List members, Since I live in Arizona I am one of those that is unable to be there to do anything to help in preventing the razing of these cemeteries. However I am willing to donate a few dollars in order to help with cost. Everyone that is doing anything from gathering information, phone numbers, checking the statutes of law or just asking questions, like me, I send my sincere thanks to each one. Your dedication is so much appreciated. Just wanted to say "THANK YOU"!!! Betty Crabtree

Hello, I live in Arizona, so I cannot be there to help. I wish I could. I have never seen or been to the cemeteries of any of my ancestors. I know how I would feel if the graves of my parents were disturbed. And this feels that way. Could we have someone or an organization to take hold and see to this matter? How about donations? I'll be happy to donate a few dollars, since I cannot donate my time to be there and do whatever. If any of us have kin in the Whitt family, then how many other of our kin are buried there? Was this a private family cemetery? Maybe the new landowner does not realize the importance of this cemetery and the laws governing the protection of such. If all of we kin do stand up and be counted and we make enough noise we just might be heard. If all that is needed to save this cemetery is for someone or organization to take over the care of it, then, could we kin folk take up the donations and find an organization or Boy or Girl Scout Troops to take care of it? Amamda Elizabeth Whitt and James W. "Beardy" Beavers. My Great-Great Grandparents. Hezekiah Whitt, 1796, Montgomery Co., Va., My half 3rd., Uncle. His parents, Archibald Whitt, 1761/63 and (1) Hannah Lowe, 1765 and (2) Francis Jacobs are my 3rd., Great Grandparents. Hezekiah Whitt, 1738 Va.,-N.C., my 5th., Great Uncle. Hezekiah Whitt and Rachel Skaggs, my half 4th., cousin. Thank you, Betty Crabtree

Does anyone have the name and address of the landowner, and/or the address of the Hezekiah Whitt house? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Debra Rookard" <d_rookard@adelphia.net> To: <VATAZEWE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, February 07, 2005 1:14 PM Subject: [VA-TAZEWELL] What you can do right now - Whitt Cemetery Destruction >A land owner must possess a court order to lawfully proceed in any > disturbance of a cemetery in the Commonwealth. If this unconscionable act > is > occurring as we speak, there is no time for writing. > > I encourage every person on the Tazewell and Russell List to pick up your > phones and start punching numbers. If you are local, please take a drive > into town this afternoon and personally speak with those in county > administration. > > I phoned the Historical Society and emailed some officers. The HS is not > open again until Wednesday. Their website is down. I just spoke with Bill > Archer from The Bluefield Daily Telegraph and he is looking into the > matter. > > Time is of the essence, > Debra > > > 276.979.8181 State Senator Phillip P. Puckett > > 276.988.5966 H. Caudill, Sheriff of Tazewell County > > 276.988.7541 James E. Blevins, Tazewell County Clerk > > 276.988.1266 Deanis Simmons , Tazewell County Attorney > > 276.988.1240 Dennis Lee, Attorney for the Commonwealth of VA, Tazewell > County > > > Newspapers > 276.963.1081 - Richlands News Press > 276.988.4770 - Clinch Valley News > > > > ==== VATAZEWE Mailing List ==== > TAZEWELL COUNTY LIST PAGES: > Let our list administrator know them! >

I am also emailing and contacting the Virginia Department of HIstoric resources..They can be reached at: Roanoke Regional Preservation Office Serving Southwest Virginia and Lower Piedmont 1030 Penmar Avenue, SE Roanoke, VA 24013 Phone: (540) 857-7585 Fax: (540) 857-7588 Contact: John Kern, Director

A land owner must possess a court order to lawfully proceed in any disturbance of a cemetery in the Commonwealth. If this unconscionable act is occurring as we speak, there is no time for writing. I encourage every person on the Tazewell and Russell List to pick up your phones and start punching numbers. If you are local, please take a drive into town this afternoon and personally speak with those in county administration. I phoned the Historical Society and emailed some officers. The HS is not open again until Wednesday. Their website is down. I just spoke with Bill Archer from The Bluefield Daily Telegraph and he is looking into the matter. Time is of the essence, Debra 276.979.8181 State Senator Phillip P. Puckett 276.988.5966 H. Caudill, Sheriff of Tazewell County 276.988.7541 James E. Blevins, Tazewell County Clerk 276.988.1266 Deanis Simmons , Tazewell County Attorney 276.988.1240 Dennis Lee, Attorney for the Commonwealth of VA, Tazewell County Newspapers 276.963.1081 - Richlands News Press 276.988.4770 - Clinch Valley News

Here is the number to the Tazewell Historical Society.(540) 988-4069 Maybe they can put a stop to this or at least find out if this person received permission. I don't have family in this cemetery, but I am socked that anyone would destroy the final resting place.

This is my direct family line. My gggrandparents are buried there (James and Mollie Lowe) as well as my other family members. My great uncle has a baby brother buried there (Carl David Lowe). As a direct family member what can I/we do? My great uncle lives in Bluefield and has been forwarded a copy of the notice. Obviously the owner has not made a good faith effort to contact next of kin. Tracie Crawford Quincy, Florida

Bev, I did some research online and found that Virginia law requires a court order to remove a cemetery. I live in Richlands, so let me know if I can do anything. Darrell Lowe bigd4vt@adelphia.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bev Tracy" <tracybev@plains.net> To: <VATAZEWE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2005 1:21 PM Subject: [VA-TAZEWELL] Whitt Cemetery destrsuction >I just received a message from my cousin that the Cemetery in Tazewell >County VA where Hezekiah Whitt, Revolutionary War soldier and some of the >Low/Lowe family are buried is going to be destroyed by the present day land >owner. The old Whitt house was still standing, but the land owner is >tearing it down. A neighbor in Tazewell wrote and told me that he was >taking the fence down around the cemetery and planned to get rid of the >stones. The old cemetery was south of Busthead. > > Can anyone give me some suggestions as to how to stop the cemetery from > being destroyed? I live in Colorado so I need some suggestions of who to > write in Tazewell who might help. > > Bev Tracy > > tracybev@plains.net > > > > > ==== VATAZEWE Mailing List ==== > TAZEWELL LIST ADMINISTRATOR > VATazewe-Admin@Rootsweb.com >

Hello Bev, The owner of the property has no right to touch this cemetery under VA Law. Hezekiah Whitt is my 5th g g'father. Debra If the cemetery is unused or abandoned, Tazewell Co may acquire title to it. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+coh+57-36+500977 § 57-36. Abandoned graveyards may be condemned; removal of bodies. When a graveyard, wholly or partly within any county, city or town, has been abandoned, or is unused and neglected by the owners, and such graveyard is necessary, in whole or in part, for public purposes, authorized by the charter of such city or town, or by the general statutes providing for the government of counties, cities and towns, such county, city or town may acquire title to such burying ground by condemnation proceedings, to be instituted and conducted in the manner and mode prescribed in the statutes providing for the exercise of the power of eminent domain by counties, cities and towns. The court taking jurisdiction of such case may, in its discretion, require the county, city or town to acquire the whole burying ground, in which event the county, city or town may use such part thereof as may be necessary for its purposes and sell the residue. The court, however, shall direct that the remains interred in such graveyard, if possible so to do, be removed to some repository used and maintained as a cemetery. (Code 1919, § 54; 1985, c. 95.) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Any person who willfully or maliciously destroys ... http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+coh+18.2-127+402085 § 18.2-127. Injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc.; penalty. A. Any person who willfully or maliciously commits any of the following acts is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor: 1. Destroys, removes, cuts, breaks, or injures any tree, shrub, or plant on any church property or within any cemetery or lot of any memorial or monumental association; 2. Destroys, mutilates, injures, or removes and carries away any flowers, wreaths, vases, or other ornaments placed within any church or on church property, or placed upon or around any grave, tomb, monument, or lot in any cemetery, graveyard, or other place of burial; or 3. Obstructs proper ingress to and egress from any church or any cemetery or lot belonging to any memorial or monumental association. B. Any person who willfully or maliciously destroys, mutilates, defaces, injures, or *removes any object* or structure permanently attached or affixed within any church or on church property, any tomb, monument, gravestone, or other structure *placed within any cemetery, graveyard, or place of burial,* or within any lot belonging to any memorial or monumental association, *or any fence, railing, or other work for the protection or ornament of any tomb, monument, gravestone, or other structure aforesaid, or of any cemetery lot within any cemetery is guilty of a Class 6 felony.* A person convicted under this section who is required to pay restitution by the court shall be required to pay restitution to the church, if the property damaged is property of the church, or to the owner of a cemetery, if the property damaged is located within such cemetery regardless of whether the property damaged is owned by the cemetery or by another person. C. This section shall not apply to any work which is done by the authorities of a church or congregation in the maintenance or improvement of any church property or any burial ground or cemetery belonging to it and under its management or control and which does not injure or result in the removal of a tomb, monument, gravestone, grave marker or vault. For purposes of this section, "church" shall mean any place of worship, and "church property" shall mean any educational building or community center owned or rented by a church. (Code 1950, § 18.1-244; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1982, c. 561; 1983, c. 579; 1990, c. 510; 2004, c. 203.)

OMG, this is awful! I have both Whitt and Lowe ancestors from Tazewell Co, and probable ties to Hezekiah. Can't the Tazewell Co Historical Society be contacted and see if there is anything that can be done from a "Historical Site" point of view? Like maybe since he was a Rev War soldier, they can stop the demolition since it's of historic value to the community. Surely there are people on this list who live in Tazewell Co or Russell Co and can run over there and check. Also, can't they find out from the owner if this can be stopped? I am shocked by this tragedy. I have other ancestors in Tazewell Co whose stones were just bulldozed over and destroyed many many years ago by the new owner who just could care less. I mean do they even care that someone's family are buried in the ground under those stones? It's not like the stones are just stuck in the dirt for decoration, there are peoples family members under there! At least maybe the owner would let the stones be removed safely by someone in the area who volunteers to do things like that, and would hopefully take photos of the stones and document everything for us family members who are unable to travel. I am in Texas, but can't travel, and am very upset by the prospect of yet another cemetery with my probable ancestors being destroyed. Sue Lester Patterson omega84@ev1.net http://www.omega84.com/genealogydocs.htm Searching for: LESTER, SMITH, JESSEE, SHREVE/SHREEVE TAZEWELL/RUSSELL CO. VA. LATE 1700'S TO PRESENT SHREVE/SHREEVE/SHRIEVE IN ROCKINGHAM CO. N.C. LATE 1700'S TO PRESENT -----Original Message----- From: Bev Tracy [mailto:tracybev@plains.net] Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2005 12:22 PM To: VATAZEWE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [VA-TAZEWELL] Whitt Cemetery destrsuction I just received a message from my cousin that the Cemetery in Tazewell County VA where Hezekiah Whitt, Revolutionary War soldier and some of the Low/Lowe family are buried is going to be destroyed by the present day land owner. The old Whitt house was still standing, but the land owner is tearing it down. A neighbor in Tazewell wrote and told me that he was taking the fence down around the cemetery and planned to get rid of the stones. The old cemetery was south of Busthead. Can anyone give me some suggestions as to how to stop the cemetery from being destroyed? I live in Colorado so I need some suggestions of who to write in Tazewell who might help. Bev Tracy tracybev@plains.net -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.8.5 - Release Date: 2/3/2005

I just received a message from my cousin that the Cemetery in Tazewell County VA where Hezekiah Whitt, Revolutionary War soldier and some of the Low/Lowe family are buried is going to be destroyed by the present day land owner. The old Whitt house was still standing, but the land owner is tearing it down. A neighbor in Tazewell wrote and told me that he was taking the fence down around the cemetery and planned to get rid of the stones. The old cemetery was south of Busthead. Can anyone give me some suggestions as to how to stop the cemetery from being destroyed? I live in Colorado so I need some suggestions of who to write in Tazewell who might help. Bev Tracy tracybev@plains.net

Michelle, Thanks for the offer...Is there a family or surname of HANSHEW. My ancestors lived in South/west VA. Some in Smyth county, Tazewell and Wythe County. Thanks Barbara Hanshew Schulz bhanshew@aol.com

Sarah, We have a John Belshee who married the widow of my husbands, 3rd Great Grandfather - Sarah Hildreth Halsey. This was in Montgomery County, Virginia. They had a son, Joseph Belshee bor in abt. 1794. He would have been a 1/2 relative of my husbands. We have not traced him further but thought you might be interested in this little bit of Trivia on the Belshee name. Betty Davidson Hicks

Thank you for the offer.......Is there a family or surname Belshee / Belshe/Belche ? Robert Belshee Jr. 1755-1802 md. Mary Clancy, 1783 David Bellshee Sr. 1782-1850 md. Elenor (Nellie)Asbury, 1807 Sarah L. Douglas <sarad@redrivernet.com>

For those of you who do not know what this book is. It was published in 1995 by the Tazewell county historical society - they asked residents of Tazewell county to submit their family histories. What is in this book are submitions from residents about their families. Some of you may have submitted them yourself, as a see a few names I recognize ; ) Anyway, some families in here go way back in history, some are earlier, depending on who submitted what. The names are scattered and sometimes there is nothing more then so and so married so and so - some things are more detailed. Anyway - hope that helps some. Michelle

I meant I was able to get my hands on the Tazewell County Heritage Book Vol. 1 - not about - sorry ; > Michelle

On my recent visit to Tazewell County, I was about to get my hands on the Tazewell County Heritage Book Vol. 1 - if anyone wants me to look up a name to see if it is in here, let me know. Michelle

In a message dated 1/23/2005 8:27:20 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, Co51Ne writes: In a message dated 1/23/2005 11:31:52 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, elkehall@cox.net writes: I believe most Tazewell Co. Boling / Bowling families descend from Jarrett Bowling, who was born on January 18, 1762 in Stafford Co. Virginia. He is not related to the Charles City County Boling family. He was the son of Benjamin Bowling of St. Paul's Parish, King George Co., Virginia, grandson of Benjamin Bowling of the same parish. Elke Elke, Thanks for reply. This is not my line. I was just passing along info. I hope your input helps someone. I am sure that info is not well known. Good luck in your searches. Neda

I believe most Tazewell Co. Boling / Bowling families descend from Jarrett Bowling, who was born on January 18, 1762 in Stafford Co. Virginia. He is not related to the Charles City County Boling family. He was the son of Benjamin Bowling of St. Paul's Parish, King George Co., Virginia, grandson of Benjamin Bowling of the same parish. Elke -----Original Message----- From: Co51Ne@aol.com [mailto:Co51Ne@aol.com] Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2005 10:43 PM To: VATAZEWE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [VA-TAZEWELL] BOLING NAMES (and Cagle) Tazewell list, Someone was asking about the Boling name. I saw this on ancestry.com. Shirley, This is very good! I was researching the CAGLE line and ran across this BOLING line. It is amazing to see how so many names intertwine. I took the liberty to send your posting on to the Tazewell list because the Boling name is being researched there. We hope that you can give some input on this. Regards, Neda in VA And, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! BRUEY-WHITFIELD QUILT ID: I54755 Name: John BOLING Given Name: John Surname: Boling Sex: M Birth: 27 JAN 1675/76 in Kippax, Charles City, Virginia Death: 20 APR 1729 in Cobbs, Henrico County, Virginia Father: _Robert (Col) BOLLING_ (http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=shirleywhitfield&id=I5476 6) b: 26 DEC 1646 in All Hallows, Barking Parish, Tower St., London, England Mother: _Jane ROLFE_ (http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=shirleywhitfield&id=I5476 7) b: 10 OCT 1650 in Petersburg, Indian Territory, Dinwiddie County, Virginia Marriage 1 _Mary KENNON_ (http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=shirleywhitfield&id=I5475 6) b: 29 JUN 1677 in Conjurer's Neck, Henrico County, Virginia * Married: 29 DEC 1687 in Cobbs, Henrico County, Virginia Children 1. _John BOLING_ (http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=shirleywhitfield&id=I5475 7) b: 20 JAN 1699/1700 in Cobbs, Henrico County, Virginia ==== VATAZEWE Mailing List ==== ABSOLUTELY NO LIST SPAM Violaters are monitored and soon removed! OKAY! -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.7.2 - Release Date: 1/21/2005 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.7.2 - Release Date: 1/21/2005

Tazewell list, Someone was asking about the Boling name. I saw this on ancestry.com. Shirley, This is very good! I was researching the CAGLE line and ran across this BOLING line. It is amazing to see how so many names intertwine. I took the liberty to send your posting on to the Tazewell list because the Boling name is being researched there. We hope that you can give some input on this. Regards, Neda in VA And, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! BRUEY-WHITFIELD QUILT ID: I54755 Name: John BOLING Given Name: John Surname: Boling Sex: M Birth: 27 JAN 1675/76 in Kippax, Charles City, Virginia Death: 20 APR 1729 in Cobbs, Henrico County, Virginia Father: _Robert (Col) BOLLING_ (http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=shirleywhitfield&id=I54766) b: 26 DEC 1646 in All Hallows, Barking Parish, Tower St., London, England Mother: _Jane ROLFE_ (http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=shirleywhitfield&id=I54767) b: 10 OCT 1650 in Petersburg, Indian Territory, Dinwiddie County, Virginia Marriage 1 _Mary KENNON_ (http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=shirleywhitfield&id=I54756) b: 29 JUN 1677 in Conjurer's Neck, Henrico County, Virginia * Married: 29 DEC 1687 in Cobbs, Henrico County, Virginia Children 1. _John BOLING_ (http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=shirleywhitfield&id=I54757) b: 20 JAN 1699/1700 in Cobbs, Henrico County, Virginia