Tombstone Inscriptions from Black Cemeteries in Madison County, Tennessee, Volume Two
Compiled by Jonathan K. T. Smith
Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 2000HARTMUS CEMETERY
Situated on the northeast corner of Hartmus Lane and Springbrook Drive at a point 1.2 mile west of the junction of Hartmus Lane and Law Road. Two tombstones at this location were removed back into the woods adjoining; a few cedars probably mark graves at this abandoned cemetery. The tombstones:
EMMA SANLIN BARNETT, wife of J. M. Barnett, June 25,1875-Mar.30, 1902
ODELL, son of this couple, April 2-Aug.30, 1892
Death certificates:
VIOLA ROYAL, Feb. 15, 1899-June 28, 1918; d/o Charlie Royal and Kate Butler
KATIE BLAIR, Feb. 22, 1913-Oct. 24, 1918; d/o Oatie Blair
CELIA ROGERS, Nov. 5, 1922-Jan. 19, 1924; d/o Don Rogers and Cathy Rogers
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HICKS/EXUM CEMETERY
Located just north of Jackson, Tennessee, about four miles north of Highway 45 Bypass and Interstate 40 juncture; situated on a wooded hillside overlooking Moize Creek, about 290 feet west over a winding field road opening from a gravel lane that connects with Ashport Road at a point south about .1 mile. A turn is made to the west onto Ashport Road from Highway 45 Bypass the gravel lane is directly to the north after the turn is made from Highway 45 Bypass onto Ashport Road. Many unmarked graves here. Burials ceased being made here years ago.
One large, ornate tombstone topped with an intact artistic urn: LIZZIE EXUM, Born March 1861, No death date (west side)\J. EXUM, no dates (south side)\E. EXUM, no dates (north side)
JOE EXUM, Born 1885, Died Feb. 1910 (stone off its base)
CLEVELAND FRAZIER, Born 1895, Died Feb. 5, 1916, Budded on earth to bloom in heaven
MARY EXUM, Born 1833, Died July 1905, Asleep in Jesus (a fallen stone; footstone marked M. E.)
LARNELL, son of Clide & Nora HICKS, 1903-1922, Our loved one is gone
HIGH EXUM, 1880-1902, Gone but not forgotten
THOMAS EXUM, 1889-1903, At Rest
CLAUDIA FRAZIER, Born 1890, Died Jan. 10, 1913, Our darling one hath gone before to greet us on the blissful shore
(Page 18)
MATTIE NORTON, 1906-1914, Our loss heavens gain
A. J. KING, 1918-1918, At Rest
MAMIE HORTON, (Sept.24) 1879-(July 31) 1917
Mrs. ____IE EXUM /Mrs. Sallie Exum/, Died July 20, ___(missing) /1958/, funeral home marker
GEO. EXUM, 1883-1904, Gone but not forgotten
MARY, wife of Ed. CROCKETT, Born 1873, Died Nov.27,1919
Mr. TOMMIE LEE HICKS, Died Aug. 23, 1957, Aged 44, Bledsoe Funeral Home Marker
Years ago Mr. W. B. Elam copied the stones in this cemetery and reported a funeral home marker or as he called it "undertaker marker" for JOHN BELL HICKS who died June 16, 1946. ("Family Findings," Mid-West Tennessee Genealogical Society, volume 10, number 2, April 1978, page 59).
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HIGHLAND MEMORIAL GARDENS
This cemetery is located on the east side of U.S. Highway 45-No. about 2.2 miles north of this highway's juncture with Interstate Highway 40. That portion of 45-No. within the city limits of Jackson, Tennessee is called Highland Avenue.
Established in 1954 this cemetery, with its large traditional burial grounds along with mausoleum facilities, is a distinctly bi-racial cemetery, hence numerous black persons have chosen to be buried or have their loved ones buried here. A researcher would need to make inquiries about specific persons, by surname, to determine whether or not they may be buried in this cemetery because as yet this corporation has not issued a compilation of its interments for public use.
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HILL CEMETERY
Located about two and a half miles south of the junction of Riverside Drive Extended and Steam Mill Ferry Road. Situated on Campbell Lane about a quarter of a mile southeast of its juncture with Steam Mill Ferry Road. The black cemetery adjoins the white cemetery on the north. There are many unmarked graves here.
My Mother, PHILLIS KING, Died Feb.25, 1876, She is at rest
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HILLIARD CEMETERY
Located about 1.3 miles north of Old Carmel CME Church site, on George Anderson Road, off this road to the south, .8 mile, at the end of a field lane. This is primarily a white burial ground it has a black section. Besides Mr. Dee Black, heretofore mentioned as having died about 1933, there are others buried in the Hilliard Cemetery, according to their death certificates (and doubtless others unknown to the compiler):
EUNA LEE MAY, Dec. 26, 1907-August 21, 1914. Parents: Newton May-Minnie Hilliard
FLORA HUDSON, died July 14, 1914; married
GOLDIE KNOX, April 11, 1897-Jan. l, 1918. Parents: Andrew Knox-Sopha Turley
(Page 19)
FED HILLIARD, 1847-October 30, 1917
DEWITT MAY, November 4, 1918-March 6, 1919.Parents: T. B. May-Rhoda Knox
JOHNIE MAY HAUGHTON, died March 7, 1921, aged about 18 years. Parents: John Henry Turley-Isibel Robertson
Mary May , dau. of Tobe and Rhoda May, Nov. 29, 1913-February 28, 1926
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OLD HICKS PLACE CEMETERY
There was once a small cemetery located on the east side of North Highland Avenue between the present AutoZone business lot (on the north) and a branch of Volunteer Bank (on the south). This business lot was partially occupied for many years by a small frame house, that of a black family whose surname was Hill. In the summer of 1995 this lot was graded and foundations laid for the new Auto Zone building. Persons preparing this lot said that no bodily remains were unearthed during this excavation process.
In a July 5,1995 interview with Mr. James L. Doak (born 1910), a lifelong Madison Countian, Jonathan Smith learned from him that he had a personal remembrance of graves at this location, pointed out to him "on the spot" when he was a youngster by his grandfather, Wiley Burton Langford (1845-1931) who owned the farmland on the opposite side of North Highland, to have been the resting place of black persons. He had no recollection of any tombstones here. He recalled that the "graveyard" was once located on the Hicks family land.
In December 1866 George Hicks deeded 202 acres, as a gift to his son, Kenneth G. Hicks (Deed Book 24, page 449); in July 1886 Erasmus Hicks confirmed this tract to the younger Hicks for notes he had held on this particular place, noting in this transaction adjoining landowners, Wiley Langford and J. W. Hicks (Deed Book 43, page 277); in January 1887 K. G. Hicks acquired a 21 acre tract on his south boundary line, on the Trenton Road (now No. Highland Avenue, here) (IBID. Book 49,page 17). The 1877 D. G. Beers "Map of Madison County and Jackson, Tennessee" notes the presence in this vicinity of the K. G. Hicks place on the east side of what was for generations called the Jackson-Trenton Road, later a lap of Highway 45 (North Highland Avenue within the city of Jackson). Kenneth Garrett Hicks (1833-1903) was listed as Kinney G. Hicks in some public records, including deeds.
In a July 11,1995 interview with Mrs. Veola (Godwin) Jones (b.1914), a lifelong Madison Countian, Jonathan Smith learned from her that her mother, a long-lived Matilda (Anderson) Godwin, had spoken to her of a black cemetery on the east side of North Highland, close to this roadway's juncture with Wiley Parker Road, which coincides closely with Mr. Doak's statement. She knew from conversation with Mrs. Emma Lacey, aged about 94 years, a friend of Mrs. Iola (Floyd) Brooks (b.1900),a daughter of Mr. Rollins Floyd that this man and his wife, Leanna (Anderson) Floyd had relatives buried in this cemetery and that Mr. Floyd had their remains exhumed at this location and reinterred in the Anderson Cemetery elsewhere in the county.
Another person is known to have been buried in the "Kenny Hicks Place" cemetery on old rural route seven, a fact of burial noted in the death certificate of a "colored" man, John Boyd (born 1891), who died of lobar pneumonia, March 26,1914,a son of Allen Boyd and his wife, Martha (Shelton) Boyd. He was buried by the L. G. Murray Funeral Home, predecessor of the present-day Bledsoe Funeral Home. (Madison Co. Death Certificate #154.Year 1914) While it is possible that the remains of some persons buried here were disturbed during the grading in 1995, hopefully most of the remains had long ago been removed to the Anderson Cemetery in north Jackson.
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HOPE HILL CEMETERY
About 4.5 miles northeast of the present business district of Medina, Gibson Co., Tennessee via Highway 43 and Hope Hill Cemetery Road. Former location of Hope Hill CME Church. Situated about .1 mile north of Hope Hill Cemetery Road. Close to border between Gibson and Madison counties.
JULIA ANN FLY, Born Mar. 27, 1882, Died June 16, 1908, How Many Hopes Lie Buried Here
Double tombstone: MINNIE B.MOORE, May 11, 1928-August 18, 1991\JOHN F.MOORE, June 5, 1926-____, My Trust in God
DEXTER MASSEY, 1902-1929, Age 27, At Rest
Double tombstone: L. E. HAMILTON, Jan. 28, 1893-Jan. 19, 1900\W. E. HAMILTON, Jan. 15, 1898-Nov. 19, 1900
Double tombstone: MARY H. ATCHISON, 1866-1919\NED ATCHISON, 1857-1928, Age 71, At Rest [Death certificate dates: Aug. 10, 1864-Jan. 24, 1928; son of Bonnie Atchison.]
Miss DEBORAH ANN WEBB, Died Jan. 12, 1974, Age 1_, Funeral Home Marker
HALL WASBORN, Born June the 28, 1878, Died July the 9, 1908
Double tombstone: B. A. RICHARDSON, Died, Age ?? Years, Asleep in Jesus\W. B. RICHARDSON, Born Nov. 1834, Died February 18, 1901
MARY D.MASSEY, May 21, 1891-May 19, 1916
W. T. MASSEY, August 6, 1886-August 19, 1922, At Rest
BEN STURDIVANT, Tennessee PVT 350 Labor BN, March 18, 1888- August 15, 1945
Mrs. WALLACE STURDIVANT, Died Feb. 11, 1963, Aged 80 years, Rawis-Baskerville Fun. Home Marker
Double tombstone: R. L. HAMILTON, Mar. 1, 1884-Oct. 13, 1899\J. A. HAMILTON, Mar. 12, 1887-Jan. 29, 1895
Tombstone broken off close to base, with a footstone with initials P.W. The last line of inscription on broken tombstone, "put in this place"
IRENE G. ROGERS, Apr.24, 1899-Sept. 31, 1927
One tombstone: LOUIS HAMILTON, 1855-1923\JOHN P. HAMILTON, 1896-1917\OZZIE HAMILTON, 1901-1924
Little Kim D. Moore, II, 3-7-99 to 4-9-99 Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home Marker
D. ______ (surname worn away), Age 38 years, asleep in Jesus
(Page 21)
Death certificate indicates burial here:
Stillborn child of Sherman Perkins and wife, Pearline Strayhorn Perkins, May 15,1914
TOM MASSEY, died August 19, 1922, aged 34 years. Parents: Eli and Lula Massey
ELIZA COOK, May 20, 1864-April 19, 1923. Mother: Missouri Sturdivant
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HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY
This large (about 43 acres), privately-owned cemetery, established in 1887, is located on Hollywood Drive in Jackson, Tennessee, its entrance opening at the extreme southwest corner of the cemetery. About 10,000 persons have been buried here.
Local blacks had established a privately-owned cemetery, Mt. Olivet, in Jackson, when Hollywood Cemetery was opened and but few blacks have ever buried their dead here. In an interview with Mrs. Ethel Snellgrove, Treasurer, Hollywood Cemetery Association, August 12, 1995, she stated that although the relevant records have long since been destroyed (with the cemetery under numerous ownership over a century many records have disappeared), she opined that the black burials of years ago would have been made in a small portion of the present Z Section, designated for "single burials," located on the east side of the cemetery, along the fence dividing Lambuth College from Hollywood Cemetery. She also stated that a few black persons have been buried in the lots of white friends over the years.
The Griffin Funeral Home Record Book, 1890-1911, lists several black interment made in Hollywood Cemetery:
page 20. SIMON ATKERSON, d. Jan. 31, 1890, 55 yrs. Pneumonia.
page 48. DAVE HOLLAND, d.Mar. 10, 1890, 63 yrs. Residence, Proston St. Dropsy. John Howlett, responsible person for expenses of burial
page 57. NANCY LANCASTER, d. Mar. 24, 1890, 55 yrs. Residence, Liberty St. Congestion. Jack Lancaster, responsible person for expenses of burial
page 89. E. C. JACKSON, d. Mar. 2, 1892, 32 yrs. Residence, Lafayette St. Congestion of brain. Im. Conception, Knights Tabor, responsible organizations for expenses of burial
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ADAM HUNTSMAN SLAVE CEMETERY
A "lost" cemetery located on the east side of Jones Creek, somewhat southeast of the two-story brick residence on the old Adam Huntsman farm about .8 mile east of the driveway of Old Salem Cemetery.
Mr. Andrew Longstreet, a black man, born in 1926, resident at 502 Hurts Chapel Road, told Jonathan Smith, June 15, 1998, that as a youth this burial ground was mentioned to him with its general location given him. Mr. Leaman Phillips, a white man, born in 1920 and almost life-long resident of the area, told the compiler that he had always been told, by his elders that a slave burial ground was located on the Huntsman farm.
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INGRAM CEMETERY
Located in west-central Madison County just southeast of Providence. Situated at the end of a fieldroad .3 mile from Howell Buntin Road from which it joins S. Taylor Road .9 mile to the west. There are many unmarked graves here. Reputedly, this cemetery began as a slave burial ground on one of the Dr. Thomas Ingram (1805-1875) plantation tracts in old civil district seven.
Double tombstone: Rev. WM. SHAW, 1847-1918\MARY E.SHAW,1852-no date
JOHN H.INGRAM (Masonic emblem), Born 1893, Died 1921, Safe in the arms of Jesus (Tombstone broken into 3 pieces)
Double tombstone: Father, CASS INGRAM, 1835-1895\Mother, RETTA INGRAM, 1837-1903 (This is a large fallen tombstone.)
Note: Death certificate of Rev. William Shaw, Madison County, records that he was born in 1862 and died Oct. l, 1918; his mother’s name was Hogan Shaw. He died suddenly. An A. Ingram of Denmark furnished this information.
The 1900 Census, Madison Co., Civil District 7:
Billy Shaw, born August 1844
Mary E. Shaw, born August 1863; married 15 years; 1 child
Mary J. Shaw, born August 18831910 Census, Madison County, Civil District 7:
Wm. Shaw, age 50,born Tenn.; minister (denomination not furnished)
Mary E. Shaw, age 52, born Tenn.; married 25 years; l child1920 Census, Madison Co., Civil District 2:
Ruffin Ingram, age 53, born Tenn.; farmer
Mary E.Madison County Marriage Book I, page 160. William Shaw married Mary E. Ingram, March 20, 1884
1880 Census, Madison County, Civil District 7:
Listed in family of Casteel Ingram and wife Ridda were Mary Ingram, age 18; Ruffin Ingram, age 17; their children.
Death certificates indicate others buried here:
WILLIAM SHAW, 1913-April 19,1917
NEORA INGRAM, Nov. 4, 1893-May 2, 1917; d/o Eli and Mary Ingram
VIRGINIA BOND, died Jan. 9, 1919, aged 44 years
CORA INGRAM, 1872-January 26, 1919
OSCA BOND, male, Dec. 31, 1918-Mar. 13, 1919, s/o Nathan and Laurie Chapman Bond
OSCAR BONDS, April 29,1898-May 6, 1923; s/o Raf Bonds and Lucy Bonds
LIZZIE MAY WOOD, February 23, 1922-June 27,1923; d/o Lee Wood and Josie Weddle
EMLETT BOYD, May 10, 80 years old-Sept.5, 1923
IKE INGRAM, died March 9,1924, age 67 years
MAUDE SPRINGFIELD, Dec.5,1897-Dec. 16, 1923 [Mr. Travis Ingram, aged black man, told Jonathan Smith, Aug.14, 1996 that he remembered this lady’s death; that she died near his present home just west of the Huntersville-Denmark Road, near its junction with Highway 70.]
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ISAIAH CHAPEL BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY
Located in east-central Madison County. Situated on west side of Potts Chapel Road .7 mile north of the junction of Beech Bluff Road and Potts Chapel Road. Two graves marked with funeral home markers with illegible information.
ALBERT A. GREEN, Feb. 6, 1914-Nov. 24, 1980, In Loving Memory
Mr. JAMES FRANKLIN GILBERT, Died Aug. 11, 1980, Age 37 yrs., Stephenson-Shaw Fun. Home Marker
Mrs. MARY V. ANDERSON, Died May 30, 1986, Age 52, Stephenson-Shaw Fun. Home Marker
CHARLIE LEON ANDERSON, 1936-1987
Mrs. IONA GREEN, 3-15-1915-7-25-1990, Bledsoe Funeral Home Marker
HOLT INFANT, March 2,1988, Mercer Funeral Home Marker
EDWARD ANDERSON, Feb.13, 1974, Mercer Funeral Home Marker
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