Current Affairs: PWCo Board of Supervisors Set Precedent to Destroy History

Once again, Prince William County has proven its disregard for history and the rights of families and their ancestors.  In a unanimous decision during the September 8th session, the Board of County Supervisors voted to disinter a small family cemetery dating back to at least as early as 1855 in order to facilitate the building of a shiny new fire station.

Public safety and response times were the catch phrase for the BOS decision but it was evident to those in attendance (in person and via live media coverage) that the BOS decision was a foregone conclusion.  In a heavy handed show of favoritism, Chief Kevin McGee was given ample time for his presentation of why the only option was to remove the cemetery to facilitate "response times" while advocates for history like Bill Olson of the Historical Commission and direct descendants of those interred in the cemetery were given a scant 3 minutes.

In the end, the BOS decision came down to the almighty dollar (somehow removing the cemetery was a less expensive option than a land swap with the adjacent landowners -- which was conveniently never pursued).

Martin Nohe's comments in the Potomac Local News that he would "lose  a lot of sleep ... knowing the board has been put in a position to make this decision ... moving a cemetery" are disingenuous at best.  The Coles District Supervisor has been aware of the Norman/Lynn Cemetery beside the Coles Fire House since the earlier debacle on his watch when the PWCo School Board disinterred the Lynn Family cemetery to make way for a fancy new football stadium.  But then, it's an election year and "improving" his district with a football stadium and a shiny new fire station is an excellent platform to run a campaign on.

The BOS were presented with three additional options that would have permitted a compromise, leaving the cemetery undisturbed and still facilitating a shiny new fire station for the community.  Any number of means could have been employed to cover the additional cost (minimal at best in the scheme of things) but none were explored or considered.  Indeed, these options were never truly on the table.  The BOS vote was very much a foregone conclusion.

As a direct result of the PWCo BOS's disregard and disrespect for history and the rights of the deceased, as reported in an article from InsideNova.com, two Historical Commission Members Quit Following Decision to Remove Graves.

The BOS is probably collectively patting themselves on the back right now for succeeding in bulldozing over another historic cemetery (and the rights of their descendants) and disposing of two advocates for historic preservation at the same time.

With their vote and lack of regard (or compassion) for the families of those buried in the Norman/Lynn cemetery, the Prince William County BOS has set a precedent that cemeteries are merely nuisances to be overcome (and bulldozed) in the name of county growth and the march of "progress."  Especially in an election year.

Memorial & Dedication of Lynn Cemetery on PWCo High School Site

The Memorial Ceremony and Dedication of the Lynn cemetery on the 12th High School site took place on Saturday, September 6, 2014.  It was a poignant, respectful conclusion to a 12 month journey that began with a whirlwind of miscommunication, frustration, and media frenzy, but ultimately ended with Prince William County Schools (“PWCS”), Lynn family members, leaders in the historical community, neighbors, and the general public coming together to rescue a small 19^th century family cemetery from oblivion.

When I saw the newly relocated and restored cemetery for the first time before Saturday’s ceremony, it brought me to tears.  The original field stone markers stand clean and upright amid newly planted periwinkle.  A shiny new memorial plaque near the entrance of a simple but attractive black fence reads:

This 19^th century cemetery was moved from its original location in 2014 by Prince William County Schools during the high school construction.  The original location was 925 feet south-west from this spot.  Historical research and archeological evidence suggests that the cemetery includes the burials of William and Cordelia Lynn and their family.  This new cemetery is rededicated on William Lynn’s original tract of land.

With the aid of GPS and laser measurements made during the archeological excavation of the original cemetery, the 11 graves were reinterred as close to their original orientation and layout as possible.  All of the remains and artifacts were reinterred in the new cemetery.

Approximately 25 people attended Saturday’s Memorial Ceremony, which began with an opening prayer by Rev. Gene R. Wells of Woodbine Church and a greeting from David S. Cline, PWCS Assoc. Superintendent of Finance and Support Services.  It was a nice touch that the attendees in the audience were given the opportunity to introduce themselves and their interest in the proceedings.  More than a dozen of my Lynn family cousins were there to honor their ancestors and support the new cemetery.

Pastor Gene Wells

Pastor Gene explained that his church, Woodbine Baptist Church on Canova Drive in Independent Hill, was founded by Levi C. Lynn in May of 1875.  In a wonderful homage to the past, he used Levi's original 1875 Bible to tell the Biblical story of how Joseph’s bones were taken out of Egypt and into the Promised Land by his descendants.  Pastor Gene also spoke a bit of how his own search to discover the history of his church had led him to learn about the Lynn family and their involvement in PWCo. 

David Cline, Marte Nohe, and
Pastor Gene Wells

I was honored to be one of the speakers at the ceremony and used the opportunity to tell a bit more about the contributions made to PWCo by my Lynn ancestors.  I spoke about the land itself, and how much of Independent Hill in the 19^th century was made up of farms owned by the Lynns or neighbors who married into the family.  But mostly, I spoke about the family we believe to be buried in the cemetery itself – that of William and Cordelia Lynn, my 2nd great grandparents, and their children.  I’m not quite certain how the attendees felt, but it was a moving moment for me to be able to speak those 11 names aloud just a few feet from their newly dedicated resting place.

Wreath laying - John Windley,
David Cline, Lillie Jesse, & Marte Nohe

Marte Nohe, County Supervisor for the Coles Magisterial District, acknowledge the contributions of the Lynn family to PWCo and how the county and community came together to work in compromise.  The new high school being built on what was once the William Lynn farm is just one more contribution toward the good that can be done for PWCo and its students.  One day soon, the 12^th High School will begin to educate the county leaders of tomorrow.

Bagpiper Kevin Byrne, the husband of a PWCS teacher, played Amazing Grace as David Cline, Marte Nohe, School Board member Lille Jesse (Occoquan), and John J. Windley (PWCS Director, Office of Facilities Services) laid a silk wreath of autumn colors in the cemetery beside the new memorial plaque.

After the wreath laying, three generations of Lynn family descendants went into the cemetery to lay white roses on each of the 11 graves before Pastor Gene concluded with a closing prayer.

All in all, it was a touching and respectful ceremony to honor the final resting place for William and Cordelia Lynn and their children.

~ ~ ~

It was noted by David Cline that, because the cemetery is still within an active construction site, visitations in the immediate future will need to be coordinated with PWCS’s Office of Facilities Services.  However, when the 12^th High School is completed in 2016, a small, tree-lined path will lead from the parking lot to the cemetery so that family may visit at any time.

~ ~ ~

Over the course of the past year, many people and organizations stepped forward to help resolve the issue of William and Cordelia's final resting place -- far too many to thank them all by name!  However, there are a select few that I personally would like to single out for special thanks:

(1) Bill Olson of the PWCo Historical Commission, who is a fierce advocate and force to be reckoned with when it comes to the preservation of PWCo's cemeteries, large or small.

(2) The wonderful staff/volunteers at RELIC for their invaluable research in determining that the cemetery is (almost certainly) that of William and Cordelia Lynn and their children.

(3) John Windley, PWCS Director of Facilities Services, who has worked closely with the Lynn family to come to a respectful, appropriate solution.  His professionalism and calmness throughout is greatly appreciated.

(4)  Last, and certainly not least, I would like to thank Pastor Gene Wells of Woodbine Church.  From the very beginning Pastor Gene has been a calming voice of reason in a raging storm.  He worked hard to bring all of the parties together (PWCS, Lynn family, county, and neighbors) to reach a peaceful conclusion to what began as a heated, volatile situation. Pastor Gene also planned the beautiful and touching Memorial Ceremony and Dedication from beginning to end, for which I will be forever grateful.

The Author standing with her ancestors.  (Photo by Pastor Gene Wells)

Current Affairs: Bone Fragments Found at 12th High School Grave Site (InsideNova.com)

The following article (Bone Fragments, Teeth Found at High School Grave Site) is reprinted by permission of InsideNova and the author, Jill Palermo.  Many, MANY thanks to both for breaking the story in August 2013 and for their continuing balanced, fair reporting of a volatile and sensitive issue.

~ ~ ~ ~

Posted: Thursday, November 21, 2013 10:31 am | Updated: 10:03 am, Fri Nov 22, 2013.

Author:  Jill Palermo

Bitten by what she calls “the genealogy bug” in the 1990s, Carolyn Lynn has spent years tracing her father’s family history, even launching a blog called “Prince William County Genealogy” about two years ago.

But despite her extensive research, Lynn said she hit a wall in her searching long ago. The grave of her great-great grandfather, John Henry Lynn, a Civil War veteran, was missing. And although she found a county notice of his 1884 death, she could find no obituary, and he wasn’t buried beside his wife, Edna Ann, or their daughter, Martha.

“I could never figure out where he was buried,” Lynn said earlier this week. “I’ve been looking for years.”

Lynn’s family mystery was solved this week, but not in a way she ever expected.

Disappointed and angry

The discovery of John Henry Lynn’s likely grave site, as well as those of his parents, William and Cordelia (Keys) Lynn, came as a result of a decision to remove and relocate what is now thought to be a 100-year-old Lynn family cemetery – to make way for a football field for Prince William’s newest high school, set to open in the fall of 2016 near Va. 234 and Hoadly Road.

Although Lynn says she is “elated” about the discovery of her family’s cemetery, the removal of the grave sites has left her and other members of the extended Lynn family -- many of whom still live in the county – disappointed and angry. They want to know why Prince William school officials didn’t do more to accommodate the cemetery or notify area residents about plans to disinter the graves, a process that began on Veterans Day.

“When they were interred, that was their home. They expected to be there forever,” Lynn said of the 11 to 13 Lynn family members – including four small children -- believed to be buried at the site. “Nobody thought somebody would build a football stadium over them.”

Derek Lynn, a Woodbridge resident and family descendant who learned about the grave sites from recent news reports, said he wants the cemetery restored, especially considering his family’s long history and contributions to the county.

According to family research, the Lynn family’s roots in the county date to the 1740s, and ancestors include veterans of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War and, more recently, a longtime Prince William School Board member for whom Fred M. Lynn Middle School is named.

“We’re trying to bring this to everyone’s attention,” Derek Lynn said of the decision to move the cemetery. “These [people] spent their whole lives trying to improve the county, and now they’re out there trying to dig them up. … All we want is for the grave sites to be put back the way they were and left alone.”

Phil Kavits, spokesman for Prince William schools, said the cemetery must be moved because it’s near the middle of an area slated for the high school’s football field, which cannot be moved because of wetlands on the 110-acre school site.

Changing the building plans, even if possible, would be expensive and significantly delay the opening of the high school, Kavits added. In response to calls about the cemetery, school officials have posted their reasons for moving the grave sites – and details of the cemetery’s July 2013 discovery – on the school system website.

“There [is] no reasonable alternative given the site and given the constraints we [are] under,” Kavits said in a recent interview. “This is, first and foremost, something that is very badly needed for our students and for our community.”

School system criticized for lack of transparency

Prince William school officials’ decision to move the cemetery has sparked criticism not only from the Lynn family but also from members of the Prince William Historical Commission and local civic associations.

Bill Olson, chairman of the commission’s cemetery committee, said he’s not convinced school building plans couldn’t be shifted to accommodate the cemetery and says the school system did not do enough to notify the community about plans to move the graves.

Although Olson and county historian Justin Patton met with schools officials at the cemetery site on Sept. 3, neither understood that the school system planned to move the graves so quickly, Olson said.

“It seemed to be rather surprising because we thought there would be a general announcement with an opportunity to discuss the specifics of this,” Olson said after a recent commission meeting at which the cemetery was discussed. “Right now, I don’t have any information to know whether this is a ‘last resort.’”

Olson and Patton said state law requires that grave sites only be disturbed as a “last resort” or at the request of family members.

“The Historical Commission generally likes to see cemeteries preserved in place; that’s their preference always,” Patton added. “There should be a compelling reason.”

Similar criticism from local civic associations and other concerned residents led county officials, including Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart, R-At Large, and Supervisor Marty Nohe, R-Coles, to call for a change in policy requiring that county officials be notified before an application to disinter historic gravesites is submitted to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

Nohe, whose district includes the new school site, introduced the measure Tuesday. It will be discussed at the next supervisors’ meeting, Nov. 26.

Sifting the dirt by hand

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources granted Prince William schools permission to move the cemetery late last month. A legal notice of intent to disinter the graves was published in the Washington Post in September, DHR spokesman Randy Jones said.

School officials and Boyd Sipe, lead archeologist with Thunderbird Archeology, the Gainesville-based firm hired to clear the site, say the grave exhumation is being handled with dignity and care.”

Bone fragments and some teeth have been recovered from graves at the site. Any biological materials found are being evaluated by a skeletal biologist at Towson University, Kavits said Wednesday.

“We don’t know what the ability will be for identification” of the remains, Kavits said. “But that will be a major point of their efforts.”

Bits of coffin wood and nails found last week helped archeologists determine that one of children’s graves dates to about the 1840s, Sipe said.

That clue, along with county land deeds and court records, led local historians to identify the cemetery, said Don Wilson, a Virginia librarian at Bull Run Library, home of the county’s main source of genealogy resources, the Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center.

Carolyn Lynn said she’s grateful for the community support for her family’s cemetery and has mixed feelings about the graves. Although she would like for her relatives to rest in peace, she does not want to stand in the way of the new school.

What bothers her most, she said, is that school officials did not try to get in touch with the family earlier. She received an email from a school official on Tuesday and said she hopes to be involved in reinterment plans. She prefers to have her ancestors’ remains stay on the property, but is not particularly hopeful about it.

“We have a right, as family members, to help determine where the remains are moved,” she said. “Do I want them to stay where they are? Absolutely.”

Derek Lynn and his father, Richard Lynn, went to the cemetery uninvited Tuesday morning. They snapped several pictures of the site and had an impromptu meeting with David Cline and Keith Imons, both associate superintendents with Prince William County Schools, who were called to the site after the Lynns arrived.

Richard Lynn said he will fight to keep the grave sites on the property.

“A graveyard is sacred. You don’t ever disturb it. We were taught that when we were young,” Richard Lynn said Wednesday. “What kind of message is this sending to our students? There’s no respect anymore.”