It is not too late to send comments.  Please help save the Old Fearn Plantation in Danville, VA. 

Thanks, 

Anne Evans 


Thomas Fearn (b Oct 24, 1745 d Oct 4 1805 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia) is said to be the son of John Fearn of Middlesex Co, who married Leanna Lee on 20 Nov 1744. Thomas was married three times, the first in Buckingham Co where his first child was born. He bought land in Pittsylvania County in 1778 from Col. William Wynne and Thomas Dudley. He owned the old Wynne mill and owned over 1,200 acres (all of which is now in the city of Danville.) Both Thomas Fearn and his son-in-law Robert Payne were Trustees when the town of Danville was established in 1793. The Paynes (related to Dolly Payne of Goochland Co.) owned all the land east of the Fearn land in the triangle formed by the Dan River and the line between Virginia and North Carolina. 



Danville, VA (January 2012) -- The Danville Industrial Development Authority found a burial site when they purchased a plot of land. The 158 acre lot behind Goodyear has been around for a very long time. The archaeologist leading the investigation says they can potentially determine the height, diet, and history of those buried. Now, they're trying to figure out just who they were. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary wooded landscape. But below the surface is a window to the past. "Our archeologist that we hired, Lyle Browning from Richmond, found a stained area which he proclaimed to be a burial remain area," said Jeremy Stratton, director of the Office of Economic Development. "The working assumption is that they may be African-American slaves and descendants. But we have absolutely no idea yet," said Lyle Browning, president of Browning and Associates. The IDA purchased the former Coleman Property, hoping to turn it into an Industrial Park. 

But before they could break ground, they had to investigate it. "We think there are about 60 people buried there. Nobody has a formal marker, they are all fieldstone headers and footers and the single stone marker...says Fearn's Burying Ground," said Browning. They also discovered the remains of an old plantation, and say the findings could date as far back as 1783. But since they haven't started the digging process, the quality of the remains is as unknown as the graves themselves. "It involves, it may involve somebody, their ancestors," said Stratton. "So little archaeological work has been done in the historic period that this would be a good addition to knowledge," said Browning. The IDA plans to move the graves to a local cemetery and hopes to complete the process in 6 months. Meanwhile, they are looking for help identifying some of the history. 
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Notice of Application for the Archaeological Removal of Human Remains 

The Danville Industrial Development Authority (IDA) hereby notifies the public 

of its intent to apply for permits to allow the archaeological recovery and reburial 

of interments located within the Fearn Burying Ground in the City of Danville on 

IDA owned property. The cemetery is located north of Gypsum Road near Goodyear 

Boulevard on the Coleman Property, and is unmarked. The IDA intends to have the 

graves excavated by professional archaeologists. As part of this process, it is hoped 

that physical characteristics such as height, physical condition, diet, and other information 

that may assist in identification of the individuals interred in the Burying 

Ground may be obtained. Upon completion of the study, the remains will be respectfully 

reburied in Highland Burial Park located within the City limits of Danville. Individuals 

related to the Fearn family, as well as members of the public with an interest 

in these proceedings, members buried there and those who wish to be involved may 

contact the individuals listed below. The public has the right to request a meeting 

with the IDA and the project archaeologist in order to express their views of this proposed 

relocation. Anyone who wishes to review a complete copy of the application 

for the archaeological removal of human remains may do so at either address listed 

below. The deadline for comments is Friday, February 24, 2012. 

Jeremy Stratton, Director 

Office of Economic Development (OED) 

427 Patton Street, Room 203 

Danville, VA 24541 

434-793-1753 

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And: 

Joanna Wilson Green 

VA Dept. of Historic Resources (DHR) 

2801 Kensington Avenue 

Richmond, VA 23221 

804-482-6098 



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