Hi Carole,
I think I may have talked to you before on Camp ancestors, did your email
used to be Blondy something?
Well no matter, I just recently joined the Camp list and find what you have
said about Seaborn grave deplorable, even tho I am not a descendant from
Seaborn.
May I ask which Seaborn Camp this is or who was this mans' parents? I have
several in my file. I think too there should be enough descendants to help
with this. I thought I would ask around on some of the lists that I belong
to, but wanted to kind of know where this Seaborn fits in at. (Kind of want
to know what I am talking about first) I did read the Archives, but I must
have missed something
Pat
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carole Johnson" <fojo(a)mindspring.com>
To: <CAMP-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 2:47 PM
Subject: [CAMP-L] gravesite of Seaborn Camp
Dear List,
Just an update to let ya'll know that several of us met last week
at the gravesite of Seaborn Camp in Clayton County, Georgia.
The cemetery is in deplorable condition. It is still up in the air
as to whom actually owns the cemetery. Jackie Camp who has
contributed an enormous amount toward the Georgia Camp
genealogy took me to the site in the early 1980s. At the time
a catering business was being operated near the cemetery.
Large trees were all around and in the cemetery. The owners
of the catering business had told Jackie that some grave stones
had been damaged over the years by neighboring cattle escaping
fences. As far as I know, noone was taking care of the cemetery
at the time. When I next visited was 1997. All of the trees had
been taken out and a brick wall approximately four feet high
erected along three sides. A Mrs. Connor had purchased the
surrounding property. She had taken out the trees and put up
the wall. She as much told me that I could look, but anything
else would be considered trespassing. She was throwing her
yard garbage (and some household garbage) over the wall.
I took some quick pictures and didn't return until Lora's
recent posts and Al's advisement of the development of
what appears to be fee simple, detatched homes in a
gated community.
Lora has taken a tremendous amount of time and effort
in talking to the developer, local government and anyone
else who will listen. She shouldn't have to bear this burden
alone. Regardless of whomever is determined to be the
owner of the cemetery, it will be up to the descendants
of Seaborn Camp to prevent any more destruction to
the graves. It appears that the developer used a bushhog
to clean up the cemetery in early May to prepare for an
open house. Needless to say, there are gravestones strewn
about and graves obviously disturbed. There are two graves
that are mounded over and covered with what appears to
be scallop shells. In doing a google search I discovered
a photograph of a grave at the Crawford-Dorsey House in
Lovejoy, which is nearby, that is identical to a grave at
Seaborn's cemetery. It is a shame noone seems interested
in the cemetery from an historical prospective.
I would like to propose that all of us who are descendants
of Seaborn and Big-Headed John Camp to unite and solve
this dilemma together. Even though John died in Texas,
it is thought that his wife, Winifred Maddox is buried in
this cemetery. We also don't know where James Camp
and Mary Berry are buried (do we?). There is a possibility
they are there, too. I would say off-hand that there are
at least twenty-four and maybe more people buried there
with Seaborn most likely being the last. He died in 1900.
I feel with certainty that the little guy that drowned in the
well that Elizabeth (Sissilia, Seaborn's second wife)
had to drag out by herself is buried there. Who are all
of the others? Mahahley is buried there, Elizabeth in Riverdale.
I was ashamed that the cemetery is in the condition it
is in. I am the historian of a church in north Fulton County that has
a small cemetery with the oldest grave dated 1855. It is in far better
condition than Seaborn's. We have allowed the trees to remain which
has sheltered the graves. It is stipulated in the deed to the property
of the cemetery that the Trustees are bound as Christians to take
care of the cemetery as are their heirs. Sounds pretty serious and
binding to me and our church complies.
I don't have the means, financial or otherwise to take this project on by
myself. I don't know whether of not Lora has either,
but she at this point is the only one doing anything about
it. Seaborn had a passel of children between his two wives.
Surely there are others of us out there. If we join resources
we can make a difference. I plan to join Lora.
Any other takers?
Carole (always a Camp) Johnson