Little known facts about Stephens City’s Greenhill Cemetery

After the Civil War, the citizens of Stephens City (then Newtown-Stephensburg), began petitioning the Town Trustees for a new cemetery somewhere west of the town. The town meeting minutes of March 12, 1874, cite, a special meeting being called in the counting room of Steele and Bro. The Trustees were to consider a petition from the citizens and freeholders [landowners] of the town who are praying the Council would grant three acres of land for the purpose of laying out a cemetery to Green Hill N. T. Stephensburg Cemetery Company.

On motion of Trustee John W. Beaty, it was unanimously resolved that this body grant and convey by deed to Green Hill Cemetery Company, three acres of land off the southeast corner of the Town Commons, for the purpose of laying out a cemetery. The Town Trustees present were John W. Beaty, James R. Campbell, M. W. Steele, Dr. Thomas M. Miller (president), and M. H. Albin (secretary).

From the Stephens City Star, October 1881.

“Mrs. John H. Chrisman has removed the remains of her family from the family burying ground to Green Hill cemetery.”

“We are glad to notice that many workmen are engaged in repairing and beautifying the cemetery. Green Hill will in time be an honor to the instigators.”

“Albin & Brothers from the Winchester Marble Works have placed a few creditable tombstones in the Green Hill cemetery. We learn that they have orders for many more.”

It would appear hiring an architect to design the cemetery grounds occurred sometime after 1874, but the first evidence of any work being done was in 1881. In the time of the colonial revival, beginning in the 1870s¸ interest in beautifying public spaces began to emerge. Rural cemeteries became picturesque gathering places for family outings where people took delight in the calming influences of the presence of death. A new focus on the natural environment created a popular culture centered on emotions about death and people were stirred by stately monuments set in a place of nature.

It is likely that Green Hill was designed as a private rural park-like setting cemetery with roads and picturesque vistas. Early visions of the cemetery emphasized naturalness of landscape, but with man-made adornments such as granite and marble headstones which would allow for a deceased person’s memory to live on for many more decades

There is no record yet found that identifies when the Greenhill Cemetery entranceway gates were built and iron fence installed on the southside (Fairfax Street). Sandra Bosley, Historian for Hire, virtually reviewed photographs and informed me that the fence was built by Stewart Iron Works, and was pre-1900. Bosley suggested 1885-1890.

In the Winchester Times, January 27, 1897, page 2, under Stephens City Items, cites “The Greenhill Cemetery trustees held a meeting last Wednesday evening and decided to build a fence on the north side and a portion of each end [east and west] of the cemetery, if practicable, this spring. The base will be of stone, upon which will be set four feet of iron pickets, unless otherwise changed.” The newspaper goes on to cite, “Reverend F. A. Stother of Fincastle, was in town last week on business connected with the cemetery fence.” We know the east side was Water Street and the west side was probably the properties border as Grove Street did not yet exist (was not on the D. J. Lake & Co. Atlas, 1885). County records reflect the road was named West Street in 1880.

Rev. Frank A. Strother, was an appointed preacher around the Winchester District. He was appointed to Stephens City Circuit 1889-93. Strother pastored Stephens City UMC from 1889-1892. In 1896, Rev Strother had an appointment and was church planting in Fincastle, VA., near Roanoke. Greenhill Cemetery trustees most likely called on Rev. Strother to assist them with the expensive purchase of the fence from Stewart Iron works who were at that time located in Covington, Kentucky.

The Winchester Times, May 11, 1898, page 2, under Stephens City Items, cites “Greenhill Cemetery fence is much delayed by the workman encountering a quantity of blue slate and on account of the inclemency of the weather.” So, we know the fence surrounding the cemetery was completed in 1898.

Winchester Evening Star Newspaper Archives June 13, 1923 Page 4, cites “Decorations Day at Stephens City was well attended and several very impressive speeches were made.”

According to current Green Hill president, John Petrie, Decoration Day, once a huge town event, has gradually become a remnant of Stephens City’s past. Hundreds of people attended Decoration Day in late 1800s and early 1900s. Where seventy-five people once participated in the 1980s, the crowd was reduced to thirty in the 90s. By the 2000s, less than twelve attended the event and it was finally canceled around 2015.

Oral history (John Holt, Middletown) informed me that around 1923, M.J. Grove Lime Company hauled lime slag to Green Hill to fill in the western end of the cemetery (intersection of Grove and Fairfax Streets) in an effort to level the ground for burials. There was a slight ravine above the intersection of Grove with Fairfax and it had to be filled. This must be the time when Green Hill was expanded to five acres and reached Grove Street. 1923 was also when Locust Grove Cemetery was expanded to one acre and reached Martin Street.

A Winchester Star, July 28, 1993 article cites, “Ray Ewing, was secretary of the cemetery board of directors. According to Ray Ewing, the nondenominational, five-acre cemetery was designed in the 1880s on a parcel of land that was part of the town commons, once used for militia drills, and later as pasture for residents’ livestock.”

“The original design of the cemetery was planned around what was to be the memorial gravesite of the town’s Confederate Civil War hero, Colonel James Henry Drake. Drake was killed in 1863 near Shepherdstown, W.V., and was buried in the Trinity Lutheran Church cemetery on Mulberry Street in Stephens City. The founders of Greenhill planned to move Drake’s body from the church cemetery to Greenhill, but Drake’s widow objected and the move never took place.”

Drake served with the 1st Virginia Cavalry from muster in 1861 to his death in 1863. At the formation of the unit, Drake served as captain of Company A and was Acting Colonel for the regiment until the unit was placed under the command of J.E.B. Stuart in July 1861. Drake was elected lieutenant colonel in April 1862 and promoted to colonel in July of that year. He was in command of the regiment at the Battle of Gettysburg and the 1st Virginia Cavalry fought in the brigade of Brigadier General Fitzhugh Lee. The engagement in which Drake was mortally wounded was one of several skirmishes that occurred during Lee’s retreat to Virginia in the wake of Gettysburg.

Tall trees were planted along the lanes leading to the proposed site in a clearing in the center of the cemetery. Instead of a grave and memorial there was an old black pump atop a well to mark the site.

According to John Petrie, the hand water pump was removed and the well sealed around 2000, because the cemetery trustees were concerned the ground water could be contaminated by hazardous materials in the soil.

In 2018, the 130-year-old main gates on Fairfax Street had stonework repaired and repointed. The iron gates were repaired and painted, and damaged iron fencing around the entire cemetery was also repaired from funding received by a generous donor. Many dogwood trees were also planted.

All the tall trees mentioned in the 1993 article are gone. The cemetery is going through some property improvements. Since October 2022, contractors have been working to clear unruly vegetation, downed or dead trees, and provide more frequent grass cuttings to make the cemetery more attractive.

Green Hill is a privately owned cemetery. The trustees do not receive any funding from the state and all work done by the caretakers is strictly on a volunteer basis. Petrie is eager to reestablish the pioneer and community spirit of the people who live, love, work, and prosper here.

John Petrie acknowledges the many family donors who have assisted in the maintenance and overall preservation of the cemetery. He continually solicits donations from individuals, local businesses, churches, and civic organizations. Donations for Green Hill Cemetery should be sent to PO Box 208, Stephens City, VA 22655.