Hall-Riffey Area
TVA Cemetery #4 – Boone Lake Project – Washington County, TN
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 volume 3, page 90 – entry 77
“Located on the left bank of the Watauga River. Flooded by Boone Lake. TVA records indicate that there were 94 graves; 47 were removed. Of the remaining 47 unknown graves, 28 were infants”
Those that were reinterred were moved between 30 June 1952 and 11 July 1952.
While reviewing the TVA records and foreman notes, a newspaper clipping was found – 6 May 1952, Press-Chronicle – Tommy Hall was killed by a self-inflicted shotgun blast thought to be accidental. His widow, Kate, was left to raise several young children.
Tommy Martin and Alma Kate Hall are buried at Gray Community Cemetery. Tommy was the son of Samuel Hall and the grandson of James Nathaniel Hall.
LOCATION: Located at Hall’s Ford (Oak Grove) Gray, Washington County, TN. Under the surface of the water, slightly northwest of 170 Kate Street, Washington County tax parcel 006JA012.00 – at the northwest corner of the parcel. Elevation approximately 1305 feet. TVA records available to the public were also found to supplement and confirm deed research. This burial ground was at the northeast corner of the parcel owned by Thomas Martin “Tommy” Hall.
GPS Location: +36° 26.220, -82° 24.790
DEEDS – Several deeds were reviewed to aid in determining the location of this burial ground. There are two documents that specifically address the burial ground and are releases by the heirs of the burial ground proper. Deed Book 266, Page 380 and Minutes Book 20, Page 69 (1952) involved several individuals whose names will not be listed here. The burial ground was approximately 210’ X 240’.
Two other documents specifically were used to locate the burial ground. Deed Book 258, Page 343 (1951) and Minutes Book 18, Page 519 (1952) were parcels on either side of the burial ground and contained calls of the burial ground boundaries. Plotting of those two parcels were clearly overlayed on the current tax map. A handful of other deeds were checked as additional verification and will not be listed, as no material differences were found. The Cemetery Survey Team files contain the reference material.
BURIALS – These named individuals were noted as moved to other burial grounds. (copied from the Bennett list and matches the TVA public listing). No public TVA records have been located regarding the names of those left. Dates clarified by viewing the markers that were moved, where found.
Note: (*) TVA records indicate that one Walter E. Hall, shown as great grandson, authorized removal of these two bodies. He also authorized the removal of his grandparents, James N. Hall (1821-1886) and Elizabeth Snyder Hall (1818-1883). This would provide that the two unknowns were the parents of said James N. Hall. Unconfirmed online references name these two as James N. Hall (1776-1830) and Susan Elizabeth Biddle (1783-1831). The markers found at Edgefield are named with “James” and “Elizabeth”. Washington County marriages – James Hall to Elizabeth Biddle 13 Nov 1800. It is unknown who placed those newer, named flat granite markers that have only names.
Surveyed, transcribed and donated to the Washington County TNGen Web June 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.