In my welcome message to Theresa Willis, I remarked, "Oh, yes, the new grave markers are now up for your great-grandparents and your twice-great-grandparents. I can send you pictures if interested." Some of you interpreted I was referring to Lewis Poythress. Actually, no, I was referring to his son and grandson. However, that did prompt some speculation in response, which I share with all below. As most of you know, we cannot send attachments to the list. So if others of you would like these pictures, just let me know individually. Best regards, Lyn P. Baird [email protected] On Mon, 18 Mar 2002 14:06:31 -0500 <[email protected]> writes: > Patti and Judy, this is in response to your requests for pictures of > the Lewis Poythress gravesite. In short, we do not know for sure > where he is buried. However, attached are photographs of a cemetery > where he might be buried. This Poythress family cemetery contains > the grave of Thomas M. Poythress, son of Lewis. It is located just > a few steps from the site of the house (now demolished) in which > Thomas M. Poythress resided. As you may know, Lewis Poythress gave > his homestead to his two youngest sons, Thomas M. and Lewis Y. > Lewis Y. soon left the area. Thomas M. remained. Although I have > not done a complete study, circumstantial evidence indicates the > farm on which this cemetery is located is the Lewis Poythress tract. > I would conclude that is it very likely that Lewis was buried > somewhere on this property and as likely in this cemetery as > anywhere. > > As I recall, three rows, each containing four graves, are > recognizable, marked with the characteristic small field stones and > no inscriptions. There is one exception, the relatively late grave > of Thomas A. Tanner has a monument with inscription. Through family > memory, my mother and I were able to confirm the identities of six > other people interred, including Thomas M. Poythress and his wife, > Lucy Thomas. From other research we were able to draw conclusions > on two others - sons Benjamin and Bennett. In 2000 we provided a > monument for these nine - six adults, three infant children. Of > course, that leaves at least three burials unidentified. > > For your interest, I have included a photograph of the house also. > This was taken ca. 1980 after decades of neglect and use as a farm > stable. A back wing is concealed. Perhaps portions of this > structure dated to Lewis. Notice the double front doors. There was > another pair of doors on the opposite side. In summer these four > would be flung open to let the breezes through the central hallway. > > Sometimes people of this culture would abandon an "old place" on one > part of the farm to build a new dwelling in another section, perhaps > in response to changes in roads or tillage. Usually in such cases, > the cemetery at the "old place" would be maintained and "patronized" > long after the former dwelling was in ruins. The closeness of the > cemetery to this house might hint that this house was itself the > "old place" and therefore connected to Lewis. Put another way, the > presence of a cemetery in the yard may indicate this is a > significantly old house site. > ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.