Rose Hill Cemetery Fund
The Rose Hill Cemetery Fund, established in 2017 with the support of Thomas City Council and caretaker Joe Dumire, provides annual grants for the maintenance, upkeep, and beautification of Rose Hill Cemetery in Thomas, WV.
TYPE OF FUND: Cemetery Preservation Sub-Fund / Field of Interest
INITIATED: February 21, 2017
APPROVED: May 17, 2017
PURPOSE: Funds are to be used for the maintenance, upkeep, and beautification of Rose Hill Cemetery, located in Thomas, WV. This includes lawn maintenance, tree and stump removal, shrub trimming, resetting of stones, landscaping, road maintenance, and other necessary work to ensure the proper care of the cemetery, including labor and equipment.
DISTRIBUTION: An annual grant will be awarded for the maintenance, upkeep, and beautification of Rose Hill Cemetery in accordance with the TCF Cemetery Preservation Fund Specifications.
VARIANCE POWER: If, in the judgment of the TCF Board of Directors, the restrictions and conditions of the fund become unnecessary, incapable of fulfillment, or inconsistent with the charitable needs of the community, the TCF Board of Directors maintains the right to modify the terms of this fund.
FUNDING: On the recommendation of Joe Dumire, local resident and cemetery caretaker, the Thomas City Council voted on February 14, 2017, to create an endowment for the perpetual maintenance and upkeep of the cemetery.
BACKGROUND: On April 1, 1910, the West Virginia Central & Pittsburgh Railway (later the Western Maryland Railway), owned by industrialist Senator Henry Gassaway Davis, transferred 2.29 acres of land to the Town of Thomas to establish Rose Hill Cemetery.
Of particular historical significance is the cemetery’s section dedicated to indigent burials. Within this section, two vertical rows were designated for African-American burials, while the remaining space was reserved for white individuals. Many of those interred at Rose Hill were employees of the railway or the Davis Coal & Coke Company, reflecting the industrial history of the region.
Through this fund, Rose Hill Cemetery will continue to receive the necessary care to preserve its historical and cultural significance for future generations.
