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July
29, 2000 Dear
Family:
Just a quick update on the Vardeman/Holmes/Daws/Stephenson cemetery
relocation project in Lincoln Co., Kentucky.
The last remaining graves were removed July 28, 2000.
Now will begin a time of preserving the remains for study and
conducting these studies over the next two years.
Shawn Phillips, project director, has spoken of the numerous valuable
studies of diet, physical conditions, health at time of death and
multi-generational health conditions which will be investigated.
He expects several thesis to be generated from this project which will
benefit the investigation as well as the Vardeman family.
I
have alerted Shawn to the historical facts recorded in a May 1781 diary entry
of Col. William Whitley, a neighbor of the Vardemans; “
May 1781 Petre Vardeman & Wm Vardeman, Sons of Peter Vardeman Was washing
in cedar Cr & Peter was Shot through the thigh & William was Tomahawk,
about one mile from Whitley Old Station.
Peter about 20 & Wm. 16or 17 years old.” Shawn will now be looking for two possible remains of these ages, which
may show death from a trauma-related injury.
The entry does not state if they died from these injuries or not. I would ask
any family members who have information on the Vardeman family from 1779 to
1850 to please contact me. There
are many unmarked graves in this cemetery, only 17 of 63 are known today.
We need your assistance to understand the relationships of these family
members. I am including a number of photos from my wife and my visit to the cemetery site project on July 13th, 2000. Please share this information with all descendants. I will continue to update the family as information comes available. See Tour.
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