“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
The line from a William Faulkner work speaks to the situation that Larry Specht finds himself in today — that is, at the forefront of a controversy surrounding a cemetery of relatives that Specht never really knew but could end up representing in court.
The cemetery dates to 1900 when Specht’s great-granddaddy, Fulton County judge John S. Heard, deeded an acre of his Sandy Springs estate as the final resting place for him and his family.
Fast forward a century later when Fulton County auctioned off the property for back taxes. The county now says it didn’t know about the cemetery on Heards Drive — cemeteries are exempt from taxation. The property has since been sold several times and the result is a mess worthy of a Southern novel.
To oversimplify where things stand today, a Sandy Springs real estate lawyer who acquired the property is suing to build on it. Residents and preservationists are raising money for a possible lawsuit. They want the cemetery to remain as is — the site marks where Sherman’s Army first breached the Chattahoochee River on its way to Atlanta. Slaves may be buried in unmarked graves, they say. Specht is one of Heard’s descendants who has stepped forward to preserve the historic burial ground.
Q: How did you learn about the controversy surrounding the cemetery?
A: I heard it on the news. I thought, what the heck, I’ll call and find out more.
Q: Were you surprised to hear about the controversy?
A: It amazes me. There is plenty of property up for grabs that doesn’t have to be a cemetery.
Q: What happened then?
A: I met some of the neighbors. They have done a lot of research on the cemetery and my family. This has been a learning experience for me.
Q: What have you learned?
A: One man called and told me some things about my great-granddaddy being in the Confederate Army. The Sandy Springs Historical Preservation Society gave me a wonderful photo of my great-granddaddy. (The photo of Heard’s annual barbecue likely dates back to the 1890s, according to the historical society.)
Q: You are not a big history buff?
A: I never really inquired much but I enjoy hearing things. I want the facts not just moonshine talk.
Q: What is your earliest memory of the cemetery?
A: I remember when I was 8 years old I went with my parents to see the graveyard. Two of the graves are marked “Baby Wade.” Those are my mother’s sister and brother who died shortly after childbirth.
Q: Do you think your great-grandfather’s intentions for a permanent cemetery are clear?
A: My great-granddaddy was a judge. This all was written up properly.
Q: Do you blame anyone for this mess?
A: Fulton County dropped the ball. The property never should have been sold in the first place. Period.
Q: What if the owner promises not to disrupt the graves?
A: There are 30 plus known graves but who knows if those are all of the people are buried out there? Over the years, maybe some of the gravestones have been moved or knocked over.
Q: What do you and other descendants want?
A: None of us wants anything other than what it should be — one square acre for a family cemetery.
The Sunday conversation is edited for length and clarity. Writer Ann Hardie can be reached by email at ann.hardie@ymail.com.
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