonel Casey. under direction OF The
| War Department. is cnLtgad i'm yiepar>
| ing I'll e. plans, / have myself so reat a
reverence tor Jefferson that never pass
his grave without iltn4 my mat. though
/ may piss aud replsS L several tunes "A
day M The summon. Mrs. Nccklrham is
| an old .adJ nearly ninety ycufS Of ace
| 1 think II speculation on the part of
the cemetery To- get thc body removed
thCre from the place where Jeiler- on
himself wished to bo buried. Although
Tire ground has been out ot the pos. es-
on OF lEe f,mily for fifty years there
has never boon any objection uutlt now