In the 1920's the Lexington Water Power Company purchased properties from residents of Lexington County, S.C., to create Lake Murray. Many of these residents were descendants of people that had lived in in the Saxe-Gotha and Dutch Fork communities, during the Revolution and Civil War eras.
Below the murky waters of the 50,000 acre lake, lie the remains of these towns along with several graveyards and cemeteries.
I recently discovered Lake Murray Records at the Greenville Library. These records were found by an SCE&G employee in the late nineties, and turned over to the Columbia Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society. The Society agreed to handle the fragile documents only once, and created transcriptions into a book.
Most of the entries concerning the graveyards and cemeteries were in the form of letters written by family members requesting that their loved ones remain undisturbed and impounded by the waters of the lake, while others requested their removal.
Here are several interesting entries contained in Lake Murray Records:
Letter Nov. 15th 1928: Mr. H.L. Lankford being interviewed stated that he had known this place all his life and had never known any connections of anyone buried at this place; that his grandfather had said they were people of a lost name, no more of them to be found. There are no marked stones at this graveyard.
Presumably no one will object to this plat being covered by the waters of Lake Murray.
C.G. Guignard, C.K. Son
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Mrs. Margaret M. - March 31, 1866 48 years and 3 days
Consort of Michael Shealy
My flesh shall slumber in the ground,
'Til the last trumpet's joyful sound,
Then burst the bands with sweet surprise,
And in my Saviour's [sic] image rise.
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These two graveyards located on my place below the water line are old slavery graveyards I believe; and I don't know of any living relations. no one has been buried in either of these graveyards since the Civil War.
M.D. Derrick
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One lone grave said by tradition to be that of a deserter from the Confederate Army who was killed and buried there. No relatives of connections can be found.
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Juliana-Dec 9, 1825 Age 20 years, 7 months, 21 days. Wife of John George Haltiwanger and daughter of John Frederick Kelly
She was a child of misfortune in this world, but the Lord saw her affliction as she died with the full assurance of entering into that rest was promissed [sic] to the people of God. let stresses like mild deluge come. Let storms of sorrow fall, so I but safely reach my home, my God, my heaven, my all.
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This was a burying ground for slaves and so far as I know, there are no living relatives. No one has been buried there within the last thirty-five years to my certain knowledge.
John Green Hiller of Chapin, S.C.
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Negro buried in the woods. tradition as given by Mrs. Justus Wingard and Mrs. J.L. Cannon tells that an unknown negro years ago committed suicide and was buried in the woods where he was found.
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John A. Epting - Dec. 17, 1829-Aug. 22, 1858 Age 28 years, 8 months and 5 days
Remember man as you pass by,
As you are now so once was I,
As I am now, so you must be
Prepare for death and follow me.
Divers from South Carolina Scuba Diving, have made regular dives down to the "lost city". Here is a video of a cemetery dive:
If you have family members buried underneath the waters of Lake Murray, please comment below! I am happy to do look-ups in the book as well. I can be contacted at jenealogist355@gmail.com
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