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Title
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Newspaper Clipping “Well-Preserved History”
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Accession Number
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2026.23.21.17
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Accession Date
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19 March 2026
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Accession Creator
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Emma Lilyea
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Description
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News article titled “Well-Preserved History,” by Jenny Munro
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Creator
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Jenny Munro
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Format
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Paper
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Storage Location
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Box 76, Folder 5
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Text
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[caption] Final resting place: Jean Bailey points out the gravestone of William Clark Bailey, the first mayor of Greer. His earthly remains are buried in a small family cemetery, which is cared for by Mrs. Bailey.
[title] Well-Preserved History
[subheading] Historic family cemetery holds Greer’s first mayor
By Jenny Munro, Greer Bureau
[article] An important part of Greer’s history is hidden in a tiny family cemetery off Brushy Creek and South Buncombe roads.
Many people pass by the Bailey Family Cemetery, enclosed in a wrought-iron fence, but few know that Greer’s first mayor is buried there, said Jean Bailey, who cares for the cemetery started by her husband’s great-grandfather.
The family cemetery, also known as the Bailey-Cunningham Cemetery, is luckier than many in South Carolina because family members care about the small graveyard, said Mike Trinkely, director of the Chicora foundation, a non-profit organization devoted ot the preservation of South Carolina history.
“The surveys (of family cemeteries) we have all reasonably lead us to believe that there are far more cemeteries being destroyed or poorly cared for than cemeteries being well taken care of,” he said. No one knows the location of many family cemeteries.
“They’re out there in the woods and people don’t know they’re there,” he said.
Greenville County has about 200 known family cemeteries and the state has about 10,000, he said.
My suspicion is that these are just the tip of the iceberg,” he said. The Bailey cemetery, established by Hugh Bailey, a pioneer in the Greer area, is a testament to the Bailey family’s care, Mrs. Bailey said.
“The Bailey family has taken care of it exclusively for at least 150 years,” she said.
That care will continue.
Her two daughters have said they’ll be responsible for it and Mrs. Bailey’s grandchildren also are interested in carrying on the tradition.
“Families tend to be the best stewards,” Trinkley said. “But the cemeteries pose a unique problem – who will maintain them long term, especially when families die out or move away.”
The Bailey Family Cemetery, recently recommended for local historic designation, has been in existence for more than 150 years although it has not been used since about the turn of the century, according to grave markers in the small fenced-in enclosure.
Mrs. Bailey said she is pleased when people visit the cemetery or call to ask about it. But it’s old and delicate, and visitors need to take care.
“The monuments are so old. They're so tall and... (See BAILEY on page 2D)
“Families tend to be the best stewards. But the cemeteries pose a unique problem – who will maintain them long term, especially when families die out or move away.” - Mike Trinkley, director of the Chicora Foundation
Bailey Family Collection