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SHIPP  FAMILY  CEMETERY


 Submitted by the Upshur County Historical Commission. This survey was made by Annette M Breazle and Ronnie Shirley, descendants of Josiah and Eliza Shipp, on  June 23, 1998.

Pictures were taken September 21, 2007 by Etta Withers & Elaine Martin, with permission of land owners.

As hard as we all try, we are human and sometimes when reading a cemetery we miss a grave covered with leaves, fireants, or bushes. Sometimes the headstone has sunk and is mostly underground. Our area also has many graves only marked with iron ore rocks and even many unmarked graves. There are headstones that have long ago been destroyed by the elements or even vandalizm, and are hard to impossible to read the details. We would appreciate it if you would let us know if you did not find your relative which was buried here, and would appreciate your letting us use the information you know about them. With the combined efforts of us all, we can make the Upshur County website bigger and better.

Located two miles beyond the Sand Hill Baptist and Church of Christ on FM555.  The cemetery is on the private property of Mr & Mrs B C Selden.  This land was previously owned by Mr & Mrs Ollie Collum (Addie Mae Hawkins Collum, descended from Josiah and Eliza Shipp), heirs of the earliest persons buried here.

The cemetery is on the crest of a hill and family history indicates that slaves and others were buried on the hillsides.  None of these markers have been located. There are many unmarked graves evident by the sunken areas.  Through the years many of the native rock markers have been removed.

During out-of-county ownership, the cemetery was heavily damaged by a logging company.  Two headstones were moved to the Gilmer City Cemetery, (bodies were not exhumed), by Leta Brooks and Thelma Watson, descendants of Josiah J E Moughon (b. 27 May 1864 - d. 14 Aug 1887) and Mrs. P E Moughon (b. 25 Jan 1832 - d. 18 Nov 1877).

Permission has been granted to descendants to preserve the cemetery and maintain the remaining tombstones, and to make repairs following proper preservation guidelines available from the state.



The current owners have put up wooden crosses on unmarked graves. They know of at least 8 unmarked graves.
Those tombstones remaining:

Josiah Shipp           Age 64
(birthday not listed on stone:  14 Mar 1799)         Died:  1 June 1864

Eliza Shipp            Age  74            This marker has a tree that has grown around the bottom left side.
(birthday not listed on stone)        Died:  21 Mar 1879

Eliza E Shipp         d/o W R & E E Ship
Born:  17 Dec 1860        Died:  28 Sep 1866

A J Shipp          Age  33
Died:  6 Jan 1897

George C Pattillo         
Born:  9 Sep 1799          Died:  1 Dec 1881

Mrs E E Pattillo          Footstone
Born:  18 Mar 1829         Died:  24 Dec 1895

Enoch W Stoker         
Born:  24 Dec 1861         Died:  18 Mar 1862

Priscilla E Stoker           
Born:  26 Nov 1861          Died:  4 Jan 1867

James Hawkins           s/o W W & M L Hawkins; Top of stone with "James son of" is missing
Born:  11 Nov 1887          Died:  11 Oct 1888

Hester Hawkins           d/o W W & M L Hawkins
Born:  20 Jan 1901           Died:  19 Nov 1901
 

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