SUTHERLAND CEMETERY
SOUTH CLINCHFIELD, VIRGINIA

LOCATION
This cemetery is located about seven miles Northwest of Lebanon and about two miles Northwest of Cleveland. It is situated on a ridge point on the Northwest side of State Rt 745, about one-half mile Northeast of the small community of South Clinchfield. It is about three hundred yards from the road, on the crest of a ridge running roughly South-southeast/North-northwest from Millstone Branch stream, and is about 1200 feet North of the Alexander Sutherland Cemetery.

ACCESS
Access is very difficult. There are no discernible roads or pathways to the cemetery. Our visit took place in late March, and it was necessary to climb the West slope of the ridge through thick briars and undergrowth until we reached a barbed-wire fence running up the ridge. We followed this fence line through the forest and undergrowth until we reached the cemetery. This cemetery is not visible from any point on Route 745, and becomes evident as a cemetery only when one is actually standing inside the cemetery.

APPEARANCE AND CARE
There is no evidence of recent care or visitation. This cemetery has, for all practical purposes, returned to nature. It is completely overgrown and the fence is rusted and broken down. There was one grave with an approximately 8-inch diameter locust tree growing out of it. Thick grass, weeds and underbrush make it very difficult to identify many of the graves. Many of the graves are discernible only as linear depressions in the ground. It is evident that the final resting places of these at least twenty of our ancestors have been forgotten and abandoned to Mother Nature's care.

Note: Items in brackets ( ) have been added by the compiler.

This file submitted by Jim Sutherland

IDENTIFICATION OF GRAVES

JOHNSON SUTHERLAND Born: 1844 Died: 1932
(Born DOCTOR JOHNSON SUTHERLAND, he was the son of Alexander and Polly Sutherland. He married Margaret Browning, daughter of Jesse and Biddy Stinson Browning. He was a Confederate Soldier, and served in (1st) Company E, 21st Virginia Cavalry)

LAFAYETTE SUTHERLAND Born: October 14, 1848 Died: October 4, 1918
(He was the son of Alexander and Polly Sutherland. He married Galatin Artrip)

O R SUTHERLAND Born: January 13, 1872 Died: December 25, 1932

ORA E SMITH Born: March 19, 1878 Died: February 20, 1918

BELFRY P SUTHERLAND Born: 1873 Died: January 13, 1917

RUFUS SUTHERLAND Born: July 12, 1875 Died: November 3, 1921

BOBBY SUTHERLAND Died: June 20, 1945
"S of Holiday and Ethel"

LAKYE E SUTHERLAND Born: March 14, 1906 Died: March 31, 1934
"D of Lafayette & Edna Sutherland"

In addition to the above, there were at least twelve identifiable depressions typical of sunken grave locations scattered throughout what appeared to be the cemetery area. Some had rough native stone markers with no discernible inscriptions.

There may have been other graves in this cemetery, but the overgrown condition and the thick covering of leaves, grass and weeds made it difficult to determine. The wide scattering of identifiable graves makes it likely that there are others not easily seen. This cemetery has essentially returned to nature, with trees and saplings growing out of and around the graves. It is not identifiable as a cemetery except for the eight inscribed stones.

The following additional information is from Doug Davidson:

Two of the unmarked graves are those of Elmore and Polly Sutherland. Their graves were marked only with field stones. At the time of their deaths, the World was in a great depression, food seemed more important than tomb stones. Three of their children are still living and may be able to identify others buried in this cemetery.

ELMORE SUTHERLAND b: Sept 8, 1878 d: Nov.8, 1936
Husband of Polly Catherine Rasnake

POLLY CATHERINE RASNAKE SUTHERLAND b: Aug. 15, 1891 d: Jan., 15, 1934
Wife of Elmore Sutherland


visitor since January 1, 1999


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