Last Sunday we were entertained by the Presbyterian Church Choir under the direction of Sharon Bradshaw.

While they sat in the parlor, others came in and joined in the singing. It was a wonderful afternoon as we celebrated the last day of the museum being open.

There is still some apple butter left. Since the museum is closed, if you would like to purchase some, telephone 532-0529 and Mrs. Jenkins will make arrangements.

The Christmas party for the members of the society was hosted at Melini’s Restaurant. It was a very pleasant evening with good food served.

Also, the annual meeting was hosted. The new officers will be announced in next week’s column.

While driving through Ironton, I noticed how pretty the decorations on the houses were.

This brought back a memory that I will share with you.

My granddaughter was a student at Marshall University and had a lovely young lady from Taiwan for a roomate.

Being away from home for the Christmas season, she was invited to come to my granddaughter’s home.

While driving down the streets in Ironton, she said, “My, an awful lot of people have died in this town.”

She had noticed the wreaths on the doors which was only done in her homeland when there was a death in the household.

She did not understand that we decorated for Christmas.

Historical: Removal of the Dead

Transfer of remains from three ancient Graveyards

Ironton Register Aug. 14, 1873.

There have been until lately three cities of the dead within the city of the living. They were the Lee, the Davidson and the Heplar graveyards.

Year by year, the growth of this town has pushed away the landmarks that told of the last resting places of the pioneers of this region, until now, their exact locations exist only in the memory of the old inhabitants.

The fences have gone, the slabs are broken and the mounds have long since lost their individualities.

Back at the nail mill is the Davidson graveyard, divested of every mark of a burial ground. Here 60 years ago, was a beautiful knoll, shaded by giant trees and sloping toward Rachel Creek, which flowed in a clear stream nearly underneath where the steam boilers of the nail factory now stand.

It was the most beautiful spot of all this region. John Davidson selected the point for his family graveyard and buried the first body there, his infant daughter, in 1810.

It was kept as a private cemetery until 1831 when John Davidson died and himself was buried there.

In his will, he gave the ground to the Baptist Church. Although up to that time, he used it principally for the internment of his family and relatives who died. Many of our old settlers found their last resting places there. As far as we can ascertainb, it contained about 65 graves.

About 1815, the Rev. John Lee of Storm’s Creek Baptist Church, laid off the lower point, between Storms Creek and the Ohio River for a graveyard.

This also was a romantic spot and the graves were thickly dug. Long time has it been now since sign of a graveyard was seen there, except when the ruthless current of the river, on a swelling tide, would undermine the turf and expose the white bones of some long-forgotten sleeper.

The Heplar graveyard was a smaller and more private institution. It was used, however, by a large number of old settlers. Last year the Iron Railroad Co. in extending their track, went through the graveyard or rather where it once was. Before doing so, however, they removed all the remains that could be found. Twenty was the number removed, 15 to Woodland and 5 to Kelly’s Cemetery. Next week will commence the removal of the remains from the other graveyards that we have described. What is found of those, who were buried there, will be interred at Woodland. A desirable space has been secured next to the Heplar lot, so that the pioneers will be together. There will be little chance to say who this or that once was. The prominent and influential men of those days will not be told. In some cemeteries there are distinctions even among the dead but in the Davidson and Lee graveyards all occupy the same level of oblivion.