NEW HOPE CEMETERY
(Mt. Carmel Road)This cemetery is located just off the Mt. Carmel Road. The access drive turns west off Mt. Carmel Road about a half mile south of New Hope Baptist Church, near the crest of the next hill to the south. The cemetery is well maintained but probably is near full. You sometimes may see this cemetery referred to as Smith Bottom, the name of the old black community and school in the area. There could be as many as 100 graves here. David Donahue recorded this cemetery December 22, 1997; checked and updated it March 18, 2003; and updated it July 4, 2004.
Margarett Alexander and Blanche Tuten recorded this cemetery on June 22, 1976. Their record appears in Decatur County, Tennessee Cemetery Records published by the Captain Nathaniel A. Wesson Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Parsons, Tennessee, 1984, pp. 396-397. This is referred to as the "UDC transcription" in the notes below. They noted 40 unmarked graves.
Bradley, Ermon, 1887-1980, "Mother"
Bradley, Isam, d. 1929, temporary marker, westernmost row, 2nd grave north of marker for Margaret Walker
Bradley, John, Mar. 31, 1884-July 29, 1958
Bradley, Nora, 1913-1931, temporary marker, westernmost row, 1st grave north of marker for Margaret Walker [as reported in UDC transcription: Nora B. Bradly, d. Sept. 8, 1929, "Age 15" [not found or not readable in 1997; from UDC transcription]
Brewer, Ernest, Sr., Dec. 15, 1911-Mar. 30, 1989, "Daddy"
Brewer, Mattie A., Sept. 25, 1918-Feb. 10, 1989, "Mother"Brown, Eva, Dec. 24, 1882-Apr. 4, 1963, "Mother"
Brown, Evelyn, May 10, 1919-June 12, 1996
Brown, James H., Mar. 8, 1918-Sept. 16, 1959, military marker "Kentucky Sgt Engineers World War II"
Brown, James L., 1930-1974, "Father"
Brown, Jim R., Aug. 11, 1913-Dec. 9, 1949 [replacement]
Brown, Verlie, 1914-1992, temporary marker, Parham Mortuary, 6 yards north of double marker for Ernest and Mattie A. Brewer
Harris, Malisie, 1898-1937 (homemade)
Johnson, Johnnie H., June 28, 1888-May 12, 1952, military marker "Tennessee Pvt US Army World War I"
Keeton, Harriett, Dec. 23, 1881-Dec. 8, 1923, "Dau. of Millie & Davy Keeton"
McDonald, Rodgers, 1916-1975, "Husband" "Father"
McElrath, Addie Tole, d. 1924, "Mother of George O., J. T. & Hallie" [replacement]
McElrath, Albert , no dates
McElrath, Rachel, no dates, "Parents of Julius" "Grandparents of George O., J. T. & Hallie" [replacement]McElrath, Julius, Oct. 12, 1896-Mar. 14, 1957
McElrath, Mary Lee, Apr. 30, 1919-Apr. 4, 2000
McElrath, John Thomas, Nov. 1920-Sept. 5, 1946, "Married Dec. 29, 1936" "Our children James Willie Surenia William Sherry"McElrath, Ola M., Aug. 14, 1924-____
McElrath, George O., July 22, 1919-Feb. 9, 1997, "Married Jan 21, 1942" "Our children George Jr. Addie Joy Flora Maurice"; military marker as footstone "George O. McElrath, Sr." "SSgt US Army"Pace, Ann, d. May 6, 1939, "70 years" [replacement]
Pritchard, Brown, 1913-1990
Pritchard, Ella, 1869-1939 (homemade)
Pritchard, Williams, 1906-1932 (homemade) [possible William S. Pritchard]
Russell, Mabel I, 1920-1961 [as recorded in UDC transcription: Mable Irene Russell, d. Jan. 31, 1961, age 40 yrs 7 mos 11 days]
Scales, Dona, d. 1937, temporary marker, westernmost row, 4th grave north of marker for Margaret Walker
Scales, Steve, d. 1939, temporary marker, westernmost row, 5th grave north of marker for Margaret Walker
Scott, Surenia Ann, Mar. 13, 1945-July 23, 1997, "Mother" [probably daughter of Mary Lee and John Thomas McElrath, whose double marker is adjacent]
Tate, Daniel, Rev., d. 1946, temporary marker, 4 yards southwest of marker for Ann Pace
Tatun, Ruby Walker, 1920-1994, temporary marker, Boyd Funeral Home, 3 yards south of marker for Ineasy F. Walker [artificial flowers spelling "Mom"]
Tole, Addie [see McElrath, Addie Tole]
Tole, Brown, no dates
Tole, Ealcea M., Apr. 1944, "Stepmother"
Tole, George, no dates
Tole, Lawrence, no dates
Tole, Mittie K., no dates, "Mother"
Tole, Rosie B., Aug. 30, 1923-Mar. 23, 1989, "Wife" "Mother we love you"
Toliver, Mary Irene, Jan. 25, 1921-Oct. 22, 1994, "Mother" footstone
Toliver, Creamous, May 20, 1899-Sept. 20, 1989, "Father" footstoneWalker, Della, no dates
Walker, Florence, May 7, 1911-June 7, 1991
Walker, Stone, Mar. 12, 1903-May 20, 2000, unplaced "Father" footstone, "Wed Oct. 23, 1932"Walker, George, 1860-1924 [replacement]
Walker, Ineasy F., Feb. 28, 1896-May 8, 1991
Walker, Infant, Sept. 11, 1943, "Infant son Walker"
Walker, Infant, Sept. 8, 1920 [replacement]
Walker, Lige, 1898-1973
Walker, Lorenzo Buster, 1905-1994, temporary marker, Selmer Mortuary, 5 feet north of marker for Mary J. Walker
Walker, Margaret, Sept. 9, 1934-Dec. 14, 1934 (homemade)
Walker, Mary J., 1871-1960 [artificial flowers spelling "grandma"]
Walker, Robert Opel, Jan. 1, 1922-Jan. 22, 1923 [replacement]
Walker, Ruby [see Tatun, Ruby Walker]
Weatherspoon, Kathleen, Mar. 13, 1920-May 4, 1927 (homemade, eroded)
Welch, Adline, d. 1948, temporary marker, 4 feet north of marker for John Bradley
Williams, Winnie M., June 16, 1901-Nov. 19, 2000, "Mother" footstone
Yarbro, Dora, 1880-1952 (homemade)
Yarbro, Faye, 1907-1934, temporary marker, westernmost row, 3rd grave north of marker for Margaret Walker [as reported in UDC transcription: Faye B. Yarbro, d. Dec. 21, 1934, "age 26 yrs 21 days"]
Yarbro, P. E., 1861-1948 (homemade) [Masonic symbol]
Unidentifiable
H. M. (looks like a footstome)