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
Cemetery Index
- Cemeteries and Maps (Pages 1-13)
- Historical Background (Pages 14-18)
- Enumeration of Black Persons, Benton County in 1850 (Pages 19-24)
- Enumeration of Black Persons, Benton County in 1860 (Pages 24-31)
- Blacks in the 1870 Census of Benton County (Pages 32-38)
- Blacks in the 1900 Census of Benton County (Pages 39-48)
- Marriage Records of Black Persons, Benton County, 1867-1932 (Pages 49-55)
- Black Deaths Mentioned in Camden, Tennessee Newspapers (Pages 55-56)
- Deaths of Black Persons, Benton County, 1914-1925 (56-58)
- Deaths of Black Persons, Benton County, 1925-1939 (Pages 58-59)
- Genealogical Gleanings from the Camden Funeral Home Records (Pages 59-62)
- James Wyly's Slave Records (Pages 63-64)
- Dr. Milton Travis' Day-Book, 1843-1861 (Pages 64-65)
- A Note, the Menzies Genealogy (Pages 65-66)
- A Simon Record (Page 66)
- Oliver Pavatt (Pages 67-68) [page 68 missing]
- Sale of Slaves in Antebellum Period (Page 68) [page 68 missing]
- A West Tennessee Supreme Court Case (Pages 69-71)
- The Settles Slaves (Page 71)
- Slaves Mentioned in Wills (Page 71)
- Picture of Easter Wyly (Page 72)
- Settles Slave Graveyard (Page 72)
- Basic Information from Obituaries, The Camden Chronicle, 1980-1991 (Pages 73-75)
- A McGlohon Inquiry (Page 76)
- Some Lost Black Burial Places (Page 76)
- Pictures of Black Churches (Pages 77-78)
- Personal and Surname Index (Pages 79-82)
REMARKS
The first reading of tombstone inscriptions in the black cemeteries of Benton County was done by the present writer in January 1995; a follow-up was made by him in December 1997. Now, as initially, the person checking the information in this publication needs to remember that the purpose of this work is to preserve tombstone data not to provide a complete listing of burials in any cemetery, which excludes generally unmarked graves many of which are occupied by long forgotten individuals.
In order to complement this tombstone data an addenda of several pertinent record sources are provided for the researcher.
Besides those persons mentioned in the text as having been helpful in the gathering of genealogical information, gratitude is expressed that way to Virginia Lockhart Whitworth, librarian, Benton County Library; Jack D. Wood and Robert D. Taylor, Jr., librarians, Jackson Madison County Library (Tennessee Room), staff members of the Tennessee State Library and Archives; several of the Benton County officials; staff of the Stockdale-Malin Funeral Home in Carnden; Catheryn Champion Brown, Camden and to the several black persons who have answered questions put to
them about topics relevant to this work.
Jonathan K. T. Smith
Jackson, Tennessee
January 1998
