Meeting Minutes June 4, 2007


Minutes of the Friends of the Geer Cemetery 06/04/2007
At the Home of Jessica and David Eustice
809 Colonial Street, Durham

in attendance: R.K. Bryant, Jr.; Allen Dew; Jessica Eustice; Carrie McNair; City Councilman Mike Woodard; David Eustice

5:30 Meeting called to order by Chairman Bryant.

Mr. Bryant presented the Agenda

Minutes taken by Chantae Bohannon-Mangum were amended and approved

Mr. Bryant acknowledged and expressed gratitude to the late Senator Jeanne Lucas for serving as Fundraising Chair for the FOGC.
Appreciation for Senator Lucas’ leadership on the fundraising committee was expressed. Her church is Mt. Gilead (Note that this is an HB church, mentioned in Jean Anderson’s Durham County since it was a center of social and economic development in eastern Durham from approximately 1880-1930) Senator Lucas’ Husband William Lucas is in our thoughts. He too is appreciated as a member of the FOGC Research Committee that researched about 1500 Death Certificates of people buried in the Geer Cemetery.

History, Status and Update on Spring 2007 Clean Up:
The Cemetery was cleaned up by the City of Durham this Spring (date?). Weeds were cut back and some brush removed. The Cemetery looks clear; head stones are visible from a distance and daylight can be seen through the trees. This is better than it was when we started advocating for the Cemetery. However, there are still several headstones knocked down, broken, or fallen, and many on their faces so that the names, epitaphs and dates are not visible. Some of these are the larger monuments in the Cemetery.

Ownership of the Property:
The FOGC seeks a commitment in writing from the City to clear and maintain the Cemetery once or twice a year.
Mr. Bryant notes that in 1991, the City of Durham gave his group the authority to go onto the property. The Research Committee of the FOGC found that many of the death certificates since 1908 refer to the Geer Cemetery as “City Cemetery” and “East Durham Cemetery”. Since the re-convening of the FOGC in 2002 and the clean ups by TROSA in 2004 and through 2006, Mr. Bryant never received a copy of the contract with TROSA. Still, the FOGC is grateful to the City of Durham for the continued recognition of the Cemetery, as shown through their continued efforts to keep it cleared.

A question was raised about how the City officially took over the Fitzgerald Cemetery.

Historical Significance of the Property:
The FOGC is interested in the historical significance of the property for reasons including:
Burial of Edian Markham (founder of St Joseph’s AME Church)
Burial of Mr. Bryant’s Grandmother Margaret Ruffin Faucette (she was a founding member of White Rock Baptist Church)
Burial of one of Mr. Bryant’s grandfather’s: Robert L. Poole whose deed to the plot in the Geer (Mason) Cemetery was signed by John O’Daniels.
In 1870 Prince Hall masonry came to Durham.

The FOGC would like to provide assistance to the City for the achievement of the following goals:

  1. Filling in sunken graves
  2. Setting up fallen tombstones
  3. Gravel on the lane off Camden
  4. Creating a grid-map of the cemetery showing where to find specific burials
  5. Building of a brick and stone sign or signs to permanently identify the Cemetery

Things that would help the City to do this:
A list of the members of the research committee who researched the 1500 burials (Ms. McNair has this.)
A Sample of death certificates stating “City Cemetery” on them.
A Mission Statement

Discussions:
  • Bryant brought a map from March 1923 showing the neighborhood and the Cemetery. Members talked about the map that was made in 1991, but reiterated that it has been lost. Mention was made that we still have a donation of $100.00 from Ms. Hildegard Ryals that could be used to help in the creation of a new grid. Ms. McNair says that she has found a death certificate for a Meazie Banks, born in 1872 and buried in 1944 by Scarborough and Hargett. Two other burials were discussed at this time, Alison James Armstead 1881 – 1944, and a William Jasper Bell.
  • It was noted that the parks and Rec. Department of Raleigh has taken on this sort of Cemetery restoration project in Raleigh, NC.
  • There was some discussion of the Hayti Riot in 1937 (p374 Jean Anderson Durham County) Oral history was given by Mr. Bryant.
  • A documentary “Wings Over Jordan” about Sacred Singing in the streets in Cleveland Ohio was mentioned.

Committees:
At our next meeting, Mr. Bryant plans to rejuvenate our committees:
      • Status Committee
      • Research Committee – Ms. Carrie McNair
      • Committee on Volunteers – Mr. R K. Bryant Jr.
      • History Committee - Ms. Jessica Eustice
      • Publicity, Pictures and Videos Committee
      • Budget Committee – Mrs. Jeanne H. Lucas

New Business:
Other interests in the black Community:
      1. Bowling-Emory Hosiery Mill, Gilbert Street – John O’Daniels Hosiery Mill
      2. Durham Hosiery Mill No. 2, 500 Pettigrew St. - Charles C. Amey Mgr.

Next meeting Date, Time, Place:
August 6th, 4:00 pm, at the home of Jessica and David Eustice, 809 Colonial Street

Minutes submitted by Jessica Eustice, 6/9/07

 

 

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