part two: other than collect on delivery, the most common usage for COD is cause of death-but that wouldn't apply to a headstone, usually. Since the entry you list, is the listing that the Thomas Balch Library in Leesburg shows, check the actual headstone if you can, it may be a typo.

Re, the headstone itself. If it is a fairly plain round headed slab with just unit and dates, than it may well be a military headstone, that the government would have provided. (Which they still do, on request.)

Finally, check with the T. Balch Library-since they are the repository for the old historical association, they may actually have a lot of info that can help you-since his home site was "on the mountainside"-and that was also the site of the Black church, check the church records as well (the church was moved from the hillside). The library also has lots of old photos, newspapers on microfilm-all of which can help you. If you don't have it, here's a link to the library site:

http://www.leesburgva.org/town_services/thomas_balch.asp

Again, best of luck,

Sharon