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ABOUT AGS

The Augusta Genealogical Society is a nonprofit organization. It was founded in Augusta, Georgia in September 1979, by 84 charter members and now has well over 1500 members in 44 states as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, Singapore, Germany and Ireland. AGS maintains a genealogical library, publishes a newsletter and journal, presents monthly lectures and semi-annual "Footprints" methodology seminars, co-sponsors semi-annual seminars with Augusta State University, and specializes in cemetery surveys. The Society is the proud recipient of four Certificates of Commendation from the American Association for State and Local History. All mail should be directed to P.O. Box 3743, Augusta GA 30914-3743. We are located at 1109 Broad Street, Augusta GA. Our phone number is 706-722-4073.

7 FEBRUARY 2013

HISTORIC COTTAGE CEMETERY RESTORED BY COUSINS WITH ROOTS IN AUGUSTA

Anne Sherman will speak to AGS on Thursday, February 7, at 3 p.m. at the Augusta Museum of History on "Cottage Cemetery-from a Battlefield to a Respectable Appearance." For the last five years, she has been a driving force behind efforts to restore and preserve the two-acre family cemetery located off Marvin Griffin Road in Augusta. The name derives from the home occupied by the family of Oswell Eve who set aside the land as a burial place for his family over two hundred years ago. At the time restoration began, the ravages of two centuries of time and ruthless acts of vandalism had given the area the appearance of a battlefield.

Who better than a native Augustan to rescue the remaining vestiges of her ancestors? Anne was born and reared in the city and was a member of the last graduating class of Tubman High School in 1950. She attended the University of Georgia, but spent almost forty years before graduating as a registered nurse, having a family of three sons and pursuing various interests. She was a teacher at Episcopal Day School, Assistant Manager of the Augusta Country Club, and Director of the YWCA. In later years after moving to Edisto Island, she served two terms as president of a community service organization.

Anne decided after retirement as a nurse that she wanted to learn more about her ancestors. She joined AGS and attended workshops and Homecoming seminars. She had always been aware of her family heritage because as a child she had "visited" the Cottage Cemetery and walked among the graves of those early Augustans who shaped the history of the city: Adams, Bailie, Bones, Campbell, Carmichael, Couper, Cunningham, Dow, Edgar, Eve, FitzSimons, Hatcher, Jennings, Longstreet, Medlock, Messmer, Neely, Rockwell, Sherman, Sibley, Simkins, Smith, and Young..

Since 2007, restoration of the cemetery has been a big part of her life. She helped organize a group of cousins, descendants of those early Augustans, and they formed a non-profit organization to preserve and care for the cemetery. AGS member Pat Kruger, whose roots go back six generations in the area, is numbered among the cousins. Brad Cunningham, who has presented to AGS on behalf of the Warren-Leigh Cemetery in west Augusta, is another. AGS member Erick Montgomery and Historic Augusta, Inc. have partnered with the Friends of Cottage Cemetery to assist in the preservation.

Anne will describe the genealogy shared by notable individuals buried in the historic Cottage Cemetery and describe the endeavors for restoration. Although they are in the same vicinity, the cemetery is not to be confused with New Savannah Cemetery, also known as Colonial Cemetery, which was marked with a plaque by the Colonial Dames in 1935 and contains a burial site from 1767. Cottage Cemetery is a family cemetery with its oldest grave being that of Aphra Eve who died in 1808.

The program at the museum on February 7 is free and open to the public. Ample parking is available from the Sixth Street or Broad Street entrances at the Augusta Museum.

The AGS award-winning genealogy workshop that has introduced the basics of research for well over two decades will again be offered in the Fellowship Hall of the Covenant Presbyterian Church, 3131 Walton Way, Augusta, GA on Saturday, 2 March 2013.

The registration fee is $25 for members and $30 for non-members (with a $5 refund if you join AGS when registering for the workshop). Registration covers a catered boxed lunch and the 100+ page Footprints Research Handbook. The Handbook includes an extensive list of topics such as organization of records, oral interviews, census, soundex, other genealogical sources, preparation of home and portable files, courthouse research, time lines, and computer research. Using the Adamson Library effectively will also be addressed.

New and experienced genealogy researchers will benefit from the workshop and exposure to the Adamson Library collections. Speakers are local AGS members who are very familiar with the resources of the Adamson Library and the challenges encountered by those conducting genealogical research.

Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. with classes beginning promptly at 9 a.m. and continuing until 3:15 p.m. A onehour lunch break will allow attendees to socialize with acquaintances. Click here to download and print the registration form.

Call the Library at 706-722-4073 or email us at AugustaGenSociety@comcast.net to reserve a seat. Send registration form with payment to AGS, PO Box 3743, Augusta, GA 30914-3743. We do not accept credit cards. Deadline is Wednesday, 27 February. Class limit is 75 so register early to guarantee a handbook and lunch.

Directions

Covenant Presbyterian Church, 3131 Walton Way, Augusta, GA, is located at the intersection of Walton Way and Aumond Road.

The Summerville Cemetery 2012 Edition is the 163-page story of a historical cemetery in Richmond County, Augusta, GA. This hard-bound book contains the original 1990 publication by Augusta Genealogical Society, an addendum which contains the 2012 survey of new headstones, corrections to the original publication, and an All-Name Index covering the original book and the addendum.

Purchase your copy for $35 at the Augusta Genealogical Society,1109 Broad Street in Augusta Library during normal Library hours,; or for mail orders, click on the Order Form to download, print and mail in. We do not accept credit cards. If you have questions, call 706-722-4073 or email AugustaGenSociety@comcast.net

Make your check payable to Augusta Genealogical Society and send to above address.

Mark your calendar now to attend the 34th annual AGS Homecoming on Saturday, August 10. Barbara Vines Little, CG, FNGS, FVGS, a professional genealogist whose primary interests are in Virginia research and brick wall problems, will be the keynote speaker. The former president of the National Genealogical Society and the Virginia Genealogical Society, she is also editor of the quarterly Magazine of Virginia Genealogy.

Little has lectured for the past twenty years at local, regional, state, and national conferences in 27 states on research methodology and resources. She has taught at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University since 2007.

AGS looks forward to seeing members and friends in Augusta in August.

We encourage, promote, and provide scholarly training for all interested in genealogical and related historical and biographical research.