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Location: Two and one-half miles North of St. George, SC, East of US 15, on Buck Springs Branch, and containing approximately one-quarter acre of land, bounded on all sides by Pearcy lands.

History: The oldest known grave in the cemetery is the one of John Gavin who died April 10, 1838. The last person buried there was Mrs. Ida William Gavin Harper, wife of Holcombe Hamilton Harper, who died December 17, 1933. Three graves have only wooden slabs with no inscriptions. Several gravestones have been embedded in cement covering the area of the family plots. Holcombe H. Blume and F. D. (Sonny) McMurray were the first to attempt restoration of this cemetery which had become a veritable forest of fallen trees, vines, and underbrush covering the entire area. However, more help was needed. Primarily through the initiative of William S. Rickborn the necessary labor for this task was procured. He also assisted personally in the removal of the resultant debris which required a great deal of time. To date, financial contributions toward the restoration of our cemetery have been made by a few of the descendents of Harpers and Gavins. Additional funds are needed annually for beautification and maintenance. Marguerite B. Rickborn.

Dr. J. Gavin Appleby states that the Hughes were owners of this plantation before the Gavins, then Harpers. Also, that Ann Hughes married John Gavin.

"BUCK SPRINGS derived it's name from the fact that an exceptionally large buck was accustomed to go there for water," quoted from a legend of the history of Marguerite Blume Rickborn, a direct descendent of Capt. Leonidas Adolphus Harper, born in Elberton, Georgia, a former owner of the Buck Springs Plantation. A beautiful job of restoration promoted by William S. and Marguerite Blume Rickborn, with donations from some of the descendents of those buried there, is evidence of much hard work and cost. They plan to maintain this perservation. Mrs. Georgia Inabinet Adams Lefvendahl, in THE INABINET FAMILY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, Vol. III, published November 1970, p. 23, makes reference: "Described in 1850 as 'Hughes Family graveyard on Buck Spring Plantation on waters of Indian Field Swamp' . . . later known as the 'Harper' graveyard, because a Mr. L. A. Harper of Georgia, bought the plantation in the 1860's . . . Trees have grown to enormous size . . . obscured, . . . rattlesnake infested area . . .And so is lost to us another source of records from long ago." As is known by all those researching early family histories, a ditch was dug around the early cemeteries. Buck Springs Cemetery ditch was cleared by restorers and remains distinctly on three sides and partly on fourth. This Cemetery as well as many others in our county is truly a historical landmark. lhh

Copyists: Wilbur & Louise Canaday, Pattie W. Heaton, Lillian H. Harley.

Date: January 23, 1977.

Photograph above and tombstone photos linked from this site  ©2000 by Judy Ballard

THREE CYPRESS MARKERS (no inscriptions) Mrs. Ann Gavin Wife of John Gavin died 26 Nov. 1839 Aged about 54 years. David Gavin November 11, 1811 January 17, 1874 Aged 62 yrs. 2 mos. 6 days David Averly  -  Son of William & Martha Gavin March 3, 1857 August 20, 1858 Ida Julia  -  Dau of John & Mary Gavin Oct. 15, 1853 June 30, 1854 Ida William Gavin Feb. 17, 1862 Dec. 17, 1933 (w. of Holcombe Hamilton Harper) John Gavin Died 10 April 1838 Aged 58 yrs. 6 mos. 15 days John Gavin  -  Son of John & Ann Gavin Nov. 12, 1820 Mar. 6, 1858 J. M. 1898 (footstone only) Leonora Elmira Suzanne Dau of D. L. & Eve Ann M. McAlhaney Feb. 6, 1847 Sept. 13, 1849 George Sistrunk  -  Son of D. L. & Eve Ann M. McAlhaney Nov. 7, 1851 June 26, 1858 Samuel Arthur  -  Son of D. L. & Eve Ann McAlhaney March 3, 1868 March 18, 1874 Absolem Morrer Murray  Son of Thos. J. & Eliza D. F. Murray Sept. 13, 1861 Sept. 1, 1863 Cornelia Jane  -  Dau of Dr. William & Elizabeth Margaret Murray Oct. 25, 1847 July 31, 1849

Wm. Gavin, M.D.  -  Son of John & Ann Gavin July 5, 1829 Nov. 2, 1861 Mary Elizabeth  - (w. of Seaborn B. Goodall) Dau of Dr. William & Elizabeth Margaret Murray Aug. 9, 1845 Jan. 15, 1912 Seaborn B. Goodall 1834  -  Sept. 1899 Minnie Harper Green Oct. 2, 1861 May 7, 1892 Elizabeth C. Harper Jan. 9, 1841 Feb. 14, 1916 Elizabeth Pearl Harper Aug. 1, 1873 Jan. 10, 1922 Holcombe H. Harper Jan. 15, 1860 Oct. 8, 1906 Son of H. H. & I. W. Harper Feb. 2, 1896 Oct. 24, 1899 Capt. Leonidas Adolphus Harper born at Elberton, Ga. Oct. 13, 1833 Mar. 9, 1899 David Daniel  -  Son of Dr. William & Elizabeth Margaret Murray Nov. 23, 1839 Nov. 9, 1840 INFANT SON of D (P). M. & E. L. Murray May 3, 1882 May 3, 1882 Elizabeth Margaret Murray May 28, 1815 Dec. 31, 1859 (w. of Dr. William Murray) John Summerfield  -  Son of Dr. William & Elizabeth Margaret Murray Mar. 2, 1850 Mrs. 14, 1850 Joseph D. Murray Nov. 19, 1853 March 20, 1876 Sarah Caroline Postelle Dau of Dr. William & Elizabeth Margaret Murray May 21, 1836 Nov. 2, 1840

Leonidas A. Harper  -  Son of L. A. & Elizabeth C. Harper Aug. 1, 1864 Aug. 4, 1867 Marshal D. Harper  -  Son of L. A. & Elizabeth C. Harper Nov. 23, 1865 Sept. 28, 1866 Mattie Mae (Harper) Sept. 26, 1876 July 19, 1905 Anna Carolina  -  Dau of D. L. & Eve Ann M. McAlhaney Feb. 19, 1849 Aug. 23, 1855 Daniel Linder McAlhany Sept. 5, 1822 Jan. 14, 1904 David Washington  -  Son of D. L. & Eve Ann M. McAlhaney Aug. 25, 1854 Nov. 9, 1856 E D F M M 2 _________ Jan. 15, 1897 Eve Ann Mary McAlhaney Wife of D. L. McAlhaney Feb. 6, 1827 April 5, 1890 Thomas Jefferson Murray April 5, 1832 Aug. 7, 1862 Dr. William Murray 9th Jany 1808 11 Jany 1851 Willie O'Brien Aug. 6, 1852 Sept. 8. 1868 INFANT SON of Samuel O. & Sophia O. Sistrunk Died July 11, 1860 Aged 1 yr. 8 mo. T. J. Sistrunk 1823  -  1868 Mrs. A. E. Strobel Wife of Dr. John E. Strobell October 21, 1841 Oct. 18, 1870

1. Legend related by Marguerite B. Rickborn: One of the graves in the cemetery with a cypress marker (now rotting away) contains a metal tag with the name of Willie O'Brien who died September 8, 1868. The tale is that he wandered by Buck Springs Plantation, which was across the road from the cemetery, and simply made his home there.

Every evening he would go and sit in the cemetery. When he died he was buried there as no one knew where his home originally was. The young man was only sixteen years of age, no doubt a tragedy of the Civil War years which wreaked such destruction on homes and land throughout the South.

CEMETERY INSCRIPTIONS OF DORCHESTER COUNTY, SC:
© 1979 Lillian H. Harley, Pattie W. Heaton, Lillian D. Kizer

Miriam M. Bradford 8/28/1952  11/23/2003 A Good Person Update for Buck Springs Cemetery Added by Paulette Johnston, August 2008 Miriam was an avid genealogist and made a great contribution to documenting and preserving her family heritage.  She really was, and is, a good person.

Photo above © Paulette Johnston

UPDATED DIRECTIONS:  Take highway 15 north out of Saint George Dorchester County South  Carolina.Go down about 3 miles on the right you will see a yellow gate an a big open area this area at one time was the old saw mill go  another block or so and you will see another yellow gate.Look out to left of that gate the cemetery is in the woods.Need the owner of the property to take you or get permission from him.Both gates are locked

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