Grave Matters

Ever since I was a small child, I’ve been fascinated with cemeteries. I love reading the inscriptions on the tombstones and trying to catch a glimpse into the lives of the people laid to rest there. In my genealogy research it’s been more exciting to actually see the cemeteries where my ancestors are buried instead of just reading a piece of paper where their names and dates are listed. I’ve enjoyed visiting cemeteries that range from one with graves that predate the Revolutionary War to reliving Georgia History on the Georgia coast to falling over a cowboy boot left on John Wayne’s grave in California.

Apparently, I’m not alone in my quest to visit cemeteries. According to a 10/30/09 article on cnn.com titled Cemeteries Breathe Life Into Tourists, “For visitors who seek out headstones, this sort of destination travel is about more than death and grief-seeking. It can be a form of entertainment and inspiration, a history and architecture lesson, a cultural appreciation course, a genealogical journey and a source of relaxation.”

For lovers of www.findagrave.com, Roswell Georgia’s modern Greenlawn Cemetery is the final resting place of AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion “Ravishing Rick Rude” (Rick Rood) and major league baseball player, Harold Lewis “Corky” Valentine. Corky played for the Atlanta Crackers minor league team before heading to the Cincinnati Reds in the 1950s.

For those of us who love older grave markers, Roswell is a treasure trove with four historic cemeteries.

Founder’s Cemetery (1840)

Founder’s Cemetery was the original municipal graveyard, established by Roswell King, the founder of Roswell, for use by the community. It contains the graves of some of Roswell’s founding families, including Roswell King, James Bulloch (grandfather of President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt), and John Dunwody. Burials occurred from the 1840s through the 1860s. Twenty-eight graves have formal markers which include headstones, die in socket, table tombs, and obelisks, plus two granite markers. Sixty-seven known unmarked graves are indicated by fieldstones. Local history says that some of the fieldstones are original and others were added during a 1984 geophysical survey. Unmarked graves are generally agreed to be house servants and mill workers who could not afford formal headstones.

The cemetery is located on Sloan Street. Parking is available at the entrance to the cemetery.

Presbyterian Church Cemetery (1840)

The Presbyterian Cemetery was established by the Roswell Presbyterian Church. The church was organized in 1839 by 15 charter members, representatives of the founding families of Roswell. The church was built in 1840. At that time, the cemetery would have been part of the church grounds. Later construction of Atlanta Street separated the cemetery from the church. The church was used by Union troops as a hospital during the Civil War. Many of Roswell’s prominent citizens are buried here, including Smith Plantation’s owner Archibald Smith, his wife Anne Margaret McGill Smith, and Reverend Francis R. Goulding, inventor of the first sewing machine.

At least one of the graves tells of tragic love. John Henry Lang, of a prominent family in England, is buried in the King Family Plot so that he could be close to the family for eternity. In 1884, he came to Roswell to be the manager of the Roswell Manufacturing Company and was soon courting Fannie Baker, great-granddaughter of Roswell King. The family approved of him but before their marriage, he was killed supervising an installation at the mill.

The Presbyterian Cemetery has a large variety of monument types and materials including headstones, footstones, die on base, die in socket, die, base & cap, bedsteads, lawn makers, raised top, obelisk, pulpit marker, and ornately carved monuments. This cemetery is still active.

The cemetery is located at the intersection of Atlanta Street and Oak Street. Parking is available at the Presbyterian Church or at the Shops on Oak Street shopping center.

Old Roswell Cemetery (1848)

The Old Roswell Cemetery was originally affiliated with the Mount Carmel Methodist Church, which was established in 1836. When the church expanded and moved to a new location, the cemetery was opened to the public. It was officially renamed the Old Roswell Cemetery in 1975.

The Old Roswell Cemetery has a large variety of monument types and materials including headstones, footstones, die on base, die in socket, die, base & cap, bedsteads, lawn makers, raised top, obelisk, pulpit marker, and specialty stones like Modern Woodmen of America tree stumps and intricately carved monuments. This cemetery is still active.

The cemetery is located at the intersection of Alpharetta Street and Woodstock Road. Parking is available on Woodstock Road near the water tower.

Pleasant Hill Cemetery (1855)
Pleasant Hill Cemetery was established when African American members of the Lebanon Baptist Church organized their own church. Burials continued until the early 1960s. The first Pleasant Hill Church site was on the south side of the cemetery. The current church is located in Roswell’s historic district on Pleasant Hill Street. As Roswell grew, a commercial district sprang up around the cemetery. Many pass by its fenced boundaries, surprised to see headstones on the road leading into a shopping center and probably wondering who is buried there.

The cemetery is located off Old Roswell Place, half way between Holcomb Bridge Road and Old Roswell Road, behind the Roswell Town Center shopping area. Parking lots are adjacent to the cemetery.

Cemetery Etiquette
Due to the fragile nature of historic grave markers, gravestone rubbings are not encouraged. Photography and sketches are great ways to take home your memories of Roswell’s historic cemeteries.

Preserve America Historic Cemetery Project
Roswell is one of only thirteen communities in Georgia designated as a Preserve America community. Preserve America is a White House initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage.

In 2006 the City of Roswell, with the support of the Roswell Historical Society, applied for and received a Preserve America Grant for Cemetery Preservation. Available only to Georgia's Preserve America communities, this one-time-only grant program provides funds for activities related to the historic cemeteries in their communities.

As part of this grant, a professionally prepared assessment and conditions report is complete. The City is seeking additional funding for a walking tour brochure and additional interpretive signs for each cemetery.

Volunteers from the Roswell Historical Society have compiled data on Founders, Presbyterian, and the Old Roswell (Methodist) cemeteries. In about a year this data will be in a database that will allow researchers to search for family names and locate graves. The plan is to expand the recording process to additional historic cemeteries in the Roswell area.

Extra Credit: Roswell, Georgia Genealogy Research Source
For those who just can’t wait until the Roswell cemetery data is online, the Roswell Historical Society/ City of Roswell Research Library and Archives is a great source of information. They are located on the second floor of the Roswell Cultural Arts Center at 950 Forest Street, Roswell, GA 30075, and are open Monday & Thursday, 1 - 4:30 pm.