Tag Archives: Georgia Vernacular Headstones

The Old Cemetery, Circa 1842, Thomasville

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Thomasville’s Old Cemetery dates to at least 1842, based on burial dates, and is a microcosm of 19th century funerary art, ranging from exceptional vernacular memorials to grand marble obelisks and monuments. It is said to be the oldest cemetery in Thomas County, incorrectly, but it may be the oldest in Thomasville proper. The deed conveying the cemetery to the city of Thomasville is dated 1858. Nearly 40 Confederate veterans, some in unmarked graves, are buried here, as well.

Isaac W. Mitchell (28 November 1795-24 May 1862) and Pvt. William C. Mitchell (1829-31 January 1868)

Isaac Mitchell was a prominent planter and large slaveholder in the area. In 1838, he sold a thousand-acre plantation with two miles of shoreline on Lake Iamonia, near Tallahassee. He died during the Civil War, and his son, who served in Co. F, 29th Georgia Regiment, died a few years later. Their monument, featuring ruined columns topped with wreaths, is one of the finest in the cemetery.

Sgt James A. McLendon (birth and death dates unknown at this time)

This beautiful Victorian monument is a bit of a mystery. I couldn’t find a name on it, but there’s an adjacent government-issued marker for Sgt. James A. McLendon, who served in Co. F., 50th Georgia Infantry.

Iron gate ornament

The gate decoration here was a common design. There’s a very similar example at the Isaac Joseph House in Columbus. The name on that gate appears to be the name of the maker, so I wonder if this is not the maker’s name, as well. I’ve only been able to discern that it’s either Branner or Brannem, neither of which I find in the burial list for the Old Cemetery. Another mystery, at least for now.

Captain John D. Henderson (birth and death dates unknown at this time)

This is one of two or three seashell graves in the Old Cemetery, this one being in the best state of preservation. In fact, it’s one of the nicest I’ve seen. There is a government-issued memorial at the foot of the grave that notes Captain Henderson served with Co. F, 29th Georgia Infantry.

Anne Frances Remington (21 February 1851-17 September 1852) and Mary Elizabeth Remington (2 October 1849-19 September 1852)

This table grave is an interesting mix of vernacular and formal funerary art. The handmade bricks, likely made by enslaved laborers, are topped by a professionally made marble slab. The girls were both very young, and since they died around the same time, were likely afflicted with the same illness.

There are numerous brick crypts and slabs in the Old Cemetery.

Most of these are unidentified, and therefore I’m just showing them for the skill and craft involved in their production.

Some of the brick in the memorials appears to be handmade, and I would guess that some were made by enslaved people.

The gravestone below is made of slate, an uncommon material in Georgia. I’ve rarely found such memorials away from the coast.

Peggy Seixas (circa 1799-24 May 1858)

The Seixas family were Thomas County pioneers. The Seixas House, circa 1835, is thought to be the oldest one-story house in Thomasville.

The gazebo is a prominent landmark in the Old Cemetery.

Flipper Cemetery, Thomasville

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This cemetery, now commonly referred to as the Flipper Cemetery, is one of the oldest municipal burial grounds for African-Americans in Thomasville. Also known as the old Magnolia Cemetery, it’s distinguished by methodical plantings of oaks and other shade trees and is a well-maintained historical resource.

Flipper Family plot

Significantly, it’s the final resting place of Lt. Henry Ossian Flipper, the first Black graduate of West Point. Lt. Flipper died in Atlanta in 1940 and was buried in South View Cemetery. In February 1978, his remains were exhumed and he was re-interred in his hometown.

Rev. Jacob Wade (?-1873)

But it is also important for the numerous other prominent Black citizens of 19th-century Thomasville, including Rev. Jacob Wade, the first pastor of the African Baptist Church. Additionally, there are a few important vernacular monuments present, most importantly the three crosses and the Ruis obelisk. There are also quite a few typical Victorian and early-20th century memorials.

Cross monuments of Dall Mitchell, Violet Mitchell, foreground; Benetta Lowry?, right.

The birth and death dates are unknown, and with Dall Mitchell and Benetta Lowry, the names are not certain. Those two crosses have been repaired and it’s possible that information was lost. They are quite unusual and vernacular landmarks.

Benetta Lowry? cross monument

This shows the loss of part of the letters from the original monument, which was obviously taller than it is in its present configuration, and the challenge of identification.

Ruis-Wiggs obelisk

The Ruis-Wiggs obelisk is a concrete vernacular copy of other monuments common at the time, usually accomplished in marble or granite.

Marget (Margaret) Ruis (1889-1929)

Margaret and Mattie Ruis (1859 or 1869-1911) are memorialized on the obelisk, as well as Shep W. Wiggs (birth and death dates indiscernible).

There are numerous brick grave markers like the one seen above. Most do not identify the decedent and therefore present a great challenge for identification.

Kate Stewart (16 June 1885- 9 April 1886)

This is one of several damaged memorials in Flipper Cemetery that have been repaired.

Ezekiel Hambleton (19 October 1842-9 October 1892)

The presence of so many manufactured headstones in a Black cemetery of this era is an indication of a thriving and growing Black middle class.

Sophia James (4 July 1860-15 March 1883)

It appears, considering all the broken memorials, that the cemetery was once very poorly maintained, but thankfully, someone took the time and care to repair nearly all of the damaged stones.

Flipper Family plot

Also buried within the family plot, along with Lt. Henry O. Flipper, are his parents, J. Festus Flipper (1832-12 December 1918) and Isabella Buckhalter Flipper (1837-21 August 1887).

Vernacular Headstones of Providence Methodist Cemetery, Stephens County

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It’s not unusual to find old cemeteries stretched beyond the boundaries of their more formal current configurations, and in the woods around historic Providence Methodist Church near Traveler’s Rest there are many vernacular headstones scattered along the fringes.

It’s safe to presume that these are among the oldest memorials in the cemetery, which dates to 1857. Local stone, be it granite, gneiss, or something similar, was readily available in the creeks and valleys near Providence, and as such was the logical material for marking the final resting places of some of its earliest members.

The marker pictured above is a great example of such a stone. Many were placed “as-is” but this one appears to have had a bit of finishing.

Robinson family plot

The Robinson family plot contains the most significant vernacular marker at Providence. Two of the three gravestones are slightly stylized, as as seen in this view, and contain text on the back side, although it’s nearly unreadable now.

M. B. Robinson (27 February 1908-1 December 1908)

The most important Robinson marker is this “Tree of Life” marking the grave of a toddler, M. B. Robinson. Findagrave identifies it by the name on the stone, which is Robson, but I believe this to be a phonetic spelling, since the more modern gravestone in the plot spells the name “Robinson”. We may never know much about these people, but they left behind a beautiful work of art with this enduring piece of folk art.

Dan Tucker’s Grave, Elbert County

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Sign marking the trail leading to Dan Tucker’s grave

Elbert County has always promoted Dan Tucker’s gravesite to visitors based on the assumption that the Daniel Tucker buried here is the “Old Dan Tucker” of 19th-century American folklore. There is no academic or even incidental agreement on this assertion, but it’s a great story, and the public access trail to the historic Tucker Cemetery is one of the nicest walks around. And as a big fan of vernacular gravestones, I’d suggest a visit to others who appreciate this underappreciated art form. Kudos to Elbert County for maintaining it so nicely. It’s a low rise path surrounded for most of its short distance by wooded slopes descending into Richard B. Russell Lake. The small cemetery has several other markers, three of which are identified.

Path to Dan Tucker’s grave

Since the origins of the standard folk song “Old Dan Tucker” are unclear and may never be confirmed, there is no way of proving the identity of its namesake. Some credit the song to Dan Emmett, who popularized blackface minstrel shows and composed the song “Dixie”, but it has also been credited to J. R. Jenkins, and Henry Russell. Dan Emmett told his biographer that he wrote the song circa 1830-1821 when he was 15 years old. “Old Dan Tucker” was first published as sheet music in 1843. The earliest versions (there are many) employed Black Vernacular English, portrayed Dan Tucker as a drunken troublemaker, and breaks with many social conventions. He was a Black man in these iterations. At least four versions with different lyrics and identities for Tucker were published in the 19th century. Some suggest it’s based on a notorious sea captain and widely despised colonist named Daniel Tucker. This seems a bit far-fetched to me. More likely, as has been suggested, it’s derived from earlier minstrel tunes.

General view of Tucker Cemetery

Elbert County’s Dan Tucker was Daniel Tucker (14 February 1740-7 April 1818), a Virginia native who served as a captain of the Amelia County Militia during the Revolutionary War. For his service, he was awarded a land grant on the Georgia frontier. He developed a successful plantation, Point Lookout, with an enslaved workforce, ran a ferry on the Savannah River, and served as a minister, particularly known, through oral tradition, “…to bring Christianity to those he enslaved.” He was a neighbor and good friend of Governor Stephen Heard.

Frances Tucker (25 April 1790-19 May 1818). The nice vernacular headstone, of local material, reads: Sacred to the memory of Frances Tucker W of Rev Eppes Tucker – Born April 25 1790 – dp this life May the 19 1818 -Age 28 years.

A 1957 Georgia Historical Marker, which is no longer standing, claimed this about Daniel Tucker: “…Esteemed by his fellow planters, he was loved by the Negroes who composed the many verses of the famous ditty, “Old Dan Tucker,” a favorite song at corn shuckings and other social gatherings.” There is no evidence whatsoever to support this claim, other than local tradition. While I never dismiss it outright, oral history is spotty at best. I mean no ill will in pointing this out, and I enjoyed my visit to Dan Tucker’s grave. I never gave it much thought when I first heard it on The Andy Griffith Show and Little House on the Prairie as a boy.

Decedent unknown. I’m working on translating the name but haven’t gotten it yet.

There are several unidentified stones in the cemetery, all relatives or in-laws of Daniel Tucker as best I can discern.

Frances Epps Tucker (4 April 1750-6 August 1823). The stone reads: In Memory of Frances Tucker W. O. Daniel Tucker-who was born April the 4th 1750-dp this life Aug the 6th 1823-Age 73 Yr. [The maker of this marker used a backward capital D for the letter R, and for the number 5 in the birthdate, quite an unusual characteristic.]

Daniel Tucker’s grave is also quite primitive.

Rev. Daniel Tucker (14 February 1740-7 April 1818)

A newer military-issued marker has been placed in recent years, and it’s a good thing, as these memorials are all fading fast.

Mountain Creek A. M. E. Church, Sumter County

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The churchyard of Mountain Creek A. M. E. is located in an isolated section of northern Sumter County and reached by a road of deep red clay, perched atop a hill. Named for a tributary of the Flint River, Mountain Creek may be a Freedmen’s congregation, but its history is a bit obscure, as is often the case with the historic Black churches I document. This little building is what beckoned me here in the first place, and it has proven to be as enigmatic as the congregation itself. When I saw the piano [below], I was sure this was the original church, but as I explored the property and learned of an Old Mountain Creek Cemetery, that quickly gave way to a different narrative.

The building is nearing collapse, and I now believe it was a schoolhouse, associated with Mountain Creek A. M. E.

The historic cemetery is full of stenciled headstones, and there are five gravesites painted a shade of bright blue, which some would call haint blue. They are the first of this color that I’ve encountered. [There is also an Old Mountain Creek A. M. E. Cemetery listed on Findagrave, which suggests the congregation was established elsewhere and later moved here. The earliest identified burial in that cemetery is 1902].

An historic church building serves the congregation today, and the front addition, known as the Dr. Russell Thomas and Sister Margarot Camp Thomas Fellowship Hall, was added in 1990.

The church is a typical late-19th/early-20th century form, with separate front doors for women and men.

Joseph D. Brantley Family Cemetery, Washington County

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Nancy Melissa Massey Brantley (7 September 1845-3 December 1879)

I don’t often photograph family cemeteries, as many aren’t publicly accessible, but this one was open and very inviting, with great landscaping, spring blooming bulbs, and obvious good maintenance. There are always stories in these places, and a bit of this one unfolded from the pen of the late Georgia-born writer, Van K. Brock, with whom I coincidentally corresponded many years ago.

The cemetery is identified in different sources as the Joseph D. Brantley Family Cemetery and the Massey-Brantley Cemetery. According to Findagrave, Joseph Daniel “Joe” Brantley, Sr. (13 November 1845-17 November 1900), the namesake, isn’t buried here, but at Mount Gilead Primtive Baptist Cemetery, also in Washington County. He was the grandson of James Brantley, who migrated to Washington County from Tar River, Chatham County, North Carolina. Joe Brantley served as a private in Company A, 28th Georgia Infantry during the Civil War. Nancy Melissa Massey, a Washington County native, was his first wife. They had three daughters and a son.

Almarintha “Marintha” Cowart Brantley (3 March 1859-5 October 1888)

Van K. Brock wrote that “Marintha gave birth to five children while caring for seven stepchildren. One of her children died at birth. She died trying to give birth again.” I’m not sure about the “seven” stepchildren, as Joe and Nancy only had four children, but I may be missing an aspect of that. At any rate, Joe and Marintha’s three children who died at, or near, birth are buried here.

Infant deaths were common at this time in history.

Infant Daughter Brantley (5 October 1888-5 October 1888)

Of the three Brantley infants to die, Victory was the first, and the only one given a name.

Victory Brantley (26 February 1884-29 May 1884)

Joe and Marintha had another daughter and two sons who lived to adulthood. They are buried elsewhere. Not long after Marintha’s death, Joe married his third wife, Beulah Haddock Brantley (17 October 1869-11 September 1901), on 17 February 1889. Beulah bore Joe seven more children, all but one of whom survived to adulthood.

Jones Chapel Cemetery, Washington County

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Situated on a ridge across from Jones Chapel, this historic cemetery is as important a resource as the church itself. It contains a nice variety of vernacular and commercial memorials, and formerly enslaved men and women, along with freedmen and their descendants, are buried here. My focus here is on the vernacular memorials.

Bessie H Jackson? (Aug 5, no year-22 July 1960 or 1961)

This vernacular memorial is topped by a cross made of shells and reads: Memory of You Forever.

Bidy Ann Talington (12 March 1900-6 January 1904)

Bidy Ann was the daughter of Sam and Hattie Talington.

Ransom Powell, Jr. (26 May 1899-6 May 1915)

This is a marble stone, likely bought as a blank and inscribed by a local craftsman.

Georgian Brinson (1870-22 February 1909)

This is a typical “stenciled” ledger stone in a common shape. It remains in relatively good condition.

Nias Gonder (4 March 1883-11 September 1923)

This is another typical stenciled stone.

Mattie B. Jones (30 September 1907-8 July 1908)

Ivy and an anchor are represented in the tympanum of this marker, and an accompanying poem reads: A little flower of love that blossomed but to die, Transplanted not above to bloom with God on high.

Little Sandra Leann Dixon (birth and death dates obscured)

This is the first Eldren Bailey headstone I’ve seen with the Blake Funeral Home identified. I’m not sure where it was located, but likely in Atlanta where Mr. Bailey lived and worked.

Newman Jackson (9 May 1910-8 August 1995)

This is one of two Jackson headstones with a distinctive dotted text. Though they were made 15 years apart, I believe the same person created both. In addition to the birth and death dates, it reads: Memories Your Children-We Still Love You

T. L. Jackson (1980-1980)

Rev. J. W. Irwin Memorial, 1948, Tennille

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Rev. J. W. Irwin (?-11 January 1948), Women Missionary Society Cemetery, aka Tennille Colored Cemetery

In an historic African-American cemetery characterized by many sunken graves and damaged markers, the headstone of Rev. J. W. Irwin stands out as a vernacular masterpiece. It’s one of the most unique handmade memorials I’ve encountered anywhere. The poured concrete stone is pierced by four holes, roughly representing the shape of a cross. Rev. Irwin’s name and date of death are handwritten on the surface. I hope to learn more about Rev. Irwin.

Evans Chapel C. M. E. Church, Webster County

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Evans Chapel is located in the Church Hill community, just over the Marion County line in Webster County. I believe the present structure replaced a simple wood frame chapel, but don’t know when it was built, nor any other history of the congregation.

Mrs. Geneva Hill (?-12 November 1962) – Cox Funeral Home.

There is a large well-maintained cemetery beside the church. [It’s sometimes referred to as Churchill Cemetery.] I located two memorials made by Eldren Bailey, who I believe to be Georgia’s most prolific black creator of funerary art in the 20th century. Sadly, much of his creative work has been lost, so his cemetery memorials, made to order, represent his legacy. I document them whenever I find them.

Herman Alonzo Walker (1934-1968) – Haugabrooks Funeral Home

Mr. Walker was an Army veteran. He died in Atlanta, so I’m unsure if it was related to the Vietnam War, but he also has a government headstone in addition to this one.

Fergerson Cemetery, 1907, Guyton

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Fergerson Cemetery was established in 1907. Annie, Minnie, and Alice Fergerson gave the land to the city of Guyton to be used as a “colored” cemetery. There are nearly 500 marked graves. As is the case in many historic African-American cemeteries, there are many unmarked or poorly marked graves, but working with Lucy Powell, Pearl Boynes, Robert Hunter and Michael Garvin of the Fergerson Cemetery Committee, volunteer JoAnn Clarke has helped to document many of them.

Many handmade headstones can be found throughout the cemetery and these are important historical resources. I’ve documented a few random examples. I’ve attempted to edit them to make them more readable. Some turned out better than others.

Maria Dobson (1843-17 April 1934)

Maria Dobson was born in South Carolina, likely enslaved.

Willie Dobson (1878-1903)

Willie Dobson was the son of Maria Dobson (1848-1934).

Annabell McCloud (24 March 1878-4 February 1924)

Jimmie C. Griffin (5 September 1890-28 September 1940)

Jimmie C. Griffin was a Mason, indicated by the symbol on his memorial. He was the son of Will Griffin, a native of North Carolina, and Katie Dobson of Guyton. His wife was Amy Griffin.

James Macon (18 January 1881-1 May 1946)

James Macon’s memorial notes that he was a Mason and a deacon of his church.

Annie Eliza Bryant Cross (27 September 1860-23 September 1941)

This memorial appears to have been made by the same craftsman as James Macon’s, in the previous photograph. Though it’s difficult to see, there’s a star at the top. Her mother’s maiden name was Caroline Kent and considering her birthdate, Annie was likely born enslaved.

Beatrice Massey (5 June 1916-20 January 1939)

This marker has design elements in common with the previous two.

Rena Cuthbert (18 August 1889-24 April 1943)

Mrs. Cuthbert’s memorial features a star. This is a common motif in cemeteries, but is more often found in African-American cemeteries.

Claudie Cuthbert (?-18 October 1945)

Claudie Cuthbert was the husband of Rena Cuthbert. He was a deacon of his church and a Mason. This stone features a flower engraving, that’s difficult to see in the photograph.

James Ishmal Sheffield (1862-21 December 1929)

Mr. Sheffield was born to Abraham and Rosa Sheffield, both natives of Bulloch County. Considering the dates, they were probably all enslaved.

Ben Curry (17 December 1853-22 March 1905)

Mr. Curry was likely born into slavery and hopefully his memorial will be raised out of the ground so he won’t be forgotten. Thankfully, volunteers are working to restore all of these endangered markers.

Elgrie Hayes (9 April 1858-13 January 19170

Mr. Hayes was likely born enslaved, as well. Knowing these people’s names and when they lived is something that needs to be documented all over the state. Sadly, many are lost to time, so the surviving records, i.e. burial sites, must be remembered.

Samuel “Pop” Smalls, Sr. (1919-25 September 1997)

In contrast to the many vernacular memorials in Fergerson Cemetery is the crypt of Samuel Smalls, Sr., known as Pop Smalls. He was one of the most prominent members of Effingham County’s African-American community and served on the Guyton City Council. A World War II Navy veteran, he was the owner of Small’s Funeral Home and was involved in numerous social and civic organizations.