AUGUSTA COUNTY – ROBERT ALLEN FAMILY CEMETERY

Contributed by: Robert M. Allen  [ boballen1948@sbcglobal.net ]

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The Allen family cemetery was described in a 5/8/1885 newspaper article in the 
Stanton Vindicator by an eyewitness viewing in 1885.
 
The most relevant part of the newspaper article says:
 
"...[so] in order to ascertain the truth of the matter, we sought the services 
of Mr. Wm. B. Alexander, one of our oldest citizens whose knowledge of all 
curious and quaint facts in the history of our town and vicinity is 
proverbial.  We learned there were several old graves on a spur of the Blue 
Ridge near here, with headstones, but he did not remember the date.  It was 
about Christmas day, in the year 1850, that Mr. A. accompanied by the late Mr. 
Joseph Y. Smith was out hunting rabbits, and whilst crossing the spur of the 
mountain just southwest of the junction, about one fourth of a mile, and 
probably a mile southeast of town, on the old Critzer place, in a dense thicket, 
they suddenly came upon several graves, the existence of which seemed to have 
been unknown to any one.  Having persuaded Mr. A. to accompany us, we set out 
for the ancient cemetery last week.  After climbing up the hill, and after some 
difficulty in passing through the dense undergrowth, we found the graves.  But 
two rough head-stones were found, one in good condition comparatively, the other 
broken in two and the two pieces found some distance apart; yet there were 
several sunken places in the vicinity, showing plainly that other interments had 
taken place there.  The stone that remains unbroken is a rough slab of mountain 
rock, about two and a half feet long, fifteen inches wide and probably two and a 
half inches thick upon which the inscription is rudely carved –

'HERE LIES THE BODY OF ROBERT ALLEN DECSED OCTOBER THE 21 IN THE 47 YEAR OF HIS 
AGE -- 1788.'
 
The other stone was a very rough, irregularly shaped yellow standstone with the 
following inscription carved rudely but plainly:
 
'R A D OC 25 1788.' "
 
This Robert Allen was my ancestor.  His Will was proved in Augusta Co., VA in 
1789.  He was married to Jane Turk, daughter of Thomas Turk and his first wife, 
Margaret __?__.  Jane Turk moved to Cumberland Co., KY with her 11 children by 
Robert Allen in 1797.  I call this Robert Allen - "Robert Allen, Junior" because 
he was the son of Robert Allen who died in Augusta Co., VA on April 30, 1790 
whose Will was proved in Augusta County, VA, in 1791.  The second stone was 
obviously the footstone to Robert Allen, Jr.  
 
The graves were noted later on a 1926 Subdivision Map of a housing development 
called Winchester Heights in Waynesboro, Augusta Co., VA.  The exact location is 
on lot 4 on Elkin Ave, between Tenth and Eleventh Streets near the back alley 
dividing houses on Elkin Ave. from houses on Forest Ave.   Lot 4 is on the east 
side of Elkin Ave, 7 lots down from Eleventh St. and 4 lots up from Tenth St.  I 
could not find the grave when I was there in the 1980s and discovered that the 
street and alley had been remodeled and some lots eliminated since the 1926 
subdivision map.  The subdivision map notes "Allen Graves" in this 
location.  Most likely these graves were either plowed under, or perhaps moved, 
during construction or were destroyed or buried by a subsequent homeowner or due 
to weathering.
 
My research has proven that this land was definitely owned by either Robert 
Allen, Jr., or his father, Robert Allen, Sr., or both.  
 
Robert M. (Bob) Allen