Stafford Historical Society working to restore 19th-century grave

Cemeteries are important links with Stafford’s history, but they are often targets for vandals.

For over three centuries, Stafford was a rural area, its landscape dominated by quiet fields of cattle and sheep and forested hills.

Dotted over the whole were modest farmhouses, outbuildings, ponds, and fences. Most farms included a family cemetery just a short distance from the house.

Inscribed headstones were a luxury few could afford and in Stafford’s 400 or so known family cemeteries. Most graves were marked simply with pieces of rock.

“Aunt Sue” or “Granny” kept up with who was buried beneath which rock. Many of these cemeteries were forgotten as families died off, moved away, and farms were sold. Rampant development has resulted in the loss of countless small family plots.

The Stafford County Historical Society is currently working with the Stafford Cemetery Committee to repair and re-install one such marker. This is for Lucy (Latham) Ennever (1777-1852).

Lucy’s beautifully carved marble stone was removed from its cemetery years ago and taken to a house in Richmond. Thanks to John Shuck of the Henrico County Historical Society, Lucy’s marker has come back to Stafford. It will be returned to the family cemetery, where her footstone still stands next to the grave of her husband, Joseph Ennever (1770-1848).

This marker requires professional repair before it can be reinstalled in its proper place. It will cost $3,900 to repair, clean, and reset the stones, including removing two trees from the gravesite.

The Stafford County Historical Society is accepting donations for this and future gravestone repairs. You may donate online, or you can mail a check to:

Treasurer
SCHS
P. O. Box 1664
Stafford, VA 22555

Submit your community post here.