Cloaked by a forest and lost in time, the graves of Martin and Malvina Key were recently found southwest of Fulton on a piece of marketable property.
Soon, they will move to Mount Carmel Cemetery, alone no more.
"It just makes sense because there's already a family member there," said Bruce Hackmann, economic development director at the Callaway Chamber of Commerce.
The city of Fulton now owns the 160-acre tract once home to the couple. It's being leased to a farmer, but available for sale.
Recently, a group of site consultants, hunting for property for a client, visited the property. One of the visitors tipped city officials there might be graves on the land, according to Hackmann.
"We drove through the property and in doing so, identified things we needed to address before development could be done," Hackmann said.
While the consultants were looking to make a quick purchase and therefore moved on, they suggested a list of tasks needed to make the property more marketable, according to Hackmann.
"The consultants said, 'We can almost guarantee someone's buried on this property,'" Hackmann added.
Records were pulled and some exploring done, and it was clear Martin and Malvina were buried in an overgrown nest of trees. Malvina lived 1821-71, and her husband lived 1809-80.
"We had the coordinates for their grave sites, and we went out there and in the woods we found two headstones for Martin and Malvina," Hackmann said. "Trees had grown up around them. The headstones had been removed (from the actual graves) and were leaned up against a tree."
Hackmann added the writing on the stones was still legible.
Family history
According to genealogical information, Martin Key was a grandson of George Key, a Revolutionary War soldier born in 1753 in Albermarle, Virginia. He died Jan. 15, 1836 in Callaway County. The site of George's grave is unknown, Hackmann said.
George Key served four years - two enlistments - in the Continental Army. According to records kept by the Daughters of the American Revolution, he served as a private under Captains Cabell and John Rogers. His information also is included in a book, "The Keys of Colonial Virginia," authored by Marcus Key.
George was married to Susannah Craighead; they settled in Callaway County about 1831 or 1832. The Key family genealogy is well-documented and leads back to John Key I, from Yorkshire, England, who settled in New Kent, Virginia. The Key line goes back to 1515 in Yorkshire. An early ancestor, Nicolas Key (1543-91) is noted to have been head of the English Palace Guard, genealogical data states.
Susannah's father was John Craighead, and her mother was probably Jane Leodicea Maxey, born 1737 in Amherst County, Virginia. Susannah was born about 1765 and died after 1840 in Callaway County. A Rootsweb WorldConnect account said she married George in 1785 in Bedford, Virginia where they lived until their move to Missouri. Her father's will was proven in Franklin County, Virginia. More Craighead history is available on Rootsweb WorldConnect (bit.ly/2rJgqA6).
New home
While Martin and Malvina Key have rested in one place since their deaths, arrangements have been made to transfer their remains to Mount Carmel Cemetery. A distant family member, Hackmann said, is representing the Craighead branch of the family and has granted permission for their move.
"The city has painstakingly done everything right and handled this with sensitivity," Hackmann added. "We've made every effort to respectfully rebury them in a proper cemetery."
That family member is Bob Craghead (same family, different spelling), who is related distantly to Martin through Susannah.
"I never did know them," said Craghead, a former mayor of Fulton. "I just have a family history book that has them mentioned. She (Susannah) was sister to my great-great grandfather, I think."
City officials have gotten help along the way, including assistance from Barb Huddleston of the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society, the state Medical Examiners office and others. Hackmann said the Mount Carmel Cemetery makes sense for the Keys' new grave.
"There's already a Key family member buried in that cemetery," he said. "And the current graves are only about half a mile west of Mount Carmel. It just makes sense."
A search of findagrave.com revealed the graves of Christmas M. Key (1847-83) and his wife, Joanna Emmons Key (1842-1922) buried at Mount Carmel. Documentation states he was a son of Martin and Malvina Key.
Fulton City Council members are expected to take up the issue when they meet tonight at 6:30 p.m. After the council approves a resolution giving current Mayor LeRoy Benton authority to execute a contract with Central Missouri Vault Co., things will proceed in a measured fashion.
"You don't know what you're going to find,"Hackmann said.
There is a possibility that other people are buried with the Keys, he added.
"There are a lot of burials in these family properties, and in many cases, they are undisturbed," Hackmann said.
According to Hackmann, Central Missouri Vault has experience in these types of projects. He said techniques will include digging with equipment and by hand, and then if remains are found, placing them in one vault for reburial at Mount Carmel.
"The whole thing is designed to show proper respect and the dignity of the deceased that they deserve," Hackmann added.