The cemetary was designed in 1847. Designed like a park, meandering paths around hills and around beautiful old trees. The Southern boundary is on a cliff overlooking the James River, for some symbolizes the River Jordan.
James Monroe and John Tyler are buried here as well as many of the Civil War. Jefferson Davis - president of the conferacy along with Varina, his wife, daughter and son.
William Mayo an engineer , first drew the line between Va. and North Carolina, and then in 1737 laid the streets in Richmond is buried here.
Grave of Phillip Haxall - his mills produced up to 700 barrells of flour a day. Virginia wheat was durable and could be shipped to California and Europe.
There are several stories out there, one being to be protected from being melted down by Union soldiers to make weapons and another that it used to sit in front of a store in Richmond . A little girl would pass by on occasion and pet it or jump on its back, when she died of Scarlet fever (that is what I heard) it was placed near her grave to watch over her.
can't imagine how old this tree must be.
More pictures tomorrow
2 comments:
How lovely, the story of the little girl and the iron dog to protect her... very nice post.
Lee
The iron dog--i really like that. I am not into cemetaries, however,with all the history it is pretty amazing. I do believe at one time--Thomas Jefferson was buried here and then he was moved to Monticello. I want to go one day-(living).
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