Minutes of the Friends of the Geer Cemetery 08/06/2007
At the Home of Jessica and David Eustice
809 Colonial Street, Durham
In attendance: R.K. Bryant, Jr.; Allen Dew; Jessica Eustice; Carrie McNair; David Eustice
4:00 Meeting called to order by Chairman Bryant.
About a Group in Wake County:
There is a group looking at Mount Hope Cemetery, Old City Cemetery and O’Rorke Cemetery in Raleigh. They want to clean and beautify these cemeteries, and are approaching groups such as the DAR and the City of Raleigh for grants to help with their project.
About supplying information to the city of Durham:
We need to get a list of the number of Geer Cemetery death certificates that name “City Cemetery” to the city as proof that the city used the Geer Cemetery as a public cemetery for blacks during segregation.
Do we need the actual death certificates or just the numbers of death certificates? It was decided to get the numbers to the city. The actual certificates have been relocated from the health department (in the old Sears building) to the Register of Deeds office in the city govt. offices. There is a question about who now has access to them.
About Beechwood:
In 1823, Jeff Bass was buried at Geer. At that time this land was a part of Orange County and there was no City of Durham. People were sometimes moved when a new cemetery would open up. Sometimes the people were not moved, but a marker put up in the new cemetery to stand for the person buried in an older cemetery.
About Rocky Mount and other parts of NC:
K.B.’s sister received a letter from a gentleman in Rocky Mount about the Princeville Cemetery. This cemetery may still be open. Carrie McNair remembers the burial for Reverend Braswell (from Mt. Vernon church) at the Princeville Cemetery before the Floyd Flood.
Other recollections of Rocky Mount were shared including June Germans.
About Student Volunteers from NCCU:
K.B. received a call from a woman at NCCU about student volunteers willing to work in the Geer Cemetery. 530-7081
About Cemetery Rules and Regulations:
The rules and regulations regarding abandoned cemeteries have been revised. These new Rules and Reg.s will soon be published and Allen Dew’s website will have them up on the web. The new rules state that the counties are responsible for establishing perpetual maintenance of cemeteries.
Cemeteries in and near Durham County:
A dozen or so cemeteries were moved when 147 came through Durham. The Crest Street Cemetery was one. Kelly Bryant watched as some remains were moved.
There are ½ dozen cemeteries over near Cheek Road.
Ms. Mattie Soames family was buried at St. Titus. Carrie McNair’s cousin, and Ellerbe was buried in the cemetery now lying under St Titus
A comment was made: You never know where an old cemetery might be located.
There is a cemetery beside Terminal A at RDU that has never been surveyed. Where will Scarborough Funeral Home go now?
There is a church off Guess Road and St. Mary’s Road [Cain's Chapel Baptist Church] that has many burials marked by cement block.
New Red Mountain Church Cemetery has a similar situation.
About Blind Boy Fuller’s Grave:
Blind Boy Fuller’s burial site was mentioned. He was buried in Grove Hill that was owned by Mrs. McLauren. (Johnson Rae Williams played bass violin.)
To Do List:
- Get numbers of Geer Death Certificates indicating “City Cemetery” to Mike Woodard.
- Get feedback from Mike Woodard about the status of the Geer Cemetery and find out how we can help the owners of the cemetery.
- ask will they reset stones? Will they glue broken stones?
- Mention the wall/gate/fence
- regrading the lane and improving it
- would the city bring in an Archeologist to identify where the graves are?
- Call NCCU about student volunteers.
- Carrie McNair contact Lynn Richardson about her (Carrie’s) photographs.
Next Meeting scheduled for 4:00 Sept. 10th at the home of Jessica Eustice.
Minutes submitted by Jessica Eustice, 8/11/07 |
