Grave Yards

Grave Yards. . , In 1860, Thomas S. Watson hired a local surveyor to draw a map of his property. The map, pictured below, indicates two "Grave Yards" near the tobacco barn., Today, the Watson-Taylor family cemetery is clearly marked with gravestones and an iron fence. There are no markings of a second burial site outside the family cemetery, contrary to what the map shows. This has prompted curiosity as to who may be buried in the second grave yard. Could it possibly be an unmarked enslaved persons grave yard?, Respectfully, no excavation will be completed at this location. However, ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been used over a section of ground which is believed to be the second grave yard, see the photo pictured at right., The radar markings, indicated by the lighter blue in the photo, are facing the same direction. A radar return with this kind of uniformity suggests a burial site., Research is actively ongoing to find documentation that clarifies the actual location of grave yards for enslave persons here at Bracketts., Interesting Fact , Using GPR to locate ancient burial sites is a developing science. A special tool sends electromagnetic energy into the ground through a transmitting antenna. Items in the ground are detected by reflections that are returned through a receiving antenna. The strength of the reflections are recorded to identify changes below the ground. In the case of graves, these changes include the subtle variations present when a grave shaft is excavated and then refilled.,

By the hand of Thomas S. Watson... 1860 Death of my Negros , "September 10, 1860, Old Cupid died, he was about 85 years old. He told me, that by counting the funerals of the first Watson (in this country)… he had seen six generations of Watsons.", "January 10, 1861 , Charlotte's little daughter (born last April) died of pneumonia.", "February 9, 1861 , my wife counted up, carefully, and told me that, since we were married, say in the last 14 years, we have lost twenty young negros!! This is unprecedented mortality, in this neighborhood. I am sure tis not owing to any neglect for on estates here, where there are no masters and mistresses to help, only overseers to attend to everything, the slaves nearly doubled in the same time.", "May 6, 1861 , My man Abram died, having been sick for just nine days, pneumonia."