Jeremiah &
Mary Solesbury
Monument Fund
2009 will mark 200 years since the death of Jeremiah
Solesbury (about 1755-1809), the patriarch of the Shrewsbury Family of
West Virginia. With his wife, Mary Elizabeth (Clay) Solesbury, Jeremiah
was among the earliest British and European pioneers to the Clover
Bottom-Spanishburg area of Mercer County. At a time when the region was
marked by the dangers of both wild beasts and Indians, the bounty of the
land was enjoyed only after the considerable hardship of clearing the
land, planting and harvesting crops, and providing shelter for one's
family. But Jeremiah, Mary, and their offspring managed to prosper amid
such dangers and hardships. Today, after 10 generations or more, their
descendents are spread throughout West Virginia, and the greater United
States.
The grave of Jeremiah is marked by only a rough-hewn stone
in the small Nubbins Ridge Road Cemetery lying off of Beckley Road,
Spanishburg. The grave of his wife is unmarked but presumed nearby. In
recent years, since the passing of John Maxey -- local resident, teacher,
and family historian -- in 1994, the cemetery has fallen into some neglect
and obscurity.
To mark the 200th anniversary of Jeremiah's death, we
propose to raise a small-scale monument honoring Jeremiah, Mary, and their
children, at the Nubbins Ridge Road Cemetery, with an appropriate formal
dedication of the monument to be held in Spanishburg during the summer of
2009 (date to be determined).
A three-dimensional model of the proposed monument may be
viewed on the internet (www.SolesburyMonument2009.org). The monument is to
be a prism-shaped stele standing about 5 feet in height, set just behind
Jeremiah's original grave stone and integrated with the original stone in
order to better preserve and support it. The monument will feature a
commemorative inscription on its main face, and the inscribed names of the ten
sons and daughters of Jeremiah and Mary on its other two faces. The
monument stone will be cut from granite, and will weigh about two tons.
The cost of the proposed monument stone and installing it
at the Nubbins Ridge Road Cemetery is currently estimated at
$8,000-to-$10,000. To raise this sum, we invite donations from Shrewsbury
family members and other interested parties throughout West Virginia and
the United States. Please send your donations to:
Solesbury Monument 2009 Fund
c/o Jo Ellen Lagowski
585 Tank Branch Rd
Glen Morgan, WV 25813
(Please make checks payable to "JS Monument 2009
Fund")
Any excess funds raised by the Fund will be devoted to defraying the
costs of the 2009 dedication, and/or upkeep and improvements to the
Nubbins Ridge Road Cemetery.
The progress of the fund drive will be reported on the
Solesbury Monument web site (click
here). The final plans for the 2009 monument
dedication will also be found on the web site, along with an interactive
guest book for exchange of Shrewsbury family information, and any comments
or questions.
Finally, in early celebration of the Jeremiah and Mary
Solesbury bicentennial observance, we invite Shrewsbury family members to
an informal family gathering to be held this summer, in [MONTH] at [Camp
Creek State Park (Camp Creek, WV)]. Plan to bring your family, picnic
food, and some Shrewsbury family memories or stories to share. Also,
please contact a monument committee member to register your family or to
express your interest in attending the Summer 2008 gathering. Further
details will be posted in the coming months through community
announcements and on the Solesbury Monument web site.
Sincerely,
Solesbury Monument 2009 Committee
Jo Ellen Lagowski, Glen Morgan, WV
Hollie Price, Winchester, VA
Dean DeRosa, Arlington, VA |
