Greetings friends of Central Cemetery!

The 4th Sunday in June will be here soon and that means DECORATION SUNDAY! I hope you are all planning to attend. We will gather at the Cemetery on Sunday morning and have a worship service at 11:00 led by Mr. David Trent. There will be a brief business meeting immediately following the service and then we will EAT! A hot dog/hamburger lunch will be provided (provided you tell me you are coming!). Please let me know you are coming so I can have enough food for everyone.

We’d love to see you on Saturday, too! On Saturday we will have a cleanup day at the Cemetery. If we could get just one representative from each family come and spend only an hour or two cleaning their family markers the day would be a great success. You need not spend all day, just a couple of hours would be great. This is a wonderful time of fun and fellowship. We will have a cookout at noon on Saturday, too. Some come and work a little, visit, more, and eat a lot!

If you can’t come to Central during Decoration weekend please consider sending a donation to help with the upkeep of the grounds. Make checks out to the Central Cemetery Fund and mail them to: 151 Cherry Stone Avenue in Bluefield, Virginia 24605. Call me at (276) 322-3911 to talk about Cemetery business, or anything else!

Newsletters are in the mail and flying out over the internet. If you’d like to get on the mailing list send me an email (dantrent@comcast.net) and I will send you the latest info. Or you can write to the above address or call me and I will be happy to share.

We have had 4 deaths at Central this year The obituaries are below:

Junior Parks, age 75, of Bishopville, Md. passed away Friday, May 23, 2014, at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Md. He was born June 17, 1938, to the late George Clifton and Jenny Lou Ross Parks in Sugar Grove, Va.

He was a retired carpenter. He worked in construction for many years, and was a quiet, hard working man who was dedicated to his family and friends. He will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his wife, Norma Jane Niblett Parks. He is also survived by his siblings: Robert Parks of Darlington, Md., Kate Buchanan, of Hudson, Fla., Mildred Osborne, of Johnson City, Tenn., Lugean Hall of Sugar Grove, Va. and Francis Johnson of Sugar Grove, Va.; as well as many nephews, nieces and cousins, along with many, many friends.

He also leaves behind his beloved canine friend Molly the poodle. In addition to his parents, Mr. Parks was preceded by four brothers: William “Will” Lee, Luther Edward, Billy Gale and Roger Dale Parks. He also was preceded by a sister: Ona Odell Parks. His remains were interred at the Bishopville Cemetery with Pastor Dean Perdue officiating.

SUGAR GROVE, Virginia. Esther E. Vaught, age 102, passed away on Saturday, March 21, 2015 at the Francis Marion Manor in Marion, Virginia. Ms. Vaught was born in Grayson County, Virginia. to the late Wiley Vaught and Ella E. Long. She was a member of the Wharf Hill United Methodist Church in Sugar Grove and had worked at Roses in Marion for several years.

She is survived by half brother, Herbert Vaught, Glade Spring, Virginia.; cousin, Margaret Morris, Conyers Georgia. She is also survived by other loving family members. Funeral services were held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at the Bradley’s Funeral Home in Marion with the Rev. Kenny Price and the Rev. Charles Leonard officiating. The family received friends on Tuesday from 5 until 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Graveside services were held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at Central Cemetery in Grayson County. Family and friends met at the funeral home at 2 p.m. for the funeral procession. Bradley’s Funeral Home served the family.

Carolyn Testerman Ross, 73, of Independence, passed away Friday, March 20, 2015, at Twin County Regional Hospital, Galax, Virginia.
Carolyn was born at Grassy Creek, N.C., to Frank Testerman and Vilena Testerman. She was preceded in death by her husband, Junior Ross; and son, Richard Allen Ross. Survivors include two daughters and spouses, Dana and Dennis Dalton of Galax, Va., and Terri and Mike Gibson of Goodview, Va.; three grandsons, Justin Moss of Savannah, Ga., Daniel Moss of Roanoke, Va., and Jarad Gibson of Goodview, Va; one great-grandson, Noah Moss of Galax, Va.; one sister, Libbye Testerman of Troutdale, Va.; and sister-in-law and spouse, Vera and Jack Dickens of Galax, Va.

The family received friends Sunday, March 22, 2015 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 23, 2015, at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Tommy McClure officiating. Interment was in Central Cemetery, Flatridge, Va. Flowers appreciated or memorial contributions may be made to Independence Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 607, Independence, Va. 24348.
Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home was in Independence was in charge of arrangements.

George J. Cox Writes Letter Exonerating Fields Anderson From Charge of Killing Gimsley Halsey.

(Special to the Times-Dispatch) From the Richmond Times Dispatch in 1911

Bristol, Va., May 2, 1911 – The facts about a murder, for which an innocent Virginian was sentenced to be hanged twenty years ago, have just recently come to light, as the result of a confession on the part of the man who committed the killing. It was in the winter of 1890 that Grimsley Halsey, of Grayson county, was shot to death in a drunken row, as it then appeared, in Alleghaney county, N. C. Halsey, Fields Anderson and Edwin J. Cox, of Grayson county, Virginia men, had gone into North Carolina, and the fatal row followed. Cox made his escape, and was never apprehended, but Anderson was arrested and jailed at Sparta, N.C. As a result of the trial of Anderson, witnesses were placed upon the stand who swore that he killed Halsey. Anderson was convicted and sentenced to be hanged. His friends feeling confident that he was innocent, went to the Sparta jail and liberated him one week ahead of the date for the execution. Anderson hastened away to the West, where he is supposed to still reside. His mother, in company with her brother, H. M. Jenkins, who now resides at Flatridge, in Grayson county, Va., started for the West to join her son. The train on which she was riding was wrecked, and Mrs. Anderson was among the passengers who met death in the wreck. This was early in the year 1891.

Cox’s letter of confession was written November 1, 1910, but was not mailed until the 12^th day of last month (April 1911), and the date mark is too obscure to decipher the place from which the letter was mailed.

In this letter he declares that Anderson had nothing to do with the murder, and that he killed Halsey himself, his act being in self-defense. He requests that some of Anderson’s friends will see that he gets a copy of the letter.

INDEPENDENCE, VA., April 13, 1901 – The store of J. W. Perkins, of Flat Ridge, in this county, was entered by thieves Tuesday 1ight and his iron safe cracked and robbed of about $40, being all cash on hand.

Wednesday night the store of A. E. Parsons, of Mouth of Wilson, was entered and his iron safe blown open and robbed of all cash on hand, together with some checks and notes. Mr. Parsons does not know really how much he did lose.

The same night the large iron safe of the Fields-Hoch Manufacturing Co., at Mouth of Wilson, was cracked and robbed of more than $300, besides checks and notes.

A blacksmith’s sledge hammer and a chisel were found near the safe of the company this morning. The people have no clue whatever as to the perpetrators of these bold robberies.

This is the first time that Grayson county has ever been visited by such a gang and excitement runs high.

The Fields-Hoch Manufacturing Company operate the largest woolen factory in this section of the State, and no stone will be left, unturned in their attempt to discover the thieves.

The Mt. Rogers and Eastern Railroad Company, chartered at the extra session of the Legislature, have put a corps of engineers in the field, and they are now surveying a route from this place eastward to Rocky Mount, Franklin county.

The people have great confidence in this company, and it is thought in a few years the iron horse will be heard thundering through the mountain gorges and fertile valleys of Grayson.

From “The Times” (newspaper} in Richmond, VA – April 14, 1901

Hope everyone is warm and happy on this coooold winter morning. Minus 2 degrees last night up on the hill with a dusting of snow. Brutal winds yesterday made it feel like Minnesota, not Grayson County. But it is sunny today and very beautiful and peaceful at the Cemetery, as it should be.

I am working on the Spring Newsletter during these long winter nights. If you have any news or wish to contribute any information to this effort please drop me an email and I will be happy to pass along your good news.

Welcome to Emiliy who is now following Central Cemetery online. And a “shout out” to Mr. and Mrs. Riley Cornett in Havre de Grace, Maryland by way of their daughter Debby Amedoro. It is always great to hear from friends and family. We get lots of Christmas cards in December, but January and February can be long, quiet months. Thank you for the emails and letters!

My new year’s resolution is to keep the web site more active. Help me in that effort by sending me a gentle reminder if I forget. Let me know if I can help you with anything related to the Cemetery or ancestor search. Now it’s time to throw another log on the fire.

Thanks to Cecilia for providing this:

Paula Hathaway Anderson-Green

Paula Hathaway Anderson-Green passed away peacefully at the eve of the day, Thursday, August 28th, 2014 at Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Georgia. Born on November 9, 1938 in Washington, D.C., she was the daughter of the late Edith Hathaway and Paul Hash Anderson. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Robert “Bob” Green. They were married on September 6, 1958 at Mount Vernon Place Methodist Church in Washington, D.C.
Paula is also survived by her four daughters: Lydia Davidson, Edith and husband Landon Wyatt, Elizabeth and husband Ted Thorne, and Cecilia and husband Bill Browne. In addition, she is survived by her nine grandchildren, Andrew Davidson; Landon, Margaret and Rob Wyatt; Kelley, Kate and Trey Thorne; Billy and Caroline Browne. Paula is also survived by her brother Gerald and wife Margie Anderson.
Paula had a passion for education and a dedication to teaching. She earned a B.A. in English from University of Florida, a M.A. in English from Emory University and a Ph.D. in English from Georgia State University. She taught English at Georgia State University, Mercer University and Kennesaw State University. Her academic concentration was Appalachian studies including folklore and music. Her book “A Hot-Bed of Musicians” was published in 2002, a documentation of one of the richest traditional music areas in the country, a section of Appalachia in the Upper New River Valley region. Paula served on the board of directors at the Matthews Living History Farm Museum in Independence, VA. Paula researched her family’s genealogy and honored her revolutionary war ancestor, Jacob Anderson, with a memorial plaque on the family land in Independence, VA.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, September 13 at 2:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church of Marietta, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Matthews Living History Farm Museum, PO Box 356, Independence, VA 24348, or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Of course the Central Cemetery would also appreciate contributions in Paula’s memory:
Central Cemetery Fund
151 Cherry Stone Avenue
Bluefield, VA 24605

Hello all,

I received a phone call from Paula’s daughter, Lydia, last night telling me that her mother died yesterday (Thursday) evening. Paula suffered a stroke on Monday and had been hospitalized since that time.

As many of you may know, Paula was an avid family tree historian and, with her mother Edith Hathaway, had done lots of research on the Andersons and the Cornetts of Grayson County. They did this “the old fashioned way” by digging around the records in courthouses and looking at old newspapers and microfilm – long before anyone ever heard of internet research! Paula was instrumental in starting the annual Anderson and Cornett family reunion (this year was the first one she missed) and was always a friend of Central Church and Cemetery.

A memorial service is planned in Marietta, GA on September 13, 2014. A burial service is planned for October at the Central Cemetery.

Paula was the daughter of Paul Hash Anderson and Edith Hathaway. She was born on November 9, 1938 and married Robert H. Green on September 6, 1958. They lived in Ackworth, Georgia and on Buck Mountain in Grayson County. They have four daughters (Lydia, Edith, Elizabeth and Cecilia) and nine grandchildren.

Hello Central Cemetery Nation!
Given the weather… and the forecast… we have “modified” plans for the reunion. Anyone who has a big umbrella is welcome to meet at the Cemetery at 10:00 Saturday morning. We will talk and visit between raindrops.

The good folks at the Grayson Heritage Foundation will not be able to meet with us on Saturday. This scheduling issue is completely my fault – not the Foundation’s. So fuss at me, not them.

We are planning to have lunch in Galax at Porky’s Barbeque (old Western Sizzlin’ near Food City) at 12:30. If you are in town or need a dry break from the Old Time Fiddlers Convention stop by and enjoy a meal with us. Hope to see you there!

We will gather at the Central Cemetery at 10:00 Saturday morning and catch up, visit, reminisce and talk until we feel like moving. Then we may visit some other sites (depending on YOUR interest if you attend). We may visit Jacob Anderson Cemetery, Garnett Anderson house, Anderson Mills site, or any number of community places. We will retire to lunch in Independence and the head to the Grayson County Virginia Heritage Foundation for a bit of research and talk. Let me know if you are coming and let me know what you’d like to see. We can customize your tour to fit your desires!

DanTrent@Comcast.net or (276) 322-3911