Neel Cemetery - Continued

The following grave stones do not have any legible markings on them. So it is impossible to know who they belong to. There are only a few, and except for the cairn, who do not know who is buried in the little cemetery.

The cemetery as seen up close as approaching from the road.

This stone rests directly beneath a tree that appears to be about 250 years old.

This is the only stone that has retained its shape. However, if there were any engravings, weather, and time, have worn them away.

This stone has kept part of its original shape, however, it is rough and no engravings are visible.

This stone is partially embedded in the ground, and is sticking up only about 4-inches.

Another stone that has been worn away by time and weather. No markings visible.

And the last stone: at first I thought this was just a rock, but when you look closely, you can see it has been chiseled and is actually a grave stone. No markings are visible.

Another view of the stone beneath the tree. This is looking out toward the road. As you can see, across the road is an old abandoned farmhouse. How appropriate that the two face one another.

It is a sad, sad place.

Another view of the only complete stone at the cemetery. This is looking toward the east, and Gap Valley, shortly after sunrise. It appears that most of the stones are set in an east to west point in the cemetery. [The odd looking shape on the right is a tree stump, from where a tree was cut down many years ago, and its stump never cleared away.]

This concludes all of the stones at the Neel Cemetery.

The Neel Cemetery

The Neel Cemetery is located in Gap Mills, of Monroe County, West Virginia. From Route 3, turn onto the Zenith Road. Travel approximately 1/4 mile and then turn left onto the Rowan Road.

You will travel approximately 0.7 miles up this road, just before a very sharp curve to the left [if you come to the curve, you've gone too far!], when you will see a small clump of very old trees in the middle of a rather large field. [Here you can see the trees from the road.] You will need to pull your vehicle as far off the road as possible, and hike to the cemetery. [Watch for burrows and other critter holes, as well as long ago plowed furrows!]

This view is at approximately half-way between the road and the cemetery. You can just begin to see the top edge of the memorial cairn in the center of the trees here.

Here you can see the southern side of the memorial cairn, as you approach from the road.

As you approach, you will see a couple of tombstones to the right [east] of the memorial cairn.

Facing northwest toward the memorial cairn.

The front of the memorial cairn, with its' plaque commemorating the Maxwell sisters and their husbands, who all but one are buried here.

The Memorial Plaque [Placed about ca. 1905-1910.]

ANDREW CROSIER

ELIZABETH MAXWELL CROSIER

ROBERT DUNBAR

HANNAH MAXWELL DUNBAR

OWEN NEEL

ISABELLA MAXWELL NEEL

THOMAS STEELE

MARGARET MAXWELL STEELE

THE FOUR MAXWELL SISTER AND

THEIR HUSBANDS CAME FROM LANCASTER

COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, AND SETTLED

IN THIS VALLEY ABOUT 1799. THIS IS

THE RESTING PLACE OF ALL THESE PIONEERS

EXCEPT ANDREW CROSIER WHO DIED IN

TENNESSEE.

The four Maxwell sisters and their husbands are considered some of the original settlers into "Gap Valley" [now known as Sweet Springs Valley and Gap Mills].

The remainder of the cemetery will follow tomorrow.