TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS FROM BLACK CEMETERIES
IN BENTON COUNTY, TENNESSEE
(Revised Edition with Maps)
Compiled by Jonathan K. T. Smith
Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 1995CEMETERIES AND MAPS
(Page 1)
CALVARY CEMETERY
Located in east Camden, Tennessee on the west side of Wren Avenue about a mile from court square. Cemetery situated at the back (west) of Toles Chapel C. M. E. Church. Several unmarked graves here.
ANTOINE CLARK
30 mos. old 1989JOE TAYLOR
no datesVEORA M. SIMON
Sept. 2O, 1900-Aug. 25, 1987
(Eastern Star Emblem)VERNLL BOYD
1919-Aug. 1975
funeral home markerDARY ONEL CRAWLEY
1981-1981WILLIAM J. BOGGS
PFC US Army Korea
Jul. 1, 1939-Jul. 22, 1985Double tombstone:
HORACE O. TRAVIS, Dad
1913-1970
PARFIENA TRAVIS, Mom
1914-1989
married 1932
Together ForeverUVONNE BOYD
PFC US Army Korea
Oct. 16, 1932-Apr. 17, 1988E. A. BOYD
1900-1980
McClure Funeral Home MarkerWILLIAM RAY TRAVIS
Tennessee PEC US Army Korea
Aug. 20, 1929-June 3, 1972VERNIEE DEE JONES
no datesDouble tombstone:
FANNIE MAE JONES
1915-1993
MAURICE JONES
1915-JAMES COLLINS
no datesMEATTA DONLOE
no datesRUTH WOODS
Apr. 13, 1958-Dec. 18, 1991DOROTHY MAE BATES
funeral home marker with dates:
1930-1974MELVIN TRAVIS
194 2-1991
Stockdale-Malin Fun. Home MarkerELDRIDGE TRAVIS
PVT US Army Korea
1935-1977SAMUEL MOORE
1917-1987
funeral home markerDRILLON STRICKLAND
1912-1993
Stockdale-Malin Fun. Home MarkerOANNA BOMAR
Feb. 1, 1914-July 29, 1971
In Loving MemoryBRIAN SCOTT MOODY
1974-1977
funeral home markerEMMA BOYD
1925-1986
funeral home markerALMON BOGGS
Tennessee PFC US Army, W. W. II
June 6, 1919-May 13, 1973BENJAMON PETTIGREW
PVT US Army World War II
Apr. 4, 1918-Jul. 21, 1979JAMES THARPE
1938-1994
Oakdale Funeral Home MarkerDouble tombstone:
Rev. ROBERT MONTGOMERY
Dec. 14, 1892-/August 12, 1982/
IDA R. MONTGOMEPY
Apr. 22, 11901-Feb. 6, 1970
Not our will but thine be done
(Page 2)
Double tombstone:
ROBERT L. HIMES
Dec. 10, 1919-Jan. 22, 1974
HATTIE HIMES
June 10, 1915-July 5, 1992
married May 13, 1947SHERRY HUDSON, Daughter
May 10, 1961-Aug. 19, 1987
In Loving MemoryALVIS GREEN
1935-1989
McClure Funeral Home MarkerMABLE R. CRAWLEY
1934-1983
McClure Funeral Home MarkerNOLAN CRAWLEY
1905-1982
Stockdale-Malin Fun. Home MarkerBROKSY TRAVIS
1909-1987
Stockdale-Malin Fun. Home MarkerKAYLA SMOTHERS McCLURE
Oct. 1992
Stockdale-Malin Fun. Home MarkerJAMES T. McCLURE
Apr. 17, 1927-Sept. 17, 1991MARY FORD
no datesMELVIN BONDS
no datesCLIFFORD W. JONES
MATT2 US Navy World War II
Jan. 3, 1909-May 17, 1990Also buried here: NOLA BELL TRAVIS
CRAWLEY who died at age 76, Feb.
27, 1982LUELLA GAITERS
1908-1995CHRISTINE BATES
1943-1995JAMES ROWSEY
1909-1995DONNIE L. HUDSON
no datesOSHEA DYWAN HUDSON
May 9, 1986
(funeral home marker)ALICE CRAWLEY
1941-1990
Stockdale-Malifl Fun. Home MarkerNAOMI GREENE
1932-1990
Stockdale-Malin Fun. Home MarkerCHARLESTON A. CRAWLEY
PVT US Army World War II
Jun. 6, 1898-Jan. 29, 1985OCIE TRAVIS
1912-1983
McClure Funeral Home MarkerOURA RICHMOND PERKINS, JR.
SP4 US Army Vietnam
Mar. 27, 1947-Sep 7, 1989JAMES C. EASLEY
1919-1983Double tombstone:
MARY J. BATSON
1944-1981
ZOLA BELTON
1907-1984
Headed "McCLURE"
Mother and Daughter of James McCLUREJAMES C. HARRIS, SR.
PFC US Army World War II
Nov. 5, 1919-Sep. 30, 1989ELMER RUSHING
1931-1984
funeral home markerWADE E. LAWS, JR.
1959-1997LONNIE BOYD
19 30-1996ELNORA ROWSEY
1922-1997
Click here for 2004 update of Calvary Cemetery.
(Page 3)
OLD TOLES CHAPEL CEMETERY
Located in east Camden on the wooded hill-side called Dobson's Hill at the-southeast junction of Stigall Street and Lumber Street. There are reportedly several hundred unmarked graves in this burial ground, this having long been the principal cemetery for black persons in the Camden area for several generations. Several years ago the site was "cleared" and some of the tombstones were moved around and not replaced at the appropriate graves.
HENRY MONTGOMERY
Born May 10, 1855
Died June 8, 1921
Gone to a Better LandDouble tombstone:
JOSH SIMONS
Born Sept. 28, 1822
Died July 28, 1905
PHYLIS SIMONS
Born June 20, 1836
Died Dec. 11, 1915CHARLES E. BOYD
1939-1958F. J.
son /of/ Allen & Lizzie McL____
Bo/rn/ Aug. __, ____
/Died/ Feb. __, ___
(a shattered tombstone which should read:
F. J. /Frank/
Son of Allen & Lizzie
McCLURE
Born Aug. 23, 1884
Died Feb. 25, 1915)ELBERT NANCE
Born Dec. 28, 1892
Died June 14, 1921
Gone but not forgottenLELIA wife of Jim DONLOE
Born April 2, 1889
Died Nov. 12, 1920
(a fallen tombstone)A broken tombstone with only the base and lower part of tombstone intact; perhaps this was the tombstone of SOLOMON DONLOW (Aug. 15, 1837-June 17, 1910) which the writer took the inscription from in 1975.
ISAIAH D. /DONLOE/ (no dates)
ANN D. /DONLOE/ (no dates)
NETTlE McC. (no dates)
(This is the tombstone for NETTIE McAULEY, born May 19, 1900; died December 11, 1942)
Tombstone of JOSH and PHYLIS SIMONS
(Page 4)
FRIENDSHIP C.M.E. CHURCH CEMETERY
Located in south Benton County on the south side of Manley's Chapel Road about 2.5 miles northeast of McIllwain, Tennessee; burial area to the south and west of the church.
Double tombstone:
BIRDIE M. JENNINGS
May 15, 1905-Feb. 7, 1981
THEODORE R. JENNINGS
Feb. 6, 1902-Oct. 2, 1979
Precious MemoriesDouble tombstone:
LORRAINE MENZIES
May 4, 1932-
TOMMIE H. MENZIES
Jan. 28, 1912-Apr. 10, 1997
wed May 13, 1952Double tombstone:
JAMES F. JENNINGS
July 7, 1929-
VERNIE M. JENNINGS
Dec. 18, 1906-Sept. 13, 1992
Together forever
/dates as inscribed on tombstone/
The cornerstone of this block church states that the building was completed in July 1989. Officials: JAMES JENNINGS, VERNIE JENNINGS, LORRAINE MENZIES, Rev. J. E. ROBINSON, Elder LOUIS T. PURHAM, Bishop JOHN M. EXUM, ERNEST MENZIES, ANTHONY MENZIES, HARRIS MENZIES, Rev. GENEVA CHERRY, Elder JAMES E. BROWN, Bishop WILLIAM H. GRAVES. This, in conjunction with Masonry Highland Lodge 269.
Click here for a 2004 update of Friendship C.M.E. Church Cemetery.
MOORE CHAPEL CEMETERY
Located in south Benton County on the north side of Manley's Chapel Road about 2.5 miles northeast of McIllwain, Tennessee. Almost directly across the road from Friendship C. M. E. Church and cemetery. Numerous unmarked graves here.
JOHN L. MOORE
Born Nov. 18, 1852
Died Nov. 5, 1923
We will meet again
(Masonic Emblem)LUCY, dau. of Perry & Harriett PERVATT
Born Dec. 29, 1881
Died June 2, 1896EUGENIA (Jennie) JENNINGS
1897-1984JERRY ALMA MENZIES
SP3 US Army Korea
Jan. 13, 1929-Apr. 6, 1985LEE A. JENNINGS
Jan. 8, 1872-Jan. 23, 1939MAGGIE M. MENZIES
1880-1933
funeral home markerPOLEY, son of J. L. & Ida MOORE
Born Feb. 4, 1898
Died Aug. 11, 1900
The lovely flower has fadedBIRTHA, dau. of R. H. & Dora SHURLEY
Died Feb. 13, 1898
Aged 1 Yr. 3 ms.
Gone but not forgottenWILLIAM McKINLEY JENNINGS
1896-1961WILMA E. PARKER
1935-1993
Hardeman Service Fun. Home MarkerGLADYS M. PARKER
A2C US Air Force
Jan. 21, 1937-Sep. 19, 1975
funeral home marker has her as Mrs. Gladys Parker
(Page 5)
Double tombstone:
IENZIE MOORE
1897-1991
JOHN H. MOORE
1896-1977
married 1916HALLIE MOORE
Apr. 1, 1911-May 18, 1991
In Loving MemoryMATTIE BROWNING
1925-1967
funeral home markerJOE PAUL HAYES
9-26-1947- 8- 2-88
funeral home markerALLEN W. MOORE
8-28-20-5-28-88
McClain Bros. Fun. Home MarkerMiss JERRY MENZIES
1929-1985
Peoples Funeral Home MarkerDouble tombstone:
GEORGE BARNETT
Born June 10, 1835
Died Feb. 2, 1885
EDMOND BARNETT
Born Jan. 20, 1868
Died 1885
(a fallen, broken stone)ROXIE MENZIES
1900-1975LULA MOORE
1926-1959CORDILIA M. McHANEY
1931-2-29-1990
funeral home markerMr. H. MOORE
Died May 24, 1978
Aged 43 Yrs. 7 ms 2 ds
Parham Funeral Home MarkerJAKE GOSSETT
Born June 6, 1843
Died Jan. 22, 1909
Gone but not forgotten
/a broken tombstone/WILMA E. MENZIES PARKER
Dau. of Ernest and Heusolene
Aug. 12, 1935-Oct . 3, 1993MELVILLE T. MENZIES
1926-1992
Peoples Funeral Home MarkerBYNUM MENZIES
1878-1916H. L. MOORE
Tennessee Cpl Co. 1. 506 ABN Inf.
Regt. Korea
Jan. 22, 1927-May 24, 1970HESTER L. TURNER
1927-1967
McClure Funeral Home MarkerORBAN D. MENZIES
Died July 18, 1983
Aged 73 Yrs. 8 mos. 16 daysCHRISTINE MOORE HOOPER
Jan. 26, 1932-Oct. 8, 1986HALLIE C. HOOPER
1-26-32-10-8-66
funeral home markerTINA INEZ DONLOE
Dec. 25, 1900-Nov. 1, 1986
Mother wait for us in heavenMr. WILLIE T. MENZIES
1926-1992 Age 79
Peoples Funeral Home Marker
Dates and age as given on the funeral home markerDELLA HARRIS
6-18-23-1-2-85
McClain Bros. Funeral Home MarkerMOSE MOORE
1995-1962
/given as per marker dates/HOMER HAYS
Died 1950
funeral home markerALICE S. MENZIES
10-2-1866-1-9-1959
funeral home markerDWIGHT E. TURNER
1959-1967
funeral home markerDouble tombstone:
HEUSOLENE H. MENZIES
Oct. 30, 1913- Sept. 28, 1997
ERNEST MENZIES
Feb. 3, 1914-
married Oct. 9, 1930
(Page 6)
TWO TOMBSTONES AT MOORE CHAPEL
JOHN L. MOORE
LUCY PERVATT with verse,
"Lucy is safe in the arms of Jesus"
Click here for a 2004 update of Moore Chapel Cemetery.
WILLIAMS GROVE CEMETERY
Located in northwest Benton County almost eight miles north of Camden via U.S. Highway 641, Wright Road and Williams Grove/Rocky Ridge Road. Situated at the end of Williams Cemetery Road about .3 mile north from Williams Grove/Rocky Ridge Road. Williams Grove Baptist Church located just east of the beginning of Williams Cemetery Road. Several unmarked graves here.
Double tombstone:
VORIS McCAULEY
June 14, 1905-no death date
GLADYS M. McCAULEY
May 9, 1913-Apr. 5, 1981HATTIE MAT WILLIAMA/S/
1914-1974
funeral home markerGILBERT WILLIAMS
1912-1984
funeral home markerAARON KELLEY
1935-1994
Stockdale-Malin Funeral Home MarkerGERTRUDE L. KELLEY, Mother
July 27, 1916-Jan. 16, 1974FRED L. THARPE
1945-1966JAMES WILLIAMS
1943-1996
Trinity F. H. M.ROGER THOMAS WILLIAMS
1922-1980
Stockdale-Malin Fun. Home MarkerIn Remembrance of
OPAL MAE THARPE
July 15, 1946-Jan. 11, 1989
Daughter of Robert and Bertha COLEMANHORACE M. WILLIAMS
June 4, 1910-July 10, 1989TWYLA A. LAWS
1978-1980
Erected by Grandmother
Our Special AngelNORA L. KELLEY, Mother
1894-1972
At RestGEORGE W. THARPE
Peb. 22, 1923-Aug. 7, 1985
Rest in peaceODIE LEE THARPE
July 16, 1925- Nov. 23, 1996
Stockdale-Malin F. H. M.
Click here for 2004 update of this Williams Grove Cemetery.
(Page 7)
STRICKLAND CEMETERY
Located just south of Camden's southern corporation boundary on the south side of Timothy Drive. Approach to burial area over a short gravel road leading southwest from Timothy Drive.
ORA ANN STRICKLAND HOLDER, Mother
1907-1987BERNICE M. STRICKLAND CRAIG, Sister
1909-1989
In Loving MemoryLONNIE PEARL STRICKLAND BOGGS, Sister
1915-1989
In Loving MemoryPEARLINE HOLDER REED
Oct. 27, 1928-Aug. 12, 1959TOMMY L. HOLDER
1945-1987
Cox Funeral Home MarkerThere is a Williams and Rawls Funeral Home Marker for Pearlie M. Strickland, giving her nickname:
PERTY STRICKLAND
Age 94JAMES G. HOLDER
Tennessee PVT US Army, World War I
June 1, 1896-July 24, 1973ARGUS CRAIG
Tennessee Sl USNR World War II
June 12, 1912-May 15, 1963MARVIN STRICKLAND
PVT US Army Korea
1930-1987Double tombstone:
PEARLIE M. STRICKLAND
Feb. 15, 1800-June 11, 1974
ALONZO STRICKLAND
Mar. 6, 1879-Nov. 27, 1963
married 1901
WYLY CEMETERYLocated on the south side of a neck of land north of Birdsong Creek in south-central Benton County. An abandoned graveyard, this cemetery sited in a wooded area was the family burying ground of JAMES WYLY (1799-1857), his family and their bondsfolk and later blacks buried here also. It was reported in James L. Douthat's KENTUCKY LAKE RESERVOIR CEMETERIES (Signal Mountain, Tenn., 1988), volume 2, page 7 (based on official Tennessee Valley Authority records).
Names of known blacks buried here:
Jennie Donninls* informed TVA that JOHN MENZIES, MARY MENZIES, WALTER MENZIES, CHARLES MENZIES and GEORGIA ANN MENZIES (although spelled Menzie in this publication).JOHN, MARY, WALTER and CHARLES MENZIES were given as siblings of the informant; records reveal that these were children of JAMES MENZIES, born in April 1848. Jenny was in fact EUGENIA, another of his children. GEORGIA ANN MENZIES was given as "daughter" to the informant.
These graves were on an elevated location and therefore were not relocated or innundated when the Kentucky Lake was impounded here in September 1944. See elsewhere in this publication, genealogical notes on the Menzies family (Pages 65-66).
*This was properly, Jennie Menzies Jennings. Interview, Jonathan Smith with Ernest Menzies, December 15, 1997.
(Page 8)
CITY CEMETERY, CAMDEN
Located about a mile west of court square in Camden, Tennessee on the south side of U.S. Highway 70. This was for many years the principal cemetery for the city of Camden and remains one of the principal cemeteries for this municipality. Only one black person is known to have been buried there, Miss Easter Wyly.
Buried in the YARBROUGH family lot Miss Easter Wyly with a small upright tombstone reading:
EASTER
Age 73 Yrs.
At RestEaster Wyly was born June 23, 1850 to one of the slaves of Christopher K. Wyly, a prosperous Benton County merchant who lived in Camden; her birth date was entered by the attending physician, Dr. Milton L. Travis, in his day-book (although not by name). In later life she only knew that she had been born in the spring of 1850, perhaps guessing at May as her birth month. (1900 U.S. Census, Benton County, Civil District 5, #119). She was the female child, aged about six months old in C. K. Wyly's census slave roster in December 1850 and the ten year old in the same man's census slave roster in 1860.
After the Civil War she was left to fend for herself and was taken as a servant into the household of Isaac C. Yarbrough and his wife, Mary Ann. He was Camden's first train agent and a local merchant. She was nurse to two generations of youth in that household. She was an industrious person, a lively talker; never married and requested that at her death her remains be buried in the Yarbrough lot in the Camden cemetery to lie among those whom she had loved and been loved by in life; her request was honored. The small tombstone with her approximate age was erected at her grave. Mrs. Estelle Yarbrough Owen (1901-1997) of Jackson, Tennessee told Jonathan Smith considerably about her well-loved black nurse, many of her own memories having been corroborated by the memories of other people who had known Miss Easter Wyly.
(Page 9)
JERRY'S GRAVE
Located in north Benton County about 7½ miles east of the gazebo in the center of Big Sandy, Tennessee via Faxon Road; about 2 miles east of Faxon, Tennessee on Boat Dock Road. Grave located on high level ground in a pine stand about .7 mile east from Wynn Cemetery Road and Boat Dock Road juncture, on west side of the latter road at the first crossroads from its juncture with Wynn Cemetery Road. Metal sign reading "Jerrys Grave" presently "locates" gravesite. Approach is over a rough gravel road.
The late Mr. Clifford Barker of Camden, Tennessee marked this well-known and solitary grave with rocks many years ago. On August 16, 1993 the Benton County Genealogical Society placed a small commemorative marker at this grave which reads:
JERRY'S GRAVE
CA 1830-CA 1900
SLAVE
OWNER HOLDEN RUSHING
ERECTED BY
BENTON CO. GEN. SOC. 1993
Length of grave is covered with crushed gray gravel.
Tradition has it that JERRY was a youthful slave of Anderson Lashlee, a prominent Benton County merchant and farmer who owned White Oak Island in the Tennessee River near Point Mason where JERRY lived. When Lashlee's daughter, Elizabeth, married Holden Rushing in April of 1855 JERRY was given as a wedding gift to the bride. Although not far away he pined for his former home and was allowed to go back "home." Years later, he requested that at his death his body be buried at a high point above the river and creek bottoms as he did not want his remains covered during flood times.
See, "Jerry's Grave" written by Clifford L. Barker in the May 9, 1963 issue of THE CAMDEN CHRONICLE. Among Barker's remarks were, "It is further handed down that every one in the country-side was serenaded with loudly sung spirituals as the frosty topped Jerry rode his trusty mule across country with the weeks supply of shelled corn to the gristmill."
(Page 10)
BARKER FAMILY CEMETERY
At a point about 3 miles south of the underpass on Highway 69-A, in Camden, and on this highway turn west onto an abandoned access road, walk about .1 mile west then turn into thicketty woods to the cemetery.
Zachary Barker (c. 1792-1866) settled on his farm in Benton County in 1819, being a native of Wake County, North Carolina. Several generations of the white Barker family lived on this farm before it was sold out of their ownership.
In his 1859 will Zachary Barker named his black servants, EDY, JANE, SUSAN, MINNY, SARAH A., MISSOURI, CHINA, VINY, ELIZA, CAROLINE, JACK, MARY, HANNAH, DICK, HARRY HILL, LOGAN, ROSEY, NED and LACEY. (Benton Co. Will Book 1855-1916, page 394)
The Barkers were generally on good terms with their black folk, one of whom was especially appreciated — MARY, who had been bought by Zachary Barker when she was about 13 years old in January 1833. (Benton County Deed Book 1836-1843, page 52) She had been born in North Carolina. "Aunt" MARY BARKER continued to reside, a faithful servant, with the Barkers and died on the homeplace, then owned by Zachary Barker's son, Briggs Barker, an aged person, February 7, 1898. (CAMDEN CHRONICLE, February 11, 1898) She was buried in the slave section of the Barker family graveyard about 350 yards northwest of the old log Barker residence.
It is not now known how many slaves were buried in this graveyard but family tradition (through the late Irl Reuben Barker, principally) accounts for some eight black graves here.
Note:
There are several instances of black burials in or near white family graveyards in Benton County, at least reportedly so, but at this late date unless there are strong corroborating evidences in which this is reported in specific cases, caution is advised in accepting such claims.
KENTUCKY LAKE RESERVOIR CEMETERIES
Remains of persons buried in many cemeteries near the Tennessee River were removed and buried elsewhere or were covered by the waters of the Tennessee River when the Kentucky Lake was impounded in 1944. KENTUCKY LAKE RESERVOIR CEMETERIES, by James L. Douthat (Signal Mountain, Tenn., 1988), volume 2, page 7, notes that cemeteries numbers 465, 466, as ASKEW slave cemeteries, were identified as black burial grounds but no one living at the time could remember the names of any of those persons buried in these two cemeteries. This having been the case, the remains of persons buried here were left intact.
(Page 11)
BENTON COUNTY TENNESSEE MAP I.
[HTML editor's note: The following maps have been copied/reduced several times. Road names are often unreadable even if the images are enlarged. Click here to download a good clear Benton County road map from the Tennessee Department of Transportation web site (pdf, 3.3 meg).]
1. Friendship Cemetery
2. Moore Chapel Cemetery
3. Wyly Cemetery
(Page 12)
BENTON COUNTY TENNESSEE MAP II.
1. Camden Cemetery
2. Old Toles Chapel Cemetery
3. Calvary Cemetery
4. Barker Cemetery
5. Strickland Cemetery
6. Williams Grove Cemetery
(Page 13)
BENTON COUNTY TENNESSEE MAP III.
1 Jerry's Grave
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