RICHMOND COUNTY, GA - OBITS Samuel Elbert, Rev. War soldier Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Candace Gravelle Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Death Notice from the Georgia Gazette, Savannah, GA, issue of Jan 26,1792 - - Died at Great Ogeechee, Elizabeth ELBERT, the widow of Gen. Samuel ELBERT. ******************************************************************** Some Early Epitaphs in Georgia, compiled by the Georgia Society of the Colonial Dames of America, written in 1924: Major-General Samuel Elbert In 1788, one hundred and thirty six years ago, Major General Samuel Elbert was laid away to rest in the family burial grounds at Rae's Hall. His remains and those of his wife were reverantly removed from that spot and on March 10, 1924, reinterred in Colonial Cemetery near where sleep so many of his Companions in Arms. Honors befitting the memory of the Colonial, State and Revolutionary leader were paid with all of the solemnity and dignity of a military funeral. This is the only burial in this cemetery since July 1, 1853, special permission for it having been obtained from the municipal authorities. ************************************************************************ Atlanta Constitution Newspaper Article, (Atlanta, GA), issue of Feb 21, 1924: D.A.R. chapter plans to remove body of ELBERT - - - Macon, Georgia, Feb 20th - - The body of Samuel Elbert, Revolutionary War General and early Governor of Georgia, will be removed from the present resting place at Rae's Hall near Savannah, in the early spring with ceremonies that will honor the early Georgia patriot. Mrs. Ellen Washington Belamy of Macon,GA a descendant of General Elbert, has been informed in a communiction from the Elbert Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at Tennile. Mrs. Bellamy has been invited as a descendant of the general's family, to represent the Elbert Chapter at the exercises. She had previously been invited by Richard Travis, chairman of the Savannah Association, to be present at the occasion." ************************************************************************ Atlanta, Constitution newspaper article, issue of March 11, 1924 (page 4) SAVANNAH's PAY TRIBUTE to General Samuel ELBERT Savannah, GA, March 10th - - Amid booms of salutes fired from cannon, reinterment in the Colonial Cemetery of General Samuel ELBERT, Major General of Washington's Revolutionary Army and once Governor of the State of Georgia, was marked this afternoon with impressive ceremonies, 136 years after the death of the military and political leader of Colonial, Revolutionary and Early Statehood of Georgia. The cortege was impressive with full military honor. General Robert Travis of the 118th Field Artillery, National Guard of Georgia, was master of ceremonies. Colonel Raymond Sheldon, commander at Fort Screven, was chief speaker of the day. He recounted the life and excellences of General Elbert. In the audience were members of the Sons of the Revolution, Daughters of the Revolution, Colonial dames and the society of the Colonial Wars, the Society of the Cincinnati, the U.D.C. Confederate Veterans, the Sons of Veterans, the Georgia Historical Society and other organizations. Mrs. Richard V. Evans, wife of Judge Richard V. Evans of Birmingham, Ala; , a lineal descendant of General ELBERT, accompanied by her niece Mrs. H. Perry, also of Birmingham, took part in the ceremonies this afternoon. General ELBERT was the great great great grandfather of Mrs. Evans and the great great great great grandfather of Mrs. Perry. He had two daughters and a son. The son left no descendants. " ********************************************************************** NOTES: From the History of the Colonial Park Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia: " Samuel Elbert Samuel Elbert attained the rank of Brigadier General in the Continental Army. He also served as Governor of Georgia, a Trustee of Chatham Academy, and Sheriff of Chatham County. When he passed away, he was buried originally at his plantation, called Rae’s Hall. The burial ground at Rae’s Hall was a large Indian mound, known as ‘the ‘Mount’, located about 5 miles upriver, that had previously been a burial ground for the Indians that predated the Yamacraw in the area. There he and the remains of his wife remained in the old Indian burial mound until 1915, when a group of children from prominent Savannah families decided to hunt for arrowheads and artifacts in the mound. Instead they found some bones, which were actually two skeletons, along with coffin handles, and nails. The boys were thrilled with their discovery, and they dug up the bones and took them home. But the excitement of their find was quickly dulled when an article in the newspaper a few days later announced that vandals had desecrated the grave of Samuel Elbert, Revolutionary War hero. One of the boys, in a panic, threw some of the bones away. The remaining bones were eventually taken to the Georgia Historical Society, and turned in to a librarian there, where they remained in a drawer for several years. Finally in 1924, amid great ceremony, the bones were placed in Colonial Park Cemetery. It is still not known whether the bones actually belonged to Elbert, his wife, or perhaps another family member. And what of the bones discarded? It is entirely possible that these bones were the remains of Samuel Elbert, however, Revolutionary War hero and politician could actually be buried in some other unknown location. "