The day started out wonderful with the sun shinning. I arrived at the Rickman Homestead Cemetery around 10:30 am and was greeted by this gentleman. I become to find him very interesting, He was so very pleasant and doing his best to get everyone to sign the register. His name is Barry Hollisworth. Throughout the day Barry talked to several people and answered many questions. I know that he probably has so many other stories of the past to tell. He spent most of his time sitting by the sign in table and with his hands folded in front of him and had a welcome smile for all. I'm still not sure if in someway we might be related, but for me I wouldn't mind that at all. I think I shocked him when I made the statement in front of others that I find him to be the "most interesting person" here. They all chuckled a bit and Barry looked at me and said " I've never been called that before" I said it was meant in a positive way. I bet he has a bushel full of stories to tell.
Barry Hollisworth 2005
Kenneth Bachand 2005
Kenneth the author of
"The Legend of the Big Rock"
The author Learned the tragedies of war on the home front when two of his friends married young men who went off to war but did not return. One of his friends he writes of was the wife of a World War II Navy fighter pilot. I'm looking forward to reading his book . He was raised in South Florida and served in the Naval Air Reserve during the Korean War and then attended Mars Hill College and Stetson University. He taught English and history in Florida publc schools for 25 years. Now he lives in Hendersonville, North Carolina and participates in the reenactments portraying an artillery colonel in both the Union and Confederate armies. It was a honor to meet him.
Arthur and Patricia Stepp 2005
Joe Young
Camp Commander of the Walter M. Bryson Camp #70, Sons of Confederate Veterans.
He is the 1st Lt. Commander of the Walter M. Bryson Camp #70, Sons of Confederate Veterans
Curtiss Poteat
2nd Lt. Commander of the Walter M. Bryson Camp #70, Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Mark Vick
Norman Miller is the Sons of Confederate Veterans Cemetery Committee Chairman. Wanda maintains the website for the group and what a great site it is. I have looked through the pages of their website and do hope that all of you will do the same and let them know you were there. They have a e-mail address on the site so please take the time to thank them for all the wonderful work they all do for other's.
I want to first thank Norman Miller and Wanda Case as they are responsible for all the planning, advertising and putting together all of the events that took place at our Rickman Cemetery. They visited the property owner, Mrs Helen Moore, and asked permisson to hold the event and she was very excited and told them to do what ever they wanted to do. My thanks to Helen Moore.
I was contacted through our Rickman Website by Wanda Case, she signed the guestbook and as I have said I do try and check it daily and to my surprise to find posted there was a invitation of the event about the cleaning and restoration of our Jesse Rickman's Cemetery and with that a celebration in honor of our family Veterans that served with the Revolutionary and Civil War.
Wanda Case and Norman Miller
Richard "Rick" Wilson
Rick lives only about 5 miles from where our Rickman Ancestor's Cemetery is located in Mills River, North Carolina
6th Great Grandparents
Jesse R. Rickman and Mary Trantham
5th great Grandparents
Martin Rickman and Sarah Williams
4th Great Grandparents
John Brown Rickman and Jane Osborne
3rd Great Grandparents
William Riley Rickman and Nancy Praytor
2nd great Grandparents
Ellen S. Rickman and William L. Case
1st Great Grandparents
Mindy Case and Edgar Liston Robertson
Grandparents
Margaret Ellen Robertson and Charles Bascom Israel
Parents
Mary Louise Israel and David Richard Wilson
Richard Gerald Wilson married 18 May 1985 to
Martha Joyce Wheeler the daugther of
James Wheeler and Rosa Henson
They have 3 children (1) Anne Marie Wilson
(2) Amanda Michelle Wilson (3) Ashley Miranda Wilson
You can find Pat easily, just look for the protector of plants. She was doing her very best
to make sure that any plants and flowers that
were growing in the Rickman Cemetery were not
run over by the mower. I found her placing a
piece of glass she found over a couple of plants and telling everyone around the area, not to accidently destroy them. What a wonderful couple they are, it was my pleasure to meet them. I will cherish the time we spent together
Guestbook
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Words of Curtiss Poteat
"Every Stone tells a story of love and hardship"
A persons whole life is contained between the birth and death on those stones. Some of the Volunteers have come from Morganton and other towns to help with clean ups.
"One person can make a differance in the Country"
said Joe Young, commander of the local chapter
of the Sons of Confederate Veterants, the group
sponsoring the clean ups.
The Rickman Family Cemetery Clean Up
And Decoration Day
Rev. War Soldier Jesse Riley Rickman and his family are buried in the Rickman Family Cemetery.
As a Pvt. North Carolina Troops, he served with the American Troops in Washintion District. 1783-1784
The Rickman Family Cemetery clean up is scheduled for Saturday March 12, 2005 at 10:00am. rain or shine.
This cemetery is small, and is in fair condition and should not take very long to clean up. You should bring gloves, pruners, rakes, weed eaters, etc.
In 1868, General John A. Logan, of the US Army, declared Decoration Day for the purpose of decorating the graves of Civil War Veterans. It has since become a day on which all war dead are commeorated, better known today as Memorial Day. Many southern states have a Confederate Memorial Day, in North Carolina it is May 10th.
We will be hosting an old fashioned "Decoration Day" with lunch on the grounds, also an Honor Guard will be there to fire a rifle salute honoring the 6 CSA soldiers buried in this cemetery. We encourage all members of the community that would like to participate to join us. So bring your tastiest dishes, lawn chairs and your camera for this fun filled day of celebration !
From Hendersonville, take Hwy 191 out of Hendersonville towards Mills River. Turn left on South Mills River Rd. and continue approximately 3 1/2 miles, turn right on Liberty Drive, Liberty Dr. is the first right after you pass Whitker Rd. The Rickman Cemetery is visible from the road, and enclosed within a chain link fence.
