The Old Harmony Cemetery Committee of the Nolachuckey Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) met recently to discuss the next phase in the Old Harmony Restoration project.

The Nolachuckey Chapter of the DAR undertook the Old Harmony Cemetery project several years ago as a civic endeavor on behalf of the citizens of Greeneville and Greene County.

It is an effort to restore Greeneville's most historic cemetery through several planned phases, with the most recent occurring in April 2008. During that phase, the city of Greeneville removed old, diseased, and dying trees from the cemetery.

The DAR is funding the project, and grants from the Mary G.K. Fox Foundation have gone toward restoration of the cemetery.

The committee voted at its recent meeting to adopt a plan used at an historic Quaker cemetery in North Carolina to repair tombstones following a report by Sherry Britton, committee chairwoman, on solutions to repair tombstones at other historic cemeteries, according to Stevie Hughes, second vice regent of the DAR. The committee unanimously accepted the proposal.

This next phase will begin in the next few weeks when each deteriorating tombstone will receive a case-by-case evaluation and solution. Those tombstones beyond repair will have the fragments mounted in a cement base, according to Hughes.

To identify the grave, a small granite marker with the names of the deceased will be placed at gravesite.

According to a press release from Britton, those in this category include James and Joanna Britton, Anderson and Lizzie Walker, Catherine and Isaac Babb, Joseph McCorkle, Fletcher, Mitchell, among others.

Family surnames of fallen tombstones which will be affixed to their bases include Harold, Maloney, McAmis, McCoy, and McDannel, according to Hughes.

Hughes, in a news release, said that some tombstones will require professional repair and those include William and Eliza Dickson, who built the historic Dickson-Williams mansion; George Jones, the son-in-law of Valentine Sevier; father and daughter John and Jessie Brown, of the Cross Anchor Brown family; Will Baker, Robert McCorkle, and Agnes Woods Mitchell, a well-loved teacher whose mausoleum was erected by the citizens of Greeneville.

The committee plans to begin construction of a "Memorial Wall" sometime in 2008 or 2009, which will be the final phase of the restoration project, Britton said.

"Old Harmony Cemetery is one of our town's greatest assets, and the restoration is a tribute to our founding fathers and mothers who are interred there," Hughes said.

Committee members stressed that the Old Harmony Restoration project is separate and independent of the "Rediscover Greeneville" downtown redevelopment project. However, Hughes said that the cemetery project "should be viewed as one more element to enhance tourist interest in our historic town."

The committee closed its meeting by recognizing Britton for her outstanding work and leadership on the project.

The DAR is accepting donations for the restoration project. "The Nolachuckey chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is hopeful that descendants of those pioneer families of our beloved Greene County and other interested persons will provide financial support in this worthwhile endeavor," Hughes said.

Those that wish to donate to the Old Harmony Restoration project may send checks payable to D.A.R. Nolachuckey Chapter to: Mrs. Carolyn Gregg, 460 Plainview Heights Circle, Greeneville 37745.

Hughes said, "The DAR Nolachuckey Chapter is a 501C not-for-profit organization and your donations are fully tax deductible." Hughes requests that donors denote "Old Harmony Fund" on checks and denote the name of a particular person or family if they wish their gift to be in honor of someone.