 An article in a 1976 Bluegrass Roots, by James Terry, reported that the cemetery at that time was overgrown with vines and only a couple of stones could be found. It must have been overgrown badly for, as you can see, there are lots of stones still there today, however, a lot of the stones you see here are just bases to monuments. What happened to the original monuments, is unknown by this writer. We'll try to check on this and update this story.   2001 update... Previously, on this web page, we had called this Bellfonte Cemetery. Local historian, Carolyn Rodgers, set us straight on the name. She pointed out to us the plaque located near the office of the Frankfort Cemetery, which you can see here. Carolyn also found in the Ky Gazette Newspaper, dated 21-Oct-1816, roll 78-0071, the article regarding the burial of Governor George Madison. It talked in great detail about the funeral route, "from the State House to High Street to Montgomery Street, then to St Clair and on to Broadway, and then to the place of burial.", however, it never gave the exact name of the cemetery or place of burial. But we know that Governor Madison, and his wife, Jane, were later moved to Frankfort Cemetery from Bellevue. She also found info on Governor Adair in the vertical files at KHS, however, he may have been buried first at his residence, White Hall, and later possibly moved to the Frankfort Cemetery. Also, Ramona Slattery, longtime KGS Cemetery Chair, has gathered some info regarding the history of Bellevue Cemetery. She notes that no one has turned up any evidence that the soldiers who died in the Battle of the River Raisin (War of 1812), and who were brought back from Monroe, Michigan and "buried on a hill, North of Frankfort" (surely Bellevue), that they were later moved to Frankfort Cemetery. Ramona also provided a list of others buried at Bellevue: Elizabeth Kendall, Effie VanWort, Jacob Henry Smith, Martha B. Crutcher, Lewiza Isinger, Matilda Cox, Mary Grooms, Henry Isinger, Louisiana Taylor, Ophilia Western Page. She says that an 1842 newspaper stated that there would be no new burials at Bellevue, also known as the "Old State Cemetery". Last, but not least, Roberta Padgett, longtime KGS Librarian, noted that when she first moved to Frankfort back in the late 1940s, there used to be an old house on "Dailey Avenue" (before it was renamed to Wilkinson Blvd), across from the State Highway Garages, and this house had been turned into an antique store. Supposedly, near this house were some gravestones, and she wonders what happened to them when the house was later razed to make room for more state offices. Since Bellevue Cemetery is up on the hill, a good hundred yards or more from Wilkinson Blvd, could these stones possibly have been in part of what was the "Old State Cemetery"? If so, then Bellevue was much larger than what's left now. 2003 update... Frankfort's original burial ground was discovered during the excavation of the site of the new Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Building, on Mero St. Construction was halted temporarily for archaeologists from the University of Kentucky to process the site. Remains will be interred elsewhere after scientific study is complete, including DNA testing on some, limited by budget constraints. |