John Burns Cemetery in Baker Heights, West Virginia

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Get directions Flagstaff Circle
Baker Heights, West Virginia 25405 United States

Coordinates: 39.41376, -77.89476
Cemetery ID:

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About these numbers These percentages indicate the number of Find a Grave memorials that have a grave photo or GPS coordinates. We don't know the total number of burials in a cemetery, so we cannot calculate a percentage of those with memorials, photos or GPS coordinates.

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The small limestone-walled cemetery is notable because it contains the remains of Confederate spy Belle Boyd's great-grandparents, John Burns and Frances Southwood Burns, and other family members. The Southwood family was among the earliest families to settle in Berkeley County, settling near the Opequon Creek in the 1740's. Built into the wall is a set of steps, called a stile, that allowed entrance into the cemetery. This is an old English and Scottish cemetery entrance rarely seen it in the New World and the only such cemetery entrance in Berkeley County.

Eight headstones are in the walled compound, but in 2005 ground penetrating radar used at the site revealed the presence of 14 graves containing the remains of the 13 family members listed in the Burns' family Bible. A displaced headstone along the north wall of the 40' X 25' enclosure revealed a grandchild who hadn't lived long enough to be recorded in the Bible.

The cemetery is located in the Liberty Run development set off so visitors can view the restored cemetery and marked with a plaque that explains the significance of the site and identifies the individuals buried within.

Located about one mile east of Charles Town Road off of Baker Road. Enter the development at Valor Lane. The cemetery is located about 200 yards south of the development surrounded by a chain link fence.