MAPLEWOOD’S MYSTERIOUS EARLY YEARS

The few articles recently written about Maplewood use 1827 as the year it was established yet the deed for the original land purchase is dated 1829.  It is unknown if the area was already  used for burials.  Some suggest it was a private family burial plot or an extension of an early churchyard.  Earliest city records no longer exist according to Parks Division yet may be stashed in some other area since responsibility for Maplewood was passed from to Department to Department.  A few deeds exist for family sections but often the date of the deed is years later than the earliest burial in the plot.  The earliest deed I’ve found for a family section at the cemetery is dated 1850 yet there are many graves dated earlier and it is difficult to believe the town would purchase land and not begin sales until 20 years later.  Old Town Council minutes and early Charlottesville newspapers on film at UVa may provide information about the cemetery and earliest burials.  If you are interested in searching out Maplewood’s early years please email me.     

 

MAPLEWOOD’S MISSING PERSONS

You may be able to help solve these mysteries--most involving unrecorded burials and/or unknown grave locations.  Necessary clues such as wills, obituaries, deeds, etc., may exist at archives in YOUR County, Town, Historical  Society, or University.  Please email me if you can help do some sleuthing for those listed below.

 

ALSO, CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF MAPLEWOOD’S FOUND BURIALS

 

CLICK ON NAME FOR CLUES

 

Person

Last “Seen”

 

 

Richard Woodson Anderson

Henrico Co.,Richmond, Virginia  (abt 1891)

George B. & C. W. Bailey

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Virginia

Charles E. Bailey

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Virginia

Unidentified Brechins

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Virginia

John Brechin

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Virginia

Laura Antoinette Cowles

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Virginia (d.. 5/12/1908)

Dupre—3 Children

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Virginia (btwn 1870-1895)

Flannagan Child

Charlottesville, Va (d. 10/23/1935)

Richard Flannagan

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Virginia

Mary Halsall (married Thomas Woodson)`

Hanover Co., Va (abt 1824)

John Hasson

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Va (aft 1856)

Allan B. Magruder

Frederick Co., Stephen’s City, Virginia (abt 1885-95)

Thomas Magruder

Caroline Co., Port Royal, Virginia  (aft 1830)

Harriet Mathews and Richard Jr.

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Va (aft 1870)

Richard Mathews

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville Va (d. 1847)

M. R. McKee

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Virginia

A. Newman Peyton

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Virginia (aft 1902)

Stella Reierson (Ryerson)

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Virginia  (aft 1880)

James E. Smith (Infant)

Albemarle Co. Charlottesville, Virginia (d. 2/5/1927)

Mary (Virginia or Eugenia) Thomson

Orangeburg Co., SC and Charlottesville, VA (d. Apr 1850)

James O. Tyler

Salem, Virginia (d. 4/13/1899)

Mattie Terrell Wills Walker

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Va. (after 3/12/1917)

John H. Wells

Henrico Co., Manchester, Virginia

Marion Woodson & Clarissa Carr Woodson

Albemarle Co, Charlottesville, Va. (btw 1850 & 1862)

Thomas Word

Albemarle Co., Charlottesville, Virginia (1800s)

John J. Utz

Charlottesville, Virginia (abt 1917)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where is RICHARD WOODSON ANDERSON?

Family researcher has exhausted other possible burial locations and believes Richard may be buried at Maplewood.  His wife Phillipa died in 1869 and is buried at Maplewood in the Woodson family plot.  Richard and family lived in Albemarle County near Gordonsville until 1863. He moved his family to Cartersville, Cumberland County, Va., and there joined Co. C, 13th Va, CSA.   Richard is last “seen” in Richmond Va in 1891.  He was the son of William Anderson and Mary Goodwin Woodson.  If a will was filed/probated at Henrico County, perhaps the date of death will lead to an informative obituary.

 

Who/Where is JOHN BRECHIN?

City Database records a burial for a child, John Brechin, in the Leitch/Brechin family section.  The database does not record the grave location or date of death.  Other Brechins in this section are Alexander C. Brechin (d. 1917), Martha Brechin, Andrew Melvin Brechin (d. 1948) and Eleanor Gilmore Brechin.  A child, John Hasson, is also buried in this section and it is possible a database error was made by misreading the headstone or assuming a Brechin burial (such errors are common in the City Database)

 

Who are M. M. B. and M. R. B. (Brechin)?

Two unidentified headstones exist in the Leitch/Brechin family section.  Both are inscribed with initials only, are small but are not footstones—possibly marking children’s graves.  I assume the “B” stands for Brechin.  City Database records these with initials only and do not list burial dates.  Adult Brechins in this section are Alexander C. Brechin (d. 1917), Martha Brechin, Andrew Melvin Brechin (d. 1948) and Eleanor Gilmore Brechin.  Perhaps census records might be of assistance here.

 

Where is John Hasson (Adult)?

The infant son (d. 1854) and wife of John Hasson (d. 1856) are buried at Maplewood.  John Hasson is the owner of the 18 ft x 9 ft section where these two are buried.  John was issued a deed for the section on 10/4/1854.  Might John be buried here also?

 

Where is ALLAN B. MAGRUDER?

Obituaries for other family members buried between 1895 and 1907 say Allan is buried at Maplewood.  He died between 6 July 1880 and 18 April 1891, probably at Stephen’s City, Va.  No will is found in Albemarle County.  If a will was filed/probated at Frederick County it may provide date of death.  With date of death an obituary can be found and, hopefully, place of burial.

 

Where is THOMAS MAGRUDER?

Two ancestry.com genealogies say Thomas is buried at Maplewood.  Neither writer can remember the source for that information.  Thomas is last “seen” in Caroline County in the 1830 census. He is identified as Thomas “C.” Magruder in an 1817 Mutual Assurance policy for his Port Royal home.   He married Elizabeth Bankhead of Port Royal.  He probably died between 1830-1849.  No will is found in Albemarle County.   If a will was filed/probated at Caroline County it may provide date of death.  With date of death an obituary can be found and, hopefully, place of burial.

 

Who is STELLA REIERSON (RYERSON)?

Stella is listed in City Database records as RYERSON.  The database places her in the B. C. Flannagan family section but does not indicate grave number or date of death.  At first glance I suspected this was an error in the records since no other Ryerson’s appear at Maplewood and her name seemed odd in a family section full of Flannagan’s.  Stella Reierson is found in the 1870 Albemarle Census (pg 304) living with her parents, Oscar and Mary Reierson, and her sister Lita.  And the immediate neighbor of the Reierson’s is B. C. Flannagan, the owner of the Flannagan family section.  The Reierson’s also appear in the 1880 Charlottesville Census (pg 324B); this time on High Street.  Stella is 17 years old in this census.  Oscar is identified as a Lawyer and was born in Denmark.  It would be interesting to learn more about Stella, her family and their relationship with the Flannagan’s. 

 

 Where is JOHN J. UTZ?

John J. Utz died about 1917.  He had been a resident of Charlottesville since the 1860s.  His wife, Mary Fletcher Wells Utz died in Richmond in 1927 and was brought to Maplewood for burial in, as the obituary states, “the family section.”  One would think she was returned to Charlottesville to be buried next to her husband.  Cemetery records do not list John (which, as we have so sadly learned, does not mean John is not buried here) yet do state Section A/6/1 is owned by Wells and Utz.  John was born in Rappahannock County, enlisted in the “Culpeper Minute Men” (Co. B, 13th VA, CSA), established his carriage shop in Charlottesville in 1866, and died in Charlottesville.

 

Who/Where is JOHN H. WELLS

John H. Wells is listed in City Database as the owner of Section A/6/1.  This section is now barren, except for one deteriorating obelisk marking the remains of his daughter, Alice.  According to the nearly illegible inscription on Alice’s headstone, John’s wife was J. E. Wells.  A daughter who lived to adulthood, Mary Fletcher Wells Utz is buried here but her headstone is missing.  Her obituary of 1927 reads “daughter of the late John Wells, of Manchester.”  Would like to know more about John H. Wells and his place of burial.

 

 Where is A. NEWMAN PEYTON?

A. N.  Peyton is listed in the City Database as the owner of family section F/7/1 and a deed has been found affirming that.  His first wife, Alice, died in 1897.  Her obituary states she was taken to Rapidan for burial.  A daughter of that marriage, Ann, was buried at Maplewood in 1890 and his second wife, Fannie, is also buried here.  He survived his wife Fannie, who died in 1902.  Could A. Newman Peyton be buried in the Maplewood plot he purchased?  His date of death would be helpful.

 

A. N. Peyton also poses a curious administrative mystery.  He buried daughter Ann in 1890 and wife Fannie in 1902.  Yet, the deed for this plot is issued to A. N. and dated 8/1/1904.  This type of date confusion is commonly found when researching Maplewood deeds.

 

Who are the Three DUPRE CHILDREN

City Database lists three Dupre Children buried in the Dupre family area at F/7/2.  The database does not give grave numbers or children’s given names and there are no headstones for them  in the Dupre area.  Milton Marshall Dupre and his wife Annie Lyle Thompson Dupre are buried there, also without headstones.  The Dupres had eight children.  The following five lived to adulthood:  Annie Dupre Atkins, Warren Dupre, Mrs. P. T. Cowles, Charles Dupre and Josephine (she did not marry).  The three buried children would have died between 1870 and 1895. 

(By the way, M. M. Dupre was a Charlottesville newspaperman and humorist.  In the late 1800s his works appeared in the Richmond Dispatch and other papers.  Perhaps someone would like to track down some of his writings.)

 

Who is JAMES O. TYLER

James O. Tyler died 4/13/1899 in Salem, Virginia and was brought to Maplewood to be buried beside his wife and son.  His wife, Mary T. Tyler, died 11/1887 and his son, Frederick Allan Tyler died 9/26/1891.  His published obituary states “He left Charlottesville some years ago [but] well known in Charlottesville, having been many years superintendent of the Woolen Mills of this place.”  James appears in the list of Confederate burials for Maplewood.   Perhaps someone can provide some information on James O. Tyler and his family.  Perhaps an obituary from Salem would provide more information.

 

Where is LAURA ANTOINETTE COWLES?

Laura Antoinette Cowles, the 15 month old daughter of P. T. and Antoinette Dupre Cowles, died 5/12/1908.  Her obituary states “burial was at Maplewood.”  There are no Cowles listed in the City Cemetery Database or on the Cemetery Map.  Perhaps she is one of the three “missing” Dupre Children that rest at Maplewood since she is the granddaughter of M. M. and Annie Dupre.   If you have information about the COWLES of Charlottesville you may have useful clues. 

 

Who is “CHILD” FLANNAGAN?

City Database lists an unnamed Flannagan child that died or was buried 10/23/1935 in the Benjamin Collins Flannagan family section.  This burial should be easy to identify with a Charlottesville obituary for that time.

 

Who is RICHARD FLANNAGAN?

City Database lists Richard Flannagan buried in the Benjamin Collins Flannagan family section at Grv #4.  The database does not give date of death and no stone has been found. A Richard Flannagan Age 2__ (twentysomething), appears in the 1850 Albemarle census in the Benjamin Collins Flannagan household but he is listed among the “boarder” and not the immediate family.  Perhaps a relative, not an offspring.   Unknown if this is same Richard recorded in the burial database.  Need a Flannagan genealogist here, I guess.

 

When did  LITTLE THOMAS WORD die?

Thomas is the son of James and Mary Word.  Cemetery Database lists his death as 6/26/1942—an obvious error.  His headstone is nearly illegible.  Success has been had reading such illegible stones in the evening using a flashlight (rubbings are dangerous for these fragile stones.)  The flashlight system requires two people—one to read and one to shine the light perpendicular to the stone.  There are many “illegibles” that need reading.  Sure could use some volunteers for this on-site project.

 

Who/Where  is M. R. MCKEE?

City Database lists M. R. McKee buried at Maplewood.  No date of burial is listed and no stone has been found.  It is believed M. R. McKee would be related to A Robert McKee d. 1893, Andrew McKee d. 1849, and Martha Gannon McKee d. 1829 of Charlottesville or of Charles McKee of Kentucky (living 1850).  Could use any clues you may have.

 

Who is LITTLE MARY THOMSON?

The headstone for Mary is nearly illegible.  Her middle name may be Virginia or Eugenia.  She was born in Charlottesville  7/21/1846 and died in Charlottesville 4/16/1850.  The stone reads “…erected by Sorrowing parents W. R. & T. V. Thomson of South Carolina.”  I believe Mary’s father is William Russell Thomson of Orangeburg Co., South Carolina, b. 8/4/1822 and son of Charles Robert Thomson and Eleanor Sabb Hrabowski.  Mary’s mother is Thomasina Woodson.  They married 10/1/1845 but I’m not sure where.  What is Mary’s relationship to Thomas Woodson d. 1862, the owner of the family section?  How is Thomasina related?  What Thomson history can we provide for Little Mary? 

 

Who is MARY HALSALL WOODSON?

Trying to determine the identity of a headstone inscribed Mary C. Woodson.  It is possible this is the wife of Thomas Woodson d. 1862, the owner of this family section? A wife, Mary, appears in the 1850 census for Thomas.   Some on-line genealogies list Mary Halsall as the wife of Thomas Woodson.  The were married in Hanover Co. Va OR in Goochland Co. Va in 1824.  Mary Halsall is reported to be the sister of James C. Halsall, who also appears in the 1850 Albemarle census and is a lawyer.  The headstone at Maplewood reads Mary C. was born 1/3/1802 and died 9/12/1850.   Would like to verify the marriage with some documentation and gather information on the Halsall family. 

 

Where are MARION WOODSON & CLARISSA CARR WOODSON?

Marion Woodson is the daughter of Thomas and Mary Woodson.  She appears in the 1850 Albemarle census, age 22.  Her younger sister is the sole heir at the time of Thomas’ death abt 1862.  Could Marion be another unrecorded burial?

 

Eleanor Clarissa Carr Woodson is reported to be the 2nd wife of Thomas Woodson.  This Woodson/Carr marriage is recorded in Albemarle 6/22/1852.  Clarissa was the daughter of Daniel Farrell Carr of “Bentivar” in Albemarle and Emily Terrill and sister to William Garland Carr.  One source has her death date as  1856.  Would be very useful to find her obituary and  interesting  to know if she is buried beside Thomas at Maplewood or at some Carr family site.

 

Who is RICHARD MATHEWS?

Richard is buried at Maplewood at area A/7/1/7.  His marker is the only marker still existing in this section.  He was born 4/11/1805 and died 11/20/1847.  He left Harriet, his wife, and eight living children:  John, William, Martha, Emma, Mary, Harriet, Richard Jr. and Joseph.  Since Richard’s stone has fallen and is being covered by sod and grass, it would be very nice to know something about Richard before his memorial disappears from site.

 

Where is HARRIET and RICHARD JR. MATHEWS?

Harriet is the wife of Richard Mathews who died 1847.  She appears in the Albemarle 1870 census along with son Richard Jr.  She is 62 years old at the time of this census.  The only child living with her is Richard Jr. Age 24 or 28.   Interestingly, he has no profession but is listed as “At Home.”  Makes one wonder if he is an invalid.  The Mathews Family Section is barren except for father Richard.  Would be useful to find death dates for Harriet and Richard Jr. should they be in unmarked and unrecorded graves at the cemetery.

 

Who are GEORGE B. and C. W. BAILEY?

Where is CHARLES E. BAILEY?

Charles E. Bailey is listed by the City as the owner of the Bailey family section.  Children of Charles E. Bailey, brothers and his father are buried at this section.  Charles E. Bailey is listed as buried at Maplewood in a 1902 Daily Progress article about Confederate graves at the cemetery.  Would like to confirm this burial with an obituary.  Need date of death.

 

A footstone marked C. W. B. exists at the Bailey section.  City records record a burial for C. W. Bailey.  City records list George B. Bailey at the Bailey section.  No marker has been found for George.  Would be useful to have some information on either of these burials.

 

Who is Infant JAMES E. SMITH?

The little stone for James E. Smith sits just at the dividing line of two family sections and it is uncertain which family he belong with—the James A. Payne (d. 1934) family or the Luther Rice Snead (d. 1899) family.  His stone reads that he is the son of I. M. & L. A. Smith.  He was born and died February 5, 1927. 

 

Where is Mattie Terrell Wills Walker?

Mattie Terrell was the daughter of Nathaniel A. Terrell.  She was the widow of Cary Wills and eventually married Charles H. Walker, buried in Division H.  She was Walker’s second wife and survived his death on 3/21/1917.  Since the Terrell, Wills and Walker families have family sections at Maplewood, one would expect to find her somewhere—but alas, no Mattie.  A date of death would provide an helpful obituary.

 

 

 

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