Southern Graves

Needham Smith's Will. In the name of God Amen, I Needham Smith of the County of Houston and State of Georgia being of sound and disposing mind and memory, and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs while I have strength to do so, make and publish this my last will and testament hereby revoking all wills by me at any time heretofore made, And first I commit my soul to the God who gave it and my body I desire to be buried in a Christian like manner, And my worldly estate I dispose of as follows. Needham Smith (1796-1854) First I desire and direct that all my just debts be paid without delay by my Executor hereinafter named. Second I desire and will that my Daughter Deborah Ann Roquemore Wife of James A. Roquemore receive Five hundred Dollars in addition to what I have already given her (and will make her equal with what I gave her sister Harriet Walker) to be free from the disposition of her present or any future husband, but to be to her and children by her present or...

I enjoy transcribing early 19th century obituaries. The language of the time is almost lyrical. I do dislike the run-on sentences, though! The subject of this obituary is Mr. Elisha Hammond, a known educator in South Carolina and Georgia. He was also the father of James Henry Hammond, governor of South Carolina 1842-1844. According to an 1893 newspaper article , Mr. Hammond was buried in Macon's Old City Cemetery upon his death. His interment is mentioned again in an article from 1907 . However, it seems any marker he had is not to be found today. Unless it is one of the few still standing that are completely illegible. The following photo shows the current cemetery landscape. You would never guess there were possibly as many as 700 burials there. Macon Telegraph (Georgia) 11 July 1829 Obituary COMMUNICATED. Departed this life, on Thursday the 9th instant, after a painful illness of seven days, Mr. ELISHA HAMMOND superintendent of the Macon Academy, in the 53d yea...

The Jackson Four Yesterday I introduced you to " the Jackson four ," a group of three siblings and their sister-in-law buried in Fairview Presbyterian Church Cemetery at Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, Georgia. Today I would like to focus on the sister-in-law, Mittie P. Jackson: In Memory of Mittie P. Jackson Wife of B. M. Jackson Born Nov 7, 1882 Died Feb 12, 1919 Here is one who is sleeping in faith and love, with hope that is treasured in Heaven above. While searching for information about Mrs. Mittie Jackson, I was fortunate to find her death certificate via FamilySearch.org and the Georgia Deaths, 1914-1927 database. In it, her cause of death was described as "puerperal eclampsia." This condition lasted for 1 & 3/4 days, and a contributory cause was her pregnancy of five months. An online medical dictionary (with the American Heritage Medical Dictionary listed as the source) describes this condition as "Convulsions and coma that are...