Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery
The Oakland Baptist Cemetery is located off of Braddock Road within Fort Ward Park.
The cemetery is on land originally owned by Burr & Harriet Shorts. After the Civil War and up until the early 1950s the Fort Ward area was primarily rural. It was not uncommon for African American family members and friends to be buried in family owned plots.
Members of the African American community residing at Fort Ward and near the Oakland Baptist Church were buried in various areas of the former Fort. It was not until the late 1960s that the burial plots on the Burr and Harriet Shorts property were designated formally as the Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery. Another known area for burial sites is on the former James Jackson property on the western part of the Fort Ward Park. A Deed of Bargain and Sale from Amanda Clarke to Wallace Smith references an “Old Grave Yard” east of the general outlet road (FFX DB V-10, Page 142)
The Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery is the only known African-American Cemetery outside of downtown Alexandria.
December 16, 1879 Burr Shorts retained Thos N. Carter to survey 10 acres. He paid $4.50.
March 20, 1884-Burr Shorts acquires 10 acres. FFX DB E-5, 578.
Burr Shorts died in 1898..
June 28, 1898--In his Will (FFX Will Book Libra H-2, page 38) he left his real, personal and mixed property including the 10 acres to “my beloved wife.
December 29, 1898, Harriet Shorts conveys 2 acres to Clara Adams, her daughter.
October 25, 1916 Harriet prepared her will (FFX Will Book 6, P 391). In her will she requests her Executors to “give unto my daughter, Kate Stuart, the house I am living in, with one acre of land, and to give to my daughter, Mandy Clarke, three acres of land; this three acres to be taken from that part of my real estate nearest to Jack Ball’s place. The balance of my property, both real and personal, which includes one horse and one cow and one wagon, with harness, is to be sold, and the proceeds to be divided equally among my other children, whom I hereby name; Surrell McKnight, Cassius Mcknight, Burnie Terral, Florence Javins, Maria Blackburn, Minnie Robertson, Luvina Millier. Clara Adams is to be given ten dollars out of the sale of these properties mentioned.”
July 18, 1917 --Harriet dies at the age of ±86 (Char—Certificate of Death estimates age of 95, buried near Theological Seminary).
July 1919—the list of heirs and last known addresses indicate none of the heirs lived at the Fort.
July 15, 1919—Deed of Partition (DB FFX N-8, 404-407
“Whereas, the real estate having been preserved intact to the devisees and they desiring to have set off to each other respective portions, that is to say Kate Stewart to have the dwelling house and one acre of land, and Amanda Clarke to have three acres of the land as directed by the testatrix, and the remainder to be divided equally among the other children of testatrix, as named in the will…”
A survey was completed on January 18, 1919 subdividing the land for conveyance to family members. The Will was probated in July 1919.
Her children (see Will and FFX Deed of Partition N8, p 404) include 1)Searles McKnight, 2) Lavina Miller (widow) 3) Bernice Terrell, 4) Florence Javins, 5) Maria Blackburn (widow), 6) Minnie Robertson (widow), 7) Cassius McKnight,
8) Amanda (Nannie) Clarke (widow), daughter, received 3 acres.
9) Kate Stuart, daughter, obtained the house Harriet was living in and one acre (Lot 3).
The devisees decided to partition remaining lands, lands not previously conveyed to Kate Stuart and Mandy Clarke, .with 47 acres each to :
1) Searles McKnight (Lot 1)
2) Lavinia Miller (Lot 2)
3) Minnie Robinson (Lot 4)
4) Cassius McKnight (Lot 5)
5) Maria Blacburn (Lot 6)
6) Bernie Terrell (Lot 7)
7) Florence Javins (Lot 8)
Clara Adams did not receive any land from the Will.
Amanda McKnight Clark received 3 acres from the estate of her mother Harriet Shorts.
April 11, 1933---Amanda Clark dies. In her Will (FFX Will Book 14, page 458), dated January 20, 1923, she requested that she be buried in the corner next to Clara Adam’s line in the little grove on my property, located on Seminary Hill. It was her wish that her property, except her home, be sold shortly after her death. In the event there was any money left after paying all debts, she bequeathed $5.00 to her daughter Harriet Hyman. In addition, she bequeathed all of her property, not otherwise disposed of in her will to her son Clarence R. Gray. Clarence R. Gray, at the time of the disposition of her will, May 20, 1933, he was 58 years old and Hattie Hyman was 60 years old. Hattie lived at 1451 Conover St. N.W. Washington, D.C.
February 25, 1939--Sale of Lot 8 to Oakland Baptist Church
Florence McKnight Javins predeceased her husband Samuel Javins. He had remarried I(new wife Mollie). On February 25, 1939 Samuel conveyed .47 acres, Lot 8, to the Oakland Baptist Church. (FFX DB I-13, 515).
Lot 8 is 50.5 feet wide and 409.9 feet (239.9 +169 feet) long on the south property line.
Oakland Baptist Church Trustees: William Henry, Richard Nelson, Frank Nelson, Douglas Johnson, and James Lewis.
On June 9, 1969, the Oakland Baptist Church and the City of Alexandria agreed to an exchange. The western part of Lot 8 (Parcel 3963-0-2), along with a 10’ access road was conveyed by the Oakland Baptist Church to the City of Alexandria.
The City of Alexandria conveyed “so much of Lot 7” (Parcel 3963-0-1) for use by the Oakland Baptist Church and congregation as a burial ground.
The description of the park boundary included in the National Register of Historic Place nomination form excludes the present day Oakland Baptist Cemetery.
Names of those interred at the Cemetery (USGENWEB)
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/cityofalexandria/cemeteries/oakland.txt
Area: Virginia, Alexandria, zip 22304
Name: Oakland Baptist Church
As of: 1999 June
Listing: complete
Location: Accessed via the Fort Ward civil war park
Not annotated in the Alexandria Drafting Company (ADC) street map (red cross).
Comments: There were 4 headstones with no markings at all, and 1 with 8 names but no dates. Also, I found three outside the cemetery on the park grounds.
======== 51 entries ===================
Ashby, Blackburn, Bullock, Campbell, Chambers, Fitzhugh,
Grant, Hall(2), Harris, Henry(3), James, Javins, Jones,
Lee, Lewis(2), Mackey, Mallory(2), Moore, Morgan, Nickens,
Penn, Randall/Randell(4), Rollins, Roy(4), Rust(5), Scales,
Spence, Taylor, Terrell(2), Wanzer(6), Whiting,
=========================================
Wanzer, Clarence Sr. 1897 Feb 1 - 1980 July 17
Wanzer, Charlotte B. 1900 Nov 30 - 1976 May 21
Jones, W. Strother d. 1937 Jan 31
Mackey, Gladys Wanzer 1908 Feb 4 - 1982 May 18
Chambers, Ethel 1889 May 30 - 1977 Mar 9
James, Ethel E. 1926 Apr 20 - 1990 Aug 21
Roy, Clarence 1906 Mar 6 - 1979 Mar 17
Wanzer, Roland R. Sr. 1909 Apr 18 - 1978 Apr 9 \ shared
Wanzer, Virginia Roy 1909 Aug 18 - 1987 Dec 8 /headstone
Roy, Nina 1904 May 8 - 1987 Dec 28
Campbell, Annabelle 1927 Nov 28 - 1986 July 29
Hall, Mary M. 1892 Feb 23 - 1961 Aug 28 \ shared
Hall, Evelyn N. 1930 June 5 - 1981 Nov 17 /headstone
Lee, Mary Nelson 1881-1976 \ shared
Ashby, Eva Lee 1902-1992 /headstone
Rust, James 1888-1951
Henry, Clarence d. 1936 Sep 16
Henry, Rev. Frank 1904 Apr 12 - 1963 July 26
Grant, Anne Bell 1908 Dec 7 - 1980 Nov 16
Mallory, Sarah 1901 Dec 29 - 1969 Oct 4 wife of W.B.
Mallory, William Buck d. 1974 July 28
Whiting, Lloyd 1935 Sep 3 - 1971 Apr 20
Penn, James Finley 1911 July 1 - 1970 Dec 24 Virginia Pvt US Army WWII
Harris, Gladys 1920 Apr 26 - 1969 Oct 31
Rust, Isabelle (dates buried, but headstone type suggests 1930-1950)
Scales, Everett Jr. 1970 Apr 17 - 1970 Aug 22
Blackburn, Maria d. 1925 Oct 10 age 84
Terrell, J.W. d. 1(923?) May 23 age 72 \ shared
Terrell, Burney d. 1930 July 4 age 82 wife of J.W. /headstone
Roy, Elnora 1890-1936
Morgan, Lucille T.R. (dates buried)
Rollins, Estelle Roy 1914-1937
Roy, Ernest E. 1911 Jan 12 - 1973 Sep 23
Taylor, Harriet Roy 1864-1940 grandmother \ shared
Nickens, Floretta Roy 1892-1941 mother /headstone
Rust, John 1900-1951 \ shared
Rust, Bertha 1904-1946 /headstone
Rust, Herman A. 1930 July 12 - 1979 Dec 21 US Army Korea
Henry, Jean 1928-1985
Randell (sp?), Irene O. 1926 May 27 - 1980 May 20
Randall, Lawrence J. 1926 May 1 - 1973 Mar 13 Virginia Cpl US Army WWII
Randall, William J. Sr. 1888 Apr 9 - 1946 Aug 17 \ shared
Randall, Mamie W. 1887 July 30 - 1950 Feb 7/headstone
Wanzer, M. Goldie 1881 Apr - 1975 Apr
Wanzer, William 1883 Mar 4 - 1950 Sep 1
Lewis, Minnie 1886 Nov - 1952 Aug \ shared
Lewis, Russell 1929 Jan - 1929 July son of Minnie /headstone
Moore, Rev. Samuel Thomas 1868-1956
Bullock, Frank W. 1926 June 16 - 1994 Mar 7 Tec5 US Army
Outside the fence, apparently unrelated:
Spence, Cornelia 1842 - 1897 Oct 13 born in Jefferson, Texas
Javins, W. b. (June?) 15, 1873 (rest buried)
Fitzhugh, Virginia d. 1918 Jan 18 age 65
The Oakland Baptist Cemetery is located off of Braddock Road within Fort Ward Park.
The cemetery is on land originally owned by Burr & Harriet Shorts. After the Civil War and up until the early 1950s the Fort Ward area was primarily rural. It was not uncommon for African American family members and friends to be buried in family owned plots.
Members of the African American community residing at Fort Ward and near the Oakland Baptist Church were buried in various areas of the former Fort. It was not until the late 1960s that the burial plots on the Burr and Harriet Shorts property were designated formally as the Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery. Another known area for burial sites is on the former James Jackson property on the western part of the Fort Ward Park. A Deed of Bargain and Sale from Amanda Clarke to Wallace Smith references an “Old Grave Yard” east of the general outlet road (FFX DB V-10, Page 142)
The Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery is the only known African-American Cemetery outside of downtown Alexandria.
December 16, 1879 Burr Shorts retained Thos N. Carter to survey 10 acres. He paid $4.50.
March 20, 1884-Burr Shorts acquires 10 acres. FFX DB E-5, 578.
Burr Shorts died in 1898..
June 28, 1898--In his Will (FFX Will Book Libra H-2, page 38) he left his real, personal and mixed property including the 10 acres to “my beloved wife.
December 29, 1898, Harriet Shorts conveys 2 acres to Clara Adams, her daughter.
October 25, 1916 Harriet prepared her will (FFX Will Book 6, P 391). In her will she requests her Executors to “give unto my daughter, Kate Stuart, the house I am living in, with one acre of land, and to give to my daughter, Mandy Clarke, three acres of land; this three acres to be taken from that part of my real estate nearest to Jack Ball’s place. The balance of my property, both real and personal, which includes one horse and one cow and one wagon, with harness, is to be sold, and the proceeds to be divided equally among my other children, whom I hereby name; Surrell McKnight, Cassius Mcknight, Burnie Terral, Florence Javins, Maria Blackburn, Minnie Robertson, Luvina Millier. Clara Adams is to be given ten dollars out of the sale of these properties mentioned.”
July 18, 1917 --Harriet dies at the age of ±86 (Char—Certificate of Death estimates age of 95, buried near Theological Seminary).
July 1919—the list of heirs and last known addresses indicate none of the heirs lived at the Fort.
July 15, 1919—Deed of Partition (DB FFX N-8, 404-407
“Whereas, the real estate having been preserved intact to the devisees and they desiring to have set off to each other respective portions, that is to say Kate Stewart to have the dwelling house and one acre of land, and Amanda Clarke to have three acres of the land as directed by the testatrix, and the remainder to be divided equally among the other children of testatrix, as named in the will…”
A survey was completed on January 18, 1919 subdividing the land for conveyance to family members. The Will was probated in July 1919.
Her children (see Will and FFX Deed of Partition N8, p 404) include 1)Searles McKnight, 2) Lavina Miller (widow) 3) Bernice Terrell, 4) Florence Javins, 5) Maria Blackburn (widow), 6) Minnie Robertson (widow), 7) Cassius McKnight,
8) Amanda (Nannie) Clarke (widow), daughter, received 3 acres.
9) Kate Stuart, daughter, obtained the house Harriet was living in and one acre (Lot 3).
The devisees decided to partition remaining lands, lands not previously conveyed to Kate Stuart and Mandy Clarke, .with 47 acres each to :
1) Searles McKnight (Lot 1)
2) Lavinia Miller (Lot 2)
3) Minnie Robinson (Lot 4)
4) Cassius McKnight (Lot 5)
5) Maria Blacburn (Lot 6)
6) Bernie Terrell (Lot 7)
7) Florence Javins (Lot 8)
Clara Adams did not receive any land from the Will.
Amanda McKnight Clark received 3 acres from the estate of her mother Harriet Shorts.
April 11, 1933---Amanda Clark dies. In her Will (FFX Will Book 14, page 458), dated January 20, 1923, she requested that she be buried in the corner next to Clara Adam’s line in the little grove on my property, located on Seminary Hill. It was her wish that her property, except her home, be sold shortly after her death. In the event there was any money left after paying all debts, she bequeathed $5.00 to her daughter Harriet Hyman. In addition, she bequeathed all of her property, not otherwise disposed of in her will to her son Clarence R. Gray. Clarence R. Gray, at the time of the disposition of her will, May 20, 1933, he was 58 years old and Hattie Hyman was 60 years old. Hattie lived at 1451 Conover St. N.W. Washington, D.C.
February 25, 1939--Sale of Lot 8 to Oakland Baptist Church
Florence McKnight Javins predeceased her husband Samuel Javins. He had remarried I(new wife Mollie). On February 25, 1939 Samuel conveyed .47 acres, Lot 8, to the Oakland Baptist Church. (FFX DB I-13, 515).
Lot 8 is 50.5 feet wide and 409.9 feet (239.9 +169 feet) long on the south property line.
Oakland Baptist Church Trustees: William Henry, Richard Nelson, Frank Nelson, Douglas Johnson, and James Lewis.
On June 9, 1969, the Oakland Baptist Church and the City of Alexandria agreed to an exchange. The western part of Lot 8 (Parcel 3963-0-2), along with a 10’ access road was conveyed by the Oakland Baptist Church to the City of Alexandria.
The City of Alexandria conveyed “so much of Lot 7” (Parcel 3963-0-1) for use by the Oakland Baptist Church and congregation as a burial ground.
The description of the park boundary included in the National Register of Historic Place nomination form excludes the present day Oakland Baptist Cemetery.
Names of those interred at the Cemetery (USGENWEB)
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/cityofalexandria/cemeteries/oakland.txt
Area: Virginia, Alexandria, zip 22304
Name: Oakland Baptist Church
As of: 1999 June
Listing: complete
Location: Accessed via the Fort Ward civil war park
Not annotated in the Alexandria Drafting Company (ADC) street map (red cross).
Comments: There were 4 headstones with no markings at all, and 1 with 8 names but no dates. Also, I found three outside the cemetery on the park grounds.
======== 51 entries ===================
Ashby, Blackburn, Bullock, Campbell, Chambers, Fitzhugh,
Grant, Hall(2), Harris, Henry(3), James, Javins, Jones,
Lee, Lewis(2), Mackey, Mallory(2), Moore, Morgan, Nickens,
Penn, Randall/Randell(4), Rollins, Roy(4), Rust(5), Scales,
Spence, Taylor, Terrell(2), Wanzer(6), Whiting,
=========================================
Wanzer, Clarence Sr. 1897 Feb 1 - 1980 July 17
Wanzer, Charlotte B. 1900 Nov 30 - 1976 May 21
Jones, W. Strother d. 1937 Jan 31
Mackey, Gladys Wanzer 1908 Feb 4 - 1982 May 18
Chambers, Ethel 1889 May 30 - 1977 Mar 9
James, Ethel E. 1926 Apr 20 - 1990 Aug 21
Roy, Clarence 1906 Mar 6 - 1979 Mar 17
Wanzer, Roland R. Sr. 1909 Apr 18 - 1978 Apr 9 \ shared
Wanzer, Virginia Roy 1909 Aug 18 - 1987 Dec 8 /headstone
Roy, Nina 1904 May 8 - 1987 Dec 28
Campbell, Annabelle 1927 Nov 28 - 1986 July 29
Hall, Mary M. 1892 Feb 23 - 1961 Aug 28 \ shared
Hall, Evelyn N. 1930 June 5 - 1981 Nov 17 /headstone
Lee, Mary Nelson 1881-1976 \ shared
Ashby, Eva Lee 1902-1992 /headstone
Rust, James 1888-1951
Henry, Clarence d. 1936 Sep 16
Henry, Rev. Frank 1904 Apr 12 - 1963 July 26
Grant, Anne Bell 1908 Dec 7 - 1980 Nov 16
Mallory, Sarah 1901 Dec 29 - 1969 Oct 4 wife of W.B.
Mallory, William Buck d. 1974 July 28
Whiting, Lloyd 1935 Sep 3 - 1971 Apr 20
Penn, James Finley 1911 July 1 - 1970 Dec 24 Virginia Pvt US Army WWII
Harris, Gladys 1920 Apr 26 - 1969 Oct 31
Rust, Isabelle (dates buried, but headstone type suggests 1930-1950)
Scales, Everett Jr. 1970 Apr 17 - 1970 Aug 22
Blackburn, Maria d. 1925 Oct 10 age 84
Terrell, J.W. d. 1(923?) May 23 age 72 \ shared
Terrell, Burney d. 1930 July 4 age 82 wife of J.W. /headstone
Roy, Elnora 1890-1936
Morgan, Lucille T.R. (dates buried)
Rollins, Estelle Roy 1914-1937
Roy, Ernest E. 1911 Jan 12 - 1973 Sep 23
Taylor, Harriet Roy 1864-1940 grandmother \ shared
Nickens, Floretta Roy 1892-1941 mother /headstone
Rust, John 1900-1951 \ shared
Rust, Bertha 1904-1946 /headstone
Rust, Herman A. 1930 July 12 - 1979 Dec 21 US Army Korea
Henry, Jean 1928-1985
Randell (sp?), Irene O. 1926 May 27 - 1980 May 20
Randall, Lawrence J. 1926 May 1 - 1973 Mar 13 Virginia Cpl US Army WWII
Randall, William J. Sr. 1888 Apr 9 - 1946 Aug 17 \ shared
Randall, Mamie W. 1887 July 30 - 1950 Feb 7/headstone
Wanzer, M. Goldie 1881 Apr - 1975 Apr
Wanzer, William 1883 Mar 4 - 1950 Sep 1
Lewis, Minnie 1886 Nov - 1952 Aug \ shared
Lewis, Russell 1929 Jan - 1929 July son of Minnie /headstone
Moore, Rev. Samuel Thomas 1868-1956
Bullock, Frank W. 1926 June 16 - 1994 Mar 7 Tec5 US Army
Outside the fence, apparently unrelated:
Spence, Cornelia 1842 - 1897 Oct 13 born in Jefferson, Texas
Javins, W. b. (June?) 15, 1873 (rest buried)
Fitzhugh, Virginia d. 1918 Jan 18 age 65
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