Thanks to all - for the comments and suggestions. Perhaps political pressure and shame will be the only way to change the situation. We
have been working on this for a long time. The city refuses to listen to us - so we must reach out to inform the public. We need help to get the
word out.
We have found descendants from the slave families and the white families - and we are working together. We are all proud of our VA
heritage...but this is so disgraceful - how Danville is handling the issue.
Some of the Fearns are buried in the Hollywood Cemetery. What an amazing family! Walker Fearn's father Dr. Richard Lee Fearn
was born in Pittsylvania County.
Walker Fearn - Jurist and Diplomat. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10308409
Have a happy and safe July 4th...
Anne Evans
[log in to unmask]
Go Dan River Opinion Letters to the Editor Posted: Tuesday, July 2, 2013 The Editorial Board
To the editor:
As the nation celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and many 150th-year milestones of the Civil War, Danville has been working to develop a new industrial park on the site of a homestead and graveyard known as the old Fearn Plantation.
The development plans call for demolishing intact foundations at the site and excavating and relocating the cemetery — the final resting place for many slaves who lived and worked at the site, including numerous children.
What is so confounding is that from the very beginning, none of the descendants or preservationists have said they wanted to stop the development — only protect the historic sites. The Fearn site is on the periphery of the tract and could very easily be avoided and the development could proceed.
Many of Danville’s earliest families, both black and white, lived at or are associated with the site. Descendants of these families have made great contributions to the Dan River Region, to Virginia and the nation.
The buildings’ foundations are remarkable and clearly show the landscape and layout of the former plantation. These types of sites are not only important for cultural and educational purposes but also for heritage tourism programs. There are many other sites in the Dan River Region similar to the Fearn site that, linked together, would make an amazing heritage driving trail.
The Fearn site also made Preservation Virginia’s Statewide Most Endangered Historic Sites list for 2013.
When are we going to stop using the specter of "jobs" as an excuse to destroy our heritage? No one is sure if the city has a company set to move into the site; however, documents say that the city plans to convey the site to a Chinese firm for a furniture-assembly plant.
I can’t think of anything less American than using local money to destroy a very important part of our heritage; build structures and parking lots on it and give it all away, including the land, to a company that may or may not need it.
If you agree, please contact Danville City Council and express your concerns.
SONJA INGRAM
Keeling
Editor’s note: Ingram is a field representative for Preservation Virginia.
The Fearn Site - 2013 Preservation Virginia’s most endangered sites in Virginia list
http://preservationvirginia.org/docs/Pres.Va_EndangeredSites2013_v7.pdf
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-the-fearn-family-plantation/signatures.html
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-the-fearn-family-plantation/signatures.html
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brenda Hare" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2013 7:02:07 AM
Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] burial of slaves - please post this copy
Sometimes laws that are in place in regards to treatment of cemeteries
doesn't stop people from doing whatever they are going to do. I'm obviously
not an attorney, but there may be some distinction between a "public"
cemetery and a "private" cemetery, or at least in the eyes of the law.
I say this because a private cemetery that I know of in Ohio was plowed over
without the bodies being removed first. There was a private cemetery not
far from an old homestead. The farm was purchased by a neighbor, followed
by the house being taken down and the family cemetery being plowed over.
Corn now is growing where the house used to stand, and over the bodies of
the family.
This has happened to a Revolutionary War patriot and his wife. He is the
brother of my ancestor, another Revolutionary War patriot. I have contacted
the locals, only to be told that it's a private cemetery, and thus not
covered by the same laws as private cemeteries.
Brenda
----- Original Message -----
From: "James Burnett" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2013 6:51 PM
Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] burial of slaves - please post this copy
> On Tue, Jul 2, 2013 at 4:45 PM, Anne Evans
> <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>
>> So we must seek help from the public and from other advocates!
>>
>>
> FIrst someone, pro bono lawyer?, needs to check state law with regards to
> treatment of cemeteries; check land records to see if there was anything
> in
> the deeds as they passed the property down about the cemetery or am I
> mentioning things you have already done?
>
>
> --
> Douglas Burnett
> Satellite Beach
> FL
> As a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), the
> National Genealogical Society (NGS), the Florida State Genealogical
> Society(FSGS) and the Virginia Genealogical Society(VGS), I support and
> adhere to the APG's Code of Ethics.
>
> ______________________________________
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> at
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