Hale (Thomas) Cemetery
2015
Washington County, Tennessee Tombstone Inscriptions by Charles M. Bennett and the Watauga Association of Genealogists. Information used with the permission of Lorraine Bennett Rae.
From the WCCL of cemeteries not found. Page 324 Volume 3 –
“Hale – 1-1/2 mi N of Jonesboro on the old Blountville road on the farm now owned by Mrs. W. S. Parsons. It was established about 1820 by the Hale family. There are 24 graves. This cemetery is now farmed over and is covered in wheat. Slaves as well as members of the Hale family are buried here.”
William Solomon Parsons’ (2/25/1861-9/1/1930) second wife was Margaret “Maggie” Louise Briggs (7/12/1871-10/26/1940). They are both buried at Highland Church of Christ in Boones Creek. The WCCL was compiled during the early 1930’s.
GPS: Unable to precisely determine.
Location: The exact burial ground location has not been able to be determined. Utilizing deed research, the boundaries of the farm have been determined and are shown in the accompanying aerial photograph. Most of the area is currently farmland and would probably not have changed much in the 75 years since the WCCL notation.
Deed History –
All deeds reviewed have been silent on the existence of a burial ground.
Two deeds are deemed important to locating the Parsons farm. Deed Book 141, Page 575 – in 1920 – was the conveyance from John C. Tilley to W. S. & Maggie Parsons. Deed Book 195, Page 598 – in 1935 – was the conveyance from the Parsons to J.M. (Mahlon) and Nell Susong.
Other deeds were referenced to aid in determining which Hale might have established the burial ground. John C. Tilley acquired the land from the Orr family (Deed Book 117, Page 12) in 1914. This deed, along with the two noted above, all utilized the same metes & bounds to define three tracts within the total conveyance. How the various pieces fit together in the Orr family becomes a little confusing, however, two additional deeds (Deed Book 76, Page 347 & Deed Book 82, Page 574) provided the clue to the specific Hale who most probably established the burial ground. In these two additional deeds, conveyance comes from the heirs of Augustus B. Cummings (1826-4/2/1897), to the Orr family.
Augustus B. Cummings was married first to Harriet Hale (circa 1840 to 5/16/1860). Harriet was the daughter of Henry Jackson Hale (1813-1906), who in turn was the son of Thomas Hale (circa1770 to 1848). Thomas was the son of John Hale (9/13/1734 – 5/8/1817). If the WCCL date of establishment is correct in 1820, then Thomas would have been the most likely – John, being elderly or deceased, and Henry J. being too young.
No clear deed connection has been established prior to A. B. Cummings.
Burials –
It is possible that Thomas Hale established the burial ground to bury his parents. Also, Henry J. Hale and his wife, Mary. Henry’s daughter, Harriet Hale Cummings – all could be buried there – along with unknown slaves.
Surveyed, transcribed and donated to the Washington County TNGen Web March 2015 by Gordon M. Edwards, member of the Cemetery Survey Team of Northeast Tennessee.
Copyrighted 2015 by the Cemetery Survey Team of Northeast Tennessee. No part of this work may be copied without written permission from the Cemetery Survey Team.
Hale (Thomas) Cemetery