On a gentle knoll surrounded by the woods and cotton fields of Skeetertown Cemetery on Saturday.
For more than six decades, the earthly remains of Jason Boone lay buried in a grave in Skeetertown Cemetery at the end of Pitt Road in Suffolk. His grave – for 63 years – was marked only by a cinderblock.
The remains of Anthony Boone, his brother, rested less than 100 yards away in the same cemetery. Until very recently, Anthony Boone’s grave was also marked only by a single cinderblock.
Today, thanks largely to the efforts of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the remains of these brothers-in-arms – and life – rest peacefully in graves clearly marked by headstones that bear testament to their service in the Confederate Army.
Both of these veterans were free-born black men of Nansemond County. Jason Boone enlisted in the 41st Virginia Volunteer Infantry and brother Anthony served with the Peninsula Light Artillery and later in the 1st Virginia Artillery.
''I believe that Jason Boone gave his service to this cause because he loved his home and loved his neighbors,'' said F. Lee Hart IV, commander of the Tom Smith Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans. ''He saw this war as an attack on his home, and, like Robert E. Lee, he refused to raise his sword against his state.''
Boone was a landowner, twice married, father of 30 children. For three years, beginning in 1862, he served in the 41st Virginia Infantry, Company K, Confederate States of America. He was considered a specialist in the building of breastworks - a defensive low wall used in battle - or trenches.
In 1924, at the age of 93, he was granted a pension of $ 6 a month, which he received until his death at the age of 105.
Boone was a free-born black, and for what is thought to be the first time for a black Confederate soldier in Virginia, he was honored on this autumn day with a ceremony and a memorial for his courage.
Boone's great-granddaughter, Katheryne Boone Hamilton, (Pictured here) who was born in Suffolk and now lives in Portsmouth, brought the event together. Her Thoughts on Her Gr-Grandfather's Life, CSA Service:
I have always been so proud of Jason Boone. He was independent. He was a landowner. He was the father of 30 children, married to the mothers of them all. He worked hard and raised those children.''
And, when the Civil War broke out in April 1861, Boone was living on his farm in Skeetertown, a mixed neighborhood of free blacks and white landowners. Boone's farm remained in family hands until 1981.
''When his neighbors were going to war, these were men he hunted with, fished with, worked with,'' she said. ''I believe he did what he felt he had to do. What do I have not to be proud of?''
For more than six decades, the earthly remains of Jason Boone lay buried in a grave in Skeetertown Cemetery at the end of Pitt Road in Suffolk. His grave – for 63 years – was marked only by a cinderblock.
The remains of Anthony Boone, his brother, rested less than 100 yards away in the same cemetery. Until very recently, Anthony Boone’s grave was also marked only by a single cinderblock.
Today, thanks largely to the efforts of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the remains of these brothers-in-arms – and life – rest peacefully in graves clearly marked by headstones that bear testament to their service in the Confederate Army.
Both of these veterans were free-born black men of Nansemond County. Jason Boone enlisted in the 41st Virginia Volunteer Infantry and brother Anthony served with the Peninsula Light Artillery and later in the 1st Virginia Artillery.
''I believe that Jason Boone gave his service to this cause because he loved his home and loved his neighbors,'' said F. Lee Hart IV, commander of the Tom Smith Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans. ''He saw this war as an attack on his home, and, like Robert E. Lee, he refused to raise his sword against his state.''
Boone was a landowner, twice married, father of 30 children. For three years, beginning in 1862, he served in the 41st Virginia Infantry, Company K, Confederate States of America. He was considered a specialist in the building of breastworks - a defensive low wall used in battle - or trenches.
In 1924, at the age of 93, he was granted a pension of $ 6 a month, which he received until his death at the age of 105.
Boone was a free-born black, and for what is thought to be the first time for a black Confederate soldier in Virginia, he was honored on this autumn day with a ceremony and a memorial for his courage.
Boone's great-granddaughter, Katheryne Boone Hamilton, (Pictured here) who was born in Suffolk and now lives in Portsmouth, brought the event together. Her Thoughts on Her Gr-Grandfather's Life, CSA Service:
I have always been so proud of Jason Boone. He was independent. He was a landowner. He was the father of 30 children, married to the mothers of them all. He worked hard and raised those children.''
And, when the Civil War broke out in April 1861, Boone was living on his farm in Skeetertown, a mixed neighborhood of free blacks and white landowners. Boone's farm remained in family hands until 1981.
''When his neighbors were going to war, these were men he hunted with, fished with, worked with,'' she said. ''I believe he did what he felt he had to do. What do I have not to be proud of?''
On a gentle knoll surrounded by the woods and cotton fields of Skeetertown Cemetery on Saturday.
For more than six decades, the earthly remains of Jason Boone lay buried in a grave in Skeetertown Cemetery at the end of Pitt Road in Suffolk. His grave – for 63 years – was marked only by a cinderblock.
The remains of Anthony Boone, his brother, rested less than 100 yards away in the same cemetery. Until very recently, Anthony Boone’s grave was also marked only by a single cinderblock.
Today, thanks largely to the efforts of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the remains of these brothers-in-arms – and life – rest peacefully in graves clearly marked by headstones that bear testament to their service in the Confederate Army.
Both of these veterans were free-born black men of Nansemond County. Jason Boone enlisted in the 41st Virginia Volunteer Infantry and brother Anthony served with the Peninsula Light Artillery and later in the 1st Virginia Artillery.
''I believe that Jason Boone gave his service to this cause because he loved his home and loved his neighbors,'' said F. Lee Hart IV, commander of the Tom Smith Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans. ''He saw this war as an attack on his home, and, like Robert E. Lee, he refused to raise his sword against his state.''
Boone was a landowner, twice married, father of 30 children. For three years, beginning in 1862, he served in the 41st Virginia Infantry, Company K, Confederate States of America. He was considered a specialist in the building of breastworks - a defensive low wall used in battle - or trenches.
In 1924, at the age of 93, he was granted a pension of $ 6 a month, which he received until his death at the age of 105.
Boone was a free-born black, and for what is thought to be the first time for a black Confederate soldier in Virginia, he was honored on this autumn day with a ceremony and a memorial for his courage.
Boone's great-granddaughter, Katheryne Boone Hamilton, (Pictured here) who was born in Suffolk and now lives in Portsmouth, brought the event together. Her Thoughts on Her Gr-Grandfather's Life, CSA Service:
I have always been so proud of Jason Boone. He was independent. He was a landowner. He was the father of 30 children, married to the mothers of them all. He worked hard and raised those children.''
And, when the Civil War broke out in April 1861, Boone was living on his farm in Skeetertown, a mixed neighborhood of free blacks and white landowners. Boone's farm remained in family hands until 1981.
''When his neighbors were going to war, these were men he hunted with, fished with, worked with,'' she said. ''I believe he did what he felt he had to do. What do I have not to be proud of?''
For more than six decades, the earthly remains of Jason Boone lay buried in a grave in Skeetertown Cemetery at the end of Pitt Road in Suffolk. His grave – for 63 years – was marked only by a cinderblock.
The remains of Anthony Boone, his brother, rested less than 100 yards away in the same cemetery. Until very recently, Anthony Boone’s grave was also marked only by a single cinderblock.
Today, thanks largely to the efforts of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the remains of these brothers-in-arms – and life – rest peacefully in graves clearly marked by headstones that bear testament to their service in the Confederate Army.
Both of these veterans were free-born black men of Nansemond County. Jason Boone enlisted in the 41st Virginia Volunteer Infantry and brother Anthony served with the Peninsula Light Artillery and later in the 1st Virginia Artillery.
''I believe that Jason Boone gave his service to this cause because he loved his home and loved his neighbors,'' said F. Lee Hart IV, commander of the Tom Smith Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans. ''He saw this war as an attack on his home, and, like Robert E. Lee, he refused to raise his sword against his state.''
Boone was a landowner, twice married, father of 30 children. For three years, beginning in 1862, he served in the 41st Virginia Infantry, Company K, Confederate States of America. He was considered a specialist in the building of breastworks - a defensive low wall used in battle - or trenches.
In 1924, at the age of 93, he was granted a pension of $ 6 a month, which he received until his death at the age of 105.
Boone was a free-born black, and for what is thought to be the first time for a black Confederate soldier in Virginia, he was honored on this autumn day with a ceremony and a memorial for his courage.
Boone's great-granddaughter, Katheryne Boone Hamilton, (Pictured here) who was born in Suffolk and now lives in Portsmouth, brought the event together. Her Thoughts on Her Gr-Grandfather's Life, CSA Service:
I have always been so proud of Jason Boone. He was independent. He was a landowner. He was the father of 30 children, married to the mothers of them all. He worked hard and raised those children.''
And, when the Civil War broke out in April 1861, Boone was living on his farm in Skeetertown, a mixed neighborhood of free blacks and white landowners. Boone's farm remained in family hands until 1981.
''When his neighbors were going to war, these were men he hunted with, fished with, worked with,'' she said. ''I believe he did what he felt he had to do. What do I have not to be proud of?''
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