This letter, containing numerous cemetery references, was written to Mary Dibrell Fiske about 1935.   Mrs. Fiske, daughter of Montgomery C. Dibrell and niece of George Gibbs Dibrell, was born in Sparta.  After the War for Southern Independence, she and her husband Theophilus Fiske moved to Mooresville, MO.  The letter is from her niece, Estelle Stuckey Bunch, whose father was John Perry Stuckey and whose mother was Milley Dibrell, also a daughter of Montgomery C. Dibrell.

The old cemetery mentioned is believed to be the cemetery in downtown Sparta.

May 23 Rhea House Sparta Tenn

Rhea House Sparta Tenn

Dear Aunt Mary-
Only have a little while to write you. We have just returned from cemetery-Where we
found Grandfather’s also Aunt Sallies graves-I could not make out the date of birth and
death on the marker but his name was there and M.C. D. on footstone. M.C. Dibrell on
the stone and this inscription:

Here rests a beloved husband and father-

And the following poetry-

His toil is o’er
His work is done-
And he is fully blessed
He fought the fight and victory won
And entered into rest

Then I took some names and dates I thought might interest you-they are as follows

J.A. Dibrell
1845-1913
Ritha wife of J.A. Dibrell 1850-1876
Sarah Jane Meek
Oct 25 1845
Aug 20 1879

Now some of these tombstones are so old and worn I could not get it all

Asenatha – B-
Wife of Dr. Wm B. Hall
1839
Dr. Madison Fiske
May 25, 1794
Oct 19, 1854
60 years old

About this moment Mary found grandfather’s grave. Will get Dr. Fiskes wife
the next time we go.

Annie(? Can’t read) Cummings wife of W.R. Jackson
1852-1881
Emily Carrick
1853-1867
Katie Bailey
1861-1866
Wm Jared
1861-64 years old
T.D.(?) Jared
1847-1896
Dr. W.B. Cummings
1838-1887
Daniel W. Young
1842-1882
Mary Young
May 12, 1846
March 18, 1935
Anthony Dibrell
June 4th 1788
Jan 25, 1875
Milly Dibrell
Oct 17,1790
August 15, 1873
All the above names are- ( breaks off here)
Martha Jane Carrick
1858-1886
William Rhea 1862-1898 age 36
Ann Gracy 1815-1889
Joseph Snodgrass
1826-1858
Louisa wife of Jos Snodgrass
1830-1873
Martha England
1806-1902
A.E. Rhea
1859-1904
Johnson Grain
Died 1890 age 74
Heywood Turney (?)
1832-1856
Ambrose Beutase(?)
1829-1892
Tom H Burns
1845-1907
This grave is now in a Barn lot

Emily C. Cope
1832-1882
John Young 1798-1856

Then we drove to the new cemetery and found the graves of-

J.L. Dibrell
1856-1910
Cora Taylor Dibrell
1859-1935
Jos. B. Dibrell
1820-1830
Stanton Dibrell
1860-1921
Frank Dibrell
1858-1914
J.L. Cummings
1848-1924
Lena Cummings
1854-1935
Dr. G.?. Gist
1853-1923

Cousin Lou said Sis Rhea was your friend died 1915-buried old cemetery-
Sister Kate Rhea Seithay(?) [see below] lives in Chattanooga
Nar (?)and Cousin Lou and Fannie Gist live in Sparta-Fannie married a son of Dr.
Gist Byrd Rhea lives in Lebanon Tenn a very successful doctor. He married a
Seiltan(?) [ same name as Kate Rhea’s last name but undecipherable to me] a
preacher’s daughter. Mary Young died recently and had a good clear mind. She lived
with her daughter. Danny killed himself (shot) before this child was born.

Granny England cousin Lou’s grandmother age 96 fell and broke her hip. The Church
of Christ now stands where Aunt Lou Snodgrass lives; she was Lou Leftwich. Lamson
Carrick married Matilda Snodgrass-only 14 years old-had a baby at 15 years of age-
Cousin Lou Dibrell’s home now stands where Maj. Ferris lived 2 blocks north of Rhea
House. Cousin Lou says her name is Mary Lou-thinks she was named for you.

Mom [ this would be Milly Dibrell Stuckey] didn’t seem to recognize names in
cemetery-very few-I don’t think any thing looks natural-and she doesn’t seem to recall
names Cousin Lou mentions or of things happening in years gone by. Wayman Dibrell’s
widow and daughter Mary Lou live in the old place. We will go there-Mom will see
Alice Anderson. How I wish you could have been with us. Perhaps some of these names
would interest Uncle Ernest [Dibrell] if you care to send this letter to him and have him
return to you. We will tell you everything on our return. Tomorrow we spend with
Ritha Monday we go to Clifty and M— to your old home. Ritha will be with us
[illegible] Vaughtie can’t come here and we don’t think Mom equal to another 500
extra miles to see Vaughtie. Well, want to get this to you. Now keep well.

Love for all-
Estelle