Current Affairs: 12 HS Public Meeting on (Lynn) Cemetery Reburial Process

Prince William County Schools ("PWCS") has received the final archaeological research report on the remains recovered from the cemetery located on the 12th High School site.  The final report was released prior to a planned meeting for open discussion on the specifics of the reinterment process.

The public meeting will be held on June 11, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in the atrium of the Edward L. Kelly Leadership Center located at 14715 Bristow Road, Manassas, VA 20112.  So that PWCS will know how many participants to expect, anyone planning to attend should call (703) 791-7308.

Once the open discussion is completed, PWCS will present the final reinterment plans to the PWCo Historical Commission and The Virginia Department of Historic Resources, as required by permit.  They anticipate a late June or early July reinterment, for which another notice will be issued.

For me, probably the most important information in the final report by the archaeological firm notes that there were a total of 11 graves dating from post-1850 to post-1880 and that some of the individuals were "likely associated with the family of William and Cordelia Lynn" (my gggreat-grandparents), who owned the land during the indicated time period.

The report also notes that William and Cordelia's son, John Henry Lynn, was probably one of the burials.  John was a civil war veteran (Co. A., 4th Virginia Cavalry) and was the executor of his father's estate, fighting the battle to keep the family farm until his own death in 1884.  He is also my grandfather Earl's grandfather.  In other words, this tiny little cemetery represents two direct generations of my Lynn family, and what happens to it is very important to me on a very personal level as well as historic one.

I realize that there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the 12th High School site, even before my Lynn ancestors were removed to make room for the football stadium.  That said, I would like to make a personal request of anyone who plans to attend the June 11th meeting -- please, please leave your politics about swimming pools and school boundaries at  home!  There is a time and a place for everything, and this meeting isn't the place to rant at PWCS about ongoing political issues.

The June 11th public meeting is, and should only be, about recreating a cemetery and the respectful reinterment of a simple farmer and his family on their ancestral land.