Minutes of the Friends of the Geer Cemetery 12/06/04
Mr. R. Kelly Bryant
Jr. had a prior commitment at White Rock Baptist Church and asked
Ms. Jessica Thompson Eustice to lead the meeting in his place.
- The Meeting convened
at 5:00 in the conference room at the Downtown Durham County
Library. Members present were Mr. Allen Dew; Mrs. Carrie McNair;
Ms. Jessica Thompson Eustice; Mr. William Lucas; Ms. Chantae
Bohannon Mangum; Ms. Sharon Laisure, Assistant City Manager;
Mr. Jay Reinstein; Mr. Frank Hyman.
Report on the clean-up
work by TROSA on and about October 29, 2004:
- TROSA conducted
their second Clean-up on or about Oct 29, 2004. We do not have
the next work date. Mr. Jay Reinstein said that he would be
happy to get an update on the clean-up from Guillo Rodriguez.
He will clarify when the next scheduled clean-up will happen,
and what they will be doing. Mr. Frank Hyman (Horticulturist)
agreed to work with Mr. Reinstein and TROSA to determine the
best procedure for preventing weed re-growth. Mr. Reinstein
also asked that Mr. Bryant give him a reminder call about a
copy of the City contract with TROSA. Sharon Laisure, Assistant
City Manager pointed out the final up-keep date is coming up,
and suggested that our committee needs to be thinking about
funding for further projects.
- (Update: by 12/09/04
Mr. Reinstein has made a copy of the contract and is sending
it to Mr. R. Kelly Bryant Jr. )
Ownership of the
Cemetery:
- Ownership of the
Cemetery still needs to be clarified. It was noted that the
majority of the Death Certificates reviewed by the Research
Committee indicate the name City Cemetery or Old
City Cemetery. Some indicate Mason Cemetery
and some Durham County Cemetery. The Historic Preservation
Society has agreed to set up a fund for the Cemetery, but monies
need to be raised. Sharon Laisure asked if grant funds are available
for historic Cemeteries. The Historic significance of this Cemetery
was discussed. It was an elite cemetery. People buried there
include Margaret Faucette, founder of White Rock Baptist Church;
Augustus Shepard, founder of the Oxford Orphanage and father
of Dr. James Shepard, and Edian Markham, founder of the Hayti
area in Durham. Mr. Frank Hyman asked for approval to talk with
city council members about the Geer Cemetery as an advocate
for city ownership of the Cemetery. Jessica made a motion to
give Mr. Hyman this approval. It was seconded by Mrs. Carrie
McNair. The FOGC approved the motion unanimously.
Tour of the cemetery:
- We have talked about
a tour of the site and the work done following the recent clean-up.
It was decided that the Friends of the Geer Cemetery would schedule
a walk-through of the Cemetery this month or next month. Dates
discussed were Dec. 20; 21st or Jan. 3rd or 4th. Jessica agreed
to arrange a date by phone or email, when most of the committee
could be present.
Cemetery sign, entrance,
lanes and/or gate:
- Sharon Laisure suggested
that if our organization is able to obtain grant money and or
raise funds for maintenance of the Cemetery, the city may be
able to help with supplies for things like a gate, a sign, a
path, and so forth. She expressed interest in the Cemetery as
a part of the Historic nature of the City of Durham. Jessica
agreed to research available Grant funds. Mrs. McNair asked
about the possibility of smoothing the lane and growing grass
in the Cemetery. Mr. Frank Hyman proposed that something like
Chapel Hill Gravel or Screenings may be put down upon the lane
in order to improve walking conditions there. A Donation may
be sought from Nello Teer, Carolina Sun Rock, the Rock Shop,
or some other sand and gravel vendors. One of the objectives
of the upcoming FOGC Tour of the Cemetery is to determine what
needs to done in the Cemetery, and what, given State Laws and
Archeology Guidelines, is possible.
Mapping the cemetery:
- Mr. Bryant has started
planning for the mapping of the cemetery in a way that we might
have an authentic map of the known graves there. It has been
suggested that Mr. Bryant get together with a surveyor or someone
in the city administration on getting advice and help in accomplishing
this. One way would be to layout a grid to cover the site in
numbered 50-foot squares and list all identifiable graves and
lanes in each square. Allen Dew and others suggested 25 foot
squares might be advisable. Small stakes and flags could be
used and we may be able to borrow some flags from the city or
someone or find sources. The number needed will have to be determined.
Chantae Bohannon-Mangum offered to donate the stakes and flags.
200 to 400 may be needed.
- There are sewer
line and water line flags already in the cemetery.
Jessica agreed to call the City to clarify the meaning of these
markers, and to obtain sewer line or water line maps if these
exist.
Orange County Library
documents on Geer Cemetery:
- Chantae Bohannon-Mangum
offered to pick up a second copy of the wills available at the
Orange County Library from Volunteer Genealogist Nat Clark.
Jessica is to email Nat Clarks contact information to
Chantae.
- Mr. Bryant looks
forward to having a further report at the next meeting.
Committee Reports
and Updates:
- - Committee on Ownership
and Authoritysee above
- - Committee on Graves
--(Again thanks and appreciation are offered to Mrs. Carrie
McNair, William Lucas, Chantae Bohannon-Mangum, Deidre Barnes,
Jean Anderson, Allen Dew, and the Research on Graves Committee
on the identification of over 1500 burials since 1908. A project
is in the works now to make a study on the causes of death of
those 1500+ individuals.)
- - Committee on Funding
see comments above. Grant Funds and other funds need
to be sought.
- - Committee on Volunteers
The Historic Preservation Society expresses interest
here.
- - Committee on Geer
Cemetery history
- - Committee on Families
of those buried in the Cemetery: Some Family members have been
located: Emmit Strudwick, Chantae Bohannon Mangum, Kelly Bryant,
Bill Lucas.
- - Committee on Publicity:
We need to get in touch with Larry Hester to ascertain his interest
in publicity at this time.
Other Agenda Items:
- Meeting on the Second
Monday may be more practical for City Employees who have Council
meetings on the first Monday. It is dark at 5:00 at this time
of year, limiting attendance to those who can drive at night.
Frank Hyman will contact Jean Anderson about car pooling to
meetings. Our next meeting will be scheduled on the second Monday
in January.
Next meeting to be
held at 5:00 , January 10, 2005 in the Conference room at the
Durham County Library. Jessica will contact Lynn Richardson to
reserve the conference room.
--Minutes humbly submitted
by Mrs.Eustice, Secretary
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