Tombstone Inscriptions from Black Cemeteries in Madison County, Tennessee, Volume Two
Compiled by Jonathan K. T. Smith
Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 2000Askew Cemetery
Bolen Cemetery
Boon Cemetery
Brooks Cemetery
James Brown Cemetery
ASKEW CEMETERY
Records and recollections indicate this cemetery was known generally as the Askew Cemetery. Located north of Jackson, Tennessee about 3 miles north of Christmasville Road and Interstate 40 juncture. Situated on southwest bank about 250 feet south of Mr. James Cumming’s residence on the Ashport Road and about .1 mile west of the juncture of the latter road with Christmasville Road. Mr. Cummings recalled the name ANDERSON on two tombstones in this cemetery but when the compiler visited the location early in 1995 he found no evidence of them. Mrs. Veola (Godwin) Jones (born 1914), who grew up in this community, recalled the burial here of "Red" Anderson, Felix Ivory Anderson, Georgia Anderson, Zach Brown, Ed Polk, Lizzie Polk, Delia Brown and Lonnie Donnell. She said that it was likely F. I. Anderson whose burial here about 1947 was probably made in this cemetery.
Death certificates indicate buried here include:
Unnamed INFANT SON of Lonnie DONNELL and wife, Delia Brown, born Dec. 31, 1913; died Jan. 11, 1914
STILLBORN DAUGHTER of Ed POLK and wife, Lizzie Polk, January 30, 1915
BOLEN CEMETERY
Located on a slight slope near Meridian Creek about 1½ miles northwest of the M. N. Murchison residence on the Old Pinson Road (about .7 mile south of the junction of Old Pinson Road and Harts Bridge Road). A long- abandoned cemetery approached by field road and unpathed woods. Judging from sunken graves there are at least 25 (and probably numerous others) graves in this burial ground.
MARY wife of Bates WHITE, died May 30, 1894 (a broken tombstone)
Double:
ANDREW, husband of Malinda Bolen (south side), Born 1825, Died July 9, 1905
MALINDA, wife of Andrew Bolen (north side), Born 1852, Died May 27, 1913
Gone but not forgotten (west side)
(this is a small shaft tombstone)The 1900 census, CD 8, Madison Co., has ANDREW BOLIN, born January 1814 (aged 86); MALINDA BOLIN, wife, born May 1844; married 37 years; 11 children, several of whom were still living at home. AB native of West Virginia.
IBID., Bates White born May 1843 in Alabama; wife, Jane White, born May 1859; married 3 years; no children.
BOON CEMETERY
Located presently to the southwest of the Jackson, Tennessee city limits, about a mile and a half from U.S. Highway 70 via Westover Road and Boon Lane. Situated about 175 feet from a bluff, on the east side of Boon Lane about 1.1 mile from this road’s juncture with Westover Road.
This burial ground has been utilized by Matthias Boon (1786-1835) and his descendants, a white family. Anne Bright, Associate Professor of psychology at Jackson State Community College, in an interview with the compiler, October 9, 1995 told him that her research and contact with one of the older members of the Boon family revealed that several Boon slaves were buried adjacent the white burial area, apparently just to the east as there appear to be some sunken places that could be old-time graves.
BROOKS CEMETERY
Located about 6 miles northwest from Jackson, Tennessee via Old Bells Highway and Adair Road. Situated on west side of Adair Road about .3 mile north of this road’s juncture with Brooks Lane; just south of house with present mailbox number 575 (Cole).
OZELL BROOKS, Grandpa, Mar. 15, 1904-Mar. 18, 1990, We Love You
JOE NELSON BROOKS, 1865-1940, At Rest
OLYMPIO BROOKS, Born Apr. 9, 1909, Died Oct. 19, 1934
MARY E. BROOKS, Born June 12, 1867, Died Nov. 27, 1949
MATTIE PATTERSON, 1878-1961
DORIS JEAN WALKER, Sept. 7, 1954-Nov. 23, 1968
MOLLY VANN, 1857-1940, Gone but not forgotten
MELVOY VANN, Aug. 18, 1941-Jan. 18, 1969
EZELL FLOYD VANN, Sept. 20, 1908-Mar. 10, 1951
BERTHA MAE VANN, June 22, 1936-June 26, 1936
BETTIE, wife of Grant COLLINS, Dec. 25, 1873-July 19, 1940, Age 67 yrs. 6 mo. 24 da. At Rest
MILTON BROOKS, Died March 26, 1922, Red Elk Temple 786 Bells, Tenn.
ED BROOKS, Born Dec. 4, 1866, Died Oct. 5, 1939
W. M. PATTERSON, 1848-1951 /dates as inscribed on stone/
LONNIE VANN, May 18, 1888-Aug. 24, 1973
LELA J. HINKLE, Nov. 17, 1919-Jan. 13, 1985
ADAM VANN, 1855-1945, At Rest
JULIA VAN /only one "n"/, Wife of Lonnie Van, 1878-1940, Gone left me to mourn. Hope to meet her at a better home.
JAMES BROWN CEMETERY
This long abandoned cemetery located on a small wooded ridge about .1 mile south of the juncture of Pleasant Plains and Oil Well roads in north Jackson, Tennessee has been identified by the compiler as the family burial ground of James Brown (c1790-1867), whose family owned this property from 1849 to 1901. There are two rows of graves, likely members of the Brown family, whites, and just to the east but separate from the other graves is evidence of at least one grave (sunken ground suggesting grave) and perhaps others, which may be the burial spot of one of the black folk associated with the Browns. The 1850 and 1860 slave schedules (census) reveal that James Brown had black folk in bondage, possibly two families, some of whom probably died in antebellum times. In keeping with custom, the Browns may have provided their black folk burial space near their own.
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