Winston Haynes McELVEEN^[1]

1930 - 2017  (87 years)

• Name	Winston Haynes McELVEEN  [2, 3]
  Birth	1930	Hartsville, Darlington County, South Carolina   [1]
  Gender	Male
  HIST	I hope that I have the correct Winston McElveen for this article. Respecting his ancestors Print Posted: Sunday, March 27, 2011 6:00 am | Updated: 6:05 pm, Fri Mar 25, 2011. BY WINSTON H. MCELVEEN - Special to The Item Take a trek through some wooded areas or along creek and river banks, or in long abandoned fields where old-timers once planted and harvested their crops, or almost anywhere in the Carolina landscape, and you may just stumble onto an old family burying ground, long neglected, forgotten by most descendants of those buried there. There are hundreds of such burying grounds or cemeteries near or far from once thriving settlements, some dating back to colonial days. With the growing popularity of genealogy and folks searching for their roots, including attempts to locate the burial sites of their ancestors, many old cemeteries, (both pre-Civil War and pre-Revolutionary War days) have been rediscovered, some restored. Just visit genealogical libraries or search the web for "old cemeteries in South Carolina" and you will see what I mean. Until I reached my midlife years, I knew nothing of my family history and was unaware that my great grandfather, William E. McElveen, had his own family cemetery, located just a few miles from the Lynchburg community and now sitting just beside I-95 off Douglas Swamp Road. Located on a part of what was previously his "plantation," it had its beginnings around 1906 at the death of one of his grandchildren. William initially set aside several acres for the burying ground; with seven children, in-laws, and a growing crop of grandchildren, he thought all would remain there, with many funerals in years to come. Having become an amateur genealogist in the 1980s, I was thrilled to discover this ancestral treasure, although it was completely hidden by trees, vines and brush. After all, the last funeral to be held there was in 1951, some 30 or more years prior to my discovery. Some of the family made a half-hearted attempt at making it look presentable around 1985; we cut down trees, cleared away brush and vines and constructed a wire fence around the cemetery. At least folks could see that a cemetery was there and the tombstones could be viewed from the dirt road (Locklair Lane) which runs by it. Alas, it was then further neglected by our larger family for more than 20 years; by 2009 it had become a virtual forest. Only those who knew could discern that a cemetery was located in the midst of that bunch of trees. I finally became sufficiently embarrassed about its condition, and I and a favored niece determined to give our ancestor the honor he was due. After all, he became a highly successful farmer and businessman in the early 1900s and, by the standards of the day, was quite wealthy. Born in 1851, a decade before the Civil War, he lived in the area and in the City of Sumter until his death in 1932; he and his wife (Sarah Jane Gibbs, 1849-1918) deserved a better resting place. Having begun the restoration in early 2010, we found the task was awesome. The trees and brush had to be cut back, then an enormous number of stumps removed by backhoe. After months of such labor, we finally had a cleared piece of land on which to construct a new cemetery wall, made of brick pillars and wrought iron fencing (including a cornerstone marker naming the cemetery). The completed restoration occurred in early 2011. What a transformation! Some thought it foolish to spend money on it since it contained only four adults and some 12 children with only 4 tombstones (one for a child). The final funeral was held there in 1951 when William's oldest son, Charlie, died from a car accident. Though it's small, there are numerous other names associated with the cemetery, such as Gibbs, Barfield, Melton, Evans, Jolly, Moore and others. The cemetery did not grow as William anticipated. With the exception of Charlie, the other six children left the area in the 1920s, and their descendants can be found all over the South. Having given his seven children farms in 1910, over 500 acres were either lost or sold, the last one in 1948. William lost his remaining land in the days leading up to the Great Depression of 1929.The cemetery is located on land once owned by one of his daughters (the "Beck McGee" farm); it was sold in 1936. When a son sold his farm in 1948, the McElveen "plantation" was no more. Only the cemetery remains a memory of what once was. Winston McElveen is a former newspaper editor. He lives in Hartsville. Posted in Panorama on Sunday, March 27, 2011 Winston McElveen Winston McElveen HARTSVILLE - Winston McElveen, 87, of Hartsville died the morning of September 28th. He is preceded in death by his son, Mark, in 2001. He is survived by his daughter, Jana (David, Gibbs and Harrison) of Charleston, his brothers Kenneth (Eunice) and Don (Francis), his former wife and friend, Georgianna, who was a devoted helper to him in his last months, as well as a host of nieces and nephews who cherished their Uncle Wint. Winston was born and raised in Hartsville, SC. He graduated from Hartsville High School where he was named Personality Plus. He developed a strong Christian faith as a child, attributing this to his mother's powerful influence. After several years of odd jobs, dating, and service in the National Guard, he married Nancy Bartholomew and moved to Georgia where his son Mark was born and Winston obtained a degree in Religion from Piedmont College. He went on to receive a master's degree at Wheaton College in Chicago and began a PhD program at the University of Iowa, but God had other plans. Winston taught theology and religion at Toccoa Falls College, GA, where he was looked down upon by the administration for helping his students think for themselves and being a divorcee. The students felt otherwise, awarding Winston with Teacher of the Year. Winston was a preacher at several churches, spent time in Iowa, Richmond, VA, and Los Angeles. During those years his passion for community work was sparked and he met wonderful friends that he kept in touch with for much of his long life. He finally made his way back to Hartsville in 1972. Although he thought it would be a short stay, he became editor of the Darlington County Tribune where he tackled everything from controversial political issues to human interests. He married Georgianna Privette, who hoped he would take her back to CA, but they settled in Hartsville and had their daughter, Jana. Winston and two other community members had a vision to establish a facility for alcohol and drug abuse support and they formed Rubicon in the early 70s. Winston wanted the center located in a house to give its clients a more comfortable environment and it has remained in the same old house since that time. Winston was the executive director of Rubicon from 1976 until 2016. He was known throughout the state and in the field of alcohol and drug abuse for his leadership, integrity, and faithful mission. His hobby included genealogical research and he produced several books on the McElveen family that have helped dozens of people across the US understand their family tree. His detective work led to finding and refurbishing an old McElveen family cemetery in Lynchburg, SC where he will be laid to rest. Extended family deemed Winston "the glue" for keeping everyone connected. He was known for his warm smile, sweet spirit, and giving soul, constantly providing for those in need. He accomplished much in his 87 years through his leadership and labors, his unwavering faith in God and his steadfast belief in kindness to others. A true dreamer, he was a lover of books, music, and convertibles. His real joy in life were his children for whom he always made time and made it surprisingly easy for them to discuss matters of the heart. He adored his children's friends and they adored him back. Sometimes a little rebellious of social convention and despite mistakes along the way, Winston always sought the truth and God's direction. Bring a smile, share a story, write a note, or just show up when the family receives friends at the home of Georgianna and Jana on Saturday, September 30, 2017 from 2-4 pm. Graveside service will be private. Online condolences can be given at www.bpafuneralhome.com. Funeral Home Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home 306 West Home Avenue Hartsville, SC 29550 843-332-6531 Funeral Home Details Send Flowers Published in The State on Sept. 30, 2017  [1, 3]
  _UID	039C59E25E764EE794538DFC6E02A844AFC2
  Death	28 Sep 2017
  Burial	private burial was held in Plainfield Cemetery, Plainfield, Illinois   [1]
  	BPA funeral Home
  Person ID	I206101	Singleton and Related Families
  Last Modified	26 Dec 2017

  
  

  Father	McELVEEN
  _UID	C35FD2091FD743BA987779D7AB470778C09C
  _UID	C35FD2091FD743BA987779D7AB470778C09C
  Family ID	F168023	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Living
  Children	1. Mark McELVEEN   d. 2001   2. Jana McELVEEN
  Family ID	F139726	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	26 Dec 2017

  
  

• Sources

  [S25666] Winston McElveen. [S8873] Mary Sutherland Kelley, page 37. [S15805] Hartsville man restores old family cemetery.