HEPZIBAH CEMETERY

Jonathan T. T. Smith

 

Adapted from "Old Hepzibah Church and Cemetery," pp. 58-77
A Genealogical Miscellany Henderson County, Tennessee II
By Jonathan Kennon Thompson Smith
Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith 1997

 

            The best record for Hepzibah Cemetery is that of Jonathan K. T. Smith who visited the cemetery several times beginning as early as 1953. The following list is based on his record of the cemetery in "Old Hepzibah Church and Cemetery," pp. 58-77, A Genealogical Miscellany Henderson County, Tennessee II. The list below has been edited, reformatted, simplified, and alphabetized. Clich here for a full version of Jonathan Smith's record, including epitaphs and notes not included below.

            The cemetery was recorded by Joe Hamlett, Alicia Adcox, and Anita Webb circa 1976. Their record appears in Henderson County, Tennessee Cemetery Inscriptions (R. H. Harris, Memphis, Tennessee, 1976, pp. 157-159). This is referred to as Hamlett et al. in two notes below.

 

Ballard, Tennie, Jan. 11, 1917-Feb. 12, 1917, "Dau. of C. D. & E. Z. Ballard"

Baughn, Joseph W., April 9, 1816-Aug. 4, 1872 (a fallen tombstone)

Beal, Abraham P., d. June 18, 1849, Aged 10 months (a fallen tombstone)

Beal, Eliza C., Mar. 20, 1814-Jan. 26, 1875 (a fallen tombstone)

Beal, Henderson T., d. Dec. 11, 1851, Aged 2 years

Beal, Josephine, Nov. 18, 1860-July 21, 1887, "Wife of M. V. Beal"

Beal, M. A., 1832-1898, "Mother"
Beal, H. T., 1831-1881, "Father"

Beal, Mary E., d. Aug. 7, 1863, Aged 3 y'rs. 4 m's 7 d's, "Daughter of B. & T. V. Beal"

Beal, Sarah E., Mar. 25, 1827-Aug. 14, 1858, "Consort of Brooks Beal & daughter of A. P. & E. McGee"

Beal, Triona O., d. Oct. 25, 1863, Aged 22 y'rs. 3 mo's. 9 d's, "Wife of Brooks Beal" (a fallen, broken tombstone)

Beal, Vincent, Aug. 12, 1804-Aug. 3, 1854 (a fallen tombstone)

Beal, W. V., June 10, 1854-Nov. 24, 1929, "Husband"
Beal, Bell, Oct. 26, 1854-____, "Wife"

Boren, Susan, d. Feb. 2, 1878, Aged about 78 years

Boswell, Charlie B., June 7, 1871-Aug. 5, 1891, "Son of J. B. & L. A. Boswell"

Boswell, J. A., Sept. 18, 1873-July 30, 1874, "Son of J. B. & L. A." [reported by Hamlett et al. in 1976]

Boswell, J. B., Nov. 8, 1836-Dec. 27, 1879

Bow, Samuel, d. Died Sept. 8, 1845, Aged about 50 Y'rs. (a fallen tombstone)

Cagle, Ollie May, July 19, 1896-Feb. 14, 1897, "Son of C. W. & Lizzie Cagle"

Cock, J. C., Jan. 27, 1830-Apr. 13, 1884

Cock, N. A., Jan. 19, 1834-Jan. 17, 1875, "Wife of J. C. Cock" "Rest, Mother . . ."

Cooper, Elizabeth, Apr. 30, 1867-Feb. 10, 1902

Darden, Elizabeth, Sept. 20, 1858-Oct. 21, 1858, "Dau. of S. E. & A. J. Darden"

Darden, S. E., June 1, 1840-Sept. 21, 1858, "Wife of A. J. Darden"

Diffee, Clark, d. April 17, 1911, Aged 79 Yrs. 2 Mos. 2 Das. (a vandalized tombstone)

Diffee, Dora B., July 26, 1872-Nov. 4, 1887, "Dau. of Clark & Mary B. Diffee (a vandalized tombstone)

Diffee, Infant, no dates, "Infant son of Clark & Mary Diffee"

Diffee, J. N., July 31, 1866-Feb. 26, 1906 (a fallen tombstone)

Diffee, James E., July 4, 1875-Aug. 1, 1875, "Son of C. & M. B. Diffee"

Diffee, Mary B., Jan. 26, 1848-Jan. 9, 1885, "Wife of Clark Diffee" (a vandalized tombstone)

Diffee, Molsey, d. Aug. 7, 1873, Aged 70 Yrs., 4 Mos. 23 Das., "Wife of Moses Diffee" (a broken tombstone)

Diffee, Moses, Mar. 28, 1805-Sept. 1, 1876 (a very worn tombstone)

Fesmire, Deroy, Dec. 12, 1918-Sept. 19, 1920

Fesmire, Kizzie, 1802-1854
Fesmire, Bailum, 1800-1884

Fesmire, Martha, Oct. 27, 1827-Dec. 15, 1881, "Wife of William Fesmire"

Fesmire, Mary C., Oct. 10, 1852-July 9, 1853, "Daughter of W. W. & M. W. Fesmire"

Fesmire, Velma, Feb. 21, 1894-Aug. 25, 1910, "Dau. of A. S. & M. W. Fesmire"

Fesmire, William W., Nov. 26, 1832-Aug. 13, 1908

Hall, Tennie, Mar. 7, 1859-Jan. 29, 1912, "Wife of Henry Hall" "Mother" (a fallen tombstone bearing a still clear facial and upper-body photograph of Tennie Hall)

Hamlett, J. S., Jan. 5, 1847-Apr. 5, 1886 (a repaired, braced tombstone)

Hayes, Claudie H., Jan. 28, 1886-Mar. 20, 1887, "Son of G. W. & M. R. Hayes"

Hayes, Ernest, Jan. 22, 1895-Aug. 3, 1917, "Son of G. W. & M. R. Hayes"

Hayes, G. W., Nov. 19, 1860-Feb. 28, 1904

Hayes, Roxie C., June 7, 1863-June 28, 1945, "A tender mother . . ."

Hays, Stella, Feb. 21, 1907-July 9, 1917

Hood, John A., Feb. 7, 1809-Aug. 17, 1837

Johnson, James Madison, Mar. 28, 1843-Aug. 10, 1843, "Son of Henderson & Cary Johnson"

Knotts, Anderson F., d. Nov. 3, 1856, Aged 1 mo. 14 das., "Son of B. E. & Amy F. Knotts"

Lauler, John, Oct. 22, 1783-Jan. 2, 1848 (a fallen tombstone)

Lauler, Polly, Jan. 15, 1780-Mar. 31, 1852 (a fallen tombstone)

Lawler, Amy, Jan. 20, 1787-Dec. 25, 1861, "Predestinarian Baptist" (a fallen, broken tombstone)

Lawler, Enoch R., Sept. 15, 1811-Sept. 3, 1888

Lawler, Frona J., Apr. 4, 1869-Dec. 25, 1873, "Daughter of G. E. & E. G. Lawler" (a fallen, broken tombstone)

Lawler, Jane D., Sept. 11, 1836-Mar. 18, 1872, "Wife of J. T. Lawler" (a fallen tombstone)

Lawler, Jehu, Mar. 3, 1789-Mar. 5, 1867, ". . . Predestinarian Baptist" (a fallen, broken tombstone)

Lawler, John A., d. Oct. 23, 1865, Aged 33 yrs. 5 mos. (a fallen, broken tombstone)

Lawler, Lenora, Mar. 12, 1870-June 22, 1870, "Daughter of G. E. & E. C. Lawler"

Lawler, Leuvica, Aug. 30, 1800-Oct. 18, 1875, "Wife of E. R. Lawler"

Lawler, Mary Ann, d. Aug. 27, 1865, Aged 36 Y'rs. 7 Mo's. & 16 D's., "Wife of Abner Lawler" (Stonemasons: Emery & Young, Paducah, Ky.; shaft of this tombstone sas fallen)

Lawler, N. P., May 10, 1837-Feb. 17, 1912

Lawler, Tennessee, Nov. 2, 1841-Nov. 25, 1898, "Wife of N. P. Lawler" (a fallen tombstone)

Lawler, William, Dec. 10, 1817-Oct. 13, 1845

McGee, Sarah E. [see Beal, Sarah E.]

Moffitt, Earnest M., Nov. 7, 1890-Sept. 27, 1891, "Son of Joe H. & E. A. Moffitt"

Moffitt, George C., Apr. 7, 1873-Oct. 29, 1935, temporary marker read in 1953, L. Moffitt Funeral Home Marker, Henderson, Tennessee [the temporary marker, missing its information panel, seems to have been still in place in 1997]

Moffitt, Guy, July 10, 1901-Mar. 3, 1904, "Son of J. H. & E. A. Moffitt"

Moffitt, Harriet V., Apr. 17, 1868-Oct. 27, 1870, "Daughter of James and H. C. Moffitt"

Moffitt, James, 1825-1890
Moffitt, H. Caroline, 1832-1897

Moffitt, Julia Ann, b. ca. 1831, d. in the 1880 (grave-length slab of stone inscribed "J. M." is thought to mark the grave of Miss Julia Ann Moffitt; headstone broken off and missing)

Moffitt, L. M., Feb. 26, 1865-Apr. 18, 1887, "Wife of E. M. Moffitt" [She is called Mable in epitaph]

Moffitt, William V., May 25, 1870-July 6, 1870, "Son of James and H. C. Moffitt" (tombstone disintegrated but was read in July 1953; WVM footstone intact)
Moffitt, Samuel Sidney, Aug. 7, 1871-Oct. 21, 1872, "Son of Jas. & H. C. Moffitt"

Morgan, Ida, d. Jan. 25, 1909, Aged 39 ys 8 ms 26 ds, "Wife of T. H. Morgan"

Nichols, Alvin, June 26, 1887-July 15, 1887

Nichols, John D., Sept. 26, 1876-Oct. 13, 1876

Nichols, Martha Ann, July 10, 1882-Nov. 8, 1949

Nichols, Mary Vand, July 10, 1882-Aug. 26, 1882

Nichols, Susie, 1854-1940
Nichols, Dennis, 1854-1899

Phillips, Joel, Mar. 11, 1872-Feb. 7, 1874, "Son of W. I. & E. J. Phillips"

Phillips, Martha C. M., d. Nov. 12, 1862, Aged 2 mos. 14 days, "Daughter of W. I. & E. J. Phillips"

Phillips, Sarah E., d. Nov. 18, 1865, Aged 1 yr. 2 mos. 11 days, "Daughter of W. I. & E. J. Phillips"

Phillips, W. I., Jan. 22, 1843-Oct. 23, 1877
Phillips, Eliza J., July 29, 1844-Sept . 22, 1878, "Wife of W. I. Phillips" "My father and mother are gone . . ."

Phillips, William Lonnie, Aug. 24, 1897-Mar. 27, 1898, "Son of J. W. & E. B. Phillips

Reed, Martha J., Jan. 22, 1843-July 1, 1844, "Daughter of J. R. & E. T."

Reed, Martha J., Jan. 24, 1848-May 1, 1911, "Daughter of J. R. & E. T. Reed"

Smith, Benjamin, June 1, 1793-Feb. 9, 1862 (a fallen tombstone)

Smith, Betsy, d. Dec. 17, 1901, Aged 77 ys. 9 ms. 25 ds., "Dau. of Benj. & Easter Smith"

Smith, Easter, May 11, 1794-Jan. 9, 1862 (a shattered tombstone) [reported as Esther by Hamlett et al.]

Smith, G. W., Apr. 22, 1826-Nov. 19, 1859

Stanford, Sarah, Mar. 15, 1837-June 12, 1921

Taylor, J. A., Aug. 9, 1854-____
Taylor, M. A., Jan. 12, 1854-Jan. 3, 1917, "Wife of J. A. Taylor" (a fallen tombstone)

Taylor, James T., Aug. 2, 1855-Aug. 11, 1856, "Son of C. & S. J. Taylor" (a fallen tombstone)

Taylor, Robert E., Apr. 15, 1854-Sept. 15, 1854, "Son of C. & S. J. Taylor"

Teague, B. J., Apr. 9, 1833-Sept. 24, 1888, "Husband of M. B. Teague"

Teague, Eli, Feb. 6, 1808-Mar. 29, 1856

Teague, Elizabeth, May 14, 1796-Feb. 26, 1861, "Wife of Eli Teague" (a fallen tombstone)

Thomas, Katurah A., May 10, 1853-June 26, 1853, "Daughter of J. H. & K. A. Thomas"

Thomas, Katurah, Apr. 3, 1824-May 17, 1853, "Wife of John H. Thomas" (this is the top of a ruined box vault; lettering of inscription ornately rendered)

Thompson, B. M. C., Aug. 16, 1798-Aug. 22 , 1837

Webb, Charles L., d. June 17, 1861, Aged 3 mo's. 2 da's., "Son of S. W. & N. Webb" (a fallen tombstone)

Webb, Daniel, Eld., Apr. 22, 1779-Mar. 22, 1855
Webb, Mary H., Feb. 14, 1782-Oct. 8, 1858, "Wife of Eld. D. Webb"
"Married Sept. 1803" "They were members of the regular Baptist 60 years of which time Eld. D. Webb served in a ministerial capacity 50 years and was opposed to missions in all its forms."

Webb, Gardner T., Rev., Apr. 6, 1817-Feb. 10, 1891

Webb, John P., Sept. 18, 1848-Nov. 15, 1851, "Son of Rev. D. G. & M. Webb"

Webb, Martha M., Apr. 27, 1822-May 29, 1892

Webb, Martha, Feb. 18, 1819-June 23, 1858, "Consort of Rev. D. G. Webb"

Webb, Nancy S., July 7, 1858-July 25, 1859, "Dau. of Rev. S. W. & N. Webb"

Webb, S. W., Feb. 13, 1854-Aug. 30, 1856. "Son of S. W. & N. Webb"

Webb, William D., Apr. 25, 1847-Dec. 14, 1857, "Son of S. W. & N. Webb"

Young, Sindy, d. Dec. 14, 1889, Aged 85 Yrs., "Wife of Geo. Young"

 

Unidentifiable

A broken tombstone, lower portion only intact bearing date Oct. 2, 1890; probing did not reveal missing fragment with remaining inscription.

 

Known to be Buried Here in Unmarked Graves

Moffitt, Henry, born About 1792

Moffitt, Mary Moffitt (wife of Henry)

 

Black Burials

Adapted from "Hepzibah Cemetery," pp. 44-45
Tombstone Inscriptions from Black Cemeteries in Henderson County, Tennessee
Compiled by Jonathan Kennon Thompson Smith
Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 1995

 

. . . Formerly the location of the white Hepzibah Missionary Baptist Church and burial ground, one of the oldest cemeteries in the county. A major local road once passed this cemetery. Blacks with ties to this area and with some of the white settlers buried here. The cemetery is overgrown with vines and other vegetation so that it would be difficult to point out the blacks' graves as they are unmarked by tombstones but it is likely that their graves are located on the southeast side of this fenced-in cemetery. The name, Hepzibah, was often pronounced by black and white alike as "Epseby." Some death certificates indicate the following black persons are buried here.

 

Diffee, Henry, d. Aug. 26, 1921, Aged 25

Diffee, M. H., d. Feb. 20, 1922; Born Jan. 29, 1900

Priddy, Eliza, d. Nov. 24, 1917, Aged About 3 Years

Talbert, Euija, d. Dec. 27, 1923, Aged 26

Young, Evogene, d. July 1, 1917, Aged 2 Years. Child of Cornelia Young

Young, George, d. July 30, 1914, Aged About 21. Born Hardeman Co., Tenn.

 

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