A Cemetery Remembered

by Paulette Carpenter

There has been much discussion in the recent past concerning cemetery destructions by vandals, by weather, by acts of God.  All of the stories are much the same.  History lost, loved ones washed away, original stones with the original lovingly carved words and flowers destroyed, never to be duplicated by hand or heart.  Mean spirited kids on a drunken rampage, forever scaring the  sacred ground where our forefathers and mothers lay. 

It takes years of hard work, surveying, digging, reading old deeds and court records, hours of lying awake at night wondering about where that old family cemetery might be.  You know those nights.  Nothing will put your brain to sleep when you are on this mental mission.  You pray at night for Angels to take a message to your Great Great Grandfather in heaven, to give you just ONE little bitty sign or signal to indicate that you might be getting close.  Then you doze off, wake up, and one day find yourself tromping through a field in Maury County Tennessee.  The sweat pouring off of you as your heart races like a NASCAR race.  But it isn't the fear of rattle snakes that has your heart racing.  It is the anticipation of finding something great.  You know it is there, you can taste it, you can feel it.

Then it happens.

Is it a stone?  Is it a grave cover?  Is it a base of a stone?  Whatever it is, you have now located the old family burying ground.  It has been a hundred years or so gone from sight.  You feel Great Great Grandpa pat your shoulder, and you smile. 

Yes folks, this is happening.  I am sure it is happening in other counties, in other states.  But because Maury County Tennessee is where my family is from, well this story brings me great joy to break to all of you with connections to our wonderful county.  For legal reasons, specifically this family is concerned that there could be resistance from the property owners on the State Laws of restoration and cemetery rights, they have asked me to keep the specifics pretty much hushed until they say go.  But, what I can share is a picture, and some insights into the lives of who might be buried here.  It is and has been speculation for some time about exactly who is buried there, but there could be:

A General who's letters to George Washington are on the Congress website. 

A teacher, magistrate, blacksmith, possibly some Civil war Veterans, a Captain in the War of 1812. 

The family knows that there were quite a few births of this family that took place on that homestead and in that community.  It may be impossible to determine how many for sure are located there.  But if their family is anything like mine, they probably are there, unmarked. 

Finding one is better than never remembering this cemetery at all though.

With the help of some folks who make cemetery restoration their life's work, and from Maury Co. TNGenWeb's dear friend Wayne, this family is on their way to recovering their ancestors.  It is of course hard work.  There is always a fear that someone will try to stop their progress now that it is underway.  I know that you all join me in wishing them God's Speed as they go through this.  The family has assured me more photo's and the ability to announce to you the FULL story once they are secure in their endeavors.  Hopefully it will be soon.  There is nothing like being able to share this kind of wonderful genealogical news with the world.