Preserving History: A Restoration Story from Cox Chapel Methodist Church
By Sheila Duncan
Reporter
Nestled near Randolph, Cox Chapel Methodist Church has long been a quiet place of worship, reflection, and remembrance. Like many small, rural cemeteries, its headstones—some dating back generations—stood the test of time, weather, and neglect. For years, members of the congregation searched tirelessly for someone to restore and level these worn and leaning grave markers. That search, filled with dead ends and disappointments, finally came to an end thanks to a chance recommendation.
Mr. Hugh Nichols and other members of Cox Chapel Methodist Church had been for years searching for someone to level the headstones in their cemetery but had no success. Clem Clapp, an amateur historian from Maplesville, provided the vital connection. He shared the name and number of Savannah Winn with
Southeast Tombstone & Cemetery Restoration, LLC, a headstone restoration specialist from north Alabama. “We have traveled all over the southeast working on cemeteries. Our goal is always preservation, but we tailor our work to what the cemetery caretakers’ goals are. Sometimes it’s lawn maintenance. Sometimes it’s a full restoration with cleaning because they want the cemetery to look new. Either way, I always tell caretakers to do it in “waves” if they can. The first part is not to pick up what’s on the ground but to fix what is at most risk of falling because if it does fall, it might break, and it’ll be more expensive to pick up and fix after it falls/breaks. The 2nd step is to pick up what has already fallen and fix anything broken. The 3rd step is to straighten what looks the worst. If the budget allows, we will fix what is out of level and work on foot markers. The last step is cleaning.” said Savanna Winn
Savannah didn’t just offer a service—she offered a mission. She traveled to Cox Chapel to explain her restoration process and, without obligation, provided a free quote along with a comprehensive 17-page work proposal. Complete with photos and step-by-step plans for each headstone, her presentation revealed not only professionalism and organization but a deep respect for the individuals buried there.
It was clear to the church that Savannah’s work was more than a job—it was a calling. Her passion for preserving history and honoring families shone through, and she was awarded the restoration project.
Beginning on April 10th, Savannah and her dedicated crew spent three full days at Cox Chapel Cemetery. They leveled, repaired, and carefully cleaned the headstones to restore dignity and clarity to each grave marker “At Cox Chapel, Hugh Cox shared with Savannah that in his 38 years of involvement with the church, no preservation work had ever been done. He wanted to change that by starting to preserve the cemetery and learning how to care for it properly. Both Cox and Winn completed the first two phases of the project together, repairing what was most at risk and cleaning up what had fallen whenever they had the opportunity. Savanna shared, “As always, when the worst is fixed, there’s a “new” worst and that’s what the 3rd step will be for Cox if we are asked to return: to fix what looks bad. Overall, the cemetery looks much better than it did when I first saw it. We saved a couple monuments from destruction while finding that some are only being kept together and will need supplemental markers in the future to preserve the names of the individuals buried there.” One example is Monroe Campbell. He has an old Sears & Roebuck monument. Just like other items in the Sears catalog, people could order monuments for their loved ones. These could include pictures, designs, different colors, lettering styles, and more. “This one was probably beautiful when it was new, but erosion has really taken a toll on the stone. All we could do is stabilize it. We had to move it so Hugh could break up the concrete slab that was under it,” said Savannah.
Savannah completed repair work at Maplesville Cemetery in Maplesville, Alabama in 2021, and at Goodwin Cemetery, also in Maplesville, in March 2022. She was hired by the church to restore and reassemble selected monuments, as directed by the cemetery caretaker. Most of the work involved major repairs on headstones dating from the mid to late 19th century. The Centreville Press will also be gathering information on these restorations and will feature an article detailing their progress.
Each headstone tells a story—some etched plainly, others hidden in dates and symbols. As Savannah and her team worked, those stories came back into focus, reminding all who passed through the cemetery gates of the lives that helped shape the community.
Because of the challenges faced in finding someone qualified for this kind of work, Cox Chapel hopes their experience will inspire others to consider preserving the historical treasures in their own churchyards and family plots. It is a meaningful way to honor those who came before us and to ensure that their memories are not lost to time.
If your community is looking to undertake a similar project, Savannah Winn’s dedication and craftsmanship are a testament to what is possible when history is handled with heart. Here is contact information if you are interested in service: phone: (706)767-2836 or email mail: serestoration@outlook.com. Website:www.setcrllc.com
