BERRY ZION CEMETERY

Berry Zion Cemetery, August 2003

 

            Berry Zion Cemetery is located about 12½ miles east of Jackson, Tennessee, off U.S. Highway 412-E, about 200 yards west of Crawford Springs Road. There are several dozen graves which are either unmarked or marked by illegible funeral home markers.

            David Donahue recorded this cemetery on July 30, 2003 based on earlier work by Jonathan K. T. Smith. Mr. Smith's 1995 record appears in his Tombstone Inscriptions from Black Cemeteries in Madison County, Tennessee and a 2000 update appears in his Tombstone Inscriptions from Black Cemeteries in Madison County, Tennessee, Volume 2. These works are referred to collectively as Smith in the notes below.

 

Adams, Andrew, Rev., d. July 4, 1937, Aged 80 Yrs. 11 Mos., temporary marker [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was west of access drive]

Anderson, Ella Diggs, Aug. 17, 1857-Apr. 4, 1915, "Wife of C. M. Anderson" (fallen) [unable to turn large shaft marker to check for additional name of opposite side]

Anderson, Ester, Sept. 13, 1914-Aug. 14, 1939
Anderson, Mary D., Dec. 13, 1887-____

Anderson, Margaret Marie, d. April 17, 1969, Aged 33 Years, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was in southern part of cemetery]

Andrews, Sam, Mar. 25, 1869-____, "Husband"
Andrew, Earmer, Feb. 6, 1899-Nov. 11, 1945, "Wife"

Barnett, Annie Mae, Mrs., d. May(?) 28, 1973, temporary marker [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995, was east of cemetery access drive]

Barnett, Gennie W., Sept. 1, 1916-Dec. 7, 1965, "Husband" footstone [Masonic symbol]
Barnette, M. Louise, May 18, 1918-Nov. 30, 1986 [Eastern Star symbol]

Barnett, Hattie F., 1884-1970, "Mother" footstone
Barnett, James M., 1868-1939 [Masonic symbol]

Barnett, Lizzie Mae, Mrs., d. Dec. 1, 1975, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was in southern part of cemetery]

Beard, Aubrey, d. Feb. 7, 1996, temporary marker, Mercer Brothers, 3½ yards west-southwest of marker for Blanche Brown

Beard, Joseph, Aug. 7, 1901-Aug. 30, 1977
Beard, Maple, Jan. 13, 1902-Nov. 13, 1998

Beard, Marie, d. June 2, 1998, temporary marker, 8 feet north of marker for J. D. Donnell

Black, Clara E., 1911-____
Black, R. D., 1906-1993 [in 1995 Smith reported temporary marker, Bledsoe Funeral Home, with dates Feb. 12, 1906-April 9, 1993]

Black, Shelby, Feb. 13, 1937-Apr. 13, 1937 [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was west of access drive]

Blair, Odie, d. Sept. 12, 1941, military marker "Illinois Pvt 809 Pioneer Inf. World War I" (fallen)

Bray, Lottie Beatrice, Mrs., May 30, 1923-Oct. 5, 1996, temporary marker, Stephenshaw-Shaw Funeral Home, 4 feet north of marker for James Curtis Ward III

Britt, J. C., Dec. 29, 1916-Feb. 25, 1977, military marker "US Army World War II"

Brown, Blanche, Nov. 29, 1892-Aug. 21, 1961

Brown, Iva, Oct. 25, 1887-Apr. 5, 1964

Cathey, Ervin, d. Nov 9, 1964
Cathey, Katie, d. Jan 9, 1962

Clark, Graice M., Oct. 26, 1923-Sept. 11, 1968 [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was west of access drive]

Clifton, Grover C., July 21, 1886-Jan. 5, 1979, military marker "Pvt US army World War I

Clifton, L. V., 1901-1983 [shares double marker with Helen L. Desarzant]

Corbitt, Annie Pearl Williams, July 21, 1927-Aug. 25, 1981 [adjacent to military marker for Robert L. Corbitt]

Corbitt, Robert L., August 12, 1917-February 19, 1971, military marker "Tennessee Sgt US Army, World War II"

Cox, Marshall P., Feb. 2, 1898-May 21, 1949, military marker "Tennessee Pvt, 802 Pioneer Inf. World War I"

Curtain, Leroy, Apr. 14, 1959-Mar. 6, 1975

Day, Arvie, Mar. 18, 1925-Mar. 10, 1974, military marker "S1 US Navy World War II"

Day, Arvie, May 22, 1915-Oct. 18, 1946, "Son" footstone [probably son of Nathan and Jessie Day, whose double marker is adjacent]

Day, James I., Sr., Apr. 22, 1912-Sept. 5, 1983
Day, Sallie F., Oct. 31, 1915-____

Day, Jennie, Dec. 28, 1868-Apr. 8, 1918, "Wife of E. C."

Day, Luther, Mar. 5, 1897-June 9, 1989, military marker "Tennessee Pvt US Army, World War I"

Day, Maggie Hutcherson, July 28, 1898-June 5, 1959

Day, Nathan, July 14, 1871-____, "Father" footstone
Day, Jessie, Mar. 7, 1880-June 28, 1935, "Mother" footstone

Desarzants, Helen L., 1921-____ [shares double marker with L. V. Clifton]

Diggs, Ella [see Anderson, Ella Diggs]

Donnell, Guy Willie, Sr., Apr. 25, 1896-Mar. 19, 1957

Donnell, J. D., Mar. 21, 1900-Jan. 19, 1971

Donnell, Velma May, Apr. 8, 1895-Feb. 2, 1948 [adjacent to marker for Guy Willie Donnell, Sr.]

Ester, Sammie C., 1883-1939 [replacement]

Esters, Tillia Husley, 1908-1987 (homemade) [reported by Smith in 1995; identifiable but information mostly unreadable in 2003, 3 yards west of marker for Iva Brown]

Estes, Annie, Mrs., Sept. ?, ?-Feb. 2, 1964, temporary marker, Bledsoe Funeral Home [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was in southern part of cemetery; probably where the remnants of a metal temporary plate were found 4 feet south of marker for Iva Brown]

Estes, Arline, d. Mar. 3, 19?, 37 Years, temporary marker, Ford Funeral Home [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was in southern part of cemetery]

Estes, Edd, 1883-1964 [Masonic symbol]

Estes, Edward, July 8, 1911-Sept. 1, 1987, temporary marker, Bledsoe Funeral Home, 4 feet south of marker for Mrs. Dora L. Tomlinson

Estes, Lizzie, June 9, 1872-Aug. 27, 1969

Estes, Luther, d. Sept. 1, 1955, temporary marker; 4 feed south of marker for Ida Godwin [this name and date are scratched on a Stephenson-Shaw temporary marker which originally served William Tomlinson, Jan.? 10, 1925-Apr. 13, 1981]

Estes, Robert F., Apr. 7, 1873-Mar. 7, 1959, "Father" footstone
Estes, Ada C., Oct. 19, 1883-____, "Mother" footstone [flowers and remnants of temporary marker show she is buried here

Estes, Ruby, June 19, 1894-____ [Eastern Star symbol]
Estes, Young, Sept. 7, 1883-Aug. 13, 1958

Featherston, Norma D., Mrs., Oct. 10, 1907-Mar. 18, 1994 [shares double marker with Willie Mae D. Mason]

Fenner, S., d. July 12, 1976, Aged 50, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was in southern part of cemetery]

Franklin, Rufus Wade, Aug. 9, 1925-Oct. 3, 1950, military marker "Tennessee PFC 308 AAF Base Unit World War II" [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was in southern part of cemetery]

Godwin, Ida, 1885-1970

Graham, Mae Bell Hayes, Nov. 6, 1927-Feb. 23, 1944, "Loving mother"

Hayes, Alberta, Feb. 2, 1903-Jan. 5, 1955

Hayes, Elijah, July 27, 1886-December 19, 1973, military marker, Tennessee Pvt US Army, World War II"

Hayes, Emmett, Oct. 27, 1926-Jan. 27, 1978, military marker Pvt US Army, World War II"

Hayes, Mae Bell [see Graham, Mae Bell Hayes]

Herron, Roberta, Oct. 10, 1914-Dec. 16, 1961, "Mother"; "Your Loving Daughter Cora C. Gillard & Family" [only name on double marker; flowers indicate burial has taken place in blank position]

Holiday, Katherine, Sept. 7, 1931-Mar. 14, 1996

Horton, Alice Jean, d. Oct. 13, 1991, Age 46 Years, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was in southern part of cemetery]

Horton, James Isaac, d. Aug. 26, 1989, Age 42 Years, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was in southern part of cemetery]

Horton, Roy, no dates, temporary marker [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was in southern part of cemetery]

Hutcherson, Maggie [see Day, Maggie Hutcherson]

Jenkins, Mable Janice, Apr. 29, 1925-Oct. 20, 1956

Jordan, Charles Edward, Dec. 8, 1932-Feb. 5, 1939 [replacement]

Jordan, Harford, 1911-1998 [dates Nov. 14, 1910-May 3, 1998 noted by Smith in 2000]
Jordan, Eunice, 1914-1990 [in 2000 Smith noted temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home, d. Mar. 13, 1990]

Key, H. J., Jan. 8, 1913-Jan. 1, 1954, military marker "Tennessee PFC 4341 QM Svc Co. World War II"

Mason, Willie Mae D., May 22, 1909-Dec. 22, 1989 [shares double marker with Norma D. Featherstone]

May, C. W., d. ___ 28, 1973(?), Aged 85 [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995, possibly read from a temporary marker; was east of cemetery access drive]

May, H. B., 1843-1915 [marker reads "Dec 1915" which Smith interpreted as "December" but which here is interpreted as "deceased"]

May, John J., Dec. 25, 1870-Mar. 8, 1946 (fallen)

Mays, James U., Aug. 30, 1900-____; also temporary marker, Bledsoe Funeral Home, d. Apr. 2, 1996
Mays, Maggie W., Nov. 28, 1900-Jan. 24, 1969

Mays, William Bennie, July 21, 1933-July 31, 2001, military marker "SSgt US Air Force Vietnam"

McCain, Howard, Jan. 4, 1915-Feb. 26, 1980

McHaney, Bell, d. Apr. 16, 1953

McHaney, Howard, d. Oct. 1, 1976, Aged 63, temporary marker, Ford Funeral Home [reported by Smith in 1995 in southern part of cemetery; probably is the temporary marker in 2003 on which only "McHaney" could be read which lay between the marker forWillie Howard McHaney and the marker for Lizzie B. Spencer

McHaney,Willie Howard, Oct. 9, 1939-Oct. 6, 1963

Merriweather, Rosebertha, d. Jan. 13, 1987, temporary marker, Mercer Brothers, 4 yards west-southwest of marker for Iva Brown

Moore, Cora [see Watson, Cora Moore H.]

Neal, Emerson, 1881-1967
Neal, Raymel, 1889-____

Neal, Emma, 1890-1928

Neal, Fernard James, Mar. 27, 1918-April 3, 1997 [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 2000]

Neal, Irene C., Nov. 22, 1923-Aug. 14, 1995

Neal, Sylvester, June 9, 1921-June 24, 1954

Pearson, Cleofard, born & died 1920, "Son of Shellie B. Pearson"

Pearson, Shellie B., May 28, 1902-Mar. 30, 1920, "Dau. of A. H. & M. L. Pearson"

Person, Sarah, d. Feb. 4, 1902, "Wife of Paul Person" "Sleep On Dear Mother"

Pickens, Lula Mae Swift, Apr. 21, 1919-Dec. 19, 1986

Pyles, J. T., Sept. 7, 1912-Jan. 2, 1916, "Son of Floyd & Cora Pyles"

Reid, Sarah E., June 25, 1900-Nov. 24, 1973

Rodgers, Charles E., June 19, 1936-Sept. 3, 1996, military marker "US Air Force"

Rodgers, Mollie, 1861-Apr. 13, 1913, "Wife of D. Rodgers"

Rodgers, R. D., June 10, 1922-Aug. 2, 1952, military marker "Tennessee PFC 923 AAAF AB Scty Bn

Rodgers, Reacie M., Feb. 14, 1890-Nov. 10, 1960
Rodgers, Daniel C., Jan. 1, 1881-Aug. 30, 1966

Rodges, Annie, d. June 18, 1945, Age 85 Yrs. [not a typo; is not Rodgers]

Sandlin, Dersie, 1882-1932

Sanlin, Dersie L., June 30, 1881-May 3, 1932, "Mother"
Sanlin, Charles W., Aug. 7, 1880-June 24, 1956, "Father"

Sharp, Vera N., Oct. 5, 1905-Feb. 15, 1985

Sharp, Walter, Oct. 29, 1890-May 13, 1976, military marker "US Army, World War II"

Sistrunk, Mary E., 1909-1943, loose out of place temporary marker, Stephenson, found at base of cedar tree east of access drive

Snipes, Doris, d. Feb. 24, 1992, temporary marker, 5 yards southwest of double marker for Sampson and Harriett Willis

Spencer, Lizzie B., June 20, 1918-Mar. 6, 1963

Stovall, Jeneka Tiwain, Jan. 3, 1979-Jan. 28, 2001, also temporary marker as footstone, Mercer Brothers, Jeneka Weddle

Swift, D. L., 1921-1987 [was Mr. D. L. Smith on temporary marker read in 1995]
Swift, Laura B., 1923-____

Swift, Dorothy A., July 10, 1951-Feb. 4, 2001, "Daughter"
Swift, Dorothy M., May 2, 1931-Dec. 31, 1998, "Mother"

Swift, Eva Mae, Feb. 3, 1917-May 11, 1975 [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was in southern part of cemetery]

Swift, George E., Dec. 24, 1940-Mar. 30, 1995, "Daddy" footstone, also temporary marker, George Edward Swift
Swift, Kathleen E., Dec. 27, 1940-____, unplaced "Mama" footstone
"Wed 1959" "Our children Gregory, Sonia, Brandon"

Swift, Joseph, d. September 13, 1936, military marker "Tennessee Pvt 804 Pioneer Inf. World War I"

Swift, Lula Mae [see Pickens, Lula Mae Swift]

Swift, Naomi Louise, Dec. 19, 1952-____
Swift, Ruth Estelle, July 26, 1952-____, "Sisters"

Swift, W. V., Apr. 3, 1911-Feb. 13, 1981

Tally, Will, Mar. 27, 1877-Jan. 11, 1924 (broken)

Tate, Ernest, no dates, temporary marker Home [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was in southern part of cemetery]

Thomas, Canzadia, Mrs., d. Dec. 10, 1992, Aged 77 Years, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was west of access drive]

Tomlinson, Dora L., Mrs., Apr. 8, 1927-June 15, 1976

Tomlinson, William [see Estes, Luther]

Ward, James Curtis, III, Mar. 28, 1979-Mar. 30, 1979

Watson, Bernert, 1904-1925, loose temporary marker, 3 yards west-southwest of marker for Mae Bell Hayes Graham [only dates present on marker in 2003; temporary marker from Stephenson is not contemporary with death date but is much more recent]

Watson, Cora Moore H., Aug. 5, 1869-Dec. 22, 1963

Watson, Daniel, d. May 20, 1913

Watson, Newton, Nov. 15, 1883-Apr. 25, 1967 (fallen)

Watson, Sid, June 10, 1888-Aug. 26, 1926, "Theus Temple 930, Jackson, Tenn." (fallen)

Wedell, Jeneka [see Stovall, Jeneka Tiwain]

Williams, Annie M., Mar. 20, 1909-____, "Mother" footstone
Williams, John, May 5, 1907-Sept. 24, 1977, "Father" footstone
[Annie probably is buried here; both graves covered with concrete slab in 2003]

Williams, Annie Pearl [see Corbitt, Annie Pearl Williams]

Williams, Asbery, d. July 7, 1942, military marker "Mississippi Pvt 816 Pioneer Inf"

Williams, Louise Barnett, 1985 [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; was west of access drive]

Williams, Sidney, Mar. 30, 1927-June 23, 1959

Willis Note: Carent Willis, Dennis Willis, Javan Willis, Sammy and Lula Willis, Samuel Garfield Willis, and an unidentified burial with a "Son" footstone share a common concrete border.

Willis, Carent, ________ [Masonic symbol; dates if any are buried; marker built into southwest corner of concrete border of Willis lot]

Willis, Dennis, Oct. 4, 1909-Mar. 8, 1972

Willis, G. W., no dates (homemade)

Willis, James, d. Apr. 29, 1999, temporary marker, mercer brothers, 5 feet north of marker for J. D. Donnell

Willis, Javan, June 21, 1910-Dec. 18, 1971, military marker "Tennessee Pvt US Army World War II"

Willis, Kermit W., Dec. 12, 1916-Dec. 27, 1996
Willis, Eva Nell, Mar. 11, 1919-Nov. 1, 1988

Willis, Leroy, Apr. 6, 1926-Dec. 1, 1991, military marker "PFC US Army World War II"

Willis, Levi, 1861-1940
Willis, Susie, 1863-1946

Willis, Middleton F., Feb. 23, 1888-Mar. 14, 1905

Willis, Milton, 1863-1927

Willis, Milton, May 26, 1945-June 21, 1984

Willis, O. D., Nov. 4, 1902-Aug. 24, 1926, "We Love Our Mother"

Willis, Prentice E., Mar. 15, 1895-Feb. 23, 1914

Willis, Sammie, Mar. 4, 1871-Mar. 20, 1958, "Father" footstone
Willis, Lula, Aug. 4, 1881-May 30, 1972, "Mother" footstone

Willis, Sampson, d. Apr. 19, 1889, "A loving father"
Willis, Harriett, d. Died Sep. 23, 1906, "A mother dear"

Willis, Samuel Garfield, July 4, 1945-March 8, 1972, military marker "Michigan Pvt US Army Vietnam"

Willis, William, Nov. 12, 1899-Dec. 2, 1971 [Masonic symbol]
Willis, Guy Eula, Feb. 7, 1902-____ [flowers indicate burial here; Smith in 1995 also noted she was buried here]

Wills, Connie, 1881-1959

Wilson, Willie Ann, Mrs., d. Dec. 4, 1974, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995, was east of cemetery access drive]

 

Unidentifiable

"Mary" footstone, no headstone

M. W. footstone [within concrete border of Pearson lot]

"Son" footstone, burial otherwise unidentified [within concrete border of Willis lot]

 

Death Certificate Indicates Buried Here Also (as reported by Smith):

Rogers, Alfred, 1847-May 22, 1917. Son of Emanuel Rogers and Mary Rogers