Old Jonesborough Cemetery
2014
Click to enlarge picture
Located next to 233 Main Street, at the top of the hill from the First Baptist Church. It has recently been cleared of brush, tombstones cleaned and reset. The cemetery is owned by the town of Jonesborough and the historical aspect, including the current record keeping of the cemetery is overseen by the Heritage Alliance. Anyone wishing further information regarding this cemetery should contact Heritage Alliance, 212 East Sabin Drive, Jonesborough, Tennessee (423-753-9580).
The cemetery on the property east of Cemetery Lane is know as Evergreen Cemetery/College Hill. It will be posted on a separate web page when the survey is completed.
GPS Location:
Surveyed, transcribed by Hertiage Alliance volunteer, Gordon Edwards with additional information added by Betty Jane Hylton and Elaine Scott Cantrell. members of the Cemetery Survey Team of Northeast Tennessee. Donated to the Washington County TNGen Web May 2013.
Copyrighted 2013 by the Cemetery Survey Team of Northeast Tennessee. No part of this work may be copied without written permission from the Cemetery Survey Team or Heritage Alliance.
Old Jonesborough Cemetery Map
Click on map to enlarge
TDR = Tennessee Death Record which can be found at the Tennessee State Library and Archives and viewed on Ancestry.com.
Information in [ ] was not on the tombstone but found in other sources.
This survey was based on some earlier surveys. The Inventory of the Old Jonesborough Cemetery, 1995 was initiated and designed by Dr. Gary Burkett and conducted by high school students who were participating in the Governor’s School for Tennessee Heritage at ETSU’s Center for Appalachian Studies and Services. The group of students who did this work were those participating in the “Historic Preservation” module of this program and were under the direction of Mr. Joe Spence, a high school teacher in Lenior City.
Information from some earlier surveys are the Washington County Tennessee Tombstone Inscriptions by Charles M. Bennett and the Watauga Association of Genealogists, used with permission by Loraine B. Rae. The WPA cemetery survey record and an 1927 survey were also used.
Original research: by Jenny Parker and Gene Cox (copied from an undated file)
The Old Jonesborough Cemetery as it currently exists is the result of several transactions that occurred throughout the 1800s. In all, the deeds on record in the Washington County Courthouse account for 2.71 acres of land.
The original tract, known as the Old Grave Yard, was deeded to the Commissioners of the Town of Jonesborough from Patrick Long and totaled approximately 0.35 acres. The deed is recorded in Deed Book 9, Page 191 and was recorded on February 11th of 1803.
On the 25th of July 1849 the first addition to the cemetery was deeded to Seth J.W. Lucky, James Brown, and William G. Gammon, Trustees from John Blair, William K. Blair, and Robert L. Blair. This addition surrounded the original tract on three sides and included approximately 2.12 acres. This deed is recorded in Deed Book 31, Page 351 (through page 356).
This first 1849 addition to the cemetery was bounded at one point by the corner of a house (which no longer stands) belonging to Milton (Wilton) Atkinson. On August 30th of 1849, William G. Gammon, James Brown, and Seth J.W. Lucky, Trustees of the Jonesborough Cemetery granted to Atkinson a parcel of land 15 feet wide and “extending the whole length of the ground purchased of the Mssrs. Blairs from opposite the end of the house now occupied by Pritchet and recently purchased by Atkinson and along the said lot as far as the lot of the said Pritchet extends and which is now enclosed by a plank fence.” Based on the current configuration of the cemetery fence, I have estimated this length to be approximately 130 feet translating to a loss of a negligible 0.04 acres. This transaction is recorded in Deed Book 32, Page 46 (though 48). (GME note – actually 1950 sq ft or about 0.40 acres.)
The final addition to the Old Jonesborough Cemetery was made on February 1st of 1899. This included a group of defined lots numbered 45 to 71, arranged in three rows of nine, each measuring 18 feet by 25 feet according to a diagram recorded with the deed. Assuming the diagram is accurate, this translates to an additional 0.28 acres. My supposition is that this 1899 addition is the current northwestern most corner of the cemetery. The 1899 addition can be found in Deed Book 76 Page 320 (and 321). (GME note – this deed “set(s) a part and dedicate(s) an addition to the……..” AND does not convey title – this will become important as evidenced in Deed Book 95, Page 192).
Please see the accompanying sketch for the locations of the original tract and subsequent additions. (GME note – sketch has not been found, several other maps exist).
Additional research done and compiled by Gordon M. Edwards (July 2014):
The prior research was reviewed and some additional information was found.
With respect to Deed 31 Pages 351-356, several of the plots shown on the plat described within the body of the deed were presold, the proceeds of which went to pay off this acquisition. The plots that were paid for in full, were so designated within this deed, by plot number and purchaser’s name upon conveyance in 1849. The acquisition was bound by the first and second parties in 1847, however, conveyance did not occur until 1849. Only one deed has been found which records a specific plot payment in full and designates a name. That is Deed Book 59 Page 190 and is noted as “Receipt for square 39 in graveyard”. Lucky, Brown, and Gammon to J.M. Brown – May 17th 1859. It is unknown as of this writing how or if additional plot sales were receipted.
The “Colored and Strangers Section”
Within the body of Deed Book 31, Pages 351 to 356, the following was noted. The following was written in the last paragraph of a several page long deed. This deed was the conveyance for the large addition to the original graveyard. Most of the land conveyed was the area now found with the garden styled plots and the larger marble markers. A small strip of land on the east side of the old graveyard was part of this conveyance, as well.
…..“The said Trustees are furthermore empowered to set apart such portion of the land herein conveyed and not otherwise disposed of as they may deem proper for the burial of colored persons and strangers.”…..
Colored Section
29 Feb 2016
From Railroad Journal and Family Visitor, dated January 7, 1854. An article on the Jonesboro Cemetery (sic) appeared on the front page. Within this article, a paragraph was dedicated to describing the area set aside for the colored population.
…..”In the eastern portion of the graveyard is the portion appropriated to the colored population. It is comprised in a narrow strip extending the full length of the old graveyard and located on a steep declivity which extends nearly to the eastern onclosure (sic).”…..
This strip of land is the hillside on the immediate western edge of the present Cemetery Lane road. For many decades this area was overgrown. In 2014, it was cleared of briars, brush, trees, and debris. One can now clearly see the depressions of several dozen graves, however, no markers of any kind have been found. The names of those buried here remain unknown.
College Hill Cemetery (see separate entry) was not deeded until 1890. That cemetery was deeded for the benefit of the colored population.
No confirmation of a “strangers” section has been found.
The “Deaderick Corner”
Three deeds have been found that cover property in the “Deaderick corner”. These three deeds were all executed by A.S. Deaderick, then owner of the property to the west of the 1849 addition. These three deeds affect property just to the north of the 15 foot section noted in Deed Book 32, Pages 46-48. It appears to this researcher, that Alfred S. Deaderick unofficially dedicated a small area for his family burials, and sold off three smaller parcels within that small section. The three deeds are recorded in Deed Book 50, Page 403-404; Deed Book 76, Page 315; and Deed Book 93, Page 490. Current placement of grave markers substantiate this as well. A.S. Deaderick did retain some of that rectangular parcel for his own use, as evidenced by markers, as well.
The “Dosser Terrace”
In the 1899 addition, Deed Book 76 Pages 320 & 321, the right to the property, although designated as an addition to the cemetery, remained in R.N. Dosser, et al. It appears that the eastern plots were used and the western ones were not. In 1907, R.N. Dosser et al, conveyed a parcel to George L. Smith, reference Deed Book 95, Page 192, which included part of the 1899 tract. By dimensional calculations, plots 49 & 58 of this 1899 addition were to remain with the graveyard and owned by Smith. The other 12 plots were unconditionally conveyed to Smith. No deed has been found undesignating those 12 plots, however, wording in DB95P192 implies as much. Smith later conveyed to Patton, reference Deed Book 99 Page 254. That deed does not include the graveyard portion. This would indicate that ownership of those two plots (49 & 58) remained in George L. Smith. Markers for Smiths and Pattons fill those two plots. (Note – Smith’s daughter married Patton).
From Association to the City
The final deed found is recorded at Roll 607, Image 2122. This 2008 QD transaction conveys from the cemetery trustees to the mayor and aldermen. A complete land survey was done at that time.
Also refer to the separate entry for the College Hill/Evergreen Cemetery.
Researched and donated to the Washington County TNGen Web July 2014 by Gordon M. Edwards, member of the Cemetery Survey Team of Northeast Tennessee.
Copyrighted 2014 by the Cemetery Survey Team of Northeast Tennessee. No part of this work may be copied without written permission from the Cemetery Survey Team.