Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-03-23
Thornrose Cemetery.


The new move that the Trustees Of this
cemetery are making to improve and beau
tify it, makes some recollections OF its
history interesting at this time. The act
to incorporate 'The Thornrose Cemetery
Company" was passed by the legislature
and became a law February oath. 1s49.--
The act granted charter to the following
observation-disclosures Points, Francis J..
Stribling, Benjamin Crawford, Kenton
Harper, A. H. H. Stuart, Nicholas g. Kin
ney, Thos. J. Niche, VIM. Kinney. Geo.
M. Cochran, Jefferson Kinney, John b.
BreckinridRe, Hugh w. Shelley and n.
X. Trout. The terms of the charter per-
mitted the company to hold fifteen acres
for burial purposes, to be managed by .
Board of nine trustees, and authorizing it
10 receive bequests or gifts Of land not ex-
ceeding $50, 900 In value.
Though chartered in February, l849 it
was not until September 11th. 1850, that q
meeting of citizens was held to organize
under the charter. The meeting was pre-
sided over by Rev. Benj. NJ. Smith with
Nickolas X. Trout as Secretary and there
were present, among others. Hon. A. II.
a. Stuart, VIM. Kyle, VIM. Kinney, judi
son Mccoy, Jefferson Kinney. Ben Craw.
ford, Rev. r. H. Phillips, VIM. Il. Har-
man, W. w. Donaghe. Hugh John Craw-
ford and Arch D. Trotter. On motion Of
Mr.. Stuart the charter was accepted
The following Board Of Trustees was then
chosen by the corporators-Geo. M. Coch-
ran. A. NJ. Simpson, Rev. R H. Phillips
Hugh John Crawford. Judson Mccoy, Jno.
B. Baldwin, Davis A.. Kayser, VIM Kyle,
and N. K. Trout. The Board elected Geo.
NJ. Cochran President, John B. Baldwin
Treasurer, and n. K. Trout Secretary. A
committee composed of J. C. N. Merrill
lat then Principal Of the D. D. u y In
stitution) Edwin M. Taylor, Geo. M.
Cochran. r. H. Phillips and A. D.~Trot-
ter was appointed to select grounds. This
committee purchased FROM W. w. Dona-
CHE, twelve acres of his farm for 81 600,
and the plat of the. purchase now appears
In the official proceedings of tbs Board
as drawn BY A. D. Trotter, who was then
the county surveyor. After the purchase
of the ground the Trustees elected Patrick
McNamara. Superintendent Of the Gene
terry. at the sale ~ of $500 per annnn, the
duties of which position he has faithfully
performed to this day. In consideration OF
81 900 paid by the city OF Staunton the
Trustees set apart two lots to be used for
the burial of paupers and strangers. The
price of single graves in the cemetery was
fixed at IS for a person over ten years Of
age, and So for child under ten, and the
size of burial lots was fixed at 20 l6
feet.
1t was resolved to dedicate the cemetery
on June LIST, 1858, and Rev. Z. FL. Phillips,
A. M. Simpson and John Brandeburg
were appointed committee to make the
arrangements. It took place on the day
named: all business in town being suspen-
ded and the people going in procession to
the cemetery site, where Prof. MEG uffie of
the University of Virginia deli vered the
address
The first interment in the cemetery was
on March 29th, 1858, the body being that
of slave of Thos. J. Niche. The first
white interment was Maria Harrington,
an infant, in the following April. The
first white male inferred was David In
graham, aged Is. pupil at the Deaf Mute
Institution. buried April Itch, 1883, and
the first adult female was Elizabeth H.
Hudson. buried June IS. 1858. Up to last
Wednesday the total interments in the
cemetery number 8 413.
The President of the Cemetery Compa.
ny now is Capt. JIG. Marquis, with New
ton Argenbright as Secretary.