Archival and Archeological Investigations of an Abandoned Cemetery on the Franklin Property Washington County, Georgia

This report summarizes the archeological and archival investigations that were conducted before and during the excavation of a small family cemetery north of Deepstep, Georgia. The cemetery was moved so that ECC International (ECCI) could mine the underlying kaolin deposits. The cemetery contained one grave with an inscribed headstone and five unmarked graves. Based on archeological and archival evidence, the burials date from the mid nineteenth century until the early twentieth century, and the individuals were members of the Thomason and Wood families. Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. assisted ECCI by initially examining the graveyard, probing to determine the number of burials present and preparing a plan to notify the next of kin that the cemetery would be moved. Once ECCI obtained a permit from the Washington County commissioners to move the cemetery, we then directed the excavation of the remains. The remains were reinterred in the Smyrna Church cemetery, located about .6 miles southwest of the original location.