The Pioneer Graveyard

Limestone was a thriving settlement at the turn of the 19th century. Its trustees had petitioned Virginia for a town at Limestone Creek in 1787, and certainly burials were taking place contemporaneously. Burials at the graveyard began at least as early as 1800. The trustees of Maysville recognized the need and on February 28, 1804, for four pounds and three shillings, gave to the people of Maysville lots 47 and 66, half an acre a piece, to be used as graveyard. The town’s trustees were Jacob Boone, William Byers, George Mitchell, Charles Gallagher, Joseph B. Liebert, and John Armstrong.

Those trustees surely underestimated the growth of the community, for in short time another cemetery had to be established. That cemetery was established around 1830 near the site of the present municipal buildings. An undated document at the Mason County Museum lists a committee of made recommendations about the burial problem. They instructed the trustees of the town the old graveyard had room for only another year. They suggested renting out the site for the new cemetery to two brick yards with these instructions:

“To have the clay so dug and the ground so leveled as to enable your honorable body to have the graveyard lad our with convenient walks of three feet between the graves, leaving a space of seven feet between each walk, so that there should be no difficulty in knowing where to dig graves and of course, the ground would hold at least a third more persons”

The graveyard is located directly behind the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center. Follow the narrow path between KYGMC and Phillips Folly!

Graveyard Epitaphs

Many stones in old graveyards include epitaphs. Some can still be discerned on the stone. Some may have disappeared but were included in a Maysville Republican newspaper article on Saturday, October 9, 1875.

VERSE SAMPLES

From the grave of John Mitchell: Affliction sore long time I bore Physicians were in vain, Till God did please to give me ease, And Free me from my pain.

From the stone of Mrs. Nancy Duncan: Lord I commit my soul to thee, Accept the sacred trust: Receive this nobler part of me, And watch my sleeping dust.

From the 1875 newspaper is a reference to the wandering spirit of our pioneers: There is a calm for those that weep, A rest for weary Pilgrims found; Where they may lay and softly sleep. Low in the ground.

The Pioneer Graveyard is owed by the City of Maysville and is not affiliated with KYGMC.