Tombstone Tuesday

Another stone from the Cemetery In the Woods that I visited this past October.

Susanna J. Keener

Daughter of Abraham Smith Keener and Elizabeth Hume

Susanna would be my 1st cousin 4x removed.

Tombstone Tuesday - The Trees Are Winning

Last week I posted about a visit to Grafton, Taylor, West Virginia.  While there I visited the cemetery of my ancestors, the Keener Cemetery.

I noted that it was located in the woods and while it's very serene and a beautiful place, it's also evident that the trees are taking over and many of the headstones are damaged and almost illegible at this point. 

These two stones (one in the foreground and the other on the opposite side of the tree) belong to my 4th Great Grandparents, George and Margaret (Miller) Keener.   Obviously buried side-by-side, the tree has grown up between them and in time has broken both of their stones off. 

Margaret Miller Keener b. 1792, d. 18 Apr 1860

 

George Keener b. 1772, d. 22 May 1863



Tombstone Tuesday - A Cemetery in The Woods

I have wanted to visit the Keener Cemetery in Grafton, WV for some time and in October I finally had the opportunity to do so.   While I was only able to "visit" for about 10 minutes, it felt wonderful and yet sad to finally be there among the ancestors that I've spent so many years chasing down.   My Dad and I often talked about going out there - I really wish he was still here so I could tell him all about it.

The cemetery is on a piece of property that has long since left the hands of the family, but the couple who now live there are glad to share their driveway and directed me up a path in the woods.   Upon finding it, I wondered how much longer it will be able to be found...  

Many stones are broken, having given way to trees that have grown up among them.  But in these woods are my 3rd great-grandparents and two sets of 4th great-grandparents, in addition to many other relations that I have yet to figure out. 

There are other researchers of this family who have worked hard over the years to document the burials here.   I believe they have documented 75+ and many of them return to clean up and clear away the overgrowth.   Its a wonderful thing to know that others visit these woods for the same reason I do, and I hope to return soon, when I've got a bit more time to spend.

Tombstone Tuesday - Samuel B. Keener

My 3rd Great Grandfather
Samuel B. Keener
b. Sept 11, 1809, d. Jan 9, 1897
Husband of Mary E. Johnston
Son of George Keener and Margaret Miller

This stone and many others of this line of the Keener family can be found on private property in the Keener Cemetery, in Taylor County WV. A great big thanks to Melissa Wisen - a distant Keener cousin of mine, who photographed the stones in that cemetery and made them available on the Find A Grave website and gave permission for me to use them here on my blog.See all of Melissa's memorials here, or visit Find-a-Grave to search for your own ancestors.

Cemetery Saturday - Abraham Smith Keener

Today's headstone is for Abraham Smith Keener and his wife Elizabeth G. Hume Keener. Abraham is my 3rd Great Grand Uncle, or the brother of my 3rd Great Grandfather. Abraham was the son of George W. Keener and Margaret Miller. He was born June 29, 1830 in Taylor County WV, and died on Oct 3, 1921 also in Taylor County.

Abraham married Elizabeth G. Hume in Taylor County in about 1853.
The couple had 11 children*:
Thomas Jefferson Keener born 1853
George W. Keener born 1855
John Addison Keener born 1858
Mary Margaret Keener born 1860
Susanna J. Keener born 1862
Emily J. Keener born 1866
Alice L. Keener born 1868
Hannah Keener born 1869
Agnes D. Keener born 1873
Eva Keener born 1876
Martha E. Keener born 1871



The top of the stone shows the details for Abraham, the lowest area on the front of the stone has the details of Elizabeth, she died May 21, 1916.

This stones and many others of this line of the Keener family can be found on private property in the Keener Cemetery, in Taylor County WV. A great big thanks to Melissa Wisen - a distant Keener cousin of mine, who photographed the stones in that cemetery and made them available on the Find A Grave website and gave permission for me to use them here on my blog.

See all of Melissa's memorials here, or visit Find-a-Grave to search for your own ancestors.



*some information in this post was obtained from another researcher's work and has not been confirmed or denied.

Cemetery Saturday - Abraham Keener

This is the headstone of Abraham Keener, my 1st cousin 4x removed.

Abraham was born about 1843 and died Apr. 17, 1852. He was the son of John M. Keener and his wife Margaret Johnson Keener. He is buried in the Keener Cemetery in Grafton, Taylor County WV.

A great big thanks to Melissa Wisen - a distant Keener cousin of mine, who photographed the stones in that cemetery and made them available on the Find A Grave website and gave permission for me to use them here on my blog.

See all of Melissa's memorials here, or visit Find-a-Grave to search for your own ancestors.

Cemetery Saturday (or Sunday :-)

These are the headstones of George W. Keener, and his wife Margaret Miller Keener; my 4th Great Grandparents.

George was born in 1772 in Shenandoah County Virginia. He was the son of Samuel Keener & Catherine McCullough. He died May 22, 1863 in Taylor County WV.

Margaret Miller was born in 1788 in Bath County Virginia, she was the daughter of John Miller & Eva Burns. She died April 26, 1860 in Taylor County WV.

Both are buried in the Keener Cemetery in Grafton, West Virginia. The cemetery is located in the woods on private property, but I understand that the owner is very welcoming to family members who wish to visit these graves. I have not yet had the pleasure of visitng the cemetery myself - these photos were taken by Melissa Wisen, another descendant of this couple, who has photographed many of the stones located there. To view the other burials at this cemetery (79 in total entered), you can visit the Keener Cemetery page at Find A Grave. Or to view other listings created by Melissa, you can view her stats page here.