It started out as a modest visit to the local library and a random Google search. Who knew that a few months after beginning an exploration of my Stephenson roots, I would be darting through underbrush in the wilds of West Virginia, trying to stay out of sight from racetrack authorities?
Finding my ancestral home was fairly easy. I was able to plot it on Google Maps and the family who currently owns it has a Facebook page. What was more difficult was finding my ancestors' graves, even though my seven-times-great grandparents had five sons who fought in the American Revolution and two of them were decorated Colonels. One of the officers, Hugh Stephenson, was said to be buried with his parents at the "Bullskin Presbyterian Churchyard" according to Findagrave.com.
But where was this famed churchyard? I posted entreaties for help on Wikitree.com and several people weighed in. Two of them were members of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), West Virginia chapter. They gave what sketchy information they had and promised to visit the county land office, library, and historical museum.
According to an old newspaper clipping, the church and churchyard were 100 yards north of the head springs of the Bullskin Run, an ancient tributary of the Shenandoah River. On Google Maps, I located the head springs in a field. Going north, I encountered the local motor sports racetrack. Oh great, I thought. The famous Hugh Stephenson, after all his troubles to recruit one of the first regiments to fight in the Revolution is unceremoniously buried under a racetrack!
But I didn't lose hope. It was winter, so going to the Appalachian Mountains to search was out of the question. When I finally came to West Virginia to hopefully end the story with my triumphant locating of the graves, I started with a visit to Kenneth McAlpine (as I'll call him). I found him in his garage, with a windbreaker on that indicated that he was an instructor at the racetrack!
He shared with me his research into the property at the racetrack. A small, 1-acre site, it had been added to a larger property in the past. We drove to the racetrack and McAlpine was able to get us in, and also phoned several employees who had expressed interest in the history. But, they weren't there that day and were unreachable. Sadly, we left without being able to get onto the property and look.
The next stop was Bridget Brown's Wool Farm which has the Bullskin head springs on her property. A spunky, can-do lady, I think Bridget was just as excited about solving the mystery as I was. We gingerly tiptoed past her caged ram and found the quiet pool that was the head springs. Strolling beyond it down the road, we came to a thicket that was not fenced in. A few minutes later, I found myself walking up to an abandoned house, said to be built on the foundations of the old church!
It was a creepy looking place and I was glad of Bridget's company. The graves were supposed to be past the second outbuilding, near the trees. I tramped all over the area but it was uniformly covered with grass. No gravestones. McAlpine had said that there were 8 gravestones in all, some with the names of Throckmorten and Thomsom on them. Ducking down so I wouldn't be seen by whomever was in the racetrack offices, I searched the property again. Something just didn't add up. I hope to go back when I have more information and search again.
Back at the wool farm, I bought some raw wool for my daughter and checked out Bridget's farmhouse that was in process of construction. It was really amazing all that she was able to do just with her husband to help. I finished out the day with a visit to the Cool Spring Nature Preserve on the Bullskin Run, halfway between the farmhouse and the burial place. Even though my results were inconclusive, I felt happiness at visiting my ancestral lands. As I was leaving, I snapped a photo of this historic sign.
Finding my ancestral home was fairly easy. I was able to plot it on Google Maps and the family who currently owns it has a Facebook page. What was more difficult was finding my ancestors' graves, even though my seven-times-great grandparents had five sons who fought in the American Revolution and two of them were decorated Colonels. One of the officers, Hugh Stephenson, was said to be buried with his parents at the "Bullskin Presbyterian Churchyard" according to Findagrave.com.
But where was this famed churchyard? I posted entreaties for help on Wikitree.com and several people weighed in. Two of them were members of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), West Virginia chapter. They gave what sketchy information they had and promised to visit the county land office, library, and historical museum.
According to an old newspaper clipping, the church and churchyard were 100 yards north of the head springs of the Bullskin Run, an ancient tributary of the Shenandoah River. On Google Maps, I located the head springs in a field. Going north, I encountered the local motor sports racetrack. Oh great, I thought. The famous Hugh Stephenson, after all his troubles to recruit one of the first regiments to fight in the Revolution is unceremoniously buried under a racetrack!
But I didn't lose hope. It was winter, so going to the Appalachian Mountains to search was out of the question. When I finally came to West Virginia to hopefully end the story with my triumphant locating of the graves, I started with a visit to Kenneth McAlpine (as I'll call him). I found him in his garage, with a windbreaker on that indicated that he was an instructor at the racetrack!
He shared with me his research into the property at the racetrack. A small, 1-acre site, it had been added to a larger property in the past. We drove to the racetrack and McAlpine was able to get us in, and also phoned several employees who had expressed interest in the history. But, they weren't there that day and were unreachable. Sadly, we left without being able to get onto the property and look.
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| Abandoned house built on church foundation |
It was a creepy looking place and I was glad of Bridget's company. The graves were supposed to be past the second outbuilding, near the trees. I tramped all over the area but it was uniformly covered with grass. No gravestones. McAlpine had said that there were 8 gravestones in all, some with the names of Throckmorten and Thomsom on them. Ducking down so I wouldn't be seen by whomever was in the racetrack offices, I searched the property again. Something just didn't add up. I hope to go back when I have more information and search again.
Back at the wool farm, I bought some raw wool for my daughter and checked out Bridget's farmhouse that was in process of construction. It was really amazing all that she was able to do just with her husband to help. I finished out the day with a visit to the Cool Spring Nature Preserve on the Bullskin Run, halfway between the farmhouse and the burial place. Even though my results were inconclusive, I felt happiness at visiting my ancestral lands. As I was leaving, I snapped a photo of this historic sign.
Lee, you are quite the writer and have succeeded in painting pictures with your assembly of written words. I should be working and instead. am quite enjoying my morning of imagining your travels!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karon!
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