PROSPECT CEMETERY
Prospect is an abandoned cemetery in the woods east of Black Bottom Creek. To reach it drive North on 104 and turn right on Black Bottom Road. Drive across Beech Lake, and up the hill. Look for a pulloff which may be hard to spot because in 2004 tree debris was piled there. Park and follow the path, once an old road, through the woods to the cemetery. There may be several dozen unmarked and unidentified burials here. Several large trees came down in the cemetery in the May 2003 storm. One fell among the concentration of Wilson, Ballard, and Cunningham markers, though amazingly did not actually break any. The fallen tree does block access to the only marker found in 2004 which was not recorded in 1976.
David Donahue recorded Prospect Cemetery March 3, 2004. Beth White and Wilma Bolen recorded Prospect cemetery in 1976. Their record appears in Henderson County, Tennessee Cemetery Inscriptions (R. H. Harris, Memphis, Tennessee, 1976), Vol. III, p. 606. They note that there was a Methodist Church by this cemetery which served as a school house. It burned in 1925.
Ballard, Elizabeth H., Sept. 19, 1880-Jan. 26, 1881, "Dau. of W. E. & A. E. Ballard"
Ballard, Margie, Apr. 23, 1834-Oct. 29, 1911, "His wife" [Eastern Star symbol]
Ballard, Z. B., Apr. 22, 1830-Nov. 20, 1911, "Father" [Masonic symbol]Ballard, W. B., Nov. 5, 1860-Nov. 27, 1892 (loose on base)
[This obelisk marker was struck by a falling tree in May 2003. It was still upright in March 2004 but it was no longer sealed to its base.]Cunningham, E. A., Feb. 24, 1864-Mar. 24, 1885, "Son of E. W. & H. E. Cunningham"
Cunningham, E. W., Apr. 2, 1834-Sept. 14, 1884
Cunningham, J. A., Mar. 30, 1861-Aug. 8, 1862, "Son of E. W. & H. E. Cunningham"
Cunningham, J. E., Non. 2, 1862-Sept. 5, 1865, "Son of E. W. & H. E. Cunningham"
Cunningham, Sarah W., Nov. 13, 1803-May 23, 1862, "Wife of Ranson Cunningham" [month of death is unreadable in 2004; May was reported by White and Bolen]
Fesmire, John Wesley, 1843-1892, military marker "Co H 27 Regt Tenn Inf CSA"
Phillips, Addie Ringold, 1873-1905
Ringold, A. T., Jan. 6, 1845-Sept. 12, 1924 [Masonic symbol]
Ringold, Addie [see Phillips, Addie Ringold]
Wilson, James, death date unreadable, Aged 50 Y'rs 2 Mo's 27 D'as, "Husband of M. J. Wilson" "A member of the Methodist Church 28 years" (broken through death date)
[This break probably already existed in 1976 because White and Bolen did not report a death date.]Wilson, Martha D., Aug. 5, 1835-May 4, 1862, "Daugh. of R. & Sarah Cunningham" "Wife of S. N. Wilson" (broken) [break older than tree fall]
Unidentifiable
______, Infant son of R. B. & N. A. ____
[A down tree lies against this small marker blocking access to it. The marker is upright and unbroken.]