Last Friday Ritchey and I had another adventure.  The day was gorgeous!  Every pond and stream mirrored the trees, hay bales and surrounding countryside.  The grass was very green, the sky very blue.  There’s not much change in leaf color in Kentucky, that will come towards the end of the month.

Our first stop was the Linton Graveyard in Washington County, Kentucky, where my 4th great-grandfather, Captain John Hancock Linton, is buried.  In the past this graveyard has been either in very good condition – or overgrown to the point that if you didn’t know where it was, the brush and weeds – sometimes taller than myself – would hide it from view.

John Linton’s stone is in the center of the picture.

Several years ago the property was purchased by Redemption Point Church of God.  And in the last year or so they built their church.  Now there is a driveway almost to the graveyard.  And the good members of this church have taken such wonderful care of it!  There are no brambles, trees or bushes inside the iron fence now – it is beautifully mown and the stones are easily seen – even from the road.  As it happened, one of the church members was there when we arrived and we expressed our thanks at everything they had done.

In fact, the church wants to paint the fence, and we gladly agreed to help!  This fence was installed about 1915.

Captain Johns’ stone reads, “In memory of John Linton who departed this life December 4, 1836 in the 86th year of his age.”

John Hancock Linton was the eldest son of Moses Linton and Susanna Hancock, born in 1750 in Prince William County, Virginia.  He married Ann Nancy Mason, daughter of Benjamin Mason and Elizabeth Berkeley.  John and Ann had ten children:  Elizabeth Rebecca, Moses, Catherine, Benjamin Franklin, Nancy, Susan, William, Lewis, Martha and John Hancock Linton, Jr.  Captain John Linton fought in the Revolutionary War, a soldier in the Loudoun County Virginia Militia.  His unit was at Yorktown from the summer until October of 1781.  However, some units left just before the British surrender, so I don’t know he was there at the end.

William Linton

Several of Captain John Linton’s children and grandchildren are buried in the cemetery.  William Linton is a son of the captain’s, and my 3rd great-grandfather.  His wife, Eliza Moran, is buried beside him.  Her stone is similar to the one above.

Son Benjamin Franklin Linton’s stone is broken – half reads, “In memory of Rev.” and “died in the 87th year of his age.”  The part with his name is gone.  But I am sure it is his stone, there is a foot stone with the initials B. L.  Benjamin lived in Logan County, Kentucky, where his wife died in 1837.  He moved to Washington County to live with his daughter, Millie Nancy Linton Edwards, and son-in-law, John L. Edwards, who are also buried here.

Millie N. Edwards, June 29, 1806 – February 25, 1878

Other family members buried in the cemetery are William Moran, son-in-law, who married John Linton’s daughter, Susan.  There is no stone for Ann Nancy Linton, the captain’s wife, but I feel sure she is buried there, as would be daughter Susan mentioned above.  I remember my grandmother, great-great-granddaughter of the captain, telling many times there were more buried in this small piece of ground than there are stones.  Many babies, children and others lie here, with no stone to mark their last resting place.  If I win the lottery I will have someone use sonar to see how many are truly buried here, and perhaps be able to solve this question!

The most pressing objective at this time is to contact the Sons of the American Revolution about a plaque for Captain John.  He played his part in the war for our independence – and I think he should be rightly noticed as such.  I have seen such plaques in other cemeteries – even small ones.  I’m don’t know if a member of the Sons of the American Revolution has to request a plaque – but even so, I have an ace in the hole – my son Linton!  I’ll keep you updated on the process!