Minutes of the Friends of the Geer Cemetery 01/10/2005

In attendance were: Mr. R.K Bryant, Jr. (Chair), Mrs. Carrie McNair (Research Chair) Mr. Allen Dew (Listserv and Web page designer), Jessica Eustice (Secretary) Mr. Frank Hyman (Former City Councilman) Jay Reinstein (Assistant City Mgr.) DD Barnes (Geer family descendent)

6:00 This January meeting in the Durham County Library was called to order by Chairman Bryant.

Geer Property:

• There is a shed on the Geer Cemetery property­ it is at the end of the lane­ since the Geer Cemetery Property has no known owner there is no one to complain about the encroachment­ this is a concern because of a law on the N.C. books called adverse possession­ if someone occupies land for 17 years or more, the land can be confiscated by the occupier.

Oddfellows and Masons:

• When were the Odd Fellows established? The Black Odd Fellows (Grand United Order of Odd Fellows) was formed about 1843 in the United States­a genealogist at the DOGS is interested in this and wants to know more about the Odd Fellows. What was their objective? They had a benevolent program like the Masonic order for the benefit of widows and orphans…
  
• Carrie McNair might contact the Odd fellows
  Mrs. Gaither­the house of Ruth
  Louise Jenkins is her daughter
  The G.U.O.O.F. was chartered out of England
  Allen Dew will get in touch with the International Order of Odd Fellows

Recent Tour; Thanks and Appreciation:

• Thanks to the folks who organized and showed up on a cold day in December for the tour of the Geer Cemetery.
  
• Thanks to Jim Wise for the latest article about the Geer Cemetery in the Herald-Sun.

Maintenance Plans:

• Jay Reinstein asked: how many more quarters of maintenance are we due for? Do we have plans for the period following that? We need to take a look at the TROSA Contract to establish exactly how much more maintenance we are due for. $14,260.00 was designated for the initial clearing, and $850.00 was set aside for each of 4 quarterly clean-ups. The contract runs from March 2004 to March 2005, but they didn’t actually begin in March 2004. Sandra Harper needs to call Frank Hyman re: TROSA contract and remaining clearing plans.
  
• Frank Hyman explained the policy problem with the City of Durham taking over the Cemetery – how is the Geer Cemetery different from every other abandoned or old cemetery in the city of Durham? (There are several small old cemeteries in the area.)
  
• Carrie McNair stated a concern about trees with vines: poison ivy, trumpet vines, wisteria
  
• Her father had a farm implement called a disk harrow which could be used to cut up vines
  
• Should TROSA’s next clearing focus on cutting vines?
  
• Discussion of Forestry Service and possibility of a controlled Burn. March to the end of April would be the time to do that.
  
• If Round Up was used, it would need to be sprayed several times.
  
• Hopefully TROSA will do their final clearing at the end of April and spray round-up to hold the weeds back temporarily. About Round-up: TROSA may be able to obtain that because they routinely ask for donations.
  
• Volunteer services? Ernie Mills? At the Rescue Mission? What could we offer them?
  
• Other ideas for Volunteers? Volunteer Center of Durham – newspaper announcement

Fundraising and Publicity:

• Senator Lucas was interested in heading the fundraising committee, but she has been ill.
  We need to work on getting grants . Barbara Lau and Lynn Richardson might be able to point us in the right direction.
  
• We can invite descendents of the cemetery to tour it, to see if they are interested in the project and in getting involved. Who should people contact? Kelly and Jessica?
  See Allen Dew’s FOGC website for phone numbers. http://apdew.com/FOGC/

Flags present in the Cemetery:

• Jay and Frank: on the tour: Flagging – sewer lines? Indication dead trees walk around is not safe
  Cutting trees and filling graves if you can prove your relationship to the buried individual you may be able to cut trees and fill in graves.
  
• Chantae Mangum was working on the topic of the flags – why they are there, and she was going to get a second copy of the old Geer Will from Nat Clark. Also stakes for mapping the cemetery.
  

Odds and Ends:

• Is Rosetta Thorpe still in the area? What about Bruce Richards? We have been unable to reach him at the email address he gave to us?
  
• Carrie McNair spoke about Hayti and the redevelopment meeting which was held at the Stanford Warren Library before the Durham Freeway was put through. The Authorities at the meeting showed plans for redevelopment after the Freeway went through­it was going to be nice…
  
• Will Strayhorn lived on Dunbar St. Uncle Billy Strayhorn played with Duke Ellington.

Next Meeting:

Next meeting to be held at 5:00 , February 14, 2005 in the Conference room at the Durham County Library. Jessica will reserve the conference room.

The Meeting was closed at 7:15 by Kelly Bryant.

- Minutes humbly submitted by Jessica T. Eustice, Secretary