Fisher's Hill Preservation Project

So much has happened since last November.
- Mrs. Debi Hacker, Chicora Foundation, volunteered her time to perform a partial excavation on the bones found in the Mount Olive section of Fisher's Hill. The analysis can be found here.
- We've had a wonderful group of students from I. C. Norcom, under the tutelage of Dr. Knight, spend a few weekends performing volunteer work. A great way to not take an end of year exam.
- What could have been a possible micro tornado came through the Hampton Roads disctrict and did some pretty bad tree damage. Going to take quite some time for us few volunteers to clean this up.

We've got another set of bones to deal with. I found a hole and as I went to put my camera in to the hole, the edge of the grave gave way. I didn't fall far, maybe a foot. Now, we're working on getting a group to come out to help us establish age and approx sex.

Today was a great day for the volunteers from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. We even had a small group come over from the USS Ashland. It's hard to believe that after the huge piles of brush & debris that we pulled out in September that there would be just as much to pull out today. Just unreal. We even had a few individuals who tackeled some of the tree stumps. But, as usual, we've got a long way to go still.

I found this stone in July 2008. I don't know why I'm realizing this now, but this stone may just be our earliest headstone yet. And, unfortunately, I can't remember where in the cemetery it's located.

When I first started working in the cemetery, the Parks & Rec Director gave me a single page from a Master Plan created 4yrs ago. The Chicora Foundation, in doing their digging of documents, was able to unearth the entire Master Plan. It is awesome!!!

From: Oksman, Tim
To: Whitehurst, Charles
Cc: Stublen, Sue; Stromberg, Burle; Chandler, Kenneth; Holt, Paul
Sent: Fri Oct 01 13:45:08 2010
Subject: COLORED CEMETERIES
Mr. Vice Mayor:
 
You have raised certain questions about the interest of the Fisher Family in possibly donating certain valuable property to the City.
 
As I understand it, the items in question relate to Fisher’s Hill Cemetery.   Fisher’s Hill is part of a complex of individual cemeteries that over the years have come to be known as the singular “Colored Cemetery.”   The complex consists of Mount Olive Cemetery, Mt. Calvary Cemetery, and Fisher’s Hill Cemetery.  There is also a “Potter’s Field” believed to contain numerous unmarked graves.
 
This cemetery complex is one of the most important unrealized and unrestored historic assets in Portsmouth.  It dates to the mid-19th century, and it has over the years become the final resting place of many African-American citizens - - including several former slaves and some of our most important historical figures, such as Israel C. Norcom and Ida Barbour. 
 
Most of the cemetery complex was originally in private ownership - - and it has become sadly neglected over the years.  In the past few years, the City has embarked on a sustained effort to try to acquire ownership of the entire cemetery complex so that it can be properly restored and maintained - - in a way that respects those who lie at rest there, and their heirs.
 
You already know these things because for several years you alone have taken the lead role among City Council Members in trying to bring about the restoration of the cemetery complex.  I’m mentioning this brief history only to put it on the record, assuming that my e-mail will have further circulation.
 
Turning now to the Fisher family - - the family still owns Fisher’s Hill Cemetery; and you have been advised that the family may also possess important historical records related to the cemetery.  As I understand it, the family has expressed an interest in possibly donating the cemetery itself and the records to the City, and they wish to know if they may be entitled to any tax benefits if they choose to make these donations.
 
The short answer is that if a citizen makes a donation to a locality (such as Portsmouth) or to a tax-exempt nonprofit organization, the citizen is entitled to a tax deduction.
 
The longer answer is this - - because our office does not have any expertise in tax matters, I cannot give any advice on how the amount of the tax deduction is determined - - only that a donation of property to a locality or to a tax-exempt nonprofit organization does entitle the donor to a tax deduction.   The Fisher family should consult with their tax adviser concerning how much of a deduction they might be entitled to claim for any specific donation of property.  I should also add that if the City can do anything to assist their tax adviser in reaching a favorable determination for the Fishers, I would certainly recommend doing so.
 
I can say with certainty that the City has a clear interest in acquiring ownership of Fisher’s Hill Cemetery.   To put the matter in context, it was only about a year ago that we negotiated with Mr. John Holland and his sister to have them donate property adjacent and to the west of the cemetery complex, for possible inclusion in the cemetery complex.  They did donate that property to the City, and they got a substantial tax benefit for doing so after working with their tax advisor.   In a related matter, we anticipate within the next few days filing a petition in Portsmouth Circuit Court to acquire ownership of Mount Olive Cemetery, which is nominally owned by a private club, but the club has been defunct for a half century or more.  So the news that the Fisher family might possibly be interested in donating Fisher’s Hill Cemetery to the City comes at a most opportune time.   We would love to work with the Fisher family toward that goal.
 
As to any historical records the Fisher family might be willing to donate - - beyond question, the City would like to see these records property preserved.  There are two possible ways this could occur - - if they were donated to the City, they could be maintained in the Portsmouth Public Library.  Or they could possibly be donated to the African-American Historical Society, a nonprofit organization.
 
I understand that there may be some concern over unpaid real estate taxes for Fisher’s Hill Cemetery.   If the Fisher family is willing to donate the cemetery, I am very confident that - - subject to City Council’s approval - - we can handle the transaction so that any past real estate taxes are forgiven, in addition to whatever income tax deductions the Fisher family may obtain.
 
The bottom line is this - - thanks largely to your efforts, it appears that we may be able to open a dialogue with the Fisher family that will ultimately benefit both sides.  Please let me know how you’d like to begin this dialogue.   For your information, I’m attaching an aerial overlay photograph showing the approximate locations of the different cemeteries.
 
Thank you.
 
Tim
G. Timothy Oksman
Portsmouth City Attorney

Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA)
June 25, 1998
Edition: FINAL
Section: FRONT
Page: A1  
PORTSMOUTH OFFICERS VOW TO UNCOVER BLACK HISTORY \Author: IDA KAY JORDAN, STAFF WRITER TH

After decades of neglect, somebody plans to take responsibility for the cemeteries where some of Portsmouth's best-known names are cut into tombstones that have been entangled in vines and overgrown with vegetation.
Members of the Minority Police Officers Association have promised to work with the city to provide continuous upkeep for the all-black cemeteries known as Fisher's Hill, Mount Calvary and Mount Olive. The cemeteries adjoin one another on a 13-acre parcel along the southern edge of Interstate 264 off Deep Creek Boulevard.
Thousands of African Americans who died in Portsmouth throughout the 19th century and up until 1960 are buried there. They include I.C. Norcom, Jeffrey Wilson, Ida Barbour and many others whose impact on the community have been memorialized by use of their names on schools and other public places.
During a program Wednesday near the cemetery entrance, the city and the association signed a ``memorandum of agreement.''
``The agreement says the city will cut the grass, enhance the lighting and put up a fence,'' said James E. Lewis Jr., president of the minority police association. ``They also will attempt to gain ownership of the property.''
In turn, the police officers will repair broken tombstones and urns, set up overturned stones and clean neglected areas.
``We are planning a directory of all the people buried here, and we would like to get it on the National Register (of historic sites),'' Lewis said.
Doctors and lawyers, bank presidents and musicians, post-Civil War city councilmen - even the man who operated the first freight ferry between Norfolk and Portsmouth - all are buried there.
During Wednesday's ceremony, Mayor James W. Holley III said his great-grandfather, John Riddick, is buried in Mount Calvary. Riddick was the first black man to serve as high constable in Portsmouth.
Some of the visible stones carry dates in the early 1800s, and old newspaper accounts have reported graves there dating as far back as the late 17th century. Only when the minority police officers get all of the tangled overgrowth cleaned out and complete their directory will anyone know the date on the oldest marker.
A plot plan for Mount Calvary showed more than 13,000 gravesites, according to City Parks Manager Tom Eaton, and old city records estimate about 6,500 in Mount Olive and another 15,000 in Fisher's Hill and in nearby Potter's Field. Nobody knows how many have been used.
The cemeteries fell onto hard times in the 1950s and, by 1960, state health officials ordered the end of burials due to deterioration of the graves already there.
Through the years, original owners of the privately held cemeteries died and apparently left no provision for perpetual care. The city owned and maintained cemeteries exclusively for white people until the 1970s, and took no responsibility for the privately developed black cemeteries despite periodic efforts by black and white leaders to get the area cleaned up.
For decades, local groups started cleaning up the graveyards, including piles of trash dumped there, but nobody ever completed the job. Nor were the cemeteries regularly maintained.
In 1987, the city agreed to start cutting the grass after getting a Circuit Court order to proceed and attempting to locate the owners' heirs. In addition, the city had to post a $50,000 bond against damage to monuments and markers.
Although the grass was getting cut in parts of the area, tombstones remained overturned or broken. Graves had fallen in. And some parts of the cemetery areas, including an unmarked Potter's Field used during the yellow fever epidemic of 1855, never were cleared completely.
Lewis said the Minority Police Officers Association will work on all of the problems.
``This is not a one-time thing with us,'' he said. ``It will be a long-term commitment, and I think we will leave a lasting impression on this city.''

I stopped by the cemetery to see if we had any damage from the Tropical Storm Nicole. As usual, there are plenty of drainage issues. Good thing is that there are no downed trees and very few downed tree limbs.
But while I was looking around, I noticed several items that may me stop and stare, in particular, the Turner plot. Poor Mr. William Turners grave top was already cracked and missing a few pieces. I spent some time last year looking all around the plot to locate any of the missing pieces. Then I tried to piece them together as best as possible.
Now, when I looked at his grave, all I can feel is anger. Apparently, it doesn't matter if the mowers are paid or ordered by the city to mow, they really don't care if their giant mowers hit a corner causing the tops to break or then turn to pieces as they mow over them.