Tombstone Inscriptions in Historic Riverside Cemetery in Jackson Tennessee (Revised Edition)
by Jonathan Kennon Thompson Smith
Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 1998
ADDENDA
I.
According to Louise Crawford, Jackson, Tennessee, in material submitted for the files in the Tennessee Room of the Jackson-Madison County Library, also buried in Lot 214-west, besides Joseph Henry Williams are: Allen N. Willams and wife, Lucy Jones Williams, 1825-1886; Martha Ann Williams, 1843-1931; Allen Horace Williams, 1849-1868 and wife, Laura Williams.
II.
From the ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE (Virginia), June 2, 1847:
We publish, with very great pleasure, the following unassuming and well-merited tribute to the memory of this gallant officer /Lieut. Thomas Ewell/, who, we are pleased to learn was a son of Virginia. Lieut. Thomasd Ewell, who fell in the battle of Cerro Gordo, was a native of Prince William County in this state. He was the son of the late Dr. Thomas Ewell. He commenced the practice of law, after his education was completed, at Jackson, West Tennessee, with flattering prospects of distinction. At the age of 23, he was on the Democratic electoral ticket of that state during the late Presidential election. He entered the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen as lst. Lieutenant, a year ago — was with his regiment at the capture of Vera Cruz and shared in the skirmishes before and after the surrender. He was mortally wounded at Cerro Gordo in the very hour of victory. Mention is made of his intrepidity and boldness in the dispatches of General Scott and of Col. Harney. . . .
III.
Regarding the Hays Lots 355-B and 356 on which there are now no tombstones, there is exposed the top portion of a brick vault. This is most likely the burial area of the oldest generation of Hayses in Jackson.
THE SOUTHERN STATESMAN, Jackson, September 10, 1831, noted that Colonel Stokely D. Hays had died September 8th of bilious fever in the residence of William E. Butler, aged about 42 years. "His remains were interred at the public burial grounds of this place on the same evening with masonic honors."
Colonel Hays' mother, Jane Donelson, widow of Robert Hays and sister of Rachel, wife of President Andrew Jackson, died February 1, 1834 in Jackson at the age of 68. (NATIONAL BANNER and DAILY ADVERTISER, Nashville, Tennessee, February 13, 1834. She likely lies buried near her son in this burial area along with several other relatives.
In the April 14, 1869 sexton's report to the city council it was remarked that "Gen'l. S. J. Hays, removed from Butler & Hays vault /and/ buried in old cemetery. Mrs. S. J. Hays, Mrs. Deadrick, Lizzie Hays, J. Hays, Mr. Preston, all from Butler & Hays vault /and/ bur. in old graveyard."
These: General Samuel Jackson Hays (1800-1866), wife, Frances Middleton Hays (died 1865); Rachel Donelson Hays Deadrick; Walter Preston and other members of General Hays' immediate family. Jack Darrel Wood of Jackson suggests that this vault was located on General Hays' estate in northeast Jackson which at this time was being sold and subdivided. These remains are now (since spring of 1869) in the long, unnumbered lot designated as being that of General S. J. Hays and Family just east of the Thomas Polk and Haskell lots. There are no individual tombstones on this lot.
Narcissa Hays, spinster daughter of Jane Hays and sister of General S. J. Hays and Colonel Stokely Hays died in 1865 and is probably buried near her mother. In a deed of July 1827 Jane Donelson Hays gave a slave to her grandson, Richard HICKORY Hays (son of Stokely D. and Lydia Hays). Madison County deed book 2, page 34. Evidently named in part for Andrew "Old Hickory" Jackson, this man called himself Richard JACKSON Hays and he and family are buried in Lots 355-A and 356-A.
IV.
Reportedly a tombstone moved off a grave in Riverside Cemetery, sometime before 1991, circumstances unknown:
Mary J. wife of J. H. Edwards died ______ __, 1884 Aged abt. 32 years. EDWARDS is inscribed boldly on front base of tombstone (This was Mary Jane Allen, wife of Alfred Boyce, then of James Horace Edwards.)
V.
Additional graves from top of page 97:
Row One, after J. D. Lumley:
Chestene Mills, Sgt. U. S. Army, October 17, 1931-November 2, 1997
Arlen Snow, February 18, 1942-April 16, 1998
Ronald James Brennan, August 3, 1930-August 9, 1998
Joyce Ann Mashburn, July 21, 1944-November 4, 1998
[Additions July 2001]
James C. Mathis, July 1, 1927-June 13, 1999
John Hankins, Aug. 21, 1922-Dec. 6, 1999
Row Two, after J. L. Mashburn:
Kenny Wayne Kemp, May 4, 1974-February 19, 1998
Mattie Smith, January 13, 1908-Feburary 10, 1998; buried March 3, 1998
Bonnie Jean Williams Teague, May 15, 1935-March 5, 1998
(Miss) Debra Myers, September 8, 1955-November 29, 1998
[Additions July 2001]
Flora Davis Johnson, Aug. 28, 1907-May 14, 2000
Willie Joe Turner, Oct. 22, 1922-Aug. 13, 2000
Leland Boyle, Apr. 25, 1929-Aug. 28, 2000
Mrs. Betty Lou Hall, Dec. 13, 1916-Jan. 31, 2001
VI.
Other unmarked graves on south slope:
James Shelton Golden, son of Cleo Golden, died September 21, 1942 aged 4 mos.
James E. Morgan, died April 5, 1943 aged 60 years
VII.
Interments in Riverside Cemetery, sextons' reports, 1858-1860; 1868-April 1878, from city minutes, see MY RIVERSIDE CEMETERY TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS, Part IV., by Jonathan K. T. Smith (Jackson, 1993), pages 2-7.
Persons buried in Riverside Cemetery, listed in the Griffin Funeral Home records, 1921-1960, ibid., pages 11-26.
List of burials from St. Luke Episcopal Church registers, those indicating that the burials were in the "city cemetery", i.e. Riverside Cemetery, in MY RIVERSIDE CEMETERY TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS, Part II., by Jonathan K. T. Smith (Jackson, 1992), page 26.
VIII.
According to the notes of Miss Anna Butler (in the "Riverside Cemetery" file, Tennessee Room, Jackson-Madison County Library), a member or members of the Robert S. Fletcher family was/were buried in Section Seven of the cemetery, just east of the Hadaway and Hamline lots were removed and reburied in Hollywood Cemetery, Jackson. These Fletchers are buried in Lot 82, Section I of the latter cemetery. This exhumation and reburial were conducted many years ago.
IX.
BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF JACKSON, MADISON COUNTY, TENNESSEE, 1870
(Chicago Lithographing Co., Chicago, Illinois; copy in Library of Congress:GB964,. J2A3, 1870 Rq Rug 176, catalog date of 1941)
Segment showing the city cemetery, later known as Riverside Cemetery, as item A on places legend and noted here with an arrow (A-A). This shows the then-northeast corner of the cemetery known as the Carruthers Section, with the sexton's house (built in 1867) and lane leading into cemetery from the east. Arrow A-B indicates Sycamore Street, then and now. The section of the cemetery just north of the Carruthers Section had not yet been acquired by the city but later was extended to Sycamore Street. What is shown on the map as McClanahan's Pike is now known as Riverside Drive.
See on Library of Congress web site.
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