Lacey's Hill Cemetery

Here follows an excerpt from the Fairfax Genealogical Society website:

LACEY'S HILL CEMETERY
500 feet west of Woodlawn Road, just northeast of the Fort Belvoir Commissary complex on Gorgas Road
Fort Belvoir, Virginia USA

Original Information from Volume 5 of the Gravestone Books

Lacey’s Hill Cemetery is situated about 500 feet west of Woodlawn Road, just northeast of the Fort Belvoir Commissary complex on Gorgas Road. The cemetery was visited in 1994 by Brian Conley, Information Specialist in the Virginia Room of the Fairfax City Regional Library, and was also the focus of a genealogical, archeological and environmental study for Fort Belvoir in 1997.

The 1997 study includes title research in an effort to identify the origins of the cemetery. James Potter owned a “substantial estate” in this area, including “a 259-acre parcel adjacent to Lawrence Lewis, owner of Woodlawn.” Potter’s other neighbors were the Masons to the north and Daniel Chichester of Mount Air to the west (Deed Book G3, page 304).

When James Potter died intestate in 1853, his estate inventory suggests that his widow received a third of the estate, with the remainder divided among his ten children (Will Book X, pages 82, 142, 422). In 1856, John and Susan Potter sold a six-acre parcel of land to George Holland, a resident of said parcel, reserving a burial ground measuring 1 rood and 15 poles. The deed indicated that this land had been part of a bequest of James Potter, deceased (Deed Book Y3, page 106). Using measurement conversion tables with a rood equivalent to 0.25 acres and a pole equivalent to one square rod, or 1/160 of an acre, the burial ground would encompass approximately 0.35 acres. The 1856 deed is the first mention of the cemetery which would seem to indicate that the burials were begun by the Potter family.

The title research found that the burial ground continued to be excluded from subsequent conveyances. George and Rebecca Holland sold their six-acre parcel to their neighbor Richard Lacey in 1859, and the area became known as “Lacey’s Hill.” Upon Richard Lacey’s death, an 1898 deed documented the division of his property among his children and reserved Lot No. 12 as “The burying ground as now enclosed contain[ing] 38/100 acre . . .” (Deed Book B6, page 578). John and Rosa Lacey exempted the burial ground from their 1918 sale of Lacey’s Hill to the United States Government (Deed Book L8, page 390; Deed Book K8, page 8).

Today the cemetery is difficult to locate in the heavily wooded area. The 1994 and 1997 surveyors found no discern-ible grave markers, although Mr. Conley noted some concrete which may at one time have stood as a tombstone. He noted at least six grave-sized depressions near the northeastern corner of the parcel. In 1997, surveyors identified four long depressions near the eastern edge of the cemetery boundary, along with five wooden posts, “four of which appear to coincide with the corners of the parcel as it is represented on 1996 Fairfax County tax maps. Two poured concrete property boundary markers also mark the southeast and northeast corners of the parcel. The marker in the southeast quadrant contains a circular bronze plaque inset on the top that reads ‘Boundary, Military Reservation, Camp A. A. Humphreys, VA.’ The northeast plaque is illegible.”

No Updates from Volume 6 of the Gravestone Books

Cemetery #FX195
Lacey's Hill Cemetery
Located 500' west of Woodlawn Rd., 1/2 mile north of it's intersection with Richmond Highway, Ft. Belvoir, Va. Fort Belvoir acquired this section of the base from the Lacey Family in the early 20th century. One half acre was set off as a family cemetery. It is unclear whose cemetery it is, but it seems likely it is the Lacey's.
The area is heavily wooded and contains evidence of a few burials near the northeastern corner. There are 6+ grave sized depressions and a large obelisk shaped concrete structure (fallen on it's side) that could be a grave marker. The overall poor condition of the site makes close examination difficult. Further primary deed research is needed to try to establish the identity of this site. The cemetery is overgrown and neglected.
Surveyed 6/8/94 by Brian A. Conley