Tombstone Inscriptions from Black Cemeteries in Madison County, Tennessee, Volume Two
Compiled by Jonathan K. T. Smith
Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 2000PARLOW CEMETERY
Located about 2.8 miles southeast of Upton's store in Medon, Tennessee via Highway 18 and Swink-King roads. Just barely in Hardeman County, south of that county and Madison County's boundary line. Situated on the south side of an old-abandoned road, several hundred feet east of King Road on a rise overlooking Clover Creek bottom. There are two adjoining burial sections in this cemetery, separate by fencing and each with its own gate. The black cemetery is on the south side and the white cemetery is on its north.
Black Section
ISOM SAVAGE, Sept.18, 1857-June 23, 1940
ELREE SAVAGE, Sept.1, 1904-Aug. 18, 1905
JASPER SAVAGE, Tennessee Corp.804 Pioneer Inf. , Died July 12, 1935 [Veterans records show that he was born Feb. 27, 1895]
Double tombstone: SARAH J. SAVAGE, Born 1827, Died 1911\HARK SAVAGE, Born 1813, Died 1883, At rest
There are many unmarked graves here, a few marked with rusted funeral home markers.
White Section
Double tombstone: REBECCA THOMAS, 1860-1931\JOHN J. THOMAS, 1846-1929
MATILDA A., Dau.of J. C.& L. SAVAGE, Aug.30, 1852-Nov. 6,1857
DAUGHTER (no name) of MRS. W. T. VILES, Borned July 26,1942
AMANDA A., Dau.of J. C.& L. SAVAGE, Mar. 30,1847-Nov. 2,1857
EVALINE M., Dau.of L. & R. SAVAGE, Mar.31, 1851-Apr. 22,1851
There are many unmarked graves here; some graves marked with clay pipes. Also buried in Parlow Cem., according to their death certificates, twins: Unnamed male child of Roscoe Newsome and Nora Fuller, Jan.11-Jan.12, 1918. Unnamed female child of same couple, Jan.11-Jan.13, 1918.
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PERSON FAMILY SLAVE GRAVEYARD
The Person family was a well-to-do and respected family living along Cotton Grove Road a short distance east of the Cotton Grove Road and Leiper Lane juncture. Mr. J. B. Hurt, a black man, born in 1927, a life-long resident of this area, told Jonathan Smith, June 15,1998 that in the woods just north of Hurts Chapel Cemetery there is a now-lost Person slave graveyard.
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PLEASANT HILL CEMETERY
Located in east Madison County, about a mile northwest of present city limits of Beech Bluff, Tennessee. Situated at the end of Red Hart Road .3 mile south of this road's juncture with the Beech Bluff Road. Numerous unmarked graves here.
WANDA KAYE TOMLINSON, Wife June 4,1955-July 31, 1978
MACK C. MANNING, Nov. 9, 1919-Jan. 21, 1988
B. B. HAYES, Mar. 27, 1900-Dec. 5, 1963, At Rest
ANORE STEGALL WILLIS, Wife, Sept. 8, 1908-Nov. 28, 1978
HERBERT WILLIS, Tennessee Cpl Co H 808 Pioneer Inf., World War I, January 9, 1896-August 13, 1961
SALLIE NUNN, no dates
DANIEL CLARK, Father, Sept. 9, 1905-Feb. 18, 1968
BEULAN HOLIDAY, no dates
CLARK HOLIDAY, 1908-1989
JOE DAVIS, Father, Nov. 22, 1897-Jan. 14, 1974, In Loving Memory
PEARL WILLIAMS, Tennessee PVT Co B 4 Repl BN World War I, Jan. 25, 1890-Jan. 21, 1969
ANNETTE PHELPS, Sept 6, 1961-Jan. 11, 1975
Little ERIC LORENZO TOMLINSON, Died April 8, 1980, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home Marker
ETTER HENDRIX, Mar. 3, 1892-Sept. 2, 1955
Mrs. EULA HENDRIX, Died Sept. 6, 1974, Age 82, funeral home marker
J. F. McCOLLUM, Father, July 20, 1899-Dec. 31, 1964, Your memory is dear to us, Wife
OPAL UDELL PURDY, Oct. 31, 1926-Jan. 24, 1981, Rest in peace
MARCIA E. McCOLLUM, Our Darling, Dec .11, 1962-Dec. 25, 1963, Asleep in Jesus
Double tombstone: ALBERT McCOLLUM, 9-26-1894 - 4-5-1987\ELEANOR S .McCOLLUM, 1-9-1912 - ____
MARTHA B.CLARK, Apr. 12, 1905-Sept. 10, 1985
UNNER BALLARD DAVIS, July 10, 1901-July 5, 1954
JUANITA MARIE POE, June 14, 1921-Oct. 30, 1993
FREEMAN HALL, Cpl US Army, World War II, Feb. 14, 1918-Oct. 5, 1977
Double tombstone: LEE VERNIA TRIPLETT, no dates\R. B. TRIPLETT, PFC US Army, World War II, Sep. 22, 1922-Feb. 26, 1984
Mr. BOBBY ALVIA WOODS, 2-14-1935-9-26-1985, Bledsoe Funeral Home Marker
EMMA BALLARD, 1894-1962
(Page 32)
EMMA McCOLLUM GREER, no dates
COLUMBUS MANNING, 1894-1937
Mrs. LULA BANKS, Stephenson Funeral Home Marker
LOUELLA G. CURRIE, 1874-1928, Age 54
DENNIS W. C. WOODS, Jan. 27, 1931-July 7, 1998
Mr. EARL HURT, 5-25-1914-5-15-1988, Bledsoe Funeral Home Marker
MAMIE WOODS, 1885-1931
CAS McCOLLUM, Born Oct. 6, 1840, Died May 13, 1905, Aged 65 Yrs.
MILDRED McMEAL, Sept. 12, 1910-May 15, 1941 (a fallen stone)
BONIA, wife of J. H. HUDSON, Nov. 18, 1855-Apr. 20, 1909, She died as she lived, trusting in God
ELVERDA BALLARD CORBITT, Mother, 1903-1933
Rev. P. C. CLARK. Died July 8, 1931, Age 65 Yrs.
B .J .N., Born February 10, 1903-Died June 8, 1936, (a fallen stone)
JESSIE P. WARLICK, Tennessee PVT 24 Infantry 25 Infantry Div. Korea, February 2, 1928-August 8, 1951
ELIJAH BALLARD, Born 1894, Died 1922, Gone but not forgotten (a fallen stone)
JOHN COOPER, Tennessee PVT 802 Pioneer Inf. World War I, November 28, 1890-November 2, 1946
(?) FERGUSON, Died 1974, funeral home marker
BANKS BALLARD, Tennessee PVT 810 Pioneer Inf. World War I, March 7, 1888-March 16, 1950
Double tombstone: BROWN MITCHELL, Died 1916, Age 85 (Masonic Emblem)\MANDY MITCHELL, Died 1911, Age 60
BERTHA WOODS, 1899-1912
CALLIE M. HOBSON, 1911(?)-1941
GEORGIA McCOLLUM, 1890-1940
CALLIE CLARK, Born Oct. 17, 1869, Died Jan. 23, 1953, Age 83 Yrs. 3 mo. 6 dys.
SINTHIE A.KENDRICK, Born Mar. 8, 1851, Died Jul. 8, 1908, Age 58 Years, Rest Mother in quiet sleep while friends in sorrow o'er thee weep
OLIVER STEGALL SPENCER, Mother, 1883-1925
SALLIE T. NEAL, 1882-1929, Age 47, At Rest
BIRDIE N.LINDSEY, Apr. 6, 1884-Sept. 8, 1971
PINK CLARK, JR., Aug. 12, 1927-Apr. 22, 1951
JESSIE WARLICK, Tennessee PVT US Army, World War I, February 25, 1895-January 28, 1955
NOLIA BROWN, Wife, 1911-1976
PAUL HOOPER, Died March 11, 1962, Age 21 Yrs., funeral home marker
CALIP BURNES, Tennessee PVT 8 Co Recruit Camp 5 World War I, April 10, 1893-November 27, 1956
Mr. JAMES EDWARD WOODS, Died Jan. 16, 1995, Age 62, Ford Funeral Home Marker
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PLEASANT PLAINS CEMETERY
Located on a north boundary of city limits of Jackson, Tennessee on the west side of Old Humboldt Highway about .5 mile north of this road's juncture with Ashport Road. Several unmarked graves here.
LUCY FRANCES CLARK, Feb. 17, 1933-Mar. 18, 1985, Our Loved One
LIZZIE LYONS, Born Sept. 4, 1898, Died March 31, 1957, At Rest
Mr. JOHN THOMPSON, Died April 5, 1950, Thomas Funeral Home Marker
ED GILL, Tennessee Cpl 6 Pioneer Inf., World War I, June 2, 1897-February 6, 1952
MARTHA LOU GILL, Died Jan. 19, 1953, Age 62 Yrs, funeral home marker
ROBERT LEE DUNUGAN, PVT US Army, World War II, December 26, 1922-December 3, 1971
JOHN BENARD JOHNSON, 1969-1993, "Show" Your presence will always be remembered
Little JOSHUA EPPERSON, Died Dec. 1953, Stephenson-Shaw Fun. Home Marker
TOM ANDERSON, Oct. 23, 1910-June 12, 1970
THELMA F. HURT, Aug. 14, 1908-June 24, 1963
LARRY NEAL FULLER, Mar. 27, 1944-Aug. 5, 1948
Double tombstone: J. D. FULLER, 1907-____\GLADYS FULLER, 1913-1992
Mr. GEORGE TILL, SR., 3-12-1910-3-20-1992, Rawls-Bakerville Fun. Home Marker
Ms. MARY E. JOHNSON, Died June 17, 1990, Age 51, Stephenson-Shaw Fun. Home Marker
CHARLES M. VANN, May 29, 1971-Sept. 1, 1985
Double tombstone: JAMES CROCKETT, 1905-1986\MARY G. CROCKETT, 1907-1987
Mrs. SYLVIA THOMPSON, Died July 20, 1950, Thomas Funeral Home Marker
BERTHA, dau. of T. & A.BURNS Oct. 9, 1907-Jan. 30, 1925, At Rest
ALICE BURNS, 1899-1950, Stephenson Funeral Home Marker
Mrs. LEANNA NORTON, 8-1-1884 - 11-21-1964, Rawls-Baskerville Fun. Home Marker
Mrs. LEANNA NORTON, Died Nov. 21, 1954, Age 70 Yrs. 3 mos., C. A. Rawls Funeral Home Marker /These two markers were at the same grave with conflicting death years./JANNIE BELL THOMAS, Beloved Mother, Dec. 28, 1925-June 19, 1992, In God's Care
BABY EPPERSON, Apr. 25, 1992
Double tombstone: WALTER I. NORTON, July 31, 1901-July 12, 1989\ROSIE L. NORTON, April 15, 1906-____, married Dec. 17, 1927
WILLIE M. ANDERSON, Aug. 19, 1893-Mar. 5, 1946
ESSIE LEE ROGERS, Beloved Mother, May 14, 1920-Nov. 17, 1989
VERA M. PLEDGE, 1897-1978, Williams & Rawls Fun. Home Marker
ALBERTA F. MARTIN, 1939-1991
ESSIE MAE JOHNSON, Our Loving Mother, Dec. 5, 1916-Nov. 8, 1985
KANDY LEE YONG, Born-Died May 13,1983
(page 34)
Mrs. CLARA MARTIN, Died Sept. 1, 1993, Aged 68 Yrs., funeral home marker
Mr. TOMMIE LEE HURD, JR., Died July 2?, 1988, Age 51, Stephenson-Shaw Fun. Home Marker
CHRISTOPHER D. LUMPKIN, July 29, 1967-Dec. 11, 1988
ALEX M. SPENCER, Beloved Husband, Apr. 10, 1911-Nov. 23, 1985
Mr. SAM THOMAS, Died 5-9-1973, Age 67 Yrs., Rawls-Baskerville Fun. Home Marker
Mr. JAMES HARRIS, Born 4-13-1932, Died 1-21-1995, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home Marker
LOU H. WATSON, 1912-1995, In Loving Memory, Children, Grandchildren , Great-Grandchildren, Great-Great-Grandchildren; Funeral Home Marker dates: June 30, 1912-May 21, 1995
BERTHA, dau of T. and A. BURNS, Oct. 9, 1907- Jan. 30, 1925
ROBERT LEE DUNIGAN, PVT US Army, World War II, Dec. 26, 1922- Dec. 3, 1971
ELIZABETH WILEY MARTIN, Mar. 28, 1927- May 25, 2000
FANNIE B. UTLEY HOLT, Nov. 5, 1916-____, Have faith in God
CHARLES "Kilo" THOMAS, Feb. 13, 1968- July 30, 1995
LEONARD B. MARTIN, JR., Mar. 29, 1951-Mar. 19, 1985
CENNER MARTIN, June 1, 1905-Apr. 28, 1976
Mr. TOMMIE HURD, SR., Died Oct.12, 1975, Age 60 Yrs., funeral home marker
Mr. BEN MARBLE, 3-28-1912-5-14-1992, Bledsoe Funeral Home Marker
FELICIA Y. HARRELL, 8-8-1982-7-25-1983, Rawls-Baskerville Fun. Home Marker
PATRISEE M. SMITH, Born and Died 4-14-78, funeral home marker
FRANCES OLIVIA DONALDSON, April 7, 1952-Oct. 17, 1996
JAMES LEE HARRIS, SR., April 13, 1932-Jan. 21, 1995
ED GILL, Cpl 6 Pioneer Inf., June 2, 1897- Feb. 6, 1952
BRODIE, son of Monroe and Daisy VANTRECE, Oct. 15, 1915- May 11, 1924
ISAAC W. HOLT, US Army, August 1, 1918-May 11, 1996
LOUIS ALEXANDER BRAWNER, Aug. 1, 1964-August 4, 1995
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OLD PLEASANT PLAINS CEMETERY
This cemetery, noted on the 1938 General Highway Map of Madison County, has "returned to nature," having completely been obliterated with no tombstones to be found. It is likely that this cemetery began as a slave graveyard on the Hicks farm and later served members of the black Pleasant Plains congregation; the white congregation of this name, a Baptist church, rests on the east side of Deloach Creek directly northeast of the black cemetery on the west side of this creek.
The black Pleasant Plains cemetery was later established on the old Humboldt highway. Mrs. Eunice White Pafford, born in 1912, knew of this cemetery adjoining her own property on which she had lived most of her life and told Jonathan Smith, January 18, 1999, that she recalled the nicknames of two black men, laborers, who had worked on neighborhood farms and when they died were buried in this cemetery, the men called "Pinchback" and "Thing." Burials have not been made in this cemetery for some eighty years.
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Death certificate data indicate other burials here:
STILLBORN DAUGHTER of Hattie GILL, June 6, 1914
DOLLIE DUNIGAN, June 24, 1860-February 1, 1923
DICK HICKS, born and died July 18, 1919; son of Mary Hicks
JAMES MIDGETT, JR., Oct.13, 1915-May 21, 1971; son of J. A. and Ruth Batchelor Midgett
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POOR HOUSE CEMETERY
Near Spring Creek, Tennessee and about one mile from the junction of Key Senter and George Anderson Roads, off the south side of the former road, is located the burial ground of the former Madison County "Poor House" abandoned many years ago. It was the misfortune of many persons, black and white, when they were very young or aged, mentally limited or reduced in financial circumstances to a point of dependency, to be housed in a county operated "poor house." The old black burial ground at this location is virtually lost being "over in the woods" several hundred feet from Key Senter Road. Indigents in Jackson were generally buried in the "potter's field" of the city cemeteries.
Death certificates of Madison County residents reveal buried at the old "Poor House" Cemetery:
PLEAS DRAKE, died Feb. 10, 1924, aged about 80 years
BEN LANCASTER, 1853-March 4,1924
ALEX HORTON, 1848-Septernber 8,1924
Infant Son of Elie THOMAS and Maudie Johnston Thomas, Jan. 28, 1924-Feb.5, 1924
Infant Daughter of Julia PERKINS, July 30,1913-Jan. 21, 1914
BERTIE BOND, Jan. 4, 1890-Jan. 1, 1914. Parents:Dave Bond-A. Elliott Bond
Male Black, aged about 30 years, name unknown; murdered July 29, 1914
ANNA BELL JONES, died Dec. 7, 1914, aged about 25 years. Parents: John and Isibel Post
JULIA HURT, 1880-Nov. 5, 1915, single. Parents: Wilson Hurt-Tunnie Smith Hurt
FRANK AGAN, 1896-August 23,1916
Stillborn Infant Son of Mary MAHON, October 25, 1916
JOHN WARE, died October 18, 1918, aged about 65 years
FANNIE RAINS, died November 19, 1920, aged about 65 years
Infant of Louise ROSS, died February 4, 1919, aged 4 hours
SENDIA HERRON, died Sept. 17, 1921, aged about 80 years
Stillborn Son of Everett COLLIER and Lou Alice BANKS Collier, Jan. 25, 1923
Stillborn Daughter of Will and Albert McNULTY, December 2, 1916
PYAS CARTER, died Feb. 20, 1926; elderly
SYE NORRIS, died Jan. 28, 1928
LUM HARDY, died March 23, 1928
ELI COLE, died April 10, 1928
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