Woodlawn Cemetery, located in

Fairmont, West Virginia Fairmont is a city in and county seat of Marion County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 18,313 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Fairmont Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Marion County, a ...

is an example of the

rural cemetery A rural cemetery or garden cemetery is a style of cemetery that became popular in the United States and Europe in the mid-nineteenth century due to the overcrowding and health concerns of urban cemeteries. They were typically built one to five ...

. It was laid out by Tell W. Nicolet of the firm of Morris and Knowles of Pittsburgh, PA. It is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

as a

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...

. Today, the cemetery covers and has over 15,000 burials.

History

The cemetery was established in the early spring of 1875. Joseph R. Hamilton was climbing the fence between his father's farm and that of Norval Barns. The loaded rifle he was carrying accidentally discharged, killing him. His father's decision to "bury him where he lay" led to the families establishing a small burying ground. They opened the fence line between their properties and enclosed about a quarter of an acre to use for family burials. Ten years later, in December 1885, the Woodlawn Cemetery Company was incorporated and plots were offered for sale to the larger community. were purchased from each of the land owners, Elmus Hamilton and Norval Barns. Many of the early leaders of the Fairmont community were laid to rest here. Among them is

Francis Harrison Pierpont Francis Harrison Pierpont (January 25, 1814March 24, 1899), called the "Father of West Virginia," was an American lawyer and politician who achieved prominence during the American Civil War. During the conflict's first two years, Pierpont served ...

, the Governor of the Restored State of Virginia from 1861–1868, his wife Julia and three of their four children.

Notable burials

Boaz Fleming, the founder of Fairmont, is here with his wife, Elizabeth. Other members of his family are here as well, including Clarissa Fleming Hamilton, his grandson Elmus Hamilton, owner of the Hamilton farm, and great-grandson, Joseph R. Hamilton. Another descendant is

Aretas B. Fleming Aretas Brooks Fleming (October 15, 1839October 13, 1923) was the List of governors of West Virginia, 8th governor of West Virginia. In 1865, he married Carrie Watson Fleming, Carrie Watson."West Virginia's First Ladies," West Virginia Division of ...

, eighth governor of West Virginia. A lawyer, Mr. Fleming was among the men who created the Fairmont Development Company and worked to develop

. James Otis Watson is considered the father of the bituminous coal industry in north central West Virginia. He and Pierpont owned the first coal mine to be commercially viable following the completion of the

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the first common carrier railroad and the oldest railroad in the United States, with its first section opening in 1830. Merchants from Baltimore, which had benefited to some extent from the construction of ...

linking Fairmont with the eastern seaboard markets. One of his daughters married Aretas B. Fleming. His sons, James Edwin Watson, Sylvanus Lamb Watson and

Clarence Wayland Watson Clarence Wayland Watson (May 8, 1864May 24, 1940) was a coal mining "baron" from West Virginia. Watson organized several coal companies that became the Consolidation Coal and Mining Companies in West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Kentuck ...

are also buried here. A governor, a Congressman and a national Senator are rolled into one in Matthew Mansfield Neely. Other notable burials include: Alpheus F. Haymond, a prominent judge and member of the

West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia is the state supreme court of the state of West Virginia, the highest of West Virginia's state courts. The court sits primarily at the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston, although from 1873 t ...

, Sam Jones, a

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

pitcher, Benjamin F. Martin, a member of the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

, and

, a coal baron,

World War One World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

officer and member of the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

References

{{National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Fairmont, West Virginia Historic districts in Marion County, West Virginia Protected areas of Marion County, West Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Marion County, West Virginia 1875 establishments in West Virginia Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Rural cemeteries

History

Notable burials

See also

References