MY RIVERSIDE CEMETERY TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS
SCRAPBOOK PART VI
by Jonathan K. T. Smith
Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 1995

NOTES BY LOT

(Page 54)

LOT 205-A, BURKETT

JACKSON DAILY WHIG, Aug. 11, 1893

SOLID AND FLOURISHING The Jackson Banking Company, a Dividend Earner, and Its Stock Above Par. The Jackson Banking Company, located in the handsome Murray Block, is one of the solid institutions of Jackson. It was organized May 5, 1891, and, notwithstanding the financial depression since that time, it has grown in popular favor and done a prosperous business. The officers of the institution are, president, Col. J. W. N. Burkett; vice-president, Col. W. E. Dunaway; cashier, Capt. F. B. Fisher; teller, G. C. Wilkerson; assistant book-keeper, and collector, W. J. O'Connor.

 

U.S. Census, June 2, 1900, Jackson.
Enumerator's Dist. 111, Sheet 2:

J. W. N. Burkett, born Jan. 1854, Ark; parents born North Carolina
Callie Robbins Burkett, wife, born Oct. 1859, she and parents born Tn. Married 20 yrs; 3 children, 3 living.
Lula Burkett, dau., born March l888, Tn.
John Robbins Burkett, son, born Sept. 1891, Tn.
Newton Jones Burkett, son, born June 1894, Tn.
Mary Wilkinson, aunt-in-law, born Feb. 1828, Tn; widower.

 

J. W. N. BURKETT

President Burkett first saw the light in Woodruff County, Ark., in 1854. He worked on a farm till 17 years of age; graduated at the S. W. B. University in 1878, as valedictorian and with the degree of A. B. He was successfully engaged in the grocery business in this city for ten years, was then secretary and manager of the Jackson Brick Manufacturing and Contracting Company for four years and now is the efficient president of the Heavner-Bray Hardwood Company. He has been alderman and city treasurer, has passed through all the chairs in the lodge, chapter and commandery in Masonry and is today one of the most highly esteemed citizens and business men in the city.

 

(Page 55)

LOT 186, ROBERTSON

East Row, north to south:

1. WILLIE P., dau. of W. P. &L. H.
ROBERTSON, 1887-1956

2. LYDA R. CALDWELL
Oct. 30, 1876-Jan. 29, 1947

3. HOWELL D. ROBERTSON
Oct. 26, 1890-Jan. 29, 1947

4. Child's grave, enclosed with a stone border; no name*

5. Our Little MAMIE
Dau. of W. P. & Louanna ROBERTSON
July 14, 1869-Aug. 7, 1872**

6. LOUANNA HARRIS
Wife of W. P. ROBERTSON
Oct. 29, 1848-Jan. 7, 1899

7. W. P. ROBERTSON
1838-1917 ***

West Row, north to south:

1. G. HARRIS ROBERTSON
Sept. 2, 1900-Jan. 23, 1978

2. & 3. Double monument:
MARY-DIXON B. ROBERTSON
Aug. 25, 1905-Apr. 19, 1983
ALLEN B. ROBERTSON
Nov. 14, 1902-Mar. 31, 1992

4. & 5. Double monument:
CLARA W. ROBERTSON
Aug. 8, 1902-Mar. 5, 1982
A. CAMPBELL ROBERTSON
July 21, 1898-Dec. 30, 1974

5. Small stone, marked only with initials: W. B. R.

*WHIG-TRIBUNE, Jackson, Feb. 22, 1873. In this city on Monday the 17th inst., Louanna, infant daughter of W. P. and Louanna Robertson, aged 17 days.

**IBID., August 10, 1872. In this city, on Wednesday evening, the 7th inst., Mamie Bell, infant daughter of W. P. and Louanna Robertson, aged 3 years and twenty-one days.

***Tennessee Death Certificate: W. P. Robertson, born Sept. 30, 1838, Ky. and died Jackson, Dec. 21, 1917. Son of Wm. Robertson, born Scotland; Eliza Platt, born Ireland.

 

W. P. ROBERTSON & SONS Something of One of the Leading Business Firms of the City         Col. W. P. Robertson, for years a prominent figure in business, social and political circles of Jackson, and of Tennessee, was born in Springfield, Ky., in 1838 and received a finished literary and business education at Transylvania University, in the historic city of Lexington. Mr. Robertson first embarked in the dry goods business at Hodgenville, Ky., in 1859, where the young merchant laid the foundation for a remarkably successful career by marking out a course of strict business principles and integrity. Here he was successful, and in 1806 came to Jackson, then a small town feebly struggling to recover the blighting effects of the war, and soon took rank among the leading business men of this county. His advent was a revolution in the mercantile business of the town and section, and it was soon necessary for his firm to move from the frame building at the corner of Market and Lafayette streets, where the Merchant's hotel now stands, to the commodious brick at the corner of Market and Main. During the next decade was the formation period of Jackson and Mr. Robertson's business sagacity and cool judgment contributed no little to marking and shaping its course to this point, so far upon the road destined to lead to a city of wealth and of greater importance. With the growth of the city, the trade and affairs of Robertson & Botts continued to increase, and it became necessary to spread out, and in a few years the general dry goods business was separated from that of the clothing department, and the elegant building where the former branch of the business is still conducted, was required. The firm by this time was one of the strongest and most important in the state. In a short while Mr. Botts retired and the firm became W. P. Robertson & Sons, Messrs. W. B. and Harris Robertson taking an interest with their father. The firm has stood through all the periods that tried the staying qualities of business men all over the country and stands today as solid as the rock of Gibraltor, doing a continually increasing business, the stocks in both houses representing $100,000, and the sales $150,000 to $200,000 per year.           Mr. Robertson has not been left entirely to his own business matters, but has labored to upbuild the city by promoting factories and all manner of public enterprises. He has filled various important religious, social and political stations, and has always been at the call of the public. He has been through all degrees of Masonry, Grand Commander Knights Templar of Tennessee, to the highest station in Odd Fellowship, Knights of Pythias to the highest point, that of grand chancellor for the state, and for years has been elder of the First Presbyterian church of this city. In city offices he was alderman three terms and declined reelection, this being the only office he ever ran for. He is entitled to the distinction of being one of the chief promoters of our present excellent system of public schools, having served as president of the school board since 1873, being re-elected by the people each term. In political circles, Mr. Robertson's counsel has always been heeded, and more than once he has been spoken of by the people for high and honorable positions, but he has never asked or would accept office, contenting himself to labor for his friends. He served with honor to himself and credit to the county as chairman of the county democratic executive committee, and as chairman of the state executive committee representing West Tennessee and this congressional district.         Mr. Robertson is a courtly gentleman, genial, kind-hearted and affable, and possessed of wonderful dash and enterprise, and is just such a man to win the confidence and respect of the public and one with whom it is always a pleasure to meet and shake hands.         Messrs. W. B. and G. Harris Robertson, the junior members of the firm, are thorough-going young business men and accomplished gentlemen. The former was born 30 years ago in Kentucky, but was reared and educated in Jackson. Mr. G. H. Robertson was born in Jackson and educated at the S. W. B. University, this city, and at Bingham's in North Carolina. They are indeed fit to succeed their father in the management of the extensive business he has builded.

 

(Page 56)

Many of the people of Jackson and Madison County, Tennessee have benefited and will be benefited from "The Kate Campbell Robertson Foundation, " a trust agreement established by the sons (and their wives) of G. H. and Kate Campbell Robertson, July 1, 1950. The Jackson real properties owned by this family were held in trust for the members of the family (William P., A. Campbell, G. Harris, Jr. and Allen B. Robertson and their wives), creating annual interest funds for them as long as any of them were alive (Madison county Deed Book 158, pages 381-385); then, on its termination it was "hereby ordered and directed that the entire corpus of said trust shall be transferred, conveyed and delivered to the following named beneficiaries (their successors and assigns forever) in equal shares": The City of Jackson, Tennessee (for improvement of Kate Campbell Robertson Memorial Park only), 20%; The United Fund of Jackson, Tennessee, 20%; the Young Men's Christian Association of Jackson, Tennessee, 20%; The West Tennessee Area Council, Inc. Boy Scouts of America, 20%; the Reelfoot Girl Scouts Council, Girl Scouts of America, 20%. (IBID., Book 890, page 456)         The assets of this trust were converted into cash and delivered to these agencies with the understanding that their individual shares would be invested in U. S. treasury securities. "The annual interest form such investments is to be used to the best advantage by the beneficiaries to provide assistance for the underprivileged and needy children of the City of Jackson, Tennessee in concert with the goals of their particular organization. " (IBID.) With the death of Allen B. Robertson in March of 1992 the trust was subsequently terminated and with the assistance of attorney, James H. Boswell of Jackson, the beneficiaries legally received their portions of the Robertson trust-estate.

 

LOT 170, MALLORY (PARKER)

West Row, south to north:

CALLIE PARKER MALLORY
Jan. 27, 1878-Feb. 5, 1902

JENNIE PARKER MALLORY
July 23, 1852-June 1, 1896

MARTHA SKINNER MALLORY
no dates

EDMUND SKINNER MALLORY
Sept. 22, 1846-Aug. 19; 1903

Among burials in East Row:

MARTHA A. MALLORY
1829-1893

 

GOODSPEED'S HISTORY OF TENNESSEE (Madison County Biographies), Nashville, Tenn., 1887, pages 882-883:

Edmund Skinner Mallory, attorney at law, was born in Hampton, Va., September 22, 1846. He is the son of Charles K. and Martha (Skinner) Mallory, who were born in Virginia and North Carolina, respectively. Our subject's ancestors settled in their respective States in early colonial days; his grandfather, Charles K. Mallory, having been lieutenant-governor of Virginia during the war of 1812. His great-grandfather, Col Francis Mallory, was killed at Bethel in the Revolutionary war. Edmund S. Mallory was reared in his native State, and graduated from the law department of the University of Virginia, June 29, 1866. In the beginning of 1864 he entered in the Virginia Military Institute, and served under Breckinridge in the Valley campaign of that year, and remained in the service around Richmond and Petersburg until the final surrender. He began practicing law in Hampton, and in 1868 came to Jackson, Tenn., and is now one of the first lawyers of the county. He is an unswerving and active Democrat in politics, and was a prominent candidate for attorney-general and reporter of Tennessee in 1886, but did not secure the election. September 18, 1872, he married Jennie, daughter of J. M. Parker, of Jackson, and three living children are the fruits of their union: John P., Charles K. and Callie P. Mr. Mallory and family are members of the Episcopal Church, and he is a K. of P. and Past Grand Chancellor of the State. He was a delegate to the general convention of his church at Chicago in 1886, and is considered one of the first citizens of the county.

 

U.S. Census, Jackson, June 2, 1900.
Enumerator's Dist. 107, Sheet 3:
Ed S. Mallory, b. Nov. 1846, Va.; father born Va.; mother born N. C. Attorney, Widower
John P. Mallory, son, born Aug. 1874, Tn., attorney
Chas. K. Mallory, son, born Aug. 1875, naval cadet
Callie P. Mallory, dau., born Jan. 1878, Tn.
Callie K. Parker, m-in-law, born July 1829, b. Tn.

TENNESSEE AND TENNESSEANS, by Bethenia M. Oldham (Clarksville, Tenn., 1903), page 156:
Charles K.. Mallory. Lieutenant. Entered the service, September, 1891. Since September, 1901, engaged in inspection duty, Bureau of Steam Engineering. Station, Newport News, Virginia.

 

(Page 57)

LOT 141, TALBOT

James L. Talbot of Nashville, responded to the recent Sun Line question about the property at King and Highland streets, which a reader thought had been a cemetery. The reader probably discovered the family burial plot, said Talbot, whose great-grandfather owned the land. The home was at the top of what is now Terrace Place, facing Talbot Street. His great-grandfather had a family plot, Talbot said. The bodies were removed to Riverside Cemetery when the land was disposed of, Talbot added.

 

This undated newspaper clipping was sent to Jonathan Smith by James L. Talbot's (1910-1994) widow, Sarah G. Talbot in a letter dated June 8, 1995. Her late husband had kept the clipping, being the James L. Talbot mentioned, in his family memorabilia.

 

LOT 351-B, ALDERSON

On south side of this lot is buried:

IDA ESTES LYONS
Born June 27, 1852
Died Sept. 24, 1879

TRIBUNE-SUN, Jackson, Oct. 2, 1879:
Died. At the residence of her father, Mr. Addison Estes, in this city, on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 1879, Mrs. Ida E. Lyons, aged 27 years. The funeral took place at the residence yesterday evening. . . .

 

LOT 197, HAMMERLY

At the southeast corner of this large lot is buried:

JOSEPH HAMMERLY
July 21, 1816-Apr. 11, 1878

TRIBUNE-SUN, Jackson, April 12, 1878:
As we go to press, intelligence of the death of Joseph Hammerly is announced. He died at Little Rock, Ark. en route home from Hot Springs.

 

LOT 85, RUSSELL (D. G.)

ANNIE LOU /RUSSELL/
no dates

THE JACKSON SUN, June 5, 1877:
Died. In this city on June 7th Annie Laura, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. G. Russell

Tombstone bears second name, Lou
Newspaper bears second name, Laura

This child's grave is the fourth from north to south on this lot.

 

UNDESIGNATED LOT NUMBER, south of Lot 355-A, Hays:

GERTRUDE STEGALL McWHIRTER
May 18, 1923-May 27, 1988

THE JACKSON SUN, May 28, 1988 carries her obituary, as the wife of Terrill McWhirter, with three children, all living in Nashville, Tennessee.

_____________

Referring from page 40, W. T. Rison who died March 27, 1900 in Jackson. U.S. Census, Jackson, Tenn., June 1900, enumerator's district 111, sheet 3: Mary Rison, born May 1864, Tenn.; widow; seamstress. Daughters: Eula Rison, born June 1884, Tenn.; Mary Rison, born Jan. 1886, Tenn. Madison Co. Court Minute Book 21, page 381: In 1900, the minor heirs of William Rison, i.e. Eula King Rison, age 15; Mary Etta Rison, age 13, were to be sent to the Industrial School in Nashville, Tennessee at the expense of Madison County.

 

(Page 58)

LOT 131½, BARBEE

JOHN TAYLOR BARBEE, JR.
June 26, 1902
/only date on tombstone/

U.S. Census, 1900, Jackson, Tenn., enumerator's district 111, sheet 15:
Dr. John T. Barbee, born Dec. 1872, Tenn.
Leland Barbee, wife, born July 1876, Tenn.; married two years; no children.

TAYLORS OF TABERNACLE, by Tabernacle Historical Committee, Brownsville, Tenn. 1957, page 554: Dr. John T. Barbee, born 1872; married Leland Clayton, 1897. (Unquote) Dr. Barbee and family moved away from Jackson. He died in December 1963, leaving two children born of his marriage with Hattie Leland Clayton.

 

LOT 334, NORVELL

In 1937 Ingram James copied the tombstones on this lot, thusly, graves that are oriented north to south:

(1) SARAH NORVELL
dates illegible

(2) THOS. G. NORVELL
1800-1875

(3) JOHN ANNIE, wife of
J. M. McGILL, 1862-1885
HATTIE F., their dau.,
1883-1886

(4) JOHN C., son of J.
B. & Susan D. NORVELL
Born Jan. 23, 1813
Died Jan. 6, 1863

(5) SUSAN D., wife
of John NORVELL
June 16, 1802-
Sept. 25, 1864

(6) JOHN NORVELL
Sept. 24, 1876-
July 9, 1878
/only base remains/

The identity of Sarah Norvell (1) is not certain. Only the base of her tombstone remains; perhaps a child of John R. Norvell and wife. Thomas G. Norvell's tombstone, though broken into, reads: THOMAS G. NORVELL, Born in Hanover Co., Va. in 1800. Died in Jackson, Tenn. Sept. 28, 1875. Madison Co. Court Minute Book 13, under date, Oct. 6, 1875, states that he died Sept. 28, 1875 leaving a personal estate and Joel R. Chappell was appointed adm. of his estate. He was not married. John Annie McGill was the daughter of John E. Glass and wife, Susan A. Norvell, daughter of John R. Norvell, who were married Nov. 3, 1859. John Annie married J. M. McGill, March 3, 1881. She is the child, "A.," female, age 8 in the June 10, 1870 U.S. Census of Jackson, in household of J. E. Glass, age 41 and wife S., age 36. Also in this household were J. Norvell, male, age 73; T. Norvell, male, age 70. John C. Norvell's birth year, the censuses suggest would be 1843. On tombstones a dim "4" often appears to be a "1." Also, his father's middle initial was R. John Norvell's dates were misread. His death notice, TRIBUNE-SUN, Jackson, January 12, 1878, notes that John R. Norvell died Jan. 8, 1878, aged 82. "Deceased settled in Jackson in 1825 and in connection with his brother Thomas who died some years ago, carried on the brick business up to /the/ Civil War. . . ." These brothers did the masonry work for the Madison County courthouse built in 1839, St. Luke's Episcopal Church and numerous other local buildings.

 

LOT 177-SW, HOUSE

There is a tombstone on this lot, the inscription on which is totally eradicated. It was the lot of J. J. House.

Goodspeed's HISTORY OF TENNESSEE (Madison Co.), 1887, pages 874- 875, has sketch of James J. House,

. . . who is engaged in the livery business in Jackson, Tenn., was born in Hall County, Ga., on October 18, 1828. He is one of the three surviving members of a family of five children born to Willis and Nancy (Jarrell) House, who were born and married in Oglethorpe County, Ga. They soon moved from Georgia to Marshall County, Miss., where the head of the family was a planter until his death, in August, 1860. His widow, the mother of the subject of this sketch, still survives and resides in Texas. Her son made

 

(Page 59)

his parents' home his until the year 1850, when he married Miss Emily Morgan, the youngest daughter of Theophilus and Nancy Morgan, nee Mason Her father was a native of North Carolina. Mr. House embarked in the livery and sale business in Holly Springs, Miss., after his marriage, then in November, 1874, removed to Jackson, Tenn., to engage in his present business in livery and stock. During the war he was detailed to purchase horses and other stock for the Confederate government He is the father of one living child, a daughter, Leonora, the accomplished wife of W. W. Searcy, merchant, of Jackson, Tenn.

 

The same source, page 902, carries sketch about W. W. Searcy, who married Leonora House, born 1853. Parents of two sons and two daughters.

The Houses lived for a time in Chulahoma, a village about 15 miles SW of Holly Springs, Miss. and a child of theirs was buried in its cemetery:

EUCLID RASCELLIES HOUSE, infant son of James S. & Nancy E. House, Aug. 14, 1851- July 23, 1852 (CEMETERIES OF MARSHALL CO., MISS, published by Old Timer Press, Ripley, Miss., 1983, page 61). I tried diligently with the help of Mr. Charles Moore of the Chulahoma community to locate this tombstone, one June morning, 1995, without success. It may have been "buried" in the matted vegetation and/or periwinkle.

There are numerous land transactions regarding James J. House in Marshall Co., Miss. One, Deed Book R, page 42, dated Oct. 27, 1851, shows that Nancy Morgan had deeded two slaves, on Aug. 29, 1849, to her daughters, Sarah A. Morgan and Nancy E. who "hath intermarried with the above named James J. House." Now, the parties agreed that Nancy Morgan and Sarah A. Morgan would be allotted the slave Matilda and the Houses the slave John, a 8-9 year old boy. Deed Book 27, pages 132-134, shows that James J. House deeded to his wife, Emily /her name being Nancy Emily/, his real property in Holly Springs, their residence and business house included, and personal items, as he had used her own $10,000 in gold to expand his business and improve family's condition. November 12, 1867. She deeded it back to him a few days later. (IBID., page 147) The records reveal that House had over-extended himself financially so that he had to take bankruptcy in the early 1870s. Enough was salvaged that the Houses could begin anew in Jackson, Tennessee.

The House and Searcy families disappear from local records about 1889; they evidently moved away, leaving buried one member, at least, of their family in Riverside Cemetery.

 

LOT 210, DARR-HUDDLESTON

In Wesley Cemetery I copied (June 17, 1995) tombstone inscriptions on graves of P. M. Huddleston and wife, Nancy.

In Memory of Our Father P. M. Husband of Nancy HUDDLESTON Born April 12, 1806 Died Mar. 27, 1882.

NANCY Wife of P. M. HUDDLESTON Born July 28, 1806 Died Oct. 16, 1885.

 

The 1850 U.S. Census, Hardeman Co., page 151, with ages only given: Pleasant M. Huddleston, 44; Nancy, ditto, age 44; Malinda, ditto, age 18; Nancy, ditto, 17; Jane, ditto, age 15; Elizabeth, ditto, age 14; Manervy, ditto, age 11; Sally, ditto, age 9; John, ditto, age 8; Pleasant, ditto, age 6; Edward, ditto, age 3. Hardeman Co. Will Book 5, pages 259-260, will of P. M. Huddleston. To sons John M. and Edward Huddleston the farm he lived on, with John to have the portion with house and mills. Land to other children: Milly Fawcett, widowed daughter; Nelson; Jane Price; Manervy Westbrook; Sarah E. Bray; Angelin Spurlin; Elizabeth Stuart, widowed daughter; F. M. Rook, son of deceased daughter, Biddy Rook. Have deeded land to sons Nelson and P. M. Executed Oct. 2, 1878; proven April 1882. Deed Book Z, page 493, P. M. Huddleston deeded 150 acres to son, Nelson, April 1, 1875; ibid., page 503, P. M. Huddleston deeded about 100 acres to son, P. M., April 27, 1875; ibid., page 393, P. M. Huddleston deeded 105 acres to daughter, Anjaline, wife of Ely Spurlin, March 1872. Hardeman County marriages for some of P. M. Huddleston's children: Biddy Huddleston m. Grove Rook, July 29, 1845; Malinda Huddleston m. Josiah T. Faucett, May 17, 1853; Manerva Huddleston m. M. F. Westbrook, July 19, 1858. p. M. Huddleston also mentioned in his will a daughter, Nancy Hambleton. How these Huddlestons may have been related to Pleasant M. Huddleston who moved to Madison County is presently unknown. Mrs. Hazel Siler (age 79), a life-long resident of this community near Silerton in Hardeman County told me that she knew of no present-day persons bearing the Huddleston name or "intermarried" names now living there.

 

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