Board of Trustees

Woodland Cemetery

Policy Title:
Woodland Cemetery

Date of Approval:
 Date of Board Approval: July 10, 1924
Amended by the Board: September 22, 1989
Amended by the Board: July 12, 1991
Amended by the Board: April 22, 2005
Amended by the Board: October 16, 2009

Eligibility

  1. Clemson University provides burial plots in Woodland Cemetery, to the extent available, to eligible individuals.
  2. The privileges of the cemetery are extended to eligible full-time University employees and their spouses and to eligible retired University employees and their spouses. To be eligible, an employee or retiree must have been in continuous service with the University for a minimum of 20 years. Full-time status is defined in the University Personnel Manual. Only an eligible employee may reserve a plot; an employee’s spouse is eligible only if the employee reserves space for the spouse.
  3. The privileges of the Cemetery are extended to the current President of the University and his or her spouse and to all past Presidents of the University and their spouses, regardless of the President’s length of service. Only a President may reserve a plot; a President’s spouse is eligible only if the President reserves space for the spouse.
  4. The privileges of the Cemetery are extended to current and former members of the University Board of Trustees and their spouses. Only a Trustee may reserve a plot; a Trustee’s spouse is eligible only if the Trustee reserves space for the spouse.
  5. The privileges of the Cemetery may be extended to other persons under special circumstances only with approval from the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees may also rescind plot assignments if it determines it is in the best interests of the University to do so.

Duties

  1. The Board of Trustees delegates to the Executive Secretary of the Board of Trustees responsibility for assigning burial plots and maintaining records related to the Woodland Cemetery.
  2. Responsibility for the ongoing preservation and enhancement of the Cemetery is given to the Woodland Cemetery Stewardship Committee, with the Board of Trustees retaining final authority.
  3. The University is responsible for general maintenance and upkeep of the Cemetery (including assigned and unassigned plots) in accordance with the intent of the Board of Trustees.
  4. All burial costs are to be paid by the survivors or the estate of the individual(s) to be buried.

Aesthetics

  1. The Cemetery is to remain principally a wooded area in accord with the intent of the Board of Trustees when the Cemetery was named “Woodland Cemetery” in 1924.
  2. Tombstones within the Cemetery are limited to four feet in height and are to be consistent with the color and style of surrounding markers. Mausoleums and above-ground vaults are prohibited. Exceptions must be approved by the Board of Trustees.
  3. Coping, fences, and other types of enclosures are prohibited. Corner markers that do not exceed a height of 4 inches above grade shall be allowed if fully contained within the boundaries of the assigned plot.
  4. The use of gravel as ground cover for burial plots is prohibited. The Woodland Cemetery Stewardship Committee shall maintain a list of acceptable ground coverings.
  5. Any physical alterations within the Cemetery must be approved by the Woodland Cemetery Stewardship Committee. Such alteration should conform to the general aesthetic of the Cemetery environs and the long-term master plan.
  6. Only the University may remove any plant or tree from the Cemetery, and no trees shall be removed from the Cemetery by the University without prior review and approval from the Woodland Cemetery Stewardship Committee.
  7. Failure to comply with the above policies may result in the removal of items in question or other remedial action at the expense of the plot holder or his/her survivors or estate. The Woodland Cemetery Stewardship Committee retains sole discretion to determine acceptability of any physical alteration within the Cemetery. Any questions or requests for clarification may be directed to the office of the Executive Secretary of the Board of Trustees.

PROCEDURES

Plot Assignments

  1. In order to obtain a plot assignment, an eligible individual must complete a Woodland Cemetery plot request form, available from the office of the Executive Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
  2. In the event that plots are unavailable at the time the plot request form is completed, an assignment will be made as additional plots become available through site expansion or release from assignees forgoing their privileges.
  3. Assigned plots may only be reassigned by the Executive Secretary, and may not be reassigned by the assignee or any member of the assignee’s family. All assigned plots will revert to the University if not used for the burial of the original assignee and his/her spouse.
  4. A certificate granting assignment to a plot must be prepared for each assignee, a copy of which must be kept on file within the office of the Executive Secretary of the Board of Trustees.

Amendments

  1. All amendments to this document must be approved by the Board of Trustees.
  2. The Woodland Cemetery Stewardship Committee shall review the provisions of this document at least once every five years following its adoption by the Board of Trustees.
  3. Current and future burial plot assignees shall be provided with a copy of the Woodland Cemetery Policies and Procedures. Upon amendment, an updated copy of this document shall be made available to those assignees.

A Report on Woodland Cemetery

Historical

The origin of Woodland Cemetery probably dates back to the year 1837. In this year it seems that Andrew Pickens Calhoun and his family resided a t the mansion with his father, John C. Calhoun. Records indicate that the first child of Andrew Pickens Calhoun, John Caldwell Calhoun, died December 7, 1837, and it is believed that this child was the first white person buried in the area.

As other members of the Andrew Calhoun family died, they were buried near the child's grave. Only members of this branch of the Calhoun family are buried here. Some time after the turn of the twentieth century descendants of Andrew had the Calhoun graves enclosed by a large iron fence measuring approximately 70 feet in width and 68 feet in length.

Approximately 100 yards to the west of the Calhoun plot is a burial ground reportedly established for slaves. This probably was done by J. C. Calhoun prior to 1837. A number of rough stone markers can today be located in this area, but it is impossible to determine the number of graves. In addition to the slaves reportedly buried here, a number of convicts who died while working on the construction of the first college buildings are buried in this area.

The college Board of Trustees at a meeting on July 4 and 5, 1922, received a request from President W. M. Riggs to establish a faculty cemetery. This request was approved and Dr, Riggs was asked to submit plans for establishing the cemetery. Shortly after this meeting Dr. Riggs died and the Acting President, Dean S. B. Earle, submitted to the Trustees on July 10, 1924, the following report which was prepared by the Cemetery Committee:

  1. We recommend that this cemetery be named 'The Woodland Cemetery.'
  2. We recommend that the privileges of this cemetery be extended to the faculty and officers of the college as a last resting-place for themselves and their immediate families. We recommend, further, that these privileges be extended to the families of former members of the faculty and college officers who have died in the service of the college, provided the families concerned desire to remove the remains of such faculty members or officers to this cemetery.
  3. We recommend that the Board of Trustees appoint a committee from the faculty whose duty it shall be to assign lots in this cemetery as they are applied for.
  4. We recommend that the height of the monuments in this cemetery shall be limited to six feet.

Dr. Earle states that the name Woodland was selected, as it was the desire of the Committee that the cemetery be located and maintained in a wooded area and that it was not to be like any of those that are placed under perpetual care. Major S. M. Martin, who was appointed by Dr. Earle as Chairman of the Cemetery Committee, states that he prepared a map of the area and outlined a number of plots and that this Committee made the assignment of all plots until about 1938. Probably due to the need for additional space, the area was enlarged and Professor H. E. Glenn in 1938 surveyed the cemetery and prepared a map containing 202 plots. This map, with the record of all assignments, was then placed in this Business Manager's Office.

Editor's Note
Approved Groundcovers


Site maintained by: Creative Services