LOST TO TIME FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS

In the 1940’s the families of Magruder were fighting to have access to their loved ones buried on what is now known as Camp Peary. The government only allowed restricted Cemetery Access with no ability to grieve near the Ancestors final resting place. This was especially hard for the families who lost babies during infancy, and also to miscarriages and stillbirths. A local Williamsburg Family witnessed first hand the extreme hardship of the mothers and gave up their land so Oak Grove Parishioners had a place to bury their babies. The Henderson Family deeded the back part of their land so as the families walked into town down the power lines - they would be able to visit with their lost children. This restoration project is to honor the Descendant Family members who walked this land and to give a peaceful final resting place for their babies.

During the last 2 years Williamsburg History has been working with the church and local historian Colette Roots to make this restoration happen. Dominion Energy provided the help needed to remove the large trees hanging over the cemetery as well as providing a natural landscape and roped entrance around the babies. Williamsburg History and Mrs. Roots have been working to get a local Developer to provide a permanant road into the cemetery while at the same time found long term friends who were willing to do the work to bring stones to the babies who were then marked as God's own. This collaboration ignited a wonderful relationship with the Hogg Funeral Home in Gloucester - who were able to get historically accurate stones manufactured through a gracious donation by the Williamsburg Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. Hogg also generously donated their time to actually install the headstones so the babies can be honored and loved as they lay in their eternal rest. The Williamsburg Chapter, NSDAR was a wonderful partner throughout this process and took the lead with the Hogg Funeral Home.

There is still more wonderful work to be done to carry on the legacy of so many families who have a deep connection to their small children buried in the cemetery. We look forward to using every donation to continue to bring the baby cemetery back to life and make sure now and forever more - the babies are no longer lost to time. Please follow along at www.williamsburghistory.org for pictures and more on the Oak Grove Baby Cemetery Restoration.

Historic Oak Grove Friends and Family for the Oak Grove Baby Cemetery

Historic Oak Grove Baby Cemetery