Southern Graves

Original Photo © 2008-2015 S. Platt

Gov. Heard's Grave Stephen Heard, Governor of Georgia in 1781, lawyer, planter, surveyor and soldier of the Revolution, lies buried in this family cemetery.  With a price on his head he was captured by the British at the Battle of Kettle Creek, and condemned to die.  On the eve of his execution he was rescued by his servant "Mammy Kate" with the aid of her husband "Daddy Jack," both of whom lie buried near him.  Heard's home "Heardmont" once stood nearby in the 10 acre park established by the Stephen Heard Chapter, D.A.R.  Coming to Georgia from Virginia, Heard, an Irishman, established Heard's Fort, now Washington, Ga., in 1773. Sacred to the memory of Colonel Stephen Heard. He was a soldier of the American Revolution, and fought with the great Washington for the liberties of his country. He died on the 15th of November, 1815, in the 75th year of his age, beloved and lamented by all who knew him. "An honest man is the nob...

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.

Yet another neat tidbit of information from Georgia historian Lucian Lamar Knight: "Hon. W. B. W. Dent was another resident of Coweta [County] who served in the National House of Representatives. He was not a lawyer but a merchant, possessed of an unusual capacity for public affairs. Mr. Dent at one time owned Stone Mountain." [ Georgia's Landmarks, Memorials and Legends (1914), pg. 492.] William Barton Wade Dent rests at Oak Hill Cemetery in Newnan, Georgia: Wm Barton Wade Dent Col Dent's Co Heard Vols GA Militia Indian Wars Sep 8, 1806 - Sep 7, 1855 Congressman

Here's an interesting discrepancy between a written history and what is "written" in stone. William M. Smith was a soldier of the American Revolution from North Carolina. He is mentioned by Lucian Lamar Knight on page 489 of Georgia's Landmarks, Memorials and Legends (published 1914): From an obscure grave in the county [Coweta] the remains of William Smith, another soldier of the first war for independence, were brought to Newnan some time ago and re-interred in the Confederate burial-ground, in the southeast corner of Oak Hill. He was given the sobriquet of "Hell Nation", a somewhat descriptive title which may indicate the fiery quality of his valor. Mr. Smith died at the age of 81. He enlisted in Moore County, N.C., and was granted a pension on September 3, 1832. I visited the final, final resting place of Mr. Smith in October of last year. When putting an image of the stone with the history by Mr. Knight, I noticed a bit of an issue. The older ...

While the photos are from just six months ago, the following text was originally written over 100 years prior: " Soldiers of the Revolution Buried in Coweta [County, Georgia]. On an old box-fashioned tombstone, in the lot of the Robinson family, in Oak Hill cemetery, in the town of Newnan, is chiseled the following epitaph: Randall Robinson, departed this life on the 27th day of February, 1842, in the 80th year of his age. He served a short time in the Revolutionary War and was for many years a member of the Baptist church. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Mr. Robinson was a descendant of the first Governor of North Carolina. He enlisted at the age of fourteen and served for 189 days in a Palmetto State regiment. He became one of the earliest settlers of Coweta and with his family organized the first Baptist church. His great-great grand-daughter, Mrs. Marie Robinson Wright, is a well-known author, who has written some excellent books...

Just over an hour ago, I posted a biographical sketch written by famed Georgia historian Lucian Lamar Knight at the Peachy Past blog . The subject of the sketch was Judge Walter T. Colquitt, namesake of Colquitt County. It was mentioned that Judge Colquitt was placed, upon his death, in an unmarked grave at Columbus, Georgia's Linwood Cemetery. One of his sons, Colonel Peyton H. Colquitt, was later also buried at Linwood. Conversely, he rests beneath a beautiful tombstone. Daily Constitutionalist (Augusta, Georgia) 29 September 1863, pg. 1 Via GenealogyBank . DEATH OF COL. COLQUITT. -- The announcement of the death of Col. Peyton H. Colquitt, of the 46th Georgia regiment, will fill thousands of hearts with the deepest sorrow. It is said that he died at Atlanta on Wednesday, from wounds received at the head of his regiment in the late fierce struggle on the banks of the Chicamauga [sic]. Col. Colquitt, was a son of the famous Walter T. Colquitt, and, though young, ha...

3,000 Confederate dead representing every southern state are buried in the Confederate Cemetery at Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia. The cemetery was first established for soldiers killed in an 1863 railroad collision that occurred north of Marietta. It grew to hold the remains of soldiers from nearby battlefields. Some were even collected after the war ended. [Source: historical and information markers at cemetery.] A monument to these Confederate dead was dedicated in July of 1908. Lucian Lamar Knight in Georgia's Landmarks, Memorials and Legends (pub. 1914) states: "Fourteen little girls, representing various States whose soldiers were sleeping in the sacred area around the monument unveiled the shaft and revealed the finished work of the artist, while the great throng gazed upon the scene in mute admiration." The south side of the monument bears this inscription, in raised letters: "To Our Confederate Dead. Erected and Dedicated, By Kennesaw Chapter,...

[Originally posted at the Your Peachy Past blog .] About a week ago, we began a walking tour of Perry, a town in Houston County, Georgia. It took us a little over an hour to visit just under 30 "significant sites". We have many more to go, and definitely plan to finish the tour. One of the sites we had the pleasure to see was a house built for Eli Warren (b. 1801). It dates prior to 1870, and several window panes still with the home today bear dates of 1893 and 1894. The brochure I have to accompany the tour states: "General Warren sat in two constitutional conventions of Georgia, in both of which also sat his only son, and in one of which also his son-in-law, Colonel Goode; a coincidence never equaled in the history of this State." Eli Warren died 14 February 1882 and rests in Evergreen Cemetery, about five blocks from his former home at 906 Evergreen Street. I visited his grave site about four years ago. And here's an obituary from the 15 Febr...

In Memory Of Major Ferdinand Phinizy Who Died October 19th, 1818 In The 57th Year Of His Age He Was A Native Of Parma In Italy, But In Early Life Became A Citizen Of The United States He Shared In The Struggles, Advocated The Rights, And Was A Firm Friend To The Independence Of His Adopted Country. ---------------------- Sacred To The Memory Of Mrs. Margaret Phinizy Wife Of Maj. Ferdinand Phinizy Who, Having Adorned The Doctrine Of God Her Saviour By A Life Of Exemplary Piety And Usefulness, Was Called To The Enjoyment Of The Blessed Above On The 22nd Day Of August 1815, Aged 55 Years St. Paul's Church Cemetery Augusta, Georgia Photo © 20013-2015 S. Lincecum

Interesting story told in stone: His Daughter Hath placed this stone over the body of Alexander M c Laws While on a voyage from Santo Domingo to his home in Scotland, he and his family were shipwrecked off the coast of Georgia, near Darien. After this unfortunate experience, he decided to settle in America, so Augusta was selected as their home, as it was far away from the sea. This was about 1783. St. Paul's Church Cemetery Augusta, Georgia Photo © 2013-2015 S. Lincecum

Always try to point out when a stone is in a different location than a researcher might expect: To the Memory of M r . Felix M c Kinne who departed this life at Savannah the 30 th day of December 1813 in the 39 th year of his age from whence his remains were removed and here deposited. St. Paul's Church Cemetery Augusta, Georgia

Sacred TO THE Memory OF JOHN BEALE BARNES, Esq. who departed this life 6th November 1815 in the 36th year of his age. 9 November 1815 Augusta Herald (Georgia) - pg. 3 DIED, at his seat in Columbia county, on Monday morning last, Major John B. Barnes , aged 36 years. -- He was the evening before in high health and spirits, and on the morning of his death, he rose apparently well, and as he walked into his piazza, was seized with an apoplectic fit, fell, and in three minutes was a corpse. By this dispensation an amiable wife, and two small children are deprived of their best earthly friend, and by it an impressive evidence is furnished to all survivors, of the uncertainty of life, and of the necessity and importance of being at all times prepared for death -- Few persons seemed more likely to attain an advanced age than major Barnes, if an opinion on this subject were to be formed, from personal appearance, from apparent strength of constitution, or force of muscular pow...

Sacred to the memory of COLONEL AMBROSE GORDON who in the various relations of life discharged his duties with fidelity and diligence he was born in the State of New-Jersey on the 28th June 1751 and departed this life on the 28th June 1804 aged 53 St. Paul's Church Cemetery Augusta, Georgia Col. Ambrose Gordon was the father of Georgia railway pioneer William Washington Gordon .

George Steptoe Washington, nephew to President George Washington, died January 1809 at Augusta, Georgia. He was laid to rest in St. Paul's church Cemetery. 28 January 1809 Savannah Republican (Georgia) - pg. 3 AUGUSTA, January 19. Died, suddenly on Tuesday night last, in this place, GEORGE STEPTOE WASHINGTON, esq. of Virginia, nephew of the late President Washington, aged 37 years. This worthy man came to this place about ten days since for the benefit of his health, and from the day of his arrival, had apparently been gaining strength so fast, that flattering hopes were entertained of his complete recovery from a tedious indisposition. On Tuesday night he went to bed in high spirits, and as he supposed much better than he had before been, but a little before twelve o'clock, he was attacked with a fit of coughing in which he ruptured a blood vessel; his friends were immediately called to his assistance, but their efforts and applications were ineffectual, and in about ...

Resting in St. Paul's Church Cemetery at Augusta, Georgia is Robert Forsyth. "Captain of Light Dragoons in Henry 'Light-Horse Harry' Lee's cavalry during the Revolutionary War, Forsyth had been appointed the first marshal for the District of Georgia by President Washington in 1789." (Per historical marker at Robert's grave site.) SACRED To the Memory of ROBERT FORSYTH Federal Marshal of Georgia Who in the discharge of the duties of his office fell a victim to his respect for the laws of his Country and his resolution in Support of them on the 11. of January 1794, in the 40. Year of his age. His virtues as an officer of rank and unusual confidence in the War which gave Independence to the United States and in all the tender and endearing relations of social life have left impressions on his Country and friends more durably engraved than this Monument. Here are the particulars from page 3 of the 18 January 1794 Augusta Chronicle (Georg...

Um. Did ya miss me? :-) I know there's been a serious lag in posting here at Southern Graves . My last article was in ( gasp! ) September. Of. Last. Year. A lot of stuff going on in real life as of late. I'll have to fill you in sometime. The following was originally posted on my now defunct personal family history blog more than five years ago. I'm moving it to this space and adding some appropriate FindAGrave links... Enhanced image. Original by Kelli Smythe via FindAGrave . Isaac and Elver Zumwalt were laid to rest in Nichols Cemetery at Ingram, Kerr County, Texas. Also located in Nichols Cemetery is a red granite marker memorializing the son of Isaac and Elver pictured here. His name was Ruben F. Zumwalt. I had found Ruben and his parents in 1920 and 1930 Kerr County, TX census records, leading me to believe Ruben had been born about 1914-5. According to his stone, however, "Ben" was born 21 June 1919. His death date was listed as 20 May 1943....

As this previous post suggests, I have been participating in my own personal scanfest of late. Since March of this year, I have uploaded 7.7 GB to my cloud drive. That's 4,430 images and 25 videos. (Some of the files came from my digital camera, to be fair.) If only I were close to being caught up! I have been curious for years about one of the photos I scanned just this morning. It's a picture of me, on a rainy day, standing in front of some sort of monument / memorial. I think I was about 8 or so years old. All I knew for sure is we were in Europe. (I so stink at geography.) I searched images online using characteristics seen in the photo: "American monument shaped like a star" (or something to that effect). I tried to place it in France first, but got close enough to find the truth with Germany, I think. Anyway. I discovered I was standing (in my yellow slicker, no less!) in front of the Mardasson Memorial. Check me out: The Mardasson Memoria...

Did you get my feeble attempt at a double entendre? (Heh, Heh.) Since a lot of genealogists and family archivists read this blog ( big thanks! ), I thought it might be worth passing along this little tip I stumbled upon this morning. While I have no doubt this trick has been done over and over by other quicker thinkers, it was a light bulb moment for me. :-) I was digitizing a few photos that also contained captions on the back. (Grandpa Lincecum did a pretty good job remembering to do that on most occasions. That in itself is a rare find!) I wanted to combine the front and back so as to have the caption -- in his writing -- stay with the front image. I simply used the collage feature in Google's Picasa to do so with a couple of these, like this: Well, one of the front-back collage attempts wasn't working the way I wanted. I guess it had something to do with the size of the photo. Anyway, I was playing with the collage settings, clicked on Multiple Exposure, and v...