Relocation of the Flowers Family Cemetery, Clayton County, Georgia

From 25 September to 8 October 2001, Brockington and Associates, Inc. excavated human burials from the Flowers Family Cemetery, Clayton County, Georgia, in preparation for relocation to the Red Oak United Methodist Cemetery in Stockbridge. Prior to the excavation, Brockington and Associates, Inc. conducted a survey of the cemetery to identify potential graves. Brockington and Associates, Inc. also conducted genealogical research to identify living descendants of the individuals interred in the Flowers Family Cemetery. Additionally, Brockington and Associates, Inc. prepared a disinterment/reinterment plan as required by Georgia's 1991 Abandoned Cemeteries and Burial Grounds Act (Official Code of Georgia Annotated, [OCGA] 36-72-2). Clayton County issued a permit to relocate the Flowers Family Cemetery on 4 September 2001. A backhoe was used to remove approximately .61 to .92 meters (2-3 feet) of overburden from the cemetery in order to reveal outlines of the grave shafts. After the backhoe removed the dirt, shovels were used to excavate the grave fill. Skeletal remains were carefully excavated using small hand tools (e.g. trowels and bamboo picks). We excavated a total of 29 burials from the Flowers Family Cemetery. Bone preservation was extremely poor and skeletal remains were recovered from only 13 burials. All skeletal material, biological stains, and coffin hardware were placed in wooden boxes. Buriai materials were stored in a secure warehouse until their reinterment at the Red Oak United Methodist Cemetery on 11 October 2001.