NELSON COUNTY, VA - CEMETERIES – Fairmont Baptist Church Cemetery ----¤¤¤---- Source: Library of Virginia Digital Collection LVA Titled Files: Survey Report, Fairmount Baptist Church: 1938 Feb. 2 Research made by Annie L. Harrower Cemetery Location: 3.5 miles southeast from Shipman, Virginia. From Shipman go 1 mile on Route #56; thence turn south (right) and go 2.5 miles on Route #647 to intersection with Route #722. The church stands 400 yards to the north of this intersection on the west side of Route #722 in the woods. Nelson County, Virginia DATE: About 1838. OWNERS: Robert Rives prior to 1812. Peter Vaughn and Sarah, August 1812, D.B. 1, p. 537. $1,300 Samuel Hansborough and Sally, October 11, 1816 John Ligon, 1818, D.B. 3, p. 90. $3,000 219 acres He gave a lot of land to the church but it was not acknowledged or recorded. Trustees of the Church: W.D. Ligon; Paul Calloway; Miles T. Shipman; Robert L. Brown; P.B. Young. Deed was given 1850. D.B. 18, p. 434. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Fairmont Baptist Church is built near the site of the old Key’s Church, which was built in 1765. It was here at this church that Samuel Jordan Cabell, a Colonel in the Revolutionary Army, bivouaced a company of soldiers and marched to Yorktown, starting on March 12, 1776, and walking the whole distance in twelve days, arriving March 24, 1776. Mrs. Anna Louise Shepherd Elson, was the Mother of the “Sunbeams” which she organized while Rev. Taylor was the pastor in 1888. A few of her first “sunbeams” are yet living and attend church. (1938) Every second Sunday in October is home-coming day and all that are living attend. A few of the first Sunbeams are: Mr. George Cabell, Shipman, Virginia; Mrs. Sallie Williams, Roanoke, Virginia’ Mrs. Hattie Moore, Roanoke, Virginia. There are three large graveyards around the church. One has a large stone wall four feet high, built by William Vaughn, over a century ago; another across the road, in which no one knows who is buried. There are fifty or more graves which have no markers. Sukey Vaughn Wife of George Vaughn Died April 11, 1816 Aged 39 years William Vaughn No dates Masonic emblem At the rear of the church is a new cemetery, enclosed with an iron fence. In this cemetery stands a tall marble stone and inscribed: Emblem of Sunbeams Anna Louise Elson Mother of Sunbeams November 29, 1834 October 12, 1915 Suffer little children to come unto me A token of love from the Sunbeams of Virginia SOURCES OF INFORMATION: Informant: George Cabell, Shipman, Virginia, A member of the church and an old resident. Court Records: Clerk Office of Nelson County at Lovingston, Va. Tombstone Inscriptions Visit by worker. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Joan Renfrow NOTICE: I have no relationship or further information in regards to this family. ___________________________________________________________________