Major David Peery Cemetery

Small Cemetery in North Tazewell

Tazewell County, Virginia

Information from visits by S. Paul Peery - Fall 1994
Betty Hollowell and Jesse C. Peery, Jr. - April 8, 1977
Rose Brown Peery - March 1, 1975


LOCATION: Four Way, North Tazewell, Tazewell County, Virginia

DIRECTIONS:Located in a grove of trees from the west end of Riverside Drive behind Tazewell National Bank, near the stock market. Also, see below.

FAMILY: Major David Peery

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: There are several fieldstone graves. The ground was covered with periwinkle and white violets in 1977. Also, see below.

PEERY GRAVES

Family Monument - One large stone, engraved on all four sides
Major David Peery - (b. 27 Apr 1778; d. 8 Jul 1862, at 84)

Elinor [Eleanor] Harman Peery - (b. 28 Nov 1787; d. 17 May 1862, at 74)

Henry H. Peery - (b. 8 Dec 1812; d. 24 Feb 1831, at 18)
-- Son of Major David Peery and Elinor [Eleanor] Harman Peery

Letitia Peery Carnahan - (b. 7 Apr 1818; d. 27 Nov 1854, at 36)
-- Wife of Thomas S. Carnahan
-- Daughter of Major David Peery and Elinor [Eleanor] Harman Peery


Joly Peery - (d. August - no other dates)
-- Wife of Henry Louis

Letter from S. Paul Peery
Orlando, Florida
March 10, 1995

Mr. Paul D. Peery
P.O. Box 58195
Salt Lake City, UT 84158

Dear Paul:

As promised, here are photo's I found. I thought I had made one from each side of the monument but I could only find these two.

Photo No. 1 shows that Henry H. Peery, son of David, is buried on the south side of the monument.

Photo No. 2 shows that Jonathan Peery, son of David ,is buried on the west side of the monument.

No Photo, but Eleanor is buried on the north side of the monument and, of course, Major David is buried on the east side.

The next time I am in Tazewell, I will take additional photos and mail you better ones.

I was in Tazewell last fall and had attended church with my brother. His church is located in an area known locally as Four Way. This is about 1-1/2 mil. from North Tazewell, going east. His church is located near the top of a large hill and since it is a fairly new church, the area where it is located had to be cleared of trees and bush and a new road constructed to the top of the hill. About 1/2 way up this hill there is a large clump of trees and my brother remarked that there were some graves in that clump of trees. He stated, that when he lived at Four Way, his son David had come in one summer from playing and had told him that he had found a tombstone with his name on it. My brother went to investigate and found it. This was some 10 years ago and he had not mentioned it to me.

We stopped near the clump of trees and we went in and sure enough the monument was there. I have mentioned it to my great aunt who had been on the cemetery commission for Tazewell Co. and she was aware of it. I have suggested that we should try to get someone to clean up the site and remove the brush. There are other graves there but no headstones. Some had carved out initials on rocks. One was a "T.P." which makes me wonder if it was a "Thomas Peery" and some other initials that I could not read because time had taken its toll.

Land on both sides of this clump of trees has been cleared and I am afraid that someday soon that all is there will be gone. The lot on the north side was "for sale" and I threatened to purchase it and build a home there so I could protect that property but my wife put a stop to that. (G)

When I return to Tazewell, I hope to be able to clear out around the monument and maybe clean it up, but as you can see time has taken its toll.

There is a magazine called "Blue Ridge" that is published every two months. In the May/June 1993 Issue there is an excellent article on Burke's Garden. I am enclosing a xerox copy of it for your information. I subscribe to this magazine and it is wonderful. I am enclosing a Blue Ridge form for subscription if you are interested. If you are not interested, you may be able to write them and obtain a copy of this issue.

Hope you find all this interesting.

Very truly yours,

(s) S. Paul Peery

S. Paul Peery
Sources: As shown above.
Last Update: Sun, Mar 2, 1999
Editor - Peery Family History Home Page
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