The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-04-03
THE GRAVE OF ANNIE LEE.
Statement of Facts Concerning the
Erection of the Monument and En-.
closing the Burial Ground.

surrounding MISS Lee toiho anu th0
graves of our family and kindred was
placed there by public subscription.
MIR Blacknall in replying to 'Eisi-
tors" communication to the Norfolk
Tirginian-Pilot, copied in the GOLD
LEAF, referred to above. uses these
words:
The war over the sadly impover-
ished people of Warren county
promptly raised $1,000 and erected
an appropriate monument to Miss
Lee, besides enclosing the burial ground
that OF the once wealthy Jones
family-by a substantial iron fence,
cost probably another 81 900 | think
therefore. Sir, that | am justified in
giving the facts in the case, which
can be substantiated both by living
persons and letters in my posses
sion.
Just about the commencement OF
the war my father employed Mr..
Gerald Crowder, an experienced stone
cutter, to place stone steps and sup
porting columns to his residence,
then being remodeled, and to cnt
from the native granite monument
and place it over the remains OF his
wife who had recently died, Miss Lucy
Pettway, of Halifax county. He then
employed him to cut stone pillars and
enclose the cemetery. About this
time Miss Annie Lee died at my
| grandfather's, at the White Sulphur
Springs and her body was placed in
our cemetery, Mrs. Lee and friends
and kindred acquiescing. My father
then went quietly ahead to have MIR.
CrOwder place a monument over the
the native granite as he had done my
step-mother's. The army being in
need of men, Mr.. Crowder had to
leave the work he b ID undertaken and
90 to the front.
NV father then wrote to General
Bragg (who was born in Warren
county, and told him of his purpose
and asked him that he aid him by
having Mr.. Crowder detailed for tho
work. In "a letter to my father under
date Of 2nd Of April, 1864, General
Bragg, after speaking in tie highest
terms Of the people Of Warren, said:
The feeling and just tribute you are
quietly paying to the worth and emf
nent services of my old friend General
Lee, is just what | should have ex-
pected Of old Warren. Whatever
can do to forward the project will
be most cheerfully performed "
la a letter to my father under date
of April 10Th, 1864, he says: .'Privat-
Crowder will hand you this. He is
directed to see you and execute the
work of which you spoke to me, or
rather about which you wrote me. 1t
was necessary to use some little cir
cumspection to keep General Lee
from knowing the object or he never
would have Welded his assent. BE
so good as to require him to finish
the work as soon as possible and re-
turn and report to me, if he is able. >
(Mr. CrOwder was rather intirm, and
had already been detailed on light
duty.)
| have quoted these letters and
presented the facts in detail as above
to show that my father was not only
engaged in enclosing the cemetery al
| his u" IL SApCuSC, out n0l SOuC CNCL
further than that and was taking the
necessary steps to erect the monu
ment to Miss Lee unaided Now, tc
quote from Mr.. Gerald Crowdcr',
statement which he made of his owr
accord-''for the benefit of Joseph S
Jones children and grand children
and my own satisfaction:
''Joseph S. Jones employed me tt
enclose the graveyard before the com
mencement Of the late war and | die
not look for pay through the hand
of any living man, save himself ant
father. But in July last Uhis wa
written in September, 1860, a few
noble hearted men, through a goot
design, concluded to have the grave
yard cleaned off and speedily finish
everything necessary to be done. ant
tender an invitation to General Lee
,, and other distinguished gentlemen
,, on the occasion of erecting the monu
,, ment. But for that Mr.. Jones ant
myself would have put up all thu
work without display or asking aid
asking for neither honor or money
for Heaven would bestow the honor
!, any was due and the money matter
would have been settled between our
selves. But there was committe
of few gentlemen formed who too
everything out of our hands withou
Mr.. Jones request or wish. Tn
monument and grave yard expense
were put together. making what
call lump job. MIR. Jones then sub
scribed five hundred dollars $500. 90
, besides boarding me and son twent
months, which is worth at the loves
; consideration, $500 per month each
which would amount to three hundre,
and twenty dollars (S32O.O0).
Il had also the use Of his smith
; tools. Besides all this, he hauled tn
stone from the quarry to his shop
which | could not have got hauled b
any one else for less than seventy
five dollars $1,000. Now, if an hon
est man will take this bill and con
, slider it, am honest enough to &C
knowledge his Judgment:
To $50 feet fence stone at 20
. cents per foot 16S. @
a TO jointing fence stone . $50
o To 80 stone post at 5000 $3.50
To ditto for gate at S21.OO. 42.O
Y 10 24O feet railing at $1.S7l
e per foot. .......... 1900
a TO one monument fer Miss
r Lee. ............... 1900. $3.50
$ 10 LEAD (aoout ........ 15.C
Total. ...........$ 1890.