Tag Archives: Hanback

Balentine Cemetery

Posted on by
BalentineCemetery0

Balentine Cemetery

GPS Coordinates 35° 01¢ 10² N, 87° 50¢ 46² W

LOCATION: To reach the Balentine Cemetery, turn off the Natchez Trace Parkway ¼ mile north of the Alabama Tennessee state line onto Cooper Ridge Road. Keep right and travel 6/10 of a mile and bear to the left. A sign points the way. Go approximately 1 mile to the cemetery on the left.

There are approximately 159 known graves and 24 unknown graves in this cemetery. This survey is current as of June 4, 2007. Surveyed by David & Martha Montgomery at {dmont1734@comcast.net}. Updated 17 May 2013.

Additional information provided by Grace Wright Carver. Mrs. Carver stated, “There are graves lost in this cemetery. I attended the funeral for Bell Cooper, but no grave marker was erected.”

Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. Jim (James M. Mitchell and Eliza C. Balentine) 26 Dec 1869. (I don’t know if this is the right one. I think he drowned in Big Cypress Creek near Hyde’s Chapel.)

This survey is current as of June 21, 2014. Enumerated by David & Martha Montgomery at dmont1734@comcast.net

 

Balentine, Amanda; b. 05 Jan 1871, d. 12 Oct 1887, daughter of John S. & Nancy Ann  Balentine, Charlie H.; b. 24 Sep 1883, d. 11 Jan 1965                                                      Balentine, Elbert J.; b. 27 Jun 1891, d. 25 Oct 1936                                                                 Balentine, Icie E.; b. 04 Mar 1889, d. 23 May 1969                                                                   Balentine, infant; b. 03 Apr 1913, d. 05 Apr 1913, daughter of R.H. & Alice                    Balentine, infant; no dates, daughter of R.H. & B.J.                                                           Balentine, infant; no dates, son of R.H. & B.J.                                                                        Balentine, Ivadean; b. 02 Jun 1933, d. 20 Oct 1933                                                                 Balentine, J.D.; b. 19 Jul 1850, d. 16 May 1921                                                                Balentine, Jennie; b. 09 Jun 1860, d. 07 Jan 1909, wife of R.H.                                              Balentine, John A.; b. 29 Sep 1869, d. 20 Sep 1887, son of John S. & Nancy Ann         Balentine, John E.; b. 10 Nov 1878, d. 10 Mar 1896                                                        Balentine, John S.; b. 26 Jun 1848, d. 25 Jan 1926                                                            Balentine, Lucille (Tidwell); b. 11 Sep 1922, d. 27 Sep 2013, wife of Vernice Glenn, m: 14 Dec 1941                                                                                                                                           Balentine, Mary J.; b. 26 Jan 1886, d. 28 Aug 1902, daughter of R.H. & B.J.                           Balentine, Mattie Ada; b. 24 Feb 1890, d. 24 Nov 1961                                                     Balentine, Merga; b. 08 Jan 1917, d. 08 Mar 1917                                                             Balentine, Nancy Ann; b. 04 Feb 1851, d. 09 Dec 1930                                                    Balentine, Nancy J.; b. 11 Oct 1848, d. 20 Dec 1909                                                         Balentine, Pollie Ann; b. 27 Dec 1829, d. 15 Mar 1891, wife of R.H.                                Balentine, R.H.; b. 11 Jan 1827, d. 19 Mar 1882                                                                     Balentine, R.H.; b. 18 Aug 1855, d. 02 Mar 1917, husband of Alice                                           Balentine, Roscoe Moore; b. 23 Aug 1941, d. 29 Dec 2012, husband of Annette                           Balentine, Ross; b. 02 Apr 1915, d. 16 Jun 1917, son of R.H. & Alice                                   Balentine, Sammy; no dates or info                                                                                      Balentine, Thomas G.; b. 06 Feb 1897, d. 05 Jul 1919, son of R.H. & B.J.                             Balentine, Vernice Glenn; b. 09 Sep 1918, d. 20 Oct 2008                                                Balentine, Virginia Annette; b. 25 Feb 1940, only date, wife of 1st Leonard Weaver, 2nd Roscoe Moore Balentine                                                                                                                    Barkley, Alvin; b. 03 Oct 1906, d. 01 Apr 1966Barkley, John R.; b. 23 Feb 1880, d. 01 Feb 1960                                                                                                                                      Barkley, Lucille (Horton); 20 Aug 1925, only date, wife of Willie H., m: 28 Mar 1942        Barkley, Mary C.; b. 25 Feb 1880, d. 14 Feb 1971                                                               Barkley, Willie H.; b. 22 Jul 1923, d. 18 May 1994                                                             Barnett, George W.; b. 12 Feb 1891, d. 17 Nov 1892, son of J.O. & W.M.                         Barnett, Jesse S.; b. 11 Jun 1815, d. 27 Mar 1890, husband of S.R.                                      Barnett, Mattie; b. 10 Nov 1903, d. 10 Oct 1904, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. J.O. Barnett             Barnett, McHobert b. 17 Sep 1897, d. 24 Sep 1897, son of Mr. & Mrs. J.O. Barnett                    Bevis, A. Jackson; b. 14 May 1879, d. 04 May 1937                                                              Bevis, A.J.F.; b. 22 Jul 1861, d. 17 Mar 1937                                                                         Bevis, Arlon E.; b. 26 Mar 1945, d. 21 Feb 2003                                                                     Bevis, Dalton W.; b. 12 Apr 1916, d. 08 Jun 1986                                                                           Bevis, David Alvie Warren; b. 31 Dec 1907, d. 30 Mar 1908, son of J.H. & M.I.                    Bevis, Doil; b. 21 May 1920, d. 31 Jan 2004                                                                            Bevis, Ester Irene “Rena”; b. 19 Jul 1893, d. 11 Feb 1970                                                      Bevis, Frederick Eugene “Frog”; b. 19 Aug 1935, d. 05 Jun 2010                                          Bevis, Gertie (Holt); b. 27 Feb 1921, d. 03 May 2013, wife of Doil, m: 16 Jun 1940                Bevis, Gertie; b. 18 Mar 1917, d. 10 Oct 1917, daughter of J.A. & E.I.                                 Bevis, infant; b. & d. 01 May 1923, daughter of J.A. & E.I.                                                     Bevis, infant; d. 13 Apr 1942, son of J.M. & Reba                                                                 Bevis, infant; d. 18 Mar 1950, infant of Mr. & Mrs. Owen Bevis                                              Bevis, James H.; b. 1880, d. 1949                                                                                            Bevis, Jeames Washington; b. 14 Feb 1853, d. 25 Aug 1910                                                 Bevis, Jessie Andrew “Ander”; b. 08 Feb 1890, d. 17 Mar 1980                                            Bevis, Jessie Andrew Jr “Jay”.; b. 16 Sep 1921, d. 28 May 2009, husband of Sadie              Bevis, Jewel (McFall); b. 09 Nov 1916, d. 14 Jun 1945                                                               Bevis, John Daniel; d. 19 Jul 1924, infant son of Charlie & America Bevis                           Bevis, Laura; b. 24 Feb 1882, d. 16 Apr 1984                                                                         Bevis, Lawrence P.; b. 01 Jun 1948, d. 08 Jun 1948, son of Doil & Gertie                             Bevis, Lea; b. 09 Dec 1915, d. 13 Jan 2004                                                                             Bevis, Lena; b. 10 Aug 1876, d. 26 Aug 1910                                                                        Bevis, Louise; b. 02 Apr 1943, only date, wife of Frederick Eugene “Frog”                         Bevis, M. Ida; b. 1880, d. 1974                                                                                               Bevis, Martha Ann; b. 25 Feb 1888, d. 17 Jul 1907, daughter of J.W. & M.J.                       Bevis, Martha Jane; b. 16 May 1861, d. 17 Apr 1935                                                             Bevis, Marvin; b. 19 Dec 1911, d. 31 Dec 1985                                                                      Bevis, Ora Belle; b. 28 Jul 1917, d. 13 Nov 1918                                                                       Bevis, R.I.; b. 01 Jan 1858, d. 27 Jun 1925, wife of A.J.F.                                                         Bevis, Reba M.; b. 29 Aug 1916, d. 23 Nov 1974                                                                    Bevis, Robbie; b. 15 Jul 1918, d. 20 May 1943, wife of W.D. Bevis                                             Bevis, Roxie A.; b. 09 Nov 1891, d. 14 May 1931                                                                  Bevis, Roy Lelton; b. 16 Feb 1912, d. 10 May 1912, son of J.H. & M.I.                               Bevis, Turner; b. 18 Mar 1884, d. 02 Sep 1958                                                                       Bevis, Willie R.; b. 13 Feb 1910, d. 24 Mar 1980                                                                     Chambers, Margie L.; b. 09 Oct 1921, d. 08 Apr 2005                                                            Cooper, James; b. 16 Feb 1882, d. 24 Jul 1962                                                                            Cooper, Joe; d. 04 Jun 1892, 74 years of age                                                                           Cooper, Martha; d. 10 Nov 1894, 68 years of age                                                           Covington, Alan Howard; b. 06 Jul 1948, d. 08 Nov 1993, SP4 US Army Vietnam      Covington, George N.; b. 18 Apr 1926, d. 02 Jan 1990, S1 US Navy WWII                  Covington, Lois G.; b. 04 Jan 1922, d. 21 Aug 2007, wife of George N., m: 13 Mar 1954                                                                                                                                             Covington, Wanda M.; b. 01 Sep 1948, d. 20 Jan 2005, wife of Alan, m: 16 Sep 1977       Creasy, Jesse Walter; b. 21 Jul 1921, d. 08 Apr 1994, Tec5 US Army WWII                        Creasy, Mary L.; b. 05 Jan 1937, only date                                                                             Davis, Clara N. (Smith); b. 19 Mar 1934, d. 29 Mar 1983                                                      Dulin, Mary (Cooper); b. 21 Oct 1856, d. 13 Jun 1920                                                           Franks, Alpha B.; b. 27 Sep 1909, d. 07 Feb 1973                                                                   Franks, Earl T.; b. 21 Feb 1909, d. 01 Jan 1981                                                                          Gean, Ada B.; b. 16 Aug 1895, d. Oct 1978                                                                             Gean, Homer H.; b. 16 Sep 1901, d. Apr 1978                                                                 Hammack, Altie B.; b. 17 May 1908, d. 28 Mar 1975                                                      Hammack, James I.; b. 30 Jan 1873, d. 16 Nov 1958                                                         Hammack, Lue Ethel; b. 08 May 1881, d. 14 Aug 1934                                                   Hammack, Roy Lee; b. 10 Apr 1933, d. 06 Mar 1934, son of D.L. & Alta                            Hanback, Covie; b. 02 May 1902, d. 29 May 1922, son of W.A. & M.J.                            Hanback, Elmer E.; b. 06 Jul 1914, d. 13 Jun 1916, son of J.A. & M.C.                           Hanback, infant; d. 02 May 1902, daughter of W.A. & M.J.                                             Hanback, Pearle; b. 18 Jun 1911, d. 08 Sep 1921, daughter of J.A. & M.C.                         Hanback, Vinnie; b. 10 Jan 1872, d. 26 Jun 1906                                                                   Hayes, Lisa; b. 01 Dec 1965, only date                                                                                  Hayes, Michael Dewayne; b. 02 Sep 1964, d. 14 May 2013, National Guard                           Hayes, Ottis Jude; b. 13 Feb 1939, d. 24 Dec 2006, husband of Wanda June (Bevis)            Hayes, Wanda June (Bevis); b. 19 Jul 1939, d. 23 Sep 2011, m: 03 Aug 1962                    Henson, Elizabeth (Bevis); b. 02 Nov 1895, d. 09 Dec 1958                                               Henson, J. Clifford; b. 22 Feb 1912, d. 11 Sep 1912, son of W.M. & M.E.                              Hill, infant; no information                                                                                                         Hill, infant; no information                                                                                                         Hill, Jinnie; b. 09 Apr 1870, d. 25 Oct 1945                                                                         Hinton, Charlean B.; b. 10 Oct 1947, only date                                                                       Hinton, Clifton; b. 04 Dec 1923, d. 30 Jun 2011, husband of Wadean (Johnson)                     Hinton, Ellen; b. 31 Oct 1886, d. 28 Nov 1963, wife of James C.                                        Hinton, Hazel I.; b. 15 Dec 1931, d. 25 Jun 2007, wife of Lell B.                                        Hinton, James C. “Buddy”; b. 20 Jun 1888, d. 23 Jul 1958                                                  Hinton, Jerry Glenn; b. 19 Sep 1947, d. 16 May 1980, Sgt. US Army Vietnam                   Hinton, Lell B.; b. 02 Aug 1928, d. 20 Aug 2009                                                                 Hinton, Wadean; b. 12 Aug 1925, only date                                                                         Howard, Samuel; d. 08 Apr 1967, infant son of Frank & Doris                                              Johnson, Annie Correne; b. 27 Dec 1933, d. 29 Apr 1980, wife of B.D.                                Johnson, Bradford David; b. 23 Dec 1908, d. 06 Dec 1994                                                Johnson, David A.; b. 10 May 1888, d. 21 Jul 1974                                                            Johnson, Dora Bell; b. 19 Feb 1911, d. 10 Dec 1952                                                           Johnson, Edna F.; b. 25 May 1895, d. 29 Aug 1988                                                           Johnson, Ellis; b. 19 Nov 1914, d. 07 Apr 1981                                                                   Johnson, J.W. “Bill”; b. 11 Aug 1882, d. 21 Dec 1959                                                                Johnson, J.W.; b. 12 May 1871, d. 15 Sep 1910                                                                  Johnson, Margaett “Marg”; b. 23 Apr 1874, d. 25 Dec 1947                                              Johnson, Mary A.; b. 31 Jan 1897, d. 01 Sep 1974                                                             Johnson, Mary Jane; b. 04 Dec 1849, d. 10 Oct 1896, wife of H.W.                                           Johnson, Renie; b. 16 Oct 1866, d. 20 Feb 1943                                                              Mansonia, Martha; no information                                                                                        McFall, Bulah G.; b. 03 Mar 1915, d. 23 May 1915, daughter of W.T. & O.S.                        McFall, Edward; b. 03 Aug 1914, d. 01 May 1965                                                               McFall, Ollie Slinnie; b. 21 Jul 1899, d. 07 May 1917, wife of W.T.                                    McFall, Walker Turner; b. 11 May 1891, d. 24 Jan 1962, AL Pfc. BTRY “F” 317th Fld Arty WWI                                                                                                                                      McFall, Waverly; b. 1941, d. 1990                                                                                             Mitchell, Jim; no dates                                                                                                        Mitchell, Mrs. Jim; no dates                                                                                                    Patterson, Ed; b. 05 May 1878, d. 02 May 1957                                                                      Petty, Alton; b. 20 Oct un 2014, US Army Korea                                                                     Petty, Billy Gene; b. 14 Sep 1933, d. 21 Apr 1989                                                                    Petty, Bud Hardin; b. 27 Oct 1889, d. 15 Dec 1964                                                                        Petty, Climmie E.; b. 07 Oct 1897, d. 22 Jan 1990                                                               Reaves, Betty; 06 Feb 1906, only date                                                                                   Reaves, Clara; Apr 1906, only date                                                                                       Reaves, Clarence; no dates                                                                                                    Reaves, Cleatus Ray Jr.; b. 30 Jan 1963, d. 30 Nov 2012                                                     Reaves, Dulcie; 25 Dec 1923, only date                                                                                 Reaves, George H.; b. 09 Sep 1882, d. 27 Apr 1976                                                                Reaves, L.H.; b. 08 Jul 1846, d. 26 Oct 1936                                                                            Reaves, Mattie; b. 08 Mar 1848, d. 02 Jul 1930                                                                    Reaves, Willard A.; b. 30 Sep 1939, d. 17 Jan 1940, son of Mr. & Mrs. W.E. Reaves                   Scott, Cora; b. 04 Feb 1908, d. 21 Feb 1908, daughter of J.C. & S.J. Scott                           South, Jesse Desmer; b. 30 Oct 1955, d. 04 Apr 1991, Sgt. US Army                                  Stoves, Joe Johnson; b. 03 Jan 1884, d. 23 Nov 1936                                                            Stowe, Evie O.; b. 13 Dec 1903, d. 10 Aug 1922, daughter of T.H. & H.R. Stowe                 Stowe, Henritta; b. 17 Aug 1859, d. 20 May 1929, wife of T.H.                                           Stowe, Leanoer; b. 27 Jan 1882, d. 23 Aug 1904, son of T.H. & H.R. Stowe                       Stowe, Martha Jane; b. 25 Dec 1889, d. 07 Sep 1937                                                             Stowe, Tal; 11 Oct 1931, only date                                                                                      Vickery, Eugene; b. 12 Mar 1944, d. 19 Dec 1944, infant son of Woodie & Merga              Vickery, Jacklyn Gay; b. 13 Feb 1955, d. 15 Mar 1955, infant daughter of Woodie & Merga                                                                                                                                   Vickery, Jackson Thomas “J.T.”; b. 06 Feb 1942, d. 07 May 2012, husband of Donna M.       Vickery, Merga Marie (Bevis); b. 23 Apr 1918, d. 14 Nov 1997, wife of William, m: 04 Nov 1934                                                                                                                                      Vickery, William “Woodie”; b. 22 Mar 1914, d. 15 Jul 1987                                              Watson, Mary Ann (Vickery)(Vaden); b. 14 Dec 1945, d. 11 Apr 2007                             Weaver, Leonard; b. 10 Mar 1940, d. 10 Sep 1984, husband of Virginia Annette               Weeks, Bill; b. 18 May 1921, d. 17 Jul 1964                                                                             Weeks, Verta; 29 Mar 1914, only dateWhite, Dollie; b. 18 Feb 1890, d. 13 Dec 1944     Williams, Claborn; b. 22 Sep 1930, d. 21 Dec 1936, son of E.E. & C.E. Williams          Williams, infant; 1908, only date, infant of Sue Bet                                                            Williams, infant; b. 22 Sep 1930, d. 10 Nov 1930, daughter of E.E. & C.E. Williams        Williams, Sue Bet; b. 1879, d. 1910                                                                                      Wright, Birdie Lois; b. 15 Jul 1915, d. 04 Aug 1995                                                            Wright, Newton Howard; 18 Sep 1911, d. 19 Dec 2006, husband of Birdie Lois

Additional information provided by Grace Wright Carver. Mrs. Carver stated, “There are graves lost in this cemetery. I attended the funeral for Bell Cooper, but no grave marker was erected.” I think he drowned in Big Cypress Creek near Hyde’s Chapel.

History of the Martin’s Mills Community

Posted on by

by Ruby Johnson

North of Pinhook about four or five miles lies a small community called Martin’s Mills. It is located in the forks of Weatherford and Indian creek and north across Indian Creek and West across Weatherford Creek to the Hardin County line.

As I searched for information on Martin’s Mills Kenneth Skillern let me borrow the history of the Martin family taken from Wayne County Historian, Volume 4, Number 3, September 1991. This was the same family for which Martin’s Mills was named and was written by Richard W. Martin of Athens, Alabama.

Ancestors of the Martins came from Belfast, Ireland to America between 1750 and 1760 and settled in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Jefferson Martin, who finally settled in Wayne County, was the oldest of ten brothers and sisters all born in Bourbon County. He was born February 1803. All the children attended the common schools of Kentucky which were primitive structures without a floor and furnished with slab benches.

Before the Civil War, the Martin family was divided and Jefferson moved to Williamson County, Tennessee in 1827. There he met Esther L. Stuart and they were married January 8, 1829. In the next ten years she and Jefferson became the parents of four children, all born in Williamson County.

In the early 1850’s, Jefferson’s family moved to Lawrence County, Tennessee where he and his oldest son, Edward B., were in the real estate business.

Their next move brought them to Martin’s Mills in Wayne County, Tennessee. Moving with Jefferson was his wife, Esther, their daughter, Sarah Martin Atkins and her son, and Edward B. and his wife, Mary Ruth and son Jim.

Jefferson and son, Edward B., bought Cravens Mills on Weatherford Creek for $15,000.00 and 600 acres of land on Indian Creek for $4,000.00. Then on August 25, 1860, the bought 22½ acres from L. P. Cheatham.

Prior to the Civil War they were operating a steam mill, water mill, grist mill, brewery, cotton gin and a distillery. They also had a general store which carried all the needs of the families in the Martin’s Mills area within a radius of ten to twelve miles. To keep the store furnished, they had to travel by wagon up Gant Hill and across the ridge to Clifton to meet the boats to buy their commodities.

The local people came to the mills to get corn ground into meal or to have timber sawed into lumber. While there they purchased other needed items such as salt, coffee, sugar, snuff, chewing tobacco and overalls. With the tanyard they could get shoes and some farm equipment.

In the 1860 Wayne County census, Jefferson Martin is shown as the owner of five slaves and his son, Edward B, as the owner of four. The slaves were used to help run the mills, cotton gin and sawmill.

On the morning of May 29, 1863, the Civil War came to Martin’s Mills. In a report made by Captain Eagleton Carmichael of Company B, 15thIllinois Cavalry to his headquarters in Corinth, Mississippi on June 2, 1863, he states that he chased Biffle’s band of guerrillas in the area around Martin’s Mills and Pinhook on the morning of the 29th of May. The Martin’s Mills had all been destroyed with only a concrete dam remaining. All the wheat fields had been burned and the women went to the burned mills and scooped up flour that was spilled on the ground.

Just twelve days after the battle of Martin’s Mills, Jefferson Martin’s wife died and was taken back to Mt. Ararat Cemetery in Lawrence County to be buried with others in the family.

In February of 1864, the Martins bought 172½ acres at Martin’s Mills for $1,800.00. They put the troubles of the war behind them and rebuilt the mills. Soon they were in business again and glad to be alive.

On August 14, 1873, a post office was established at Martin’s Mills with Edward B. Martin appointed the first postmaster. While at Martin’s Mills he served as a Justice of the Peace and as Chairman of the County Court of Wayne County. He retired as postmaster on September 7, 1882. After his father, Jefferson died in Waynesboro in 1886, he sold all their real estate at Martin’s Mills and went to Cisco, Texas to live with his son, Jim. He died in June 1893 and was buried there. From that time to the present, this area has been called Martin’s Mills, a well deserved name.

Myers, Paulk (John Paulk) and Company, dealers in dry goods, groceries and general merchandise may have been the buyers of some of the real estate sold by the Martins. They went into business in 1895.

In 1899, Frank Parker was also a dealer in general merchandise in the area.

In the early 1900’s, S. R. Eaton operated a general merchandise store north of Morgan Branch.

J. A. Lacefield built a two story house and a store and began operating a general merchandise store and a cotton gin in 1906. In 1917, Mr. Lacefield sold his property to A. A. Johnson and he and Taylor Morgan operated the store and cotton gin. After they went out of business, Isham Beckham and several others had a store there until it ceased to be in operation. Part of this store building is still standing, a reminder of times that were for the older generation.

Dan Wilkerson also operated a general store and grist mill in the early to mid-1900’s. This old building is also no longer in use.

John Paulk sold his property to Mrs. Mary Newborn and she, along with her son, Henry Newborn, and her son-in-law, Luther Webb and wife, moved in. Later on Henry Newborn became the postmaster with the help of his wife, Emma (Wilbanks) Newborn. Dan Wilkerson carried the mail and John Beckham brought the mail from Waynesboro to the post office.

The next postmaster I am told was Arthur Chowning. I do not know how long each one served, but the post office was eventually moved to Lutts. The Martin’s Mills area were served for many years bu the Lutts post office until this route was switched to Collinwood.

John Greeson was probably the first mail carried from Lutts to Martin’s Mills. He carried the mail in a buggy pulled by two big black horses. His wife Cora, was his substitute and rode side saddle on a horse to deliver the mail, which must have taken all day. The John Morgan carried the mail for several years followed by his son, David, for a short time. When David was transferred to the Collinwood post office, Grady Sinclair became the last mail carrier from Lutts to Martin’s Mills. After the route was switched to Collinwood, Dumont Hanback, W. C. Smith and at the present time Doyle Risner have carried the mail for Martin’s Mills.

The history of Martin’s Mills would not be complete without mentioning the Rose Normal school of the 1800’s. Professor Robert Sutton, the president, and Professor Tolbert McAnnally, an outstanding schoolmaster, taught at Rose Normal which was a college. It was much more than an elementary school. People who really wanted to be educated in those days were students there. Many students boarded in the boarding hall including Superintendent John Gallien, Judge Frank Melson and my uncle, William Eli Cherry of Hardin County. Many local people were also educated there.

The boarding hall was located on what is now Brodie Johnson’s farm by a well that is still useable. The Rose Normal School burned more than a hundred years ago and the boarding hall was torn down and used in building a dwelling house.

In 1912, the Rose School was built and later on in the 1900’s another room was added. It was finally called the Martin’s Mills School and served the community until it was consolidated with the Pinhook School in the early 1940’s.

Another school was located on the G. W. Johnson farm in the early 1900’s on the north side of Indian Creek in what was called the Gant Bottom. This school for the colored people was also their church.

The only other church at this time was the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1907 on December 10, H. H. Smith sold seven sixteenths of an acres more or less for $50.00 for the building. The M.E. Church used this property until October 1920 when it was sold to A. A. Johnson for $400.00 with P. D. Hall, James Lawson and W. H. Weaver as witnesses and J. D. Horton, Notary Public.

During the 1930’s the preachers from the Christian Church in Waynesboro came one Sunday afternoon a month and preached in the Martin’s Mills school building.

In September 1948, the Church of Christ started meeting in the vacant school building. In 1960, the congregation built a church building on land donated by Clura and Elizabeth Wilkerson which is still being used at the present time.

In years past the Skinner Farm on the north side of Indian creek had always been a source of community pride. After going through a gate there was a long lane leading up to a plantation type house with big cedars in the yard which was surrounded by a white picket fence.

During the last 1800’s and early 1900’s Samuel H. Sinclair, born in 1839, was the owned of the Skinner farm. He had married Eliza A. Harbour. A farmer of the farm was Elisha Harbour, probably a close relative. Sinclair owned more than 800 acres on Indian Creek.

In the 1880 census, Mr. Sinclair had three children: Minnie, Lina and James Samuel who was born in 1877 and died in 1896. Lina, born in 1874, was living in Kentucky in the late 1800’s and had married a Mr. Skinner. they had one son, born in 1896. In 1910, Lina was a widow at age 36 and Sinclair, her son, was 14 years old.

Samuel H. Sinclair was still living in April 1912 when he made a will that had not been probated in 1920. In his will he made his daughter, Minnie Martin trustee leaving land in nearby Hardin County to her and what is known as the Skinner Farm in trust to Lina and her heirs. After her father died, Lina and her son, Sinclair, remained on the farm for sometime but finally moved back to Kentucky where her granddaughter lived. Her son stayed at the farm for some time before going up north to work. At their deaths they were all buried at Mt. Hebron.

Through the years several different families occupied the Skinner House, but in 1933, the Joel Yeiser, Sr. family moved there and stayed until 1975. While operating the farm he served eight years as County Judge and five terms as County Trustee. In 1867, he died and was buried at Mt. Hebron. His wife, Mary (Young) Yeiser and daughter Sue continued to live on the farm until 1875 when they moved to Waynesboro. Sue died suddenly in 1988 and was buried alongside her father. Their son, Joel, Jr., who lived in Waynesboro, continued to operate their farms at Martin’s Mills until his death in 1991. He was also buried at Mt. Hebron.

In the Wayne County record of cemeteries, six cemeteries are listed in the Martin’s Mills area. First is the Eaton Cemetery on a hill at the Ernest Warrington farm where the Daniel Eaton family and some of the Yerby family are buried. The nine graves are dated from 1886 to 1941.

The second cemetery is the Herndon Cemetery located on the same farm about 300 yards behind Chrystine Warrington’s house on the east side of Weatherford Creek Road. Three graves are visible but one tombstone has grown into a cedar tree and the inscription cannot be read. One foot stone is marked W. H. It is believed that William and Sarah Herndon are buried there. Two graves have mounds of stone but no inscription.

The third cemetery is the Rose Cemetery up Morgan Branch from Brodie Johnson’s farm. Six members of the Rose family were buried there in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

The fourth cemetery is across Weatherford Creek at the top of a hill behind the Ronnie Yeiser farm. It is called the Cook Cemetery with tombstones dated from 1910 to 1920.

The fifth cemetery is called the Horton Cemetery by some and the Martin Cemetery by others. It is located on the west side of Weatherford Creek on the Tom Helton farm. The tombstones are dated from 1868 to 1939. Thomas Stribling, a Civil War veteran, is buried there. This is a larger cemetery than the others with close to thirty graves having tombstones.

The sixth cemetery is called Davana. It is one mile east of Hardin County line on a hill south of Indian Creek on Alfred Gallaher’s farm. Three members of the Davana family were buried there from 1834 to 1847.

Special thanks to the following people for information used to write this history: Ruby Reece; Grady Sinclair; Clura Wilkerson; and June Scott.

References: Wayne County Cemetery Records and old deeds.