Southern Graves

Thomas Milton Allen was a prominent minister who was born and enslaved in 1833. In 1890 he formed the first association for Black churches, the Kennesaw Baptist Association. Marietta Journal  (Georgia) Thursday, 22 April 1909 NEGRO EX-LEGISLATOR AND MINISTER, Rev. Thomas Allen, Dies at His Farm, Near Marietta. Rev. Thomas Allen, a well-known colored Baptist minister, died at his farm home, near Marietta, on the 11th instant, aged seventy-six years. Before moving to Marietta, he lived in Jasper county, Georgia, and represented that county in the Georgia legislature during the 'reconstruction period,' immediately after the late civil war. He was associated in the legislature with Bishop Turner, colored, when the storm of passion and misrule reigned. Be it said to the credit of the memory of Rev. Thomas Allen, he was a conservative man, of probity and respectability, as his life in Marietta demonstrated. He served the Mt. Zion Baptist church here, as pastor, sixteen years, and the...

Myles Lafayette Green was a son of Peter B. Greene (d. 1836). In 1850, Myles married Ann E. Persons (1832-1879). This union produced at least five children: Ella G. (d. 1892), Myles Claude (d. 1923), Orville Lafayette (d. 1890), George Peter (d. 1926), and Mary Lois "Mamie" (d. 1923). Mamie was born approximately six weeks after the death of her father. And the deaths of Myles Claude and his sister Mamie were separated by just three months. Myles L., his wife Ann, and their three sons were all buried in Oaklawn Cemetery at Fort Valley, Georgia. Southern Christian Advocate  (Macon, Georgia) 5 January 1866 - pg. 8 Obituary. MYLES L. GREENE  was born February 6th, 1826, and died in Fort Valley, Ga., Dec. 8th, '65. He joined the M. E. Church in early life, but never became a decided, experimental, active and zealous christian, until he was the head of a family. From this time, the family altar was erected, and his pious fidelity continued during his entire after life. He serv...

I've written about the gravestone of Virginia Osborne Crook (d. 1859) in this space before. It's symbolism, really. You can find what grapes, wheat, and a "diving" dove represent here . In this post, I prefer to share a list of names of people enslaved by the Crook family. Maybe this can be of help to someone researching an African American line pre-Emancipation. Columbus Daily Enquirer (Georgia) Friday, 25 November 1859 - pg. 4 [via GenealogyBank ] VALUABLE Negroes at Administrator's Sale. IN compliance with an order of the Court of Ordinary of Harris county, I will sell at public outcry on the first Tuesday in January next, in the town of Hamilton, all the Negroes belonging to the Estate of the late Miss Virginia Crook, to-wit: Mumford a man about 40 years old, a blacksmith; Maria, his wife, about 38 years old, No 1 house woman and cook, washer and ironer, and 3 children, Bulger a boy 5 years old, May a girl 4, and Tom 1 year old. Lard a man 40 year...

If you walk cemeteries in the southern United States often enough, you are bound to come across some seashells along with the expected gravestones. And I don't just mean cemeteries along the coast. You can find the pair in various combinations even hundreds of miles inland. Whether there's a single conch shell on top of a traditional tombstone or hundreds of cockle shells attached to a fully mounded gravesite, you might see the practice as purely for decoration. And you wouldn't be wrong. But could there be more to it? Could those shells perhaps be more significant? The answer is "yes," and here are a couple of prevailing thoughts on the matter. The Watery World of the Dead Elaine Nichols in 1989 was an archeologist, collector, and editor for a museum exhibit entitled, "The Last Miles of the Way: African-American Homegoing Traditions." According to her, for many enslaved Africans and their descendants in America, "The world of the dead wa...

My first visit (for the purpose of taking photographs and transcriptions of tombstones) to Evergreen Cemetery in Perry, Houston County, Georgia was approximately fifteen years ago.  I would say it's a typical southern cemetery with lots of defined family plots and trees full of moss. (Image from March 2008) Another characteristic of an "old" southern cemetery is a separation between white burials and African American burials.  At Evergreen, many African Americans are buried at the back of the cemetery.  I was standing in this "back" area beside the tombstone and grave of Mahala Dennard when approached by a woman.  She informed me Mahala was a slave (and later, presumably, a paid servant) of a local family.  Upon her death, one of the children Mahala helped to raise had this tombstone placed for her. To Mammy Mahala Dennard Died Sept. 1886, Aged 60 Years. Sheltered and safe from sorrow. Please remember, this was unsolicited information from an unknown (to me) i...

Not far from Georgia Governor Stephen Heard's grave (in the Elbert County cemetery named for him and his family) are two additional graves that one might be surprised to see. Two of his slaves, Mammy Kate and her husband Daddy Jack, lie near the governor. Inscribed on Mammy Kate's ledger marker is the following: " Mammy Kate who Rescued Her Master, Stephen Heard, in Feb. 1779 on Eve of His Execution by the British. " A good rendition of the rescue of Stephen Heard by Mammy Kate can be read here . The story, in brief, goes that she carried Master Heard out of his jail in a laundry basket. Governor Heard, in his profound gratitude, granted Mammy Kate, her husband and nine children their freedom. He also gave them a tract of land, on which Mammy Kate stayed (continuing service to the family) until her death. What struck me as, well, rather shocking, was that Mammy Kate in her will gave her children back to the Heard family. (As an Amazon Associate I earn f...

I really like these gravestones placed for George Walker, Jr. at Walker Cemetery in Bleckley County, Georgia. There's the early American military service, the mention of slavery (but not the horrors of it), and an informative epitaph. AS a tribute of affection and a testimony of grief this stone is erected to the memory of GEORGE WALKER by his children. He was born in Burke County, Georgia 14th Nov 1763 Died in Houston County, Geo 4th Sept 1830 a member of the Baptist Church. An affectionate husband, a kind father An indulgent master, a sincere friend A useful member of the community He was universally respected. Here may the treasured dust repose Till God shall bid the dead arise And then with kindred Spirits round Obtain a mansion in the skies. George Walker, Jr. GA Troops Rev War September 4, 1830 Photo © 2013 S. Lincecum

I followed this story for some time -- the relocation of remains from an African American burial ground in Bibb County, Georgia. Throughout the process, I always felt proud of how the project was being handled. I remain so to this day. A kind Facebook friend shared this documentary with me. It is 30 minutes long, but time so very well spent. If you have an interest in archaeology, cemeteries, history, or African American history specifically, please watch. In addition, I wrote a post four years ago about a man who might just have a connection to this burial place -- Daniel Ryder, U.S. Colored Infantry . For more information about this project, including contact information if you might be related, please visit www.avondaleburialplace.org .

[Originally posted a little more than a year ago, brought to the top in honor of Ms. Jones and Juneteenth .] Sallie Jones D. Oct 28, 1928 B. In Slave Time Gone But Not Forgotton Shiloh Cemetery Henderson, Houston County, Georgia

Sallie Jones D. Oct 28, 1928 B. In Slave Time Gone But Not Forgotton Shiloh Cemetery Henderson, Houston County, Georgia