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Braxton Memorial Gardens (as named on Findagrave.com) was originally established as Braxton County Cemetery, in 1959, by the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers (USACE). The USACE donated the land, and established the cemetery, to facilitate the relocation of 17 smaller cemeteries scattered along the Elk River (above Sutton, WV) in preparation for the construction of the Sutton Dam and Sutton Lake. The relocated cemeteries would have been flooded with the creation of Sutton Lake. All 17 cemeteries (approximately 657 graves) were relocated from 1959 to 1960.
Upon completion of the cemetery relocations by the USACE, the Braxton County Cemetery Association (BCCA) was formed. Though the BCCA, and its trustees, remain as the official entity of the cemetery, the cemetery later became known as Braxton Memorial Cemetery (as its entrance sign reads currently). It is speculated that the use of the name "Braxton County Cemetery" was terminated so as to not give the impression that the County of Braxton owns and/or maintains the cemetery. Braxton Memorial Cemetery/Braxton Memorial Gardens is a public cemetery with its upkeep and maintenance funded solely by volunteers and donations.
Prior to relocating a cemetery, if a headstone was present (in the original cemetery), the USACE moved it to Braxton County Cemetery upon reinterment. If no headstone was present, but the USACE personnel were able to find out the details (i.e., person's name, birth year, death year), a headstone was created with those details inscribed along with a "GR" number corresponding to the original cemetery number, and grave number, assigned to that grave within the original cemetery. For example, a headstone with "GR 4/17" inscribed would indicate that this grave was moved from Cemetery #4 (Paw Paw Gap) and was grave #17 in the original cemetery. These numbers also cross-reference to the scanned reinterment maps (referenced below) indicating where the grave was moved to within Braxton County Cemetery. If no names/dates, etc. were known, the headstone created by the USACE was inscribed with "Unknown" along with a corresponding GR number.
Fortunately, one of the cemetery trustees was able to procure, and have scanned, full-size copies of the blueprints created by the USACE of all 17 cemeteries -- their original locations along with re-interment locations. For anyone wanting to view the scanned images, they are available at the Sutton Public Library (Sutton, WV) and at the WV Cultural Center (Charleston, WV). Following is a listing of the 17 cemeteries relocated by the USACE from 1959 to 1960 [NOTE: The numbers next to the names correspond to the numbers assigned to these cemeteries by the USACE prior to relocation and correspond to map number references and headstone GR numbers as well.]:
Cemetery Name (Number)
Baker's Run Cemetery (5)
Cogar Cemetery (14)
Demastus Cemetery (23)
Fall Run Cemetery (16)
Gibson Cemetery (13)
Gillespie Cemetery (12)
Greene Cemetery (18)
John Mollohan Cemetery (9)
Kitts Cemetery (17)
Kitzmiller Cemetery(2)
Paw Paw Gap Cemetery (4)
Perrine Cemetery (7)
Robinson Cemetery (10)
Salisbury Cemetery (15)
Skidmore Cemetery (6)
Snyder Cemetery (19)
Sterrett Cemetery (1)
In addition to the 17 cemeteries relocated by the USACE, there was one more cemetery moved to Braxton County Cemetery -- Prestonia Cemetery. In February of 1981, the Oneida Coal Company underwent efforts to develop land in an eastern area of Braxton County next to -- and possibly extending into -- Webster County, in order to construct a coal processing plant, tipple, etc. This area was referred to, by Oneida employees, as "Prestonia" and included a small, abandoned, unnamed cemetery. Thus, the given name "Prestonia Cemetery". Per a court Order dated February 5, 1981 in the Circuit Court of Braxton County, WV, the Oneida Coal Company was granted permission to relocate the small, abandoned, unnamed cemetery on said land. The reinterment process was assigned/awarded to S. G. Marple doing business as Marple Funeral Home, Sutton, WV.
In March of 1981, 42 of 46 graves were reinterred in Braxton County Cemetery with the remaining 4 graves having been reinterred in the Holcomb Cemetery in Erbacon, Webster County, WV. Existing headstones/markers were moved at the time of relocation. Some markers, allowed to be grown over in time, have been uncovered in recent years -- with memorials having been added to Findagrave.com. Sadly, of the 42 graves reinterred in Braxton County Cemetery, 32 of the graves were noted as "Unknown" (on a reinterment map) and, so far, appear to not have markers.