Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1903-04-08
The Lexington Cemetery

During recent months, we have
spent some pleasant hours in the
old and intensely interesting GENE
terry, which many years ago was
the seat of the Presbyterian church
in Lexington, Va, and the plot OF
its burial ground, though now
greatly enlarged and beautified.
In this sacred and well kept
enclosure sleep the first wife OF
Stonewall jackson and his only
child, Julia-and also the general
himself, over whom is reared with
its fine proportions a memorial
bronze statue, whose unwilling was
witnessed by $4,000 people. Near
by the great chieftain silently
bivouac-their graves their tents
Confederate soldiers, generals
and other commissioned and non
commissioned officers and privates
to the number of 1927. To these
we must add a general in the Revo-
lutionary struggle. and perhaps
others who battled for indepen-
dence then. Two Virginia Gov
ernOrs, James Mcdowell and John
Letcher. also have sepulture there,
where the unconscious dust is I'M
disturbed either by notes of peace
or tocsins of war. There, too, we
found inferred in the silent
Metropolis professional men, teach
ers, merchants, mechanics, farmers,
of-all-work, matrons, maidens,
children and infants, that only
had one look at the world, and
then fell into the wakeless slumber
We especially mention the name
of one woman, whose grave is
found there, marked by an mex
pensive stone-that OF Mrs. Mar
garet j. Preston,a Virginia poetess,
and the daughter of a Presby-
terian preacher and teacher. The
Tyre was broken, and she laid it
down in her 18th year.
Among the 1875 buried in the
cemetery, there are "a ministers,
Of these two were Episcopal
clergymen-Gen. William Nelson
PendIeton, D. D., JacksOn's chief
of artillery, and Rev. William S,
Campbell. The remaining twenty
two were all Presbyterian preache:
and their names are as follows:
l. Rev Daniel Blan professor in Washington
college, Lexington, Va.
a. Rev, Andrew Davidson, pastor.
J. Rev. Robert J. Taylor, pastor
4. Rev. John L. Kirkpatrick, ID. d., presiden
at one time of Davidson College ~ c., anC
afterwards professor in w. & L. university.
S. Rev. John W. Pratt ID. D., pastor.
6. Rev. John Holmes Bocock, d. D., pastor.
7. Rev. J. Crawford McClung, pastor.
s. Rev. Thomas Lewis Preston, D. D., pastor
9. Rev John Alexander Preston, d. D., pastor
TO- Rev VIM. w. Houston. d. ID pastor
H. Rev. Ebenezer d. Junkin, ID ID, pastor
IL Rev VIM +. Junkin, d d pastor
- Rev David w Shanks, d d, pastor
"a Rev. David C. Irwin, pastor.
IS. Rev. James Smith, pastor.
IS. Rev. Harvey Gilmore pastor
II. Rev Beverly Tucker Lacy d. d, pastor.
IS. Rev VIM NJ McElwee, d D., pastor
I9 Rev. VIM S White, d d, pastor.
40 Rev. James Kerr, pastor.
al. Rev. A. Wallace Ruff, pastor.
a.. Rev. Joseph F. Baxter, pastor.
Several of the ministerial graves,
we regret to say, are Unmarked by
memorial stones. Would it not bt
well for their friends to supply thi'
lack, assisted, if need be, by sucl
persons as owe debt of love t.
those servants Of Christ the Lord
Another interesting grave in the
sacred spot is that of Col. VIM. F
Wilson. Here is tho inscription
on his monument: "a Texal
Revolutionist in 1886. In Mic
Prison, Mexico, 1912. Died in tn
Confederate service" Col. Wilson
was the friend and cOmpatriOt o
"Big Foot Wallace. He wen
out to Texas to avenge brothe.
death. He and Mr.. Wallace wer
in Mier prison together, and boil
escaped by drawing white beans
nRig Foot" Wallace fills an hOnOre,
grave in Texas.
In the cemetery of which W
write are decently inferred II
choice lots three old colored people
The name of one of these is Davi'
Buck. He had been a faithful
sexton, and, when he died, it wa
deemed proper to bury him wher
his Toulouse once stood. Tn
place lies well to the front in tn
grounds.
The name of another of these i
Samuel Hays. He was trustee
servant in the family of Nh
Robert /. White. At death, h
was laid to rest in the family lot
A neat slab over his grave bear
this inscription :-"In loving re
membrance of faithful service
This stone is erected by the desir
Of his master. He was loved
honored and trusted by thre
generations"
The name of the third is that o
Amy Hill. She had bought he
freedom, we understand, owned
good house in the town, and ha'
some money. On the eve of he
death, it is said, she called MI
Taylor to her bedside and aske
him to have her buried among tn
"white folks" There were som
medical students in Lexington, an
she feared her body would be ex
humed, if laid among her colore
friends. Mr.. Taylor promised t
bury her on his own land, whic
Joined the cemetery. This wa
done, but, owing to later enlarge