An Old Almost Forgotten Family Cemetery in Appalachia

[@gardengrowinmawmaw8642]

That cemetery is called Laura V. Bloomer Cemetery. There's a Joseph Bloomer 1807-1863, Laura V. Bloomer 1878-1881, and Susannah Roberts Bloomer 1810-1887, Anna Sullivan Marcum 1815-1902, Greenberry Marcum 1795-1883, and Abby Sullivan 1791. Guessing, Joseph and Susannah were probably married and Laura was their daughter. Anna and Greenberry were probably married , and good ole Abby was probably Anna's mother.

[@realappalachia]

Wow! Thanks so much for sharing! - Melody

[@shalakruep]

@@realappalachiaCan you pin this comment to the top? Very kind of them to find the information about this family. ❤

[@realappalachia]

@@shalakruep good point, I’ll do that

[@eddieradford113]

I love going into old cemeterys. And how long those before us have been gone .May God bless all those souls.

[@mikebass9943]

Really like that yall found that old fillin station , I so miss those simpler times, when ladies wore pretty dresses , children playing in the yard, and men being men, standing for the righteousness of God, I truly miss that , when it was the norm, love yall like family Mike

[@realappalachia]

Thank you so much, Mike

[@lorrainerose6220]

Thank you 😊

[@pooroldroy1756]

I was in the Army, 1966 with a soldier named Bloomer and he was from Virginia, but I do not know if he ever divulged exactly where in Virginia, a very quiet and private person. He received orders to Okinawa and I lost track of him, however he did say he was going to make the Army his career as there was nothing existing at home for an income. He went by Jack, first name may actually have been John or Johnny.

[@markschneider2044]

Thanks for posting this video. Joseph Bloomer and Susannah Roberts Bloomer are my 4th Great Grandparents.

[@realappalachia]

It’s great to hear from a descendant, glad you enjoyed it

[@m.howell5227]

This is really neat to see, I grew up looking at that cemetery, but never really paid any attention to it. I know the people who own the old stop and shop, they’re wonderful people. They used to make the best sandwiches when they were open.

[@brainerdboy1177]

What years would that have been? Do you remember the name of the people who had that business? Anyway, fascinating piece of history here.

[@realappalachia]

Thanks so much for the comments that is great to hear

[@debluetailfly]

Do a search for gravestone rubbings. It might make some more legible. Some people could not afford to buy a headstone. I saw a homemade stone on the grave a a young girl. I could imagine her father lovingly chiseling crude letters in memory of his daughter. He chiseled out 'BORNED', which was probably the way they had always said it. He didn't realize he could have saved the work of hand chiseling two letters. It is touching that he did it with love to the best of his ability.

[@chantico6518]

Very touching indeed.

[@carylosborn1808]

It is not advised to put anything other than light on an old headstone. Rubbings, shaving cream, chalk destroy the stone. Hold a flashlight to the side of the lettering and that brings out letters using light and shadows.

[@realappalachia]

Man, that was heartbreaking to read

[@sadie21962]

My husband and I have done tombstone restoration on some family graves. We were trained by professionals that told us for every stone you find multiply by 3 to get the actual number of graves. This applies in old cemeteries with few stones. Cool find.

[@realappalachia]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[@deirdrepasko9965]

Thank you for showing your respect for an old cemetery.

[@marksgraybeal]

my kin and sestors, pre revolution to Va, indentured from Swiss to through Germany, anababtists,amish,quakers later. see krayenbuel to graybill. etc.

[@robinhaupt9119]

Very cool that you saw the cemetery and stopped. Thank you Shane and Melody. It's so nice someone is caring for that place.

[@dscobellusa]

I was stopping at cemeteries every 2-3 hours last time going through. One of the last ones I had to tiptoe away to keep from startling a fawn laying down in the back section.

[@realappalachia]

The things you run into out on the road lol

[@seasonandsprout2213]

thats a neat little video. i like to see those little forgotten places.. whether it be fillin stations or a cemetery. love seeing places from days gone by. thanks for sharing shane and melody 🙂

[@realappalachia]

Glad you enjoyed watching it

[@brendalane4228]

My husband's family is from Scott County. They moved here when his father was 5 years old, which would have been around 1922 or 23.

[@xkrickett]

Its not forgotten, somebody is maintaining it or else it would have been overgrown and you wouldn't have found it. We have a family cemetery in KY that looks like this. It is registered in the state and due to rules by the state only family members can use it, unless the family allows someone else in. There should be a state register of that cemetery and a list of people buried there. A lot of poor families couldn't afford tombstones and just used large rocks as markers. You only know who's there by either passed down through families or funeral home records.

[@randykey5700]

As always we enjoyed the video, we love to visit old cemeteries! Great job

[@realappalachia]

Thank you so much, theres just something about them old cemeteries

[@ravenrise320]

There are cemeteries like Bloomer throughout the South. Some are forgotten family cemeteries or even those of entire communities that no longer exist. My dad once told me of one such in the area of Wabash, Va. in Giles County that he and a friend happened upon when hikeing through some woods as kids. He said that many of the graves had trees long grown amongst them. But many still had legible markers at the time theyd discovered the cemetery. And that many of them dated from long before the Civil War... to the late 1800's. One grave in particular had stood out to him, as it had belonged to a Civil War officer and was marked CSA and had a rather peculiar epitaph on it. Stateing something to the effect of...... "I was once as you are now." "As I am now". "You shall be". Along with the deceased gentlemans name, military rank, and birth date and date of passing. Wabash had once been but one of several small communites that were in effect almost totally self sufficient quasi-townships or hamlets in Giles County pre-Civil War. And was once situated along a toll wagon road running betwixt I think Pulaski and Giles counties. Now unless you live in Wabash or are a Giles County resident and know a bit about the history of the area? Youd likely venture right through the place and never know just how populous it once was. Or how industrious. As it simply has a one lane paved/dirt track running through it and has mostly woodland, few familial farmsteads, and semi- modern home sites remaining within it.

[@realappalachia]

Great comment, thanks for adding to the story

[@hi_arav]

I've been through Giles County. I love driving through that part of the country.

[@exterminator1]

The dad joke was awesome btw lol. My better half doesnt appreciate them

[@realappalachia]

Nobody usually appreciates mine either so dont feel bad lol

[@MillerMeteor74]

I don't know why but I love cemeteries, so I had to watch this one. That cemetery is pretty neat. Back in 2014 someone working for a news website documented many (but not all) of New Jersey's small cemeteries like that. Most are on roadsides, but some are hidden in the woods, and a couple are now in the middle of parking lots They were written up in two articles, which are still available to see.

[@exterminator1]

i appreciate these kind of vids. Never noticed that cemetery. I know some Bloomers In Big Stone Gap

[@mikea5424]

They are everywhere.

[@kristifreeman5830]

I sure do like that lil white house 🏠

[@johnyoung9874]

Same here .

[@OnkelPHMagee]

Some of my people from the 1800s are buried in the corner of a family farm in Scott Co. (just over the line from Russell Co.) along highway 65. I went there with a cousin who mentioned that the most common stone in the area didn't age or hold up to weather well at all.

[@bethdavis7812]

It looks like a family cemetery Family probably moved away so sad. Thanks for his peak into history.

[@jessemcclanahan9712]

Y’all are awesome thank you so much

[@realappalachia]

Thank you, Jesse

[@donnavaughn5393]

Thanks you guys see you soon

[@kevingoodwyn3884]

Thank you for your videos.

[@jeffwickermusic134]

I really enjoy your videos! They make me homesick. 😎👍

[@judypierce7028]

I loved this video Shane and Melody! It seems to me that I drove through that area many years ago. I love old cemeteries as they are like open air museums. One can tell about the community about reading the grave markers and symbols. My family in WV has its own cemetery with the oldest family members being buried in the early 1800s. The grave markers are just rocks and impossible to read any names. I only know who is buried in such graves based on information from my family. Such a neat, neat place Shane and Melody.

[@Kegga_6]

Lots of family cemeteries around, the family who built my house has a family cemetery across the street. The land owner is responsible to take care of it and if you can prove kinship you can be buried there

[@fredsimmons2793]

Melody and Shane,What a respectful tribute! The late bloomer comment was heathly and fitting!

[@realappalachia]

Thank you, Fred

[@miask]

I checked on Duck Duck Go and there was some scant info on Bloomer Cemetery…

[@Wyatt1957]

You need a small brush and flashlight 🔦 and caulk win reading

[@jamese3169]

Nice little piece of forgotten history. Thanks again for bringing us a long.

[@realappalachia]

Thanks for coming with us, James

[@amytalbert9687]

I like your videos...do y'all do any Hatfield and McCoy videos?

[@realappalachia]

we have very early on in the channel and plan on doing more

[@amytalbert9687]

@@realappalachia ok thank you! I look forward to seeing it! Thanks for making your videos!!

[@jjdillon2007]

Melody, look. There's the school bus from "Jeepers Creepers". 😀😄

[@bonnieleelee9936]

I love wv.

[@randomvintagefilm273]

Did you check on the Find A Grave website? You can search by surname and state, name of cemetery etc.

[@realappalachia]

Great idea

[@deannakay6607]

@@realappalachia I found it - posted above.

[@alexm4994]

Would there be any information in the county archives?

[@ronniephillips6336]

Check out the coalfield town of St. Charles va. In Lee County. Do a video there

[@tygreenwood472]

One of the saddest parts of life once someone has passed on and put into the ground with a head stone for ever placed a top them.

[@realappalachia]

You sure hit that one right on the head, I feel the exact same way

[@TheYouthquaker]

What is the proximity of this cemetery to Clay County, KY? My biological family had various family cemeteries in Kentucky and one of their surnames is Marcum.

[@realappalachia]

I'm not the best at giving it but I'd say it is a minimum of a 2 hour drive away

[@TheYouthquaker]

@@realappalachia Interesting! Thank you. I really enjoy your channel, by the way.

[@johnwilkinson6067]

its a shame how many graves have no markings of no kind

[@realappalachia]

Amen to that

[@bruinsfan8278]

Hi Friends! I saw that " Stop n Shop " sign, up here in Mass. The Stop n. Shop is a Huge Grocery shopping chain of stores, That sign has traveled! Do you folks have Stop n Shops down your way? Great Video, Thanks!

[@realappalachia]

That's wild, I think I've seen other Stop n Shops but wouldn't swear to it

[@thomasmint1761]

Your souls are cursed for this trespass mortals….

[@SouthernGospelGal62]

Are you at the intersection near Devil's Bathtub?

[@realappalachia]

No, I don't think we were very close to there at that point

[@danielarmstrong9219]

I know you said you were in Scott County. How close to Lee County?

[@bendigr]

this spot in Scott Co. (Duffield/Blackwater/Clinchport) is very close to Lee Co.

[@realappalachia]

A stone's throw away from it, I get confused where it crosses over

[@bendigr]

HEY !! that's my neck of the woods. I'm just down the road a bit from here. I know exactly where you are.

[@samanthab1923]

Do you know anything about it?

[@bendigr]

@@samanthab1923 only what you (I) can see about it. I've asked around and nobody has much info. It's odd.

[@samanthab1923]

@@bendigr Wow that is odd. Such a strange spot too.

[@realappalachia]

Beautiful area

[@d0nproffitt216]

I am now that you will be😑