The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-06
Rev. William II. Hart. We're unani
mously adopted:

Completely Filled.
..'Nherens, sundry resolutions and u
petition have heretofore been pre-
scented to the honorable, tho Common
Hall of the city, by the rector, wardens
and vestry OF the old church on Rich
mond HILL In relation to the burying-
ground surrounding said church, and
said resolutions and petitions have
never yet been acted on effeotually;5|
and
Whereas. said burying- ground Is
now, and has been for more than a
year past completely filled with re.
mains, insomuch that a grave cannot
be prepared without exhuming the
bones of those that have been pre-
viously deposited, thereby subjccting
the officers of said church to state
OF constant and painful embarrassment
and almost daily outraging the feel
ings of our citizens; therefore
:. Resolved, by the rector, wardens
and vestry Of said church on Richmond
Hill, That we do most solen1nly and
decidedly protest against the further
admission OF bodies into said burylng-
ground. and that we will use our
utmost endeavors with the Common
Hall Of the city to prevent the con-
t!nuance of a rSoceeding SO extremely
Iindecorous, and so repugnant 70 al
the feelings Of humanity.
our sentiments be respectfully COM
municated to the honorable, the Com
mon Hall Of this city. at their next
meeting, with a hope that they Will
| be induced to adopt such measures IN
relation to the subject as may relieve
US from our present embarrassment.
and to provide such place of interment
as may be adequate to the demands $
| Of a large and populous city.
(Signed)
".wM. H. HART tRector):s>
4 "'JOHN DOVE. Secretary.
\ s'This was in 1920. st. Johns Church.
yard was the only burying-ground for
white people in Richmond"
Agreement Made.
4 up to the year 1900, St Johns Yes
try had furnished a place OF burial
4 for the city in the two lots. 81 and 9S.
which belonged to them. and on which
s the church is built. In 1900 the city
!. bought the two lots. III and liz. on
the Broad Street side Of st. Johns
Il Churchyard.
A About 1915 the agreement between
the vestry and the Common Hall as
to uniting the grounds and surround
ing the whole square by wall was
Il entered into. The city was granted
make regulations to govern the
grounds. The ordinance passed upon
this agreement makes the wardens Of
st. Johns Church (not certain indi.
viduals named. who We're wardens q,
that time. but tho wardens for the
time beingO tho authority as to dig.
n ging graves employing a keeper. etc
t IT was five years after this ordi
: nance was enacted that the foregoing
i preamble and resolutions were sen
s, to the Common Hall by the vestry; ant
: 'sundry resolutions and petitions hat
n before been presented, and had mo
B been acted on effectually.'
They speak Of the ground belong
lie ing to Henrico Church $50
L, Action OF yestry. 81
In Before the agreement with the cit,
II the wardens. by church law, lla
" controlled the burying- ground Of tn
50 church. After the agreement the cit
,e gave them authority to manage, 70
IA the city. their part Of the ground
Il. as we'll as the part belonging to tn
I'd church, which they had always here
he tofore managed for the yestry u
I'd But the solemn protest Of Apr
1e IS. 1920, seems: not to have moved tn
II Common Hail. Six months had passe
= and the conditions $50 repugnant t
OF all the feelings Of humanity still cor
r, tinued On November 8. 1890, at
8. ga He'd meeting Of the vestry, at tn
he house OF DR.. John Dove, 1t was.
re Resolved, That no old grave sha
TT be disturbed for the purpose Of inter
o: ring now remains
r This Is the action of the vestr,
i'd not OF the Common Hall. At the san
~ meeting 1t was further
NJ Resolved, That q committee i
re appointed for the purpose OF Obtain
CO ing O burying-ground. and digestin
nv plan thereof; and handing around
n subscription to the citizens general,
nd for the purpose Of defraylng the ne,
"a essary expenses incurred thereby,
,r- Resolved. That Mr.. Lewis Blu
i'd we'll. Thomas Rohanon and John Do,
It. be appointed as said committee
nd This also was the action OF II
In Vestry, and not Of the Common HALL
les Deeply Grieyed.
Ia Mr.. Editor. In view Of such recor
to as these (and there are many other
re-; Of the vestry Of cur church in the pas
Ter and in view of the indisputable ev
Eli dence Of the continued and unfaIling
le terest Of the vestry. from before R1c
Gil mond was to this day. in the welfal
lat preservation and sanctity OF o
.rd church and its hallowed grounds a,
M in view Of the fact that the vest
it. permitted the whole city. and not on
'ch the congregation that owned It, to u
their ground as place to bury t
" dead; and In view OF the fact til
In when every six feet of ground in t
re, church's lots and also In the cit,
ng lots III and 112. was filled with !
is mains SO that grave could not
Tho dug without exhuming the bones
Au- those previously buried. the rect
the wardens and vestry most solemn
200 protested to the city authorit
her against what was $50 extremely Inc
ee, corous and so repugnant to all t
ay- feelings OF humanity'; and in View
Sc the fact that when their protest W
1g- not needed. they actually appointed
lall committee OF the vestry to solicit ST
lit scriptions with which to purchase
the cemetery for the city. you will soc ii
ga the authorities OF st. Joints Chur
have been deeply grieved at being
cused OF 'dishonoring the dead
.ch 'desecrating sacred spot etc. e
ST simply because, aa q church, we
fuse to die and be buried.
In "The proposition has been made
tn transplant us. No, thank you, we
MS too old. The proposition has be
se- made to conflno US and practically
old bel our dear mother church an an