Conklin (Copas) Cemetery
Located behind the house at 847 Mitchell Road in Sullivan County, Tennessee. The cemetery is very overgrown with briars and it’s extremely hard to find the stones. Estimated 100 graves marked by fieldstones.
Photographed and transcribed 9 Jan 2003 by Donna Briggs, Betty Jane Hylton, Dawn Peters, Chester Willis and Bud Cox
Map location: Sullivan Gardens Quad
GPS location: 36.4397695 –82.5243153
| Name |
Birth |
Death |
Comments |
| Hale, Jesse W. | 14 Aug 1844 | 20 Nov 1916 | [The son of Micajah Hale and Lydia Copas. He married Louisa Jackson on 20 Mar 1870 in Washington Co., Tennessee] |
| Hale, Lydia | 1803[?] | 1859 | [Daughter of John Copas and Nancy Jobe. She was possibly born as early as 1798. She married Micajah Hale on 15 November 1823 in Sullivan Co, Tn] |
| C, Edd[?] | [No date] | 13 Jun 1818 | [Almost completely illegible and unsure if those are actually initials.] |
| Copas, [?] H | [No date] | 8 Jul 1850 | [Almost completely illegibleAn old transcription lists the first initial as “J”] |
| Hale, Amanda [Jackson] | [Illegible] | [Illegible] | [Only legible letter is a “T” underneath her name.] |
| Martin, Victoria Copas | 1868 | 1889 | Wife of W. F. Martin[Married William F. Martin on 17 Nov 1889 in Washington Co., TN. She’s the daughter of Thomas and Mary Copas] |
| Conklin, Thomas M. | 3 Apr 1877 | 7 Sep 1938 |
An old transcription found at the Kingsport Library indicates that there were actually two separate cemeteries. Stones listed on these transcriptions but not found in 2003: Ira Hale, M. B. Hale and Muzy Jackson Hale. Note: there is another Copas Cemetery on Hog Hollow Road in Washington County, Tennessee.
Additional information
Washington Co. Death records:
Jesse W. Hale, born 14Aug 1844, married, parents: McCagey B. Hale (Sullivan Co.) and Ludice Copass (Sullivan Co), death cause: heart failure, informant: wife (Jonesboro) died: 20 Nov. 1916 record 529 (Actually the son of “Micajah and Lydia)
Sullivan County, Tennessee Death Records, 1919-1925, Vol. 2, by Eddie M.Nikazy:
Nancey Ann Conkin, age: 68 years, widow, parents: Thomas Copas and Polly Crawford, death cause: “cancer of liver,” informant: Nathan Lane (Fordtown), buried: Conkin Cemetery, died: 6 Apr. 1922, record (1922): 288.
Mary Elizabeth Conkin, born: 14 Feb 1875, married, parents: Isaac Zimmerman and Amanda Smith, death cause: “pellagra,” informant: John B. Conkin (Fordtown), buried: Conkin Cemetery, died in the 17th District on 22 Oct 1920, record (1920); 429.
(Mary E. Zimmerman married John Conkin April 20, 1894 Sullivan Co., TN.)
Micajah and Lydia are my gggrandparents. Ira Greenberry Hale is my ggrandfather and its my understanding he is buried in the Copas cemetery. I’m planning a visit to both sites in late July. If anyone can tell me the property owners and help me with contacts I would appreciate it.
I believe there is an error on Elizabeth Victoria Copass Head Stone, She married William F Martin on 17 November 1889 in Sullivan, Tennesse, and I believe it was 1898. I have not been able to find any more information on this.
Dianne Cash Sabido
diannasab@gmail.com
I had made a comment about Thomas and Vena Conklin . Her maiden name was Carberry.