Fort Ward's Lost Graves: Who speaks for the dead? Jackson Family

Fort Ward's Lost Graves:  Who speaks for the dead?    Jackson Family

Public records indicate that James F. Jackson bought land in Fort Ward from John A. Miller and his wife about the year 1890.  Research information within the Office of Historic Alexandria includes files from December 10, 1919 that show there were “graves along the Jackson Property”.

In Circut Court files from September 1924 involving James Jackson and his wife versus Shadrack  there is a note indicating that : “This land is in a colored section and there is a colored cemetery theron”.  Within this same file there is reference to “two pieces of land sold by Jackson to John Peters and Frank Lewis, and a grave yard lot 22‘ x 30’ sold to William Carpenter”.  Another burial lot sold to Wesley Casey is noted.

A Report of the Commission of Reference, dated September 29, 1924 indicates that “There is a graveyard upon said premises with a right-of-way there to, the right-of-way along the southern portion of the present western line and along the line of Lewis and said right-of-way, which is ten feet wide crosses tract to said cemetery, which is on the east side of the fort of Fort Ward sometimes called Fort Howard”.

In the early 1960‘s the Alexandria City Council provided funds to the Recreation Department to plan for Fort Ward Park.  A series of plans were draw by the Robinson Brothers Company, a landscape architecture consultant firm hired by the City.  Information on these drawings, which were prepared in 1962, identified graveyards in the park including the location of the Jackson family graves.

On March 18, 2009 at a public meeting on Fort Ward Park held by the City of Alexandria at TC Williams H.S. Mr. William Jackson told the city representatives and meeting attendees that he was related to James Edward and Robert Jackson.  He indicated that his mother and brother would show  city interests and researchers the location of graves from his family.

Following the public meeting Walter Powell, then a manager with the City Recreation Department, noted that there were graves in this part of Fort Ward Park.  Using the 1962 drawings for Fort Ward Tom Fulton, now the Chair of the Fort Ward Park & Museum Advisory Group, located the approximate area of the graveyard.  Phase I archaeology work conducted by The Ottery Group, Inc. working for the Office of Historic Alexandria confirmed graves and grave shafts in 2011.