Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, July 14, 2010
Preservation Virginia recently announced their 2010 Most Endangered Historic Sites List. These are buildings and archaeological sites across the Commonwealth that face imminent or sustained threats to their integrity or survival. Included in the list are Historic Family Cemeteries Across the Commonwealth: “Cemeteries are among the most valuable of historic genealogical resources. Rural (and urban) family cemeteries can also provide an abundance of information through the study of gravestones and grave marker designs, cemetery landscapes and religious and mortuary practices and can provide information on rural Virginia settlement patterns and the ethnic character of the residents of an area. While much can be gained through the study of historic cemeteries, the major significance of these sites lies in the fact that they are sacred. The graves help to perpetuate the memories of the deceased and the remains of the people buried there should be treated with the utmost respect and dignity. Development and neglect continue to create an urgent threat to these sacred sites across the Commonwealth.”
For genealogists visiting the Giles County Historical Society, cemeteries provide an invaluable resource. Finding a long-sought grave marker for a family member often provides an integral piece to a family tree. The marker itself may provide birth, death, and marriage information. The location of the cemetery provides key information about where the family lived. Other grave markers in the cemetery may provide information about marriages, births, deaths, and unknown siblings, aunts, uncles, and other relatives.
Giles County has a number of family cemeteries, many of which are listed in the Giles County History – Families books. Undoubtedly, there are other family cemeteries in the County, today grown up with weeds or missing their grave markers that tell stories of earlier settlers to the county. Care of family cemeteries can help remove them from the Most Endangered List. The Pearis Cemetery and Chapman Cemetery are historic Giles County cemeteries that have recently been in the news for their restoration projects.
For more information about cemetery preservation in Virginia, contact Preservation Virginia (www.preservationvirginia.org) or the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (www.dhr.virginia.gov).
Preservation Virginia recently announced their 2010 Most Endangered Historic Sites List. These are buildings and archaeological sites across the Commonwealth that face imminent or sustained threats to their integrity or survival. Included in the list are Historic Family Cemeteries Across the Commonwealth: “Cemeteries are among the most valuable of historic genealogical resources. Rural (and urban) family cemeteries can also provide an abundance of information through the study of gravestones and grave marker designs, cemetery landscapes and religious and mortuary practices and can provide information on rural Virginia settlement patterns and the ethnic character of the residents of an area. While much can be gained through the study of historic cemeteries, the major significance of these sites lies in the fact that they are sacred. The graves help to perpetuate the memories of the deceased and the remains of the people buried there should be treated with the utmost respect and dignity. Development and neglect continue to create an urgent threat to these sacred sites across the Commonwealth.”
For genealogists visiting the Giles County Historical Society, cemeteries provide an invaluable resource. Finding a long-sought grave marker for a family member often provides an integral piece to a family tree. The marker itself may provide birth, death, and marriage information. The location of the cemetery provides key information about where the family lived. Other grave markers in the cemetery may provide information about marriages, births, deaths, and unknown siblings, aunts, uncles, and other relatives.
Giles County has a number of family cemeteries, many of which are listed in the Giles County History – Families books. Undoubtedly, there are other family cemeteries in the County, today grown up with weeds or missing their grave markers that tell stories of earlier settlers to the county. Care of family cemeteries can help remove them from the Most Endangered List. The Pearis Cemetery and Chapman Cemetery are historic Giles County cemeteries that have recently been in the news for their restoration projects.
For more information about cemetery preservation in Virginia, contact Preservation Virginia (www.preservationvirginia.org) or the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (www.dhr.virginia.gov).
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