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Cemeteries |
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Cemeteries |
Location: Two and one-half miles North of St. George, SC, East of US 15, on Buck Springs Branch, and containing approximately one-quarter acre of land, bounded on all sides by Pearcy lands.History: The oldest known grave in the cemetery is the one of John Gavin who died April 10, 1838. The last person buried there was Mrs. Ida William Gavin Harper, wife of Holcombe Hamilton Harper, who died December 17, 1933. Three graves have only wooden slabs with no inscriptions. Several gravestones have been embedded in cement covering the area of the family plots. Holcombe H. Blume and F. D. (Sonny) McMurray were the first to attempt restoration of this cemetery which had become a veritable forest of fallen trees, vines, and underbrush covering the entire area. However, more help was needed. Primarily through the initiative of William S. Rickborn the necessary labor for this task was procured. He also assisted personally in the removal of the resultant debris which required a great deal of time. To date, financial contributions toward the restoration of our cemetery have been made by a few of the descendents of Harpers and Gavins. Additional funds are needed annually for beautification and maintenance. Marguerite B. Rickborn.
Dr. J. Gavin Appleby states that the Hughes were owners of this plantation before the Gavins, then Harpers. Also, that Ann Hughes married John Gavin.
"BUCK SPRINGS derived it's name from the fact that an exceptionally large buck was accustomed to go there for water," quoted from a legend of the history of Marguerite Blume Rickborn, a direct descendent of Capt. Leonidas Adolphus Harper, born in Elberton, Georgia, a former owner of the Buck Springs Plantation. A beautiful job of restoration promoted by William S. and Marguerite Blume Rickborn, with donations from some of the descendents of those buried there, is evidence of much hard work and cost. They plan to maintain this perservation. Mrs. Georgia Inabinet Adams Lefvendahl, in THE INABINET FAMILY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, Vol. III, published November 1970, p. 23, makes reference: "Described in 1850 as 'Hughes Family graveyard on Buck Spring Plantation on waters of Indian Field Swamp' . . . later known as the 'Harper' graveyard, because a Mr. L. A. Harper of Georgia, bought the plantation in the 1860's . . . Trees have grown to enormous size . . . obscured, . . . rattlesnake infested area . . .And so is lost to us another source of records from long ago." As is known by all those researching early family histories, a ditch was dug around the early cemeteries. Buck Springs Cemetery ditch was cleared by restorers and remains distinctly on three sides and partly on fourth. This Cemetery as well as many others in our county is truly a historical landmark. lhhCopyists: Wilbur & Louise Canaday, Pattie W. Heaton, Lillian H. Harley.Date: January 23, 1977.
Photograph above and tombstone photos linked from this site ©2000 by Judy Ballard
THREE CYPRESS MARKERS |
Wm. Gavin, M.D. - Son |
Leonidas A. Harper - Son |
J. M. |
David Daniel - Son of |
Thomas Jefferson Murray |
1. Legend related by Marguerite B. Rickborn: One of the graves in the cemetery with a cypress marker (now rotting away) contains a metal tag with the name of Willie O'Brien who died September 8, 1868. The tale is that he wandered by Buck Springs Plantation, which was across the road from the cemetery, and simply made his home there. Every evening he would go and sit in the cemetery. When he died he was buried there as no one knew where his home originally was. The young man was only sixteen years of age, no doubt a tragedy of the Civil War years which wreaked such destruction on homes and land throughout the South.
CEMETERY INSCRIPTIONS OF DORCHESTER COUNTY, SC:
© 1979 Lillian
H. Harley, Pattie W. Heaton, Lillian D. Kizer
Photo above © Paulette Johnston
UPDATED DIRECTIONS: Take highway 15 north
out of Saint George Dorchester County South Carolina.Go down
about 3 miles on the right you will see a yellow gate an a big open
area this area at one time was the old saw mill go another block
or so and you will see another yellow gate.Look out to left of that
gate the cemetery is in the woods.Need the owner of the property to
take you or get permission from him.Both gates are locked
