Southern Graves

I have updated and upgraded the Southern Graves page for Magnolia Park Cemetery located on Pleasant Hill Road in Warner Robins, Houston County, Georgia. I've added several more transcriptions and photos, and I also added a FindAGrave search box so you can search the more than 540 entries for Magnolia Park hosted on their site. For a touch of history - Magnolia Park was once known as Watson Cemetery, back when the town of Warner Robins was known as Wellston. Southern Graves Home

Thaddeus Goode Holt, Jr. died on this date 65 years ago. He was born 31 July 1875. Mr. Holt was buried in Sardis Cemetery in Bibb County, Georgia.

Magnolia Park Cemetery Warner Robins, Houston County, Georgia USA

Arthur P. Etheridge died on this date 42 years ago. Mr. Etheridge, a World War I veteran, was born 23 October 1896. He was buried in Bonaire Cemetery in Houston County, Georgia. The complete gravestone transcription: Arthur P. Etheridge Georgia PFC 44 Depot SVC Co ASC World War I Oct 23, 1896 - Nov 25, 1966

Magnolia Park Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Warner Robins (formerly Wellston), Georgia. The land for it was donated by Mr. Thomas Watson. It was originally used for his family burying ground, known as Watson Cemetery. Mr. Thomas Watson lived across the street from the cemetery. Magnolia Park as it is known today was not officially established until 1949. Crawford V. Watson, grandson of Thomas Watson, was laid to rest in Watson Cemetery in 1914. He was born 20 November 1885, the son of Richmond Hezekiah Watson. I found a blurb in the 27 August 1911 edition of the Macon Weekly Telegraph stating C. V. Watson was sworn in as deputy sheriff of Houston county and moved to Perry to "assume the duties of the office." By the time of his death, his residence was back in Wellston. In an obituary for Crawford V. Watson from the 11 January 1914 edition of the Macon Weekly Telegraph , the Watson family is mentioned as being one of the best known in Houston county. There

If anyone is around the Morrow, Georgia branch of the National Archives on December 6th, this might be an interesting talk: Tombstone Expert to Speak By Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr. For the Journal-Constitution Sunday, November 23, 2008 "Tombstones: Beyond the Inscription" will be the topic of the Georgia Genealogical Society’s December meeting. The speaker will be Charlotte Thomas Marshall of Athens, noted authority on cemetery iconography and lore and author of a book on Oconee Hill Cemetery in Athens... ...The meeting is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 6 at the National Archives in Morrow. The cost, including lunch, is $25 for members, $35 for nonmembers. The deadline for reservations is Dec. 1... READ MORE Southern Graves Home

Renna Shelton died on this date 84 years ago at age 58. Renna was buried in the Henderson Spring Road Cemetery in Elko, Houston County, Georgia. Southern Graves Home

Amy at Graveyeard Rabbit of Central Ohio admits to her fascination with newer tombstones in her Hog to Heaven post . I have to agree with her. Many contemporary gravestones are beautiful and should be considered artwork, just as the old ones often are. The one for Alexander Thomas Kaminski is no exception. Mr. Kaminski was born 16 February 1939, and passed away 26 Nov 2005. An inscription on his stone: "I Have Fought the Good Fight, I Have Finished The Race, I Have Kept The Faith." An obituary from The Macon Telegraph , 27 November 2005: "BONAIRE - Alexander T. Kaminski, 66, passed away after a lengthy illness on Saturday, November 26, 2005 at the Houston Medical Center. Services will be held at 11A.M. on Wednesday, November 30, 2005 in the chapel of McCullough Funeral Home with interment following in Magnolia Park Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday, November 29 from 7:00 until 9:00 P.M. at McCullough Funeral Home. Memorials may be given to The American Heart A

It's hard to tell from the photo, but Adelaide Lindell "Cookie" Wall's tombstone is pink. Very pretty and feminine. Mrs. Wall was born 20 March 1922 and passed away 8 July 2003. An inscription on her stone: "Always Loving, Always Loved." Here is an obituary from The Macon Telegraph , 11 July 2003: "WARNER ROBINS - Adelaide Lindell Wall passed away Tuesday, July 8, 2003. Services will be at 10A.M., Saturday at the First United Methodist Church with burial in Magnolia Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00 until 8:00P.M. Friday evening at the funeral home. Mrs. Wall was born in Mobile, AL to the late Vernon Eric and Lillie Mae Moore Lindell. She was preceded in death by her husband Col. James William Wall, USAF. Mrs. Wall was a born-again christian, a beloved mother and master gardener. As a member of the First United Methodist Church, she was involved in the United Methodist Women and the Wesley Fellowship Sunday School class. She was the forme

Herbert T. Fielder died on this date 94 years ago. He was born 17 October 1877. Mr. Fielder was buried in Sardis Cemetery in Bibb County, Georgia. Pierce H. Pollett died on this date 2 years ago. He was a US Army and World War II veteran born 29 August 1922. Mr. Pollett was buried in Bonaire Cemetery in Houston County, Georgia.

Mary Jane "Mollie" Phillips died on this date 84 years ago. She was born 29 July 1847. Mollie was buried in Elko Cemetery in Houston County, Georgia. Grover C. Bryant died on this date 51 years ago. He was born 21 September 1889 and married Ora Hudson. Grover was buried in Sardis Cemetery in Bibb County, Georgia. Kenneth Lee Perdue died on this date 4 years ago. He was born 18 July 1953. Kenneth was buried in Bonaire Cemetery in Houston County, Georgia.

Simple, with just the right accessory - I like it! Lucille F. Bass died on this date 37 years ago. She was born 19 September 1898. Lucille was buried in Sardis Cemetery in Bibb County, Georgia.

I took a drive today, visited 6 cemeteries, and took about 570 pictures. Whew! It was great fun, and the fall foliage was beautiful. So stay tuned to this blog and the main Southern Graves site . I'll be presenting information and gravestones from Reynolds, Talbotton, and Waverly Hall. All of these fine places are in the state of Georgia, by the way. See you soon and often, I hope!

I absolutely love Bonaventure Cemetery , located in Chatham County, Georgia. The beauty of the grounds can take your breath away. Denise at the Graveyard Rabbit of Moultrie Creek wrote a post about the famous song man, Johnny Mercer. He was buried at Bonaventure. The post is entitled One for My Baby . Check it out! I would like to show you my favorite photo I took while visiting Bonaventure. I point it out because my Mom is the one who noticed the scene. We were standing in just the right spot to get some gorgeous stones, grand artwork, and beautiful landscaping in one shot. [Click to enlarge] I'll let my final words about Bonaventure (in this post) be the same as those engraved on Johnny Mercer's gravestone -- "And the Angels Sing" Southern Graves Home

Eliza Pinckney, relict of Col. Thomas Pinckney, died on this date 146 years ago. She was born 20 August 1784. Ms. Pinckney was buried in St. Philip's Church Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina. John Wesley Braswell died on this date 23 years ago. He was born 1 March 1919. John was buried in Elko Cemetery in Houston County, Georgia. Darius Gray Ornston, Jr., MD died on this date 5 years ago. He was born 13 September 1934. Darius was buried in Bethany Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina.

A belated Veterans Day salute. Magnolia Park Cemetery Warner Robins Houston County Georgia USA

Sfronie Miller Bond died on this date 79 years ago. She was born 7 September 1857. Mrs. Bond was buried in Sardis Cemetery in Bibb County, Georgia. Southern Graves Home

Just a note to let you know I've added some more burials to the Sardis Cemetery page. It now has over 200 listings. Reminder: this cemetery is in Bibb County, Georgia. Southern Graves Home

Major General Thomas Pinckney died on this date 180 years ago. He was born 23 October 1750. Mr. Pinckney was buried in St. Philip's Church Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina. Susie S. Watson died on this date 39 years ago. She was born 1 August 1889. Susie was buried in Bonaire Cemetery in Houston County, Georgia.

While working on the Hudson Family post , I came across an obituary for Miss Maggie Herritage. Her gravestone photo from Sardis Cemetery was featured in the Wordless Wednesday: Flat Marker Perils post . 22 November 1905, Macon Weekly Telegraph " Death of a Little Girl Maggie, the 11-year-ol daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Herrit[a]ge, died yesterday morning at the residence of her parents near Walden, Ga. She had been sick about two weeks with typhoid pneumonia. The funeral services will be held this morning at 11 o'clock from Sardis church, Rev. Mr. Heard conducting the services. The interment will be at the Sardis church cemetery." Southern Graves Home

Two beautiful tombstones at Sardis Cemetery in Bibb County, Georgia caught my eye recently. I liked them so much I wondered who made them. I'll have to start looking more closely at stones in the future for any signatures. The first gravestone is for Martha A. and B. F. Hudson. Martha A. was born Dec 19, 1849 and died Mar 4, 1919. Benjamin Franklin Hudson was born June 29, 1843 and died Feb 6, 1924: The second stone was identical in design. This one was for two sons of Martha A. and B. F. Hudson. Otis M. Hudson was born July 15, 1882 and died Feb 11, 1916. William Havis Hudson was born Feb 2, 1886 and died Feb 7, 1919: My enjoyment of the stones of course got me doing some research on this family... Benjamin Franklin Hudson was the son of William "Buck" Hudson and Mary B. Moore. This family was in Jones County, Georgia in 1850 and 1860. According to the 1850 Jones County, Georgia census, Benjamin's siblings were as follows: Matilda, John, William,

I don't know if I could take on this transcription project. I certainly couldn't pay for it! US Space-Funeral Company Plans to Launch Lunar Cemetery Southern Graves Home

Cornelius E. Cook died on this date 122 years ago. He was the son of J. R. & L. E. Cook, born 15 August 1865. He was buried in Beech Springs Church Cemetery in Bullard, Twiggs County, Georgia. Southern Graves Home

George E. Searcy died on this date 25 years ago. He was born 20 November 1934. Mr. Searcy was buried in the Henderson Spring Road Cemetery in Elko, Houston County, Georgia. William Henry Harp died on this date 25 years ago, as well. He was born 13 April 1904. William was buried in Sardis Cemetery in Bibb County, Georgia.

Jerome Powell Jackson died on this date 22 years ago. Mr. Jackson, a US Navy veteran, was born 6 May 1918. He was buried in Bonaire Cemetery in Houston County, Georgia.

The recent discussion regarding cenotaphs begun by Amy at Amy's Genealogy Blog , as well as a bit of curiosity about a stone I recently found prompted this post. In Sardis Cemetery located in Bibb County, Georgia, I came across the cenotaph transcribed here - In Memory of Our Mother Annie Lou Nash Who Was Interred In Trinidad, Colo. Feb 23, 1919 What peaked my interest was the distance between Trinidad, Colorado and Macon, Georgia. That's some 1400 miles! Surrounding gravestones suggest Annie Lou was married to T. A. Nash, as his stone refers to him as "Our Father." I tried to do a little digging to find out more about Annie and T. A., but I had no luck. I'm going to post transcriptions of the surrounding gravestones that I believe are family members here in hopes that someone might want to fill me in on what led the Nash family from Colorado to Georgia. Emma Lou Nash Oct 18, 1900 Dec 30, 1976 T. A. Nash Oct 15, 1872 May 29, 1949 Our Father

On this date, Ethel Mae "Punch" Whitfield died 11 years ago. She was born 14 April 1928. Ms. Whitfield was buried in the Henderson Spring Road Cemetery in Elko, Houston County, Georgia.

Voncile Campbell died on this date 77 years ago. Voncile was born 29 December 1924. Mack C. Cook, Jr. died on this date 48 years ago. Mr. Cook, a World War II veteran, was born 29 August 1917. Both Voncile Campbell and Mack C. Cook, Jr. were buried in Bonaire Cemetery in Houston County, Georgia.

This is a very interesting article. With the "going green" movement, this won't be the last one we see. New Bibb Cemetery Ordinance Draws National Attention By Jennifer Burk "A new law that will make it tougher to build new cemeteries and will prohibit natural burials in Bibb County has drawn national attention." READ MORE. Southern Graves Home

Charles F. Jones died on this date 111 years ago. He was born 25 November 1849. Charles was buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina. Southern Graves Home

The Graveyard Rabbits combined to publish 99 articles on their various blogs for the week of November 1 - 7. All are worthy of reading. You may find a list of them here . Also, you can find a membership directory and link to current articles in this blog's sidebar. Southern Graves Home

The Georgia Bulletin has a couple of interesting articles pertaining to Georgia cemeteries. New Cemetery Offers Eco-Friendly Option By Andrew Nelson ..."The gravesite is a mile and a half into the woods, over a wooden bridge spanning Honey Creek in this 'green cemetery,' where remains are put into the earth without embalming and only biodegradable caskets or urns are allowed. Some may choose to be buried in a shroud alone..." Old Cemeteries Form Intriguing Part Of State’s Past By Andrew Nelson "ATLANTA — A group of volunteers will work to reclaim one of the rural historic Catholic cemeteries in Georgia, with a goal to restore stone markers to unmarked graves and return the burial ground to its original appearance." Southern Graves Home

Mrs. Mary Dart, wife of John Dart Esq., died on this date 256 years ago at age 50. She was buried in St. Philip's Church Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina. Benjamin Grover Harp died on this date 28 years ago. He was born 24 May 1928. Benjamin was buried in Sardis Cemetery in Bibb County, Georgia.

I love sunflowers. So when I found some blooming in Sardis Cemetery (Bibb County, Georgia), I had to photograph them. One particular plot -- Charles H. and Mary Ann Jones Johnson -- was covered with them. Here's a question: were they put there for a reason? Are these sunflowers symbolism? Let's start with the photos: Now, as much as I love cemeteries, I don't have a large library on the subject. I do have a few books, though, dealing with symbolism and southern cemetery symbolism. In only one book, Douglas Keister's Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography , did I find mention of sunflowers in cemeteries. He was referring to a sunflower carved into a gravestone. They signify devotion to the Catholic Church. This would seem to strike down the theory of symbolism in this case. Sardis Cemetery is attached to a Primitive Baptist Church. I did go looking online as well, and come across "Gravestone Symbolism" at Grave Add

Lizzie Prator Calhoun died on this date 85 years ago. Lizzie, the wife of A. W. Calhoun, was born 24 June 1864. She was buried in Sardis Cemetery in Bibb County, Georgia.

I have been working on uploading tombstone transcriptions and photos from Sardis Cemetery . I have completed over 120 transcriptions. As a reminder, Sardis Cemetery is located in Bibb County , Georgia. Stop by when you can! Southern Graves Home

Irene B. Teal died on this date 96 years ago. She was born 28 October 1898. Irene was buried in Elko Cemetery in Houston County, Georgia. An angel visited the green earth and took the flower away.

Today's epitaph is not an uncommon one. She hath done what she could can be seen on several tombstones in my area of the southern U.S. I saw it most recently on the gravestone for Fannie W. Heard at Sardis Cemetery in Bibb County, Georgia. One thing that is not often seen, though, is the chapter and verse of the Bible scripture from which this phrase comes - Mark 14:8. While I knew it was scripture from the Bible, I was ignorant as to exactly where it was located and to what it applied (sorry, Grandma) . When I got out my Bible and looked it up, the epitaph became even more poignant. Chapter 14 of the Gospel of Mark is about the plot to kill Jesus. I'm not going to go into full detail. Just know the woman spoke of in verse 8 came and poured perfume on the head of Jesus, and the people around her wondered why she wasted such expensive perfume. Jesus replied in verse 8: "She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial."

I have recently began reading Tom Hickman's Death: A User's Guide , and it is quite interesting. Here is a tidbit I felt compelled to share: In late eighteenth-century Europe the dead were often driven to the cemetery after dark, though not for burial -- they were "parked" until the next day. Many countries had the problem that in the daytime drivers of coffin wagons used to stop off at taverns, then went on their way roaring drunk. Laws were passed making night delivery obligatory. Even if the drivers tippled, at least fewer citizens were around to be shocked by their behavior -- or at risk from their road use. Mr. Hickman's book has thus far lived up to its front-cover wording: "From famous last words to quirky undertaker tales, from bizarre burials to unusual hereafters -- the ultimate guide to the world's most-talked-about subject..." Oh, by the way, I voted today. You?

Faithful unto death. This strong statement is from the tombstone of Eliza Calhoun at Sardis Cemetery ; Bibb County, Georgia. Southern Graves Home

Yet when the body and the tomb are dust, Still survives the memory of the just. From the tombstone of J. W. Calhoun at Sardis Cemetery ; Bibb County, Georgia. Southern Graves Home

Question: When photographing a gravestone, is it OK to move an object or objects blocking the inscription or in the way of the "perfect photo?" Hmmm. That's a tough one. While I don't think an all-or-nothing kind of answer is applicable, I often cringe when I hear people speak flippantly of moving objects from gravestones. Have I ever moved something to read an inscription? Sure. So don't think I'm going "holier than thou" on you. However, I try to remember that more often than not, things were placed on that gravestone with purpose, love, and care. I do want to point out a pet peeve of mine, though. I shudder to hear of rocks being removed from a gravestone. I do NOT remove rocks from gravestones. Even those little pebbles that are most likely gravel accidentally kicked there by a passerby. Remember this: Rocks often signify a visitor to a particular grave. That rock someone chooses to remove in order to "clean up" the ston