BETHLEHEM MISSIONARY BAPTIST
CHURCH #2 CEMETERY

            This cemetery in two sections is located on Lower Brownsville Road in west Madison County, about half way between the I-40 interchange and the Providence community. The newest section is behind the church itself and the other section is about .1 of a mile to the east/south. At the older section existing markers are found around the edges of a large open area. Within the open area are dozens of grave shaft depressions. This section of the cemetery is probably full. Unmarked graves may number over one hundred. In the newer section of the cemetery behind the church, about half of all burials lack permanent markers.

            David Donahue recorded this cemetery on July 26, 2003 based on earlier work by Jonathan K. T. Smith. Mr. Smith's 1995 record for both parts of the cemetery appears in his Tombstone Inscriptions from Black Cemeteries in Madison County, Tennessee and a 2000 update of the section at the church appears in his Tombstone Inscriptions from Black Cemeteries in Madison County, Tennessee, Volume 2. These works are referred to collectively as Smith in the notes below.

Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church #2, July 2003

 

Behind the Church

Austin, Albert, Aug. 16, 1914-May 8, 2000, military marker "PFC US Army World War II"

Bishop, Lizzie, d. March 2, 2000 [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 2000]

Bond, Tom Leonard, July 2, 1919-Mar. 2, 2002, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw, 7 feet south of military marker for Albert Austin

Bonds, William C., Mar. 15, 1881-June 1978

Brantler, Aaron [see Brantley, Sun]

Brantley, Arnita (Dick), July 13, 1922-June 24, 1981, "J. Shellabarger, F. Hughes & P. Cobb Families"

Brantley, Gossie, no dates, wooden cross 10 feet 4th grave south of marker for Joseph Wiley; also temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home, "Ms. Gousie Ellison Brantley" Sept. 26, 1917-Sept. 18, 1989

Brantley, Robbie Lee, July 25, 1914-July 14, 1999, wooden cross 4 feet south of military marker for Mosley L. Russell, Sr.

Brantley, Sun, no dates, wooden cross 5 yards 5th grave south of marker for Joseph Wiley; also temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home, "Mr. Aaron Brantley" Mar. 15, 1903-Jan. 23, 1996

Bumpas, Emma, May 1881-Apr. 9, 1982

Cisco, Bertha, d. Dec. 14, 1988, temporary marker, Mercer Funeral Home [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995]

Clark, Lisha M., 1919-1992 [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995]

Clark, Thomas, Jr., d. Oct. 2, 1990, temporary marker, Mercer Funeral Home [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; compare Thomas Clark]

Clark, Thomas, June 6, 1941-Oct. 7, 1990, homemade marker 4 feet north of marker for Jessiephine B. Wilkes

Clark, Tom, d. Mar. 2, 2003, temporary marker, Mercer Brothers F.H., 8 feet, 2nd grave south of marker for Jones Kinney

Cole, Alice L., Mar. 18, 1914-____
Cole, James, Sr., Jan. 7, 1902-Mar. 14, 1991

Cole, Annie, no dates, wooden cross 2 yards southwest of marker for Jones Kinney

Cole, Frederick, d. Feb. 3, 2001, temporary marker, Mercer Brothers, 5 yards southwest of military marker for Albert Austin

Cole, Jessie J., 1914-2000, temporary marker, 3 feet north of marker for Sharon Elaine Cole

Cole, Melvoy, no dates, name on wooden cross 9 feet west-northwest of marker for Albert Austin [in 1995 Smith reported death date as June 27, 1994, read from a temporary marker]

Cole, Sharon Elaine, Dec. 31, 1962-Nov. 6, 1996

Conner, Robert J., Sr., Nov. 28, 1935-June 23, 2000, military marker "Pvt US Army"

DeBerry, John, Aug. 2, 1919-May 30, 1987

DeBerry, Virdie Ruth Lump, May 18, 1923-Mar. 15, 2001

DeBerry, William, dates missing [not found in 2003; temporary marker reported by Smith in 1995]

Ellison, Gousie [see Brantley, Gossie]

Ellison, James, no dates, wooden cross 8 feet 3rd grave south of marker for Joseph Wiley; also temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home, June 9, 1920-Sept. 15, 1988

Ellison, Joe M., 1932, wooden cross 6 yards 6th grave south of marker for Joseph Wiley; also temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw, Oct. 28, 1932-Aug. 22, 1999

Ellison, Levory, no dates, wooden cross 6 feet 2nd grave south of marker for Joseph Wiley

Ellison, Lorine, 1930-1989

Ellison, Lucy Mae, d. December 30, 1998, temporary marker, Mercer Brothers, 6 yards east of marker for Lorine Ellison

Forrest, Maudie, Apr. 19, 1904-Mar. 17, 1975

Greer, Estelle, Aug. 1, 1889-Apr. 20, 1984, homemade marker 9 feet west of marker for Lorine Ellison

Greer, Ruby Mae, April 30, 1925-Feb. 21, 1996

Jackson, Jr., Jr., ____-____, military marker (sunken) [rank and dates are buried in 2003; in 1995 Smith reported death date as May 19, 1988, read from a temporary marker]

Jackson, Roy, May 2, 1902-Apr. 28, 1986 [Masonic symbol]

Jackson, Ruth, d. Sept. 1, 1989, temporary marker, Mercer Brothers, 3 feet south of military marker for James Jackson, Jr. [name is missing in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995; location identified in 2003 based on funeral home and death date]

Kennedy, James C., Aug. 29, 1900-Sep. 18, 1993, military marker "US Coast Guard World War II" [Star of David on military marker]

Kinnes, Jones [see Kinney, Jones]

Kinnes, Kevin M. "Jake," Sept. 21, 1964-Aug. 23, 1983

Kinney, Jones, June 25, 1921-June 2, 2000, "World War II Veteran"; military marker as footstone "Jones Kinnes" ""US Army World War II" [note different spellings]

Long, Elizabeth, Mrs., April 15, 1916-Mar. 11, 1999, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw, 4 feet south of marker for Jones Kinney

Miller, Alfred L., d. April 22, 1999, temporary marker, mercer Brothers, 9 feet west-southwest of military marker for Albert Austin

Pewitte, Charles Ellis, Oct. 19, 1956-Jan. 13, 1979, "Brother"

Pewitte, John Wesley, October 16, 1922-April 19, 1997, "Loving husband"; "Father" footstone

Robinson, Addie Mae, Mrs., May 30, 1909-Jan. 20, 2001, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw, 2 yards south of military marker for Robert J. Conner, Sr.

Robinson, Cornelia, Dec. 16, 1903-Oct. 14, 1989

Russell, Mosley L., Sr., Feb. 22, 1922-Nov. 23, 2000, military marker "PFC US Army"

Shaw, Sammy, no dates, wooden cross 4 feet 1st grave south of marker for Joseph Wiley; also temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw Funeral Home, Apr. 13, 1925-Aug. 24, 1989

Tate, Lena Mae, June 25, 1907-May 25, 1991

Whitfield, Rosa, Nov. 11, 1913-May 11, 1981

Wiley, Joseph, 1906-1987

Wilkes, Jessiephine B., Jan. 17, 1932-Oct. 21, 1990, "Beloved Mother" "Born and died in Jackson, Tenn."

Williams, Catina Lafonte, Feb. 2, 1990-Mar. 11, 1990, homemade marker 8 feet east of marker for Lorine Ellison

Williams, Lydia Bell, Sept. 28, 1906-Feb. 18, 1988
Williams, L. J., Mar. 15, 1913-Dec. 9, 1999

Woods, Flem, March 7, 1905-August 29, 1995, homemade marker 8 feet east of military marker for Albert Austin

 

Older Section

Beckley, Arsie, no dates, wooden cross 7 yards east-southeast of marker for Sylvester M. Jackson

Bond, James Frank, Dec. 27, 1922-Oct. 3, 1987, military marker "Pvt US Army World War II"

Bond, Tony Matthews, Feb. 9, 1968-July 21, 1973

Cobb, Freddie, Aug. 18, 1885-____
Cobb, Henry C., Nov. 28, 1880-Jan. 23, 1970, "Rev."

Cole, Currin, Jr., Jan. 21, 1917-Oct. 13, 1998, military marker "ST2 US Navy"

Cole, Ezell, Apr. 2, 1917-July 15, 1996, homemade marker 4 feet north of military marker for Currin Cole, Jr.

Cole, James W., Dec. 30, 1945-Mar. 5, 1967, homemade marker 8 feet north of military marker for Currin Cole, Jr.

Cole, Jerome, no dates, wooden cross 6 feet south of military marker for Currin Cole, Jr.

Cole, Joe Anna, Oct. 8, 1847-Jul. 28, 1919 [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995]

Cole, Mattie, July 12, 1885-May 15, 1969, homemade marker 6 feet north of military marker for Currin Cole, Jr.

Cole, Mollie, Mrs., Dec. 29, 1966, Age 80 (homemade)

Davis, Eligah, 1895-Sept. 24, 1920, "Son of Adam & Sophia Davis"

Davis, Sophia, Sept. 1869-June 21, 1971

Greer, Loliar, Feb. 4, 1893-Dec. 4, 1972

Hamilton, George, d. May 17, 1932 [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995]

Hamilton, Mattie, d. Apr. 23, 1949

Henning, Margaret, d. Apr. 23, 1907, Aged 80 Yrs. [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995]

Hunter, Mary E., Mrs., Apr. 28, 1911-Apr. 1, 2001, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw, no good reference point, about 12 yards east of marker for Loliar Greer

Ingram, Levey Sam, Jan. 18, 1890-Apr. 25, 1945, military marker "Tennessee MA1C US Navy World War I" (fallen)

Jackson, Leroy, Nov. 10, 1932-June 1972

Jackson, Sylvester M., 1900-1982

Jackson, Tommy, Mar. 20, 1899-Oct. 27, 1972

Johnson, Nelie, Feb. 2, 1890-Nov. 4, 1952

Lisby, Pearl, Sept. 1888-Oct. 13, 1975, "Mother"

Nebon, Issac, d. Oct. 30, 1992, Aged 71 Years, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw, 3 yards north of marker for Tony Mathews Bond

Newbery, Isaac, Aug. 5, 1912-Oct. 29, 1992, homemade marker 1 yard southwest of military marker for Henry T. Spivey

Peoples, Willie G., Dec. 30, 1949-June 5, 1971, military marker "Tennessee Cpl 2 Co 14 Armd Cav Regt Vietnam"

Pettigrew, Eva (Edna), Mrs., Apr. 18, 1906-Nov. 14, 1997, temporary marker, Stephenson-Shaw, no good reference point

Robertson, Ella Mae, Mrs., July 26, 1924-Mar. 10, 1995, temporary marker, Bledsoe Funeral Home, 3 yards west-southwest of marker for Sylvester M. Jackson

Robertson, Julius, no dates, wooden cross 1 foot south of double marker for Jolena and Willie Watkins [dates read by Smith in 1995 from a temporary marker: Dec. 25, 1908-Jan. 21, 1993]

Robinson, Willis, Mar. 10, 1892-July 23, 1972

Robinson, Lenell, Aug. 13, 1933-July 19, 1972

Smith, Linnie, Aug. 8, 1889-Oct. 22, 1973, military marker "Tennessee Pvt US Army World War I" [this marker is leaning against a tree and was never placed at grave]

Spivey, Henry T., Sept. 6, 1917-Nov. 23, 1971, military marker "PFC US Army World War II"

Turner, Ed F., Sept. 4, 1891-Mar.18, 1954, military marker "Pvt Co C 348 Svc Bn QMC World War I" [not found in 2003; reported by Smith in 1995]

Watkins, Jolena, Nov. 6, 1950-Oct. 4, 1994, "Brian, Keith, Karen"
Watkins, Willie, Mar. 22, 1950-____, "Our children Tammy, Erica, Marcus, Katrina"

___ve_, Lena, d. Mar. 30, 1967, Age 93 (difficult to read)