Minutes of the Friends of the Geer Cemetery 6/7/04

In attendance were: Mr. R.K Bryant, Jr. (Chair), Chante Bohannon-Mangum, Deidre Barnes, Carrie McNair, Allen Dew, Jessica Eustice

5:00 6/7/04 This June meeting in the Durham County Library Conference room was called to order by Chairman Bryant. Mr. Bryant provided all present with the agenda for this June meeting.

Minutes of the last meeting:

The FOGC has been meeting with few exceptions since June 23, 2003. Our last meeting was Feb. 9; minutes of that meeting are missing

Opening Remarks:

• Introductions were not necessary since we all knew each other.
• Sign-in Sheet was passed around.
• Reviewed: what has been accomplished so far:

Approved: City Council Action:

• The City of Durham has granted a contract to TROSA for $14,260.00 to clear the cemetery, and allocated $850.00 per quarter for maintenance for one year.
• The FOGC must get a copy of the contract with TROSA for our records. Work began May 20th. Workers there were Jerry, Tomas, Clinton (Quentin?) and Lindsay. When does the quarterly work begin and end?
• The Friends of the Geer Cemetery to seek funds for maintenance thereafter.

Reviewed was what we had hoped for:

• Establish ownership of the Cemetery (Check w/UGOOF and Masons) is the Cemetery city owned? A connection has been made between the Cemetery and Masonic Organizations . Mr, Bryant mentioned the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows, the Rebeccas, and the Royal Knights of King David.
• Mr. Bryant has checked the Masonic records, but has not found any records going that far back.
• (Get volunteers to check minutes of City Council from about 1872 when Maplewood Cemetery was established) –Jesse did this and found several references to a “Negro Cemetery” which was overcrowded, the specific location of said Cemetery was not mentioned.
• Insure perpetual care of the Cemetery:
• We need to insure that the Friends of the Geer Cemetery have Non-Profit status and can appeal for a donation of Round-Up from Lowe’s or Home Depot. We may need to appeal for a grant or grants.We need to make sure that Round-Up will be sprayed at the appropriate times to prevent re-growth.
• Proper Sign: Stone Marker
• A sign discussion included these remarks: Mr. Bryant observed that the present sign is only a temporary marker, and has suffered damage over the years. He envisions a contribution of a brick or a stone sign on Camden (There is an entrance lane there)--- The Historic Preservation Society could put up a marker, but there was a question about regulations regarding historic markers and state roads. The Blind Boy Fuller marker was mentioned.
• Ms. Deidre Barnes mentioned that her Grandmother had drawn a map from memory of the Geer Plantation. We wondered if a copy of the map could be somehow incorporated into a sign.
• An appropriate entrance gate to the Cemetery: (Check for volunteer brick masons, labor, and donated materials. RKB will check with William Turner and Jesse will check with Bill Anderson) (One idea was to get the map of the Geer Property from the family of Mrs. Fannie Barnes and have Ernie Barnes do some art work on it. It would be placed at the entrance.) (Is it possible to get a photocopy of the Blount map which displays the Geer plantation or property some years ago?)
• The question was posed again “Where is the map which was drawn in 1992?”
• Listing of Graves: Allen Dew made a report:
• The research committee headed by Mrs. McNair has documented some 1500 burials in the Geer Cemetery since 1908, and Allen Dew has made this information available on his website: http://apdew.com/FOGC . He is in the process of building a web page devoted entirely to the Geer Cemetery. Some photographs are available both on the Geer Cemetery pages and the FOGC page.
• Mention was made of a marker in the Cemetery placed there by the G.U.O.O.F. To quote Allen Dew’s email “(Grand United Order of Odd Fellows). Some quick research I did indicated that this organization, founded in 1843, is still extant in places around the world.”
• Allen Dew also mentioned that he has photographed some grave stones which are not on the list of names compiled by the research committee, nor in the book which was put together in at the time of the 1991-92 clearing project.
• We need a permanent Map of cemetery identifying graves of individuals by name, and lanes.

There were no new reports from committees:

• Committee on Authority (to enter the Cemetery)
• Committee on Budget, Funding, Fundraising and Grants
• Committee on Volunteers
• Committee on Research on the Names, Etc. of those buried in the cemetery (from 1873-1908) Thanks for the job done on 1908-1944
• Committee on Publicity and Pictures
• Committee on History, Recordings, Information and Interviews

Other Business:

The Friends of the Geer Cemetery received “The Durham Grit Award” 1-23-04 from the Herald-Sun.

Why are there marker flags for sewer and power lines in the Cemetery? (Check with Dept. of Engineer.) If there are sewer lines crossing the Cemetery who has the plat maps or drawings?

Can Garden Clubs help in Beautifying the Cemetery or its entrance?

New Business:

Regulations controlling the clearing of cemeteries:

It was stated that we must follow the State Statutes regarding the preservation of graves.

NC Archives have no rules. (Check Durham County)

Durham County Library to be checked – NC General Statutes Chapter 14 pp 148-149; Chpt 65 on Desecration of graves.

Informal Discussion:

The trees were discussed. They are tall and straight and might make excellent boards, but Allen Dew pointed out that taking trees out of the cemetery might cause further destruction to the graves.

A suggestion was once made that we ask Durham to consider a bond referendum for cemeteries.

Allen Dew asked about the stones: some have dirt on top of them and are covered up entirely. A metal rod can be used to probe the ground. Also, what should be done about the stones which need to be set back onto their bases. (Broken stones are not permitted to be moved.) Will we have to bring dirt into the cemetery to fill the sunken graves? (Jessica is very concerned about disturbing the graves at all. She was told by neighbors that possibly some graves were moved after the cemetery had closed in 1944. Also since the cemetery was closed for overcrowding she is concerned about making it even harder to identify who was buried where.)

Finally, there was a discussion of other Black Cemeteries in Durham which have not been preserved. Crest Street Cemetery Which was moved for the Durham Freeway, and is now located near the Erwin Mills Cemetery in Old West Durham. Remains were moved in small boxes and the lay-out of the original Crest St. Cemetery was not preserved. Other locations were mentioned.

Violet Park Cemetery is located under the parking lot and in the basement of St. Titus Episcopal Church in Durham. There is a sign, but it refers to “Wolf Den” as opposed to Violet Park.

“Wolf Den” is a reference to a “cave” which was occupied by a Durham Character nicknamed “Dog-Daddy.” Deidre Barnes recalled that children in her neighborhood when she was growing up used to scare each other with the legend of “Dog Daddy’s Den.” Or Wolf Den.

Other recollections:

Osceola Jones and Nathan Malone:

Osceola Jones apparently operated something like a steam roller, and was paving up near where Trinity and Avondale meet. One night he and his wife had a fight. The next day that whole section of the road was paved, but his wife was never seen again. Neighbors of the Geer Cemetery wonder if the disappearance of the wife was ever investigated.

Also, Nathan Malone ran a taxi and met trains. He was a dapper man, who wore knickers and carried a lot of money. He would meet people at the train station and take them to their homes. Mr. Bryant’s family knew him well. He was killed in the 1930’s. His car was found somewhere in South Carolina, and his body found in the Geer Cemetery “on the creek side.”

Jessica asked if she might tape record the next Geer Cemetery Meeting in order to capture precious gems of community history such as these. Carrie McNair pointed out that recording the meetings also might allow Jessica to participate more.

Our next meeting was scheduled for 5:00 August 9. It is hoped that we will have more info from the committees at that time.

--Minutes humbly submitted by FOGC Secretary Jessica Thompson Eustice