TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS FROM BLACK CEMETERIES
IN BENTON COUNTY, TENNESSEE
(Revised Edition with Maps)
Compiled by Jonathan K. T. Smith
Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 1995(Page 49)
MARRIAGE RECORDS OF BLACK PERSONS,
BENTON COUNTY, 1867-1932Soon after the Civil War the state legislature of Tennessee passed legislation legitimizing the marriages of freedpersons. From A COMPILATION OF STATUTE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, by Seymour D. Thompson and Thomas M. STEGER, volume 2 (St. Louis: W. J. Gilbert Law Book Publisher, 1872), pages 1098-1099:
2447a. All free persons of color who were living together as husband and wife in this State, while in a state of slavery, are hereby declared to be man and wife, and their children legitimately entitled to an inheritance in any property heretofore acquired, or that may hereafter be acquired by said parents to as full an extent as the children of white citizens are now entitled, by the existing laws of this State.
[Act 1865-6, ch. 40, § 5.]
Passed May 25, 1866, and took effect from passage.
Same as § 2435a, under Descent and Distribution—This Art did not change the law in reference to those who married while in Slavery, and continued to cohabit together as man and wife after emancipation. The marriage of such persons was made valid by their continuing to live together as man and wife after emancipation. McReynolda v. State., 5 Cold. 18, 24-5.
2447b. That all marriages contracted and entered into during the late rebellion, and duly solemnized as the law directs, be, and the same are hereby declared, valid to all intents and purposes, and that the issue of said marriages are hereby declared legitimate; and that free persons of color be required to obtain license and have the rites of matrimony solmnized as now required for white persons. [Act 1865-6, ch. 58, § 1.]
2447c. It shall be the duty of the officer or minister who has solemnized such marriages, to return tile certificate of the marriages to the office of the County Court Clerk of the proper county, and for a failure thereof he shall be liable to indictment or presentment for, a misdemeanor; and this act to take effect from its passage. [Ib., § 2.]
Passed May 28, 1886.
The following marriage records were abstracted from the marriage books of Benton County in the office of the county court clerk, by the present writer. Often, the clerk would note that the marriage record was that of a "colored" couple and at other times one had to bring knowledge of certain persons' racial background to know which marriage records were appropriately abstracted. Hopefully, very few marriages of black persons were overlooked.
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1840-1869
page 122, JERRY WYLY married SISLER MENZIES, February _, 1867
page 137, WILLIAM SIMPSON married ANN CHRISTIAN, February 24, 1869
page 141, OLIVER TOLLS married JOLY WYLY, February 28, 1869
page 144, ARTHUR TOLLS married ELIZA JONES, February 28, 1869
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1869-1873
page 2, SAMUEL MOORE license to marry RUTHY ANN MENZIES, Aug. 27, 1869
page 28, DANIEL KING license to marry EASTER JACKSON, Nov. 18, 1869
page 42, JAMES ELLISON married LEW CARTER, December 12, 1869
page 83, HENRY MILES married ELIZABETH BLACKWELL, May 15, 1870
page 95, REUBEN DUDLEY married MARGARET TRAVIS, license dated July 16, 1870
page 147, EDMON BARNETT married ARTIMISS PERVATT, January 15, 1871
page 153, JOHN SIMONS married MATILDY ROBINSON, February 1, 1871
page 162, SOLOMON DONLOW married ANN PATE; ceremony performed by John Moore, but he failed to enter the date of the marriage; the license was dated March 4, 1871
page 213, PETER STRICKLAND married PARLEE GREEN, August 4, 1871
page 230, BEN MILLIGAN married MARTHA GREGORY, October 9, 1871
page 370, MANUEL MOSES married EUGENTA TOWLS, January 2, 1873
page 446, PETER STRICKLAND married MAMERVY PERKINS, September 28, 1873
page 485, M. L. MCCLURE license to marry ELIZABETH LANE dated Dec. 10, 1873
(Page 50)
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1873-1878
page 60, LOUIS SWIFT married LILEE TAYLOR, June 29, 1874
page 79, THOMAS PERKINS married DELILA WYLY, September 15, 1874
page 83, HENRY MENZIES married ADLINE SPARKS, October 2, 1874
page 126, WILLIAM TAYLOR married MARY BLACKWELL, February 5, 1875
page 127, WASHINGTON LUCAS married SALLIE McAULEY, February 11, 1875
page 255, JOHN WINSTON married DILSIE BLACKWELL, September 23, 1876
page 274, CLAY PERKINS married MILLIE BARNETT, November 11, 1876
page 360, MAJOR LEWIS married ELLEN PERKINS, April 28, 1877
page 427, ANDREW MATLOCK married ELIZA L. MENZIES, December 15, 1877
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1878-1888
page 14, GEORGE GREEN license to marry AILSE MOFFATT, July 31, 1878
page 14, REUBEN DUDLEY married PATSY THORNTON, August 2, 1878
page 48, WISON WYLY married PENNY JORDAN, February 7, 1879
page 49, GEORGE WYLY married BETTIE WYLY, February 19, 1879
page 69, ALSIE GAINES married JOSAPHENE JOHNSON, June 11, 1879
page 72, DENNIS PAIT /Pate/ married MOELLA MILLIGAN, July 12, 1879
page 88, NELSE CARROL married NORA WYLY, September 18, 1879
page 89, MARION THOMAS married E. MILES, September 22, 1879
page 119, ALBERY FRY married MARIAH MINS, January 27, 1880
page 136, CHARLEY GRANBERRY married MARIAH SIMPSON, April 24, 1880
page 139, CHARLEY YAREROUGH license to marry ROSELLA WOODS, May 5, 1880
page 177, HAIL McAULEY married LUCY MATLOCK, January 6, 1881
page 204, DAVID SMITH married EMMA BAGGETT, march 24, 1881
page 247, FRANKLAND JONES license to marry LAVINA LANE, December 29, 1881
page 252, JOHN WESLEY married JOSEPHINE MILLIGAN, February 9, 1882
page 291, JOHN MATLOCK license to marry SARAH McAULEY, December 26, 1882
page 301, DENNIS PATE married POLLY MOSES, February 25, 1883
page 317, JOHN FLOWERS married MARY STRINGFETHER, August 23, 1883
page 319, CHARLEY WOODFORK married MARY TAYLOR, September 6, 1883
page 332, R. J. TATOM married NANCY McLURE, December 16, 1883
page 335, RUFUS PEE married ELLEN CARROLL, December 25, 1883
page 344, THOMAS PERKINS married TENNIE SIMPSON, February 12, 1884
page 357, BUD PAVATT married ANNA SIMPSON, June 5, 1884
page 368, HENRY BABER married HASSIE MOORE, September 18, 1884
page 381, J. H. JENNINGS married EMMA MOORE, December 31, 1884
page 393, THOMAS SANDERS married KIT CARROLL, February 10, 1885
page 397, SIMON MENZIES married WINNIE SHURLEY, February 25, 1885
page 403, DAN PATE married ANNIE BROWN, April 15, 1885
page 415, PETER STRICKLAND married PARILE BARNETT, July 12, 1885
page 440, WILLIAM SEATS license to marry IDER MENZIES, December 13, 1885
page 462, JERRY SCOTT married MARY E. MILLIGAN, June 6, 1886
page 469, WYLY PAVATT married JOSEPHINE HAMILTON, August 7, 1886
page 469, CHARLY JOHNSON married BETTIE DUDLEY, August 14, 1886
(Page 51)
page 474, ROBERT MENZIES married MATILDA BARNETT, September 28, 1886
page 486, ED FLOWERS married MINNIE TOWLES, December 18, 1886
page 488, JACKSON JOHNSON married JOSIE TAYLOR, December 26, 1886
page 523, W. J. SEATS married IDA MOORE, September 18, 1887
page 537, BENJAMIN MINNIGAN license to marry LUCY CLARK, November 17, 1887
page 549, WASH PERKINS married LEANA GREEN, January 13, 1888
page 551, ALONZO McAULEY licensed to marry ANNIE HAWKINS, Feb. 5, 1888; license returned with no mention of marriage where appropriate
page 582, ALEXANDER SILAS married DORA PRATER, September 9, 1888
page 591, WILSON WYLY married LAURA JACKSON, October 28, 1888
page 594, FRANK SIMONS married MATTIE DONLOE, November 22, 1888
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1881-1883
page 16, JOHN WORLEY, borri Shelby Co., Tenn., married JOSEPHINE MILLIGAN, born Madison County, Tennessee, on February 7, 1882.
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1889-1899
page 16, IRVIN BARNETT married MACE MENZIES, February 21, 1889
page 20, GEORGE HUDSON married FRANK SIMONS, March 10, 1889
page 26, LEE CARROLL married TAMA FLOWERS, April 14, 1889
page 32, KIT TOWLES married WILLIE FLOWERS, June 9, 1889
page 33, JOHN SIMONS license to marry ANN WHITE, June 8, 1889
page 37, JOHN MOORE married IDER MENZIES, July 7, 1889
page 41, JAMES JACKSON married HESSIE TOWLES, August 4, 1889
page 42, HENRY MONTGOMERY married JOSEPHINE GREEN, August 15, 1889
page 48, JOE BABERS married MILLIE MENZIES, September 10, 1889
page 55, MONTGOMERY RUTLEY married GEORGIA HAGLER, October 16, 1889
page 53, JAMES JENNINGS married ELIZA MENZIES, September 26, 1889
page 69, JOHN SIMONS married GEORGIA SILAS, December 24, 1889
page 71, RICHARD McAULEY married MARY TAYLOR, December 29, 1889
page 78, JOE WYLY married MATTIE WYLY, July 13, 1890
page 85, ANDY JENNINGS married LEE MENZIES, March 6, 1890
page 87, JACK PERKINS married MOLLIE FLOWERS, March 14, 1890
page 92, CHARLIE YARBROUGH married LIZZIE HART, April 27, 1890
page 98, CHARLY YARBROUGH married VENIE HUNT, July 13, 1890
page 112, W. H. MOORE married SUSANA MENZIES, September 11, 1890
page 143, NED SIMPSON married ELIZA WYLY, January 30, 1891
page 190, F. T. MANESE married MANERVIA TAYLOR, December 3, 1891
page 194, SAM FRAZIER married CORNELIUS SIMPSON, December 20, 1891
page 196, D. T. BARNETT married LILLIE MOORE, December 30, 1891
page 196, CHARLES BARNES married TENNIE PERKINS, December 25, 1891
page 198, HORACE MILLIGAN married FANNY PERKINS, January 3, 1892
page 239, JOHN STLA~S married EURAH PERKINS, November 27, 1892
page 243, JOHN WOODSON married BELLE HINSLEY, December 5, 1892
page 248, GEORGE HOGWOOD married ELA PRINCE, January 9, 1893
(Page 52)
page 271, JOSIAH COLEMAN married TENNIE ROBERSON, May 16, 1893
page 275, ENOCH PERKINS license to marry EMMA PERKINS, June 11, 1893
page 276, RUFF McAULEY married SALLIE TOLES, June 18, 1893
page 277, JOHN TATUM license to marry ELLEN MOORE, June 21, 1893
page 280, ALEX CODY married LUCY YARBROUGH, July 3, 1893
page 287, TISH THOMAS married KATTIE ROADEN, August 27, 1893
page 312, JOHN TATUM married ESTER MOORE, December 27, 1893
page 318, PORTER MOORE married ELLEN MOORE, January 21, 1894
page. 320, BOB WOODSON married NORA CARROLL, February 4, 1894
page 329, MARION BARNETT married SARAH BARNETT, March 21, 1894
page 333, COMMIDORE BARNETT married ELLEN BARNETT, March 21, 1894
page 337, JACK WYLY married KIZZIE WYLY, April 17, 1894
page 344, OWEN TRAVIS married ANN WYLY, June 3, 1894
page 351, BENJAMIN PERKINS married STELLA PERKINS, August 12, 1894
page 358, BYNUM MENZIES married MAGGIE MOORE, September 29, 1894
page 359, RICHARD SHURLEY license to marry MAGGIE MOORE, September 29, 1894
page 383, JACK MENZIES married ADALINE MOORE, January 17, 1895
page 434, W. A. CAMP married JENNIE MENZIES, December 10, 1895
page 436, JOHN MOORE married JOHNIE MOORE, December 19, 1895
page 437, R. H. SHURLEY married DORA MENZIES, December 23, 1895
page 450, BILL TAYLOR married LINDY SWIFT, March 10, 1896
page 471, CHARLEY SWIFT married JENNETTE DUDLEY, September 13, 1896
page 423, HENRY KIRKSEY married LAURA BARFIELD, September 24, 1896
page 520, GEORGE WHITE married RODA SMALLEY, May 16, 1897
page 524, JAMES SWIFT married ANNIE BROWN, June 20, 1897
page 554, HOUSTON BUMPAS married BELLE WOODSON, November 28, 1897
page 590, JOHN PIGRAM married LILIAN LEWIS, July 2, 1898
page 596, JOE WYLY married LAURA JOHNSON, August 8, 1898
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1899-1902
page 127, BUTLER MENZIES married LATICIE MOORE, April 22, 1900
page 179, J. M. BATES married SYNEY MENZIES, October 21, 1900
page 180, HAYS BROWN married POLLY SWIFT, October 21, 1900
page 182, JOHN MENZIES married JONNIE MOORE, October 28, 1900
page 194, C. T. CRAWFORD married MARY TOLES, November 24, 1900
page 253, NED SIMPSON license to marry LUCY CODY, March 30, 1901
page 301, C. A. PACE married FANNIE TATOM, September 15, 1901
page 334, DAN PATE license to marry ELLER LEWIS, December 14, 1901
page 345, ALONZO STRICKLAND married PERTIE DONLOE, December 25, 1901
page 357, DOLPHUS LEWIS married ASIA ANDERSON, January 18, 1902
page 381, P. R. PAVATT married EMMA LEWIS, April 26, 1902
(Page 53)
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1904-1907
page 9, CLABE McAULEY married ETHEL BARFIELD, December 4, 1904
page 16, WILSON WYLY married FANNIE HAGLER, December 18, 1904
page 20, PETER TRAVIS married LINNIE THARP, December 21, 1904
page 32, VIRGIL BARNETT married NORAH MENZIES, December 29, 1904
page 45, SYLVESTER ANDREWS married ANNA MENZIES, January 21, 1905
page 51, RILEY WITHERSPOON married BETTIE MITCHELL, January 27, 1905
page 68, DAVID BARFIELD married MARY MOSES, March 14, 1905
page 146, WILLIAM CARROLL married BERTIE BARFIELD, October 29, 1905
page 235, ISAH DONLOE married RUTH DUDLEY, May 7, 1906
page 237, CREED BARFIELD married EFFIE FLOWERS, May 13, 1906
page 278, GENERAL BARNETT married ANNIE SWIFT, September 11, 1906
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1907-1910
page 69, ULYSSES THARP married NETTlE YARBROUGH, December 28, 1907
page 102, PRIGGY THARP married CALLIE McCLURE, March 29, 1908
page 104, WARREN YARBROUGH married HERLIE SWIFT, April 4, 1908
page 105, CARGIL WILLIAMS married BIRDIE MOSES, April 5, 1908
page 112, CHARLEY TOLES license to marry ALLIE LYONS dated April 20, 1908
page 206, JAMES DUDLEY married EVA PAVATT, February 28, 1909
page 232, PERRY PETTIGREW married SALLIE GOSSETT, February 21, 1909
page 364, W. R. MENZIES married B. L. MENZIES, January 23, 1910
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1910-1912
page 4, MOSES MOORE married LULA MENZIES, February 14, 1910
page 55, W. T. McCLURE married MARTHA E. JOHNSON, July 18, 1910
page 157, NEAL McAULEY married WILLIE MANICE, May 29, 1911
page 171, ANDY BATES married ANN YARBROUGH, July 23, 1911
page 328, WILL BARNETT married DAISEY PAVATT, September 19, 1912
page 343, LABAN SIMONS married ELEAR PERKINS, November 3, 1912
page 360, VIRGIL BARNETT married ETTA SIMONS, December 15, 1912
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1912-1916
page 107, G. N. MENZIES married M. R. Baber, September 13, 1913
page 115, FRANK McCLURE married ETHEL LEE DUDLEY, September 28, 1913
page 177, JOHN H. MOORE married INEZ PARSONS, April 2, 1914
page 233, TOM McAULEY married NINA SILAS, October 2, 1914
page 243, CLAYBRON McAULEY married CORA MATLOCK (Moore), October 18, 1914
page 254, JUNE McAULEY married DELIA SILAS, November 26, 1914
page 276, CLIFFORD McCLURE married NETTlE STRICKLAND, January 2, 1915
page 373, SANDY YARBROUGH married VIVIAN MONTGOMERY, November 21, 1915
page 375, ALEX McAULEY married MARTHA McAULEY, November 28, 1915
page 393, WILLIE MENZIES married ROXIE WHITE, January 9, 1916
(Page 54)
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1916-1919
page 30, CHARLIE ARNOLD married DOZIE BARNETT, May 7, 1916
page 35, DUDE BARNETT married GRACE ANDERSON, May 35, 1916
page 70, JOHN ELDER license to marry RACHEL SMITH dated August 1, 1916
page 73, WILLIAM GOSSETT married EUTRICE THARP, August 10, 1916
page 223, H. C. THARP married BESSIE MENZIES, July 29, 1917
page 260, McKINLEY YAREROUGH married GOLDEN McDANIEL, November 25, 1917
page 308, LADON SIMONS married VEORA STRICKLAND, April 20, 1918
page 329, J. M. JENNINGS married ROSA BARNETT, June 23, 1918
page 348, ZOLLIE PAVATT married LONA PETIGREW, August 29, 1918
page 365, SAM SIMONS married ELLA NANCE, October 11, 1918
page 371, ZERIS PATE married JULIA MAY DAVIS, October 16, 1918
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1919-1923
page 60, McKINLEY JENNINGS married JENNIE MENZIES, July 31, 1919
page 137, DUDE BARNETT license to marry MARY ANN MENZIES, January 3, 1920
page 280, CLAIBURN McAULEY married NETTlE STRICKLAND, December 23, 1920
page 389, WADE STRICKLAND married MAY ELLA WILLIAMS, December 12, 1921
page 432, PERRY PETIGREW married SUSIE MENZIES, February 22, 1922
page 451, JAMES DONLOE married TINA MATLOCK, April 12, 1922
page 568, H. C. THARP married LORENE STRICKLAND, February 11, 1923
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1923-1927
page 99, JIM WILLIAMS married MINNIE THARP, November 10, 1923
page 143, SAM PETTY married THELMA PATES, March 2, 1924
page 149, HENRY STEADMAN married MATTIE PARROTT, March 29, 1924
page 160, WITT DOTSON married EMMA BRADLEY, April 21, 1924
page 161, TOM DOTSON married ELIZABETH RUFF, April 21, 1924
page 179, NEWT PORTER married ANNIE THARP, July 5, 1924
page 180, GRANVILLE HOLDON married ORIAM STRICKLAND, July 8, 1924
page 181, T. B. BAKER married ETHEL YARBROUGH, July 14, 1924
page 206, DOCTOR SPENCE married DAISY YARBROUGH, August 29, 1924
page 285, ED McKENNETH married MARY ANN MINUS, March 23, 1925
page 297, WILLIAM WOODS married FLORA TAYLOR, May 8, 1925
page 301, CLIFFORD McCLURE married WILLIE MAY PRYOR, May 31, 1925
page 351, G. W. LOGAN married IDA MAY JENNINGS, October 24, 1925
page 504, VARIS McAULEY married VEORA THARP, January 8, 1927
page 523, NATHANIEL McCLURE married ZOLA TRAVIS, March 22, 1927
page 531, ED HARRIS married LUELLA TURNER, April 24, 1927
page 377, JIM RANDOLPH married ADELSIE TURNER, August 24, 1927
page 578, WILL LUCAS married DORA HARVY, August 24, 1927
MARRIAGE BOOK, 1927-1933
page 29, O. A. CALDWELL married MAGGIE THARP, November 15, 1927
page 42, GAILON T. SHERROD married HATTIE RUTH McCLURE, December 22, 1927
(Page 55)
page 46, CERRIS THARP married TINA THARP, December 24, 1927
page 247, DAMON STRICKLAND married NELL HILL, September 15, 1929
page 292, MELVIN WOODS married LAVERNE MOORE, January 30, 1930
page 338, T. R. JENNINGS married BERTIE MOORE, August 4, 1930
page 340, JAMES ANDERSON married ROBBIE McDONALD, August 22, 1930
page 364, JAMES DONLOE married MARY ALICE EASLEY, December 16, 1930
page 434, ORBON MENZIES married IDA BELL MOORE, January 2, 1931
page 435, ERNEST MENZIES married HEUASLEN MENZIES, October 7, 1931
page 438, DEE JONES married DOVIE PETTIGREW, October 10, 1931
page 462, H~AVORD THARP married POLLY STRICKLAND, January 3, 1932
page 464, OCIE TRAVIS married BROOKSY NELL HILL, January 14, 1932
page 540, VORIS McAULEY married GLADYS WILLIAMS, December 8, 1932
page 553, SAM BINGHAM married ECKIE PARSONS, December 24, 1932
Return to Contents