Lowrance Cemetery
2015
Washington County, Tennessee Tombstone Inscriptions by Charles M. Bennett and the Watauga Association of Genealogists. Information used with the permission of Lorraine Bennett Rae.
From volume 2, page 217 – entry WCCL
“LOWRANCE – 3-3/4 mi. S of Johnson City, below Cherokee Heights School. An old, abandon cemetery in poor condition.”
LOCATION – Located on Washington County tax parcel 070-058.00 and known as 164 Burton France Road. It is located well off the path, back in the woods, about 150 feet from the current dwelling house. The old homeplace, burned down several years ago, was about 600 feet to the northwest. It is approximately midway, as the crow flies, between the Estep-Taylor-Hardin and the Francis-France burial grounds.
GPS LOCATION: +36° 16.090, -82° 22.910
Lowrance Cemetery
Location
DEEDS – Several deeds were reviewed and used to assist in finding the location, however, none mention a burial ground. The focus was on when Thomas Lowrance bought and sold the parcel. Deed Book 66, Page 224 (undated) – He bought the parcel from Samuel Angel most likely in August 1890 – he bought two adjoining parcels in dated deeds, also in August of 1890 and all three deeds were recorded 22 Nov 1892. All three parcels were sold by his widow, Mary, and son, William, in 1902 on Deed Book 82, Page 487 to L. A. O’Donnell. Thomas died in 1894 and is buried at Speedwell Cemetery. His widow, Mary, died in 1906 and is buried at Speedwell, also. William’s first wife, Amanda, is buried at Speedwell. William is buried at Monte Vista. Deeds from O’Donnell forward to present will not be listed here, but are on file with the survey team.
Prior to Thomas Lowrance purchasing the subject parcel, the deeds covering conveyances of the burial ground specific have been researched and none mention a burial ground. The earliest deed found is Deed Book 11, Page 73 (1806) – State of North Carolina #1055 to James Boren. Deed Book 12, Page 89 (1809) – Temperance Boring to James Casheday. Temperance inherited from her father, James and it was so noted in the deed. Deed Book 24, Page 201 (1842) – Sheriff George Willett, for James Cassaday, to William Cassaday. Deed Book 36, Page 467 (1857) – William Cassady to Absolom Scott. Deed Book 46, Page 132 (1877) – the estate of Absolum Scott to Nancy Hipps (daughter of Absolum Scott). No deed has been found conveying from Nancy Hipps to James and Samuel Angel, however, Deed Book 69, Page 423 was found and yielded confirming information, including metes & bounds, placing the Cassady property, which when overlayed on the current tax map, as the subject property.
CENSUS –
1880 – Watauga County, NC
Lowrance, Thomas (23) – Mary (22) – William (4)
1900 – Washington County, TN
Lowrance, Mary (Head) May 1846 NC, 54, (wd) – Lowrance, William (Son) Nov 1878 NC, 22, (m) – Lowrance, Amanda (D-I-L) Dec 1880 TN, 19, (m). It was noted that Mary had birthed one offspring and that the child was still living (William).
BURIALS – It is unknown whom may be buried here. There are clearly 4 rows, with 4 or 5 graves per row. There is a bit of overgrowth, so there could be more graves, but if so, not many more. Several depressions are clear. Several planted limestone rocks mark both head and foot of at least half the graves. There were no markers found with any lettering.
This burial ground was named “Lowrance” during the Works Progress Administration’s enumeration in the 1930’s, however, upon inspection, it would appear that the burials took place earlier than the Lowrance ownership of the property.
This assumption is based primarily upon the style and placement of the rocks, compared to other similar known burial grounds, as well as the fact that the Lowrances owned the property for a rather short time, given the estimated number of graves found.
It is quite possible that this burial ground was established by the Cassidy (several spelling variations found) family prior to the Civil War, however no conclusive evidence has been found to support that theory.
Researched, surveyed, transcribed, and donated to the Washington County TNGen Web October 2015 by Gordon M. Edwards, member of the Cemetery Survey Team of Northeast Tennessee.
Copyrighted 2015 by the Cemetery Survey Team of Northeast Tennessee. No part of this work may be copied without written permission from the Cemetery Survey Team.