Pineville, a historic refuge
Part 58: Pineville cemeteries: Marion
By Warner M.Montgomery Warner@TheColumbiaStar.com

Sign at the junction of Hwy 52 and Hwy 45 between St. Stephen and Pineville.

Show me your cemeteries,  and I will tell you what
kind of people you have.
- Benjamin Franklin

Cemeteries are records of the past. Gravestones are expressions of love and affection engraved in history.

In Pineville, there are graves of three influential people from the past: Gen. Francis Marion, Col. Hezekiah Maham, and biologist Thomas Walter.

Marion (1720- 1795) is buried at the Belle Isle Plantation in Pineville. The Francis Marion tomb is open to the public. In the small plot are the graves of Marion and his wife, Mary Esther Videau Marion, another Marion, two DuBoses, six Deveauxs, one Brown, and four Porchers.

A plaque at his gravesite erected by the South Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution and citizens of Charleston and Berkeley Counties states:

Gen. Francis Marion tomb at Belle Isle Cemetery in Pineville.

"South Carolina's Francis Marion, Brigadier General of S.C. militia during the American Revolution. Francis Marion was one of the partisan leaders during British occupation of the states. His elusive disappearances after surprise attacks against superior forces harassed and demoralized the enemy earning him the name, 'Swamp Fox.' Francis Marion died Feb 27, 1795, in his 63rd year, and was buried here at Belle Isle Plantation, home of his brother, Gabriel. His own plantation, Pond Bluff, was about 15 miles up river and is now under Lake Marion. He was born in South Carolina, the descendant of French Huguenot emigrants. The exact date and place of his birth are unknown."

The marker to Marion's wife states:

"Underneath this stone lies the mortal remains of Mary Esther Marion, relict of General Francis Marion, who died on the 26th July 1815 aged 75 years. Among the many virtues of this amiable lady were those of piety, charity, affection, benevolence, and humanity, particularly to her domestics. She died lamented as she lived esteemed by all who knew her. This monument sacred to the memory of the deceased is erected by desire of the late Keating Lewis Simons (as directed in his will in testimony of his gratitude, friendship, and affection for her)."

Statue of Gen. Francis Marion in Manning, site of the Annual Francis Marion Symposium in October.

Francis Marion is honored in South Carolina with

• Francis Marion National Forest in SC

• The historic Francis Marion Hotel in downtown Charleston

• Marion County, SC, and its county seat, the city of Marion which features a statue of General Marion in its town square. The Marion High School mascot is the Swamp Fox.

• Francis Marion University in Florence County

• A stature of Francis Marion on the courthouse grounds in Manning

Much to the amazement of many South Carolinians, Francis Marion is honored throughout the U.S. in such places as

• The city of Marion, Iowa, which holds an annual Swamp Fox Festival and parade every summer

• Towns named Marion in Indiana, Maine, Illinois, and Virginia

• Counties named Marion in Indiana, Arkansas, Ohio, and Illinois

• The Marion Military Institute in Marion, Alabama

• Marion Park in Washington, DC, one of the four large parks in the Capitol Hill Parks constellation, which was designed by Pierre L'Enfant in 1791.

In 2006, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a monument to Francis Marion to be built in Washington, DC, sometime in 2007- 08 and the Brigadier General Francis Marion Memorial Act of 2007. Both await a senate vote and a presidential signature.

(Next Week: Pineville cemeteries: Maham, Walter)