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On behalf of the relatives, friends, park officials and every other person or persons who had any part in this restoration. I would like to say publicly a very heartfelt thank you.
Next was the presentation of two plaques, one to Clay Gaunt, recognizing him for hauling many loads of sand up the mountain from Luray. The other plaque presented to Beulah Bolen and Mary Bolen Burner for their brother, James, who was not able to attend. Jim had worked more than thirty days restoring the wall, often times from dawn to dusk. Last but not least w as the unveiling of a cast aluminum plaque mounted on a stone foundations inside the cemetery, inscribed with the poem, “Whv the Mountains Are Blue”.
There w-as lots of photographing and taping. Photos of many of the deceased were shown, added with some oral history, making those dry bones take on some '‘flesh”, being able to put a face with the name. Mr. Bernard Bolen, owner of the nearly one thousand acres of land on which the cemetery is located was remembered with a photo of him on displayThe
Bolen family had owned this property since about 1869, when John Henry Bolen bought at “public auction” the lands formerly belonging to Andrew Gaunt who died in 1850. Here John Henry and his wife Mary Frances, whose maiden name was Cornwell bore and reared a family of twelve children which included two sets of twins.
The descendants of this couple number in the hundreds. Four of their grandchildren iso far as I know) are still living, who are: Beulah Bolen, Mary Bolen Burner and James B. Bolen, all of Luray, and Ruth Bolen Kelly of Culpeper. The writer of this article is a double great-great-great-grandson.
This project completed, to the hopeful satisfaction of all who might remember its former condition. We thank all of those who contributed financially, as well as those who labored physically. Thanks to the ladies who so graciously brought food on the days we met as a group. Special thanks again to Clay Gaunt and Jim Bolen.
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