Patriot Grave Marking for 5 Patriots – Old Paint Lick Cemetery
Saturday October 10 we will have a Patriot Grave Marking Service for 5 patriots at Old Paint Lick Cemetery / Manse Cemetery. Old Paint Lick Cemetery is location on Manse Road off of highway 52 about 3 miles southwest of Paint Lick, KY. Color Guard muster time is Noon and the ceremony time is 1:00pm.
https://www.oldpaintlickcemetery.org/visit.html
Notice to the Public & Descendants
The SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION,
Lafayette Chapter, Kentucky SAR, Lexington, KY will host a
Patriot Grave Marking Service for 5 of Kentucky’s Own:
Captain Thomas Kennedy 1757 – 1836
Private Anthony Owsley 1757 – 1824
Ensign John King 1748 – 1833
Private John Slavin 1756 – 1851
Private Walter Burnsides d. 1805
The service will occur Rain or Shine on October 10, 2026 @ 1:00 p.m. at the
Old Paint Lick Cemetery, Manse Rd, Garrard Co., KY
There are no facilities at the cemetery.
In continued celebration of our country’s 250th anniversary, the Lafayette Chapter, Kentucky SAR, will conduct a Patriot Grave Marking Service for 5 Revolutionary War soldiers. The service will be led by Chapter President, Steve Gahafer and State Color Guard Commander, Patrick Wesolosky. The service will include an Invocation, Posting of Colors and Standards, Pledge of Allegiance, Tribute to the Patriots, Musical Tribute, and Military Tribute.
Descendants, friends, and interested members of the community are all welcome to attend.
Founded in 1782, the Old Paint Lick Cemetery is possibly the oldest cemetery in Kentucky still in use. The cemetery was the original site of the Paint Lick Presbyterian Church before being relocated to its current location on Richmond St. at State Road KY 52, just opposite Manse Road.
Of importance, in 1936, local historian and resident, Mrs. Anne Belle Burnside – Brown (1896-1980), made application to the Office of the Quartermaster General in Washington, D.C. for her great grandfathers, Private Slavin and Burnsides, to be issued their existing granite markers, which designated them as Revolutionary War Patriots. In 1956, she would do the same for Captain Kennedy. Interestingly, Mrs. Brown served as historian for the Paint Lick Presbyterian Church. She served as Chair in 1926 and 1951 for the 150th and 175th anniversary celebrations at the church. She was active in the restoration of the Old Paint Lick Cemetery, wrote a weekly column for the Lancaster Central Record newspaper, and was a member of the DAR. She was buried at Old Paint Lick Cemetery in 1980.
The actual burial locations of Patriots John King and Anthony Owsley, both of whom are our great grandfathers, remain in question. It was verified in an 1885 Stanford, KY Interior Journal newspaper interview with John King’s son by his second wife Susannah Davidson – King, James Davidson King, that John was ‘buried on Squire Murphy’s farm 3 miles from Stanford’ in Lincoln County. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/239642024/john-king John’s first wife and our great grandmother, Mary Lanier – King, was more than likely buried at the old homeplace in Henry Co., VA. As for our great grandparents Anthony and Hannah Young – Owsley, their gravesites near Drake’s Creek in Lincoln Co., were destroyed. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/162463551/anthony-owsley
As these four great grandparents’ graves were ‘lost’, and both men were Revolutionary War soldiers, we felt that Old Paint Lick Cemetery would be the perfect location for their cenotaphs to be placed. We met with Chairman of the Board, Barney Parker, who granted four sites near our other King family. Indiana stone artisan, Casey Winningham, hand carved the four new Indiana limestone monuments in early 19th century design, complete with installation.
For more information on the Old Paint Lick Cemetery, visit https://www.oldpaintlickcemetery.org/ – created and maintained by webmaster, Steve McKnight.
A Bit More About the 5 Patriots to be Honored
Captain Thomas Kennedy (1757-1836) – NC Militia, Distinguished service at the Battle of King’s Mountain
Private Anthony Owsley (1757-1824) – b. Fairfax Co., VA, Lincoln Co., Militia against the Shawnee under then Brigdr. Gen. Geo. Rogers Clark, Served alongside his 3 brothers.
Ensign John King (1748–1833) – b. Lancaster Co., VA,“A bound boy” to Jesse Benton, 1 of Boone’s Axemen, Defender of Forts Logan & Boonesboro against the Shawnee, “Indian Spy”.
Private John Slavin (1756-1851) – b. NC, NC Militia, Battle of Camden, Presbyterian faith, d. in 1851 in Garrard County in the 95th year of his life.
Private Walter Burnsides (d. 1805) – b. County Cork, Ireland, NC Militia, Battle of Camden, Held prisoner on a British ship in Charleston, SC. Known as “Old Walter” by his kin.