More information needed on this burial location. Also refer to the Freeman-Tipton and Mitchell Tract/Howren burial grounds.
LOCATION – Probably within the area known as the historic Kansas City community in Embreeville.
GPS: Exact location is unknown
DEEDS –
This deed recap is presented only with respect to the possibility of a burial ground being located and not meant to be a history of the Kansas City.
A 50 acre parcel, known as the “Mitchell Tract” (term used in several deeds) was conveyed to Conrad Keicher in 1854 (Deed Book 34, Page 241). Prior deeds and/or how the name Mitchell Tract was established has not been determined. The branch that flows there is known as Mitchell Branch.
In 1855, the parcel passed to Irenius Keicher (Deed Book 35, Page 153). In 1873, the eastern 1/3 (about 15 acres) passed from Irenius Keicher to Robert Howren (Deed Book 47, Page 89) and in 1875, the western 2/3 (29 acres) passed to A.A. & F.J. Taylor (Deed Book 58, Page 259). In 1891, the 29 acres passed on to K. N. (Kansas Nebraska) Henley (Deed Book 63, Page 591). In 1895, a clarification of boundaries among several property owners, including Howren and Henley, was made with the Embreeville Iron Company (Deed Book 70, Page 457).
In 1905, K. N. Henley sold two substantial parcels of his 29 acres. A few smaller parcels were sold off, as well. It is unproven, but thought that perhaps the term “Kansas City” was coined at this timeframe, as K. N. Henley was subdividing his tract. One larger parcel was sold in 1905 to Fletcher Lyons (Deed Book 181, Page 51). This deed was not recorded until 1929. Another parcel was sold in 1905 to George Alfred Freeman (Deed Book 111, Page 29).
Fletcher Lyons was a man of color and the reference to the “Lyons Graveyard” comes by nature of a Tennessee death certificate. It is unknown whether the noted deaths below resulted in burials within the nearby Freeman-Tipton burial ground or the Mitchell Tract/Howren, however, based upon the one death certificate specifically stating “Lyons” it is presumed that the burials took place on the parcel owned by Fletcher Lyons, which is clearly different than the other two burial grounds within Kansas City. No physical evidence has been found, nor has any “local tradition” provided any clarification.
CENSUS –
Partial listing by household – primary families living in the Kansas City community.
Households in 1920 – Lyons, Fletcher; Tipton, Chas; Riddle, Cleveland & Mary; Tipton, Alice; Tipton, Sank; Freeman, Frank.
Households in 1910 – Orten, Robert; Howren, Addie; Freeman, Matilda; Freeman, Geo A & Alice; Lyons, Fletcher; Tipton, Wm & Alice.
Households in 1900 – Several including Fletcher Lyons.
BURIALS –
One death certificate has been found with “Lyons” as the burial location. This individual was a descendant of Fletcher Lyons.
Danbert Stuart, premature at 7 months, born and died 17 April 1922, shown as the daughter of Martin Stuart and Sada Lyons. (TN DC 80). Sada (spellings vary slightly) was the daughter of Fletcher Lyons and appeared in the 1900, 1910, and 1920 census records as living in Fletcher’s household.
Another death certificate was found with the burial location left blank, however, the parents were the same, both showed Embreeville district 6 as the village, and Dr. A. J. Willis was the attending and signing doctor.
Stillborn son, premature at 6 months, born and died 1 March 1921, was the son of Martin Stuart and Sada Lyons. (TN DC 20887).
Researched, surveyed, transcribed, and donated to the Washington County TNGen Web August 2018 by Gordon M. Edwards, member of the Cemetery Survey Team of Northeast Tennessee.
Copyrighted 2018 by the Cemetery Survey Team of Northeast Tennessee. No part of this work may be copied without written permission from the Cemetery Survey Team.