Southern Graves

William Mattox, born 1836 in Elbert County, Georgia to Henry Page and Sophia N. Mattox, was a lot of things.  He was a son, a brother, a husband, and a father.  He was also a large landowner, a shrewd businessman, a soldier, and a statesman. But was William Mattox the meanest man in Georgia ? Those who labored for him might argue he was. A great-great grandson of Col. Mattox, Mr. Ray Chandler, penned an article about his notable ancestor.  It was published in the Summer 2011 edition of Georgia Backroads magazine.  In detailing the life of Mattox, Mr. Chandler described the acquisition of land which began after his great-great grandfather's 1856 graduation from college.  By 1860, W. H. Mattox owned more than 1,000 acres in Elbert County, much of it along the Savannah River.  To go with that property was 79 slaves. Mattox believed in bringing industry to the South, but had to wait until after the Civil War to put his plan into practice.  After a couple ...

Houston Home Journal (Georgia) 18 September 1913 – pg. 7 Death of Mrs. J. N. Barker Last Tuesday afternoon, the 9th inst, just as the sun was sinking in the west and the shades of night had began to fall, Mrs. Lizzie Pollock Barker, wife of Mr. James N. Barker, departed this life at her home in Bonaire.  She had been sick for several weeks, but paralysis was the immediate cause for her death. Mrs. Barker was the daughter of the late Mrs. Annie M. Baskin of this county and was born Dec. 5th, 1854.  She was married to Mr. J. N. Barker Sept. 16, 1869, having been companions for 44 years.  Of this union there were born eleven children, five of which preceded her to the grave. The children, who were with her during her last days are, Mr. B. B. Barker of Unadilla, Mrs. R. S. Woodard and Mrs. W. A. King, of Macon, Mrs. S. H. Sasser, Mrs. J. H. Watson and Mrs. J. R. Hunt of Bonaire. She was an excellent and benevolent woman, a noble wife, a devoted mother to her now sorrowing c...

From Evergreen Cemetery at Perry, Houston County, Georgia - John Mason Giles Son of Andrew & Sarah Cowan Giles Born in Abbeville Dist, S.C. Feb 22, 1818 Graduated at the University of Georgia, 1838 Admitted to the Bar 1839 Member of the Georgia State Constitutional Conventions, 1861-1865 Died in Perry, Ga May 25, 1866 He steadfastly declined mere political offices, But a virtuous and intelligent people honored his life with many important trusts, And mourned his death as a public calamity.

The remains of Frances Dennard rest at Evergreen Cemetery in Perry, Houston County, Georgia. F. S. A. Dennard Born July 31, 1815 Died July 6, 1886 Death comes not to those whose lives are such as hers, it is but an entrance into our Father's home. Obituary from Houston Home Journal (Perry, Georgia) 8 July 1886 – pg. 3 Death of Mrs. Dennard. Mrs. Mary F. Dennard, widow of the late Capt. Hugh L. Dennard, died last Tuesday evening at the residence of her son-in-law, Hon. D. M. Hughes in Twiggs county.  Mrs. Dennard left Perry about two months ago to visit her daughter in Twiggs, and was taken sick a few days after her arrival there.  The immediate cause of her death was typhoid dysentery.  The burial will take place this morning at Evergreen Cemetery at Perry.  Funeral exercises will be held at the Baptist church, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Mrs. Dennard was about 71 years old, and her life had been such as to win to her the love and esteem of all who knew her.  F...

Obituary from Houston Home Journal (Perry, Georgia) Thursday, 29 November 1888 – pg. 3 Death of Mr. L. D. Norwood. At about ten o'clock last Saturday night Mr. Lorenzo Dow Norwood died at his residence about 3 miles west of Perry.  The immediate cause of death was heart failure, the result of the gradually increasing infirmities of old age. The burial took place at Evergreen cemetery, Perry, Monday morning. In many respects Mr. Norwood was a remarkable man.  He was born in Darlington District, South Carolina, on the 11th of December, 1806, consequently he would have been 82 years old on the 11th of next December.  He was married twice before he was 23 years old, having married Miss Cathrine A. McLaughlin, in March 1829. He was the father of 14 children, and his other descendants are 44 grand children and 7 great grand children.  Of his children, 8 were girls and 6 boys, seven of the girls and two boys being now living. Immediately after his last marriage, about 60 ...

Obituary from Houston Home Journal (Perry, Georgia) 31 August 1911 – pg. 3 [Viewable online at Georgia Historic Newspapers] Mrs. Harriett Giles Dead. A short while after midnight of last Thursday, August 24th, Mrs. Harriett Jenkins Giles departed this life at the home of her daughter, Mrs. C. F. Hemingway, in Perry. The burial was in Evergreen cemetary [sic] Friday afternoon, attended by loving relatives and a large number of friends.  She was buried beside the grave of her husband, who died 45 years ago. The years of her life were 86, she having been born in Roberson county, North Carolina, July 8th, 1825. She was the daughter of Rev. Sam Jenkins and Mrs. Ann Drake Jenkins, the 5th of the family of 11 children. With her parents she came to Houston county in 1830.  On October 2nd, 1839, she was married to Mr. John Mason Giles, and of that union there were 11 offspring.  There have been 29 grand-children and 6 great grand-children. In 1907 she wrote concerning her ancest...

Minor Havis was born 23 April 1829 in South Carolina.  He became a resident of Georgia as a young teenager. From his Confederate service record at Fold3: "The records show that Minor W. Havis, 2d sergeant, Co. C, 1st (Ramsey's) Georgia Infantry, C.S.A., enlisted March 18, 1861.  He was mustered in as senior 1st lieutenant of Co. A, 14th Battalion Georgia Light Artillery* (Southern Rights Battery), C.S.A., April 26, 1862, and was paroled at Greensboro, N.C., on or about April 27, 1865." * This Battalion subsequently became Capt. Havis' Battery, Georgia Light Artillery. After the Civil War, M. W. Havis occupied himself as a physician and farmer in Perry, Houston County, Georgia.  Some time after 1875, he and his wife adopted a nephew, Minor W. Hall, as their son.  Toward the end of November in 1889, Dr. Havis was accidentally shot by a local merchant.  Though it was initially believed he would survive, Dr. Minor W. Havis died a few days after the incident, 27 Nove...

Obituary from Houston Home Journal (Perry, Georgia) 2 March 1905 – pg. 6 Master Frank Hook Paul Dead. At 4 o'clock Thursday morning, February 23d, Master Frank Hook Paul died at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. L. M. Paul, on Washington Avenue in Perry. Just before the bright dawn of a new day, the soul of the precious boy was transported to the Eternal Home, where for him a glorious new and everlasting day began. The funeral was at the home Friday morning, and the burial in Evergreen cemetery.  A very large crowd attended in sympathy with the bereaved family, and the floral tributes were especially beautiful. Little Frank Hook lacked just a month and five days of being seven years of age, a remarkably bright and stalwart boy.  He was the second son and youngest child, the idol of his parents, elder brother and grand-mother. Just a week before his death he went after the physician for his brother, and on Saturday he was himself attended by the same physician.  From...

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...

Houston Home Journal (Perry, Georgia) Thursday, 9 June 1904 - pg 6 [via South Georgia Historic Newspapers ] Death of Dr. J. B. Smith At his home on Swift street in Perry Dr. John Baptiste Smith died early last Saturday morning. At the home Sunday morning the funeral services were conducted by Rev. T. E. Davenport, pastor of the Perry Methodist church. The Houston Lodge No. 35, F. & A. M. with visiting Masons, took charge of the body, and at Evergreen cemetery the rites of burial were performed with Masonic honors. Six Knights Templar of Fort Valley acted as an escort of honors. The pall bearers were Messrs. C. F. Cooper, M. L. Cooper, C. E. Gilbert, J. P. Duncan, J. H. Hodges, L. M. Paul. Dr. Smith was 91 years of age nine days prior to his death.  He was the oldest white man in Houston county, and no man in the county was ever held in higher esteem. He is survived by the devoted wife and three daughters, Mrs. J. H. Powers of Perry, Mrs. S. H. Morgan of Atlanta and Mrs. B. C...

Clifford was the first wife of Henry Macon Holtzclaw, Jr., and the daughter of Dr. Julius C. Gilbert. Her remains rest at Evergreen Cemetery in Perry, Houston County, Georgia. Clifford Gilbert Wife of H. M. Holtzclaw, Jr. Born Sep 17, 1863 Died Dec 27, 1890 "Blessed are the pure in heart." Houston Home Journal (Perry, Georgia) 1 January 1891 – pg. 3 [via South Georgia Historic Newspapers ] Death of Mrs. Holtzclaw At about eight o'clock last Saturday night, Mrs. Clifford M. Holtzclaw, wife of Dr. H. V. Holtzclaw, died in Perry, at the residence of Judge H. M. Holtzclaw. She was about 27 years old, lacking about two weeks of having been a wife twelve months.  She was a consistent christian lady, a member of the Presbyterian church. She was the second youngest daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J. C. Gilbert, of near Houston Factory.  Possessing in an eminent degree the noblest characteristics of true womanhood, she was loved by all who knew her. Her death was one of the saddest...

Nancy A., wife of Thomas M. Hughes, rests in Old Blairsville Cemetery at Union County, Georgia. Nancy A. Hughes Born Dec 11, 1810 Died March 9, 1881 In the 71st year of her age. Borne by angels on their wings; Far from earth the spirit flies; Finds her God, and sits and sings; Triumphing in paradise. According to Our Hymns and Their Authors (Tillett, 1892), the last several lines of Nancy's epitaph are from "A Funeral Hymn." The words, originally written in the masculine, were by Charles Wesley about 1742. Using census records only, it appears Nancy and Thomas had about 13 children, one of which is buried along side them at Old Blairsville Cemetery. Marthyann (b. abt 1829) William C. (b. abt 1830) Francis (b. abt 1832) Louisa (b. abt 1834) Elender (b. abt 1837) Jane (b. abt 1840) Rosetta / Rozetta (b. abt 1842) Thomas C. (b. abt 1844-5) Sarah / Sally (b. abt 1846-8) John W. (b. abt Nov 1849) Andrew P. (b. abt 1852-3) Calley / Cally (b. abt 1...

This image is from waaay back in 2003. This little Hartley was buried in Walker Cemetery at Byron, Peach County, Georgia. The county was Houston at the time of his death. Our Darling Little J. E. Son Of V. R. & F. P. Hartley Apr 14, 1916 May 15, 1919 "We had a little treasure once. He was our joy and pride, we loved him and perhaps too well. For soon he slept and died." Also buried at Walker Cemetery is J. E.'s sister, Berta Lee (1899-1903). The rhyme on her tombstone is just as sweet: "There was an angel band in Heaven, that was not quite complete. So God took our darling Berta Lee to fill the vacant seat." Happy New Year!

This past summer, I translated a couple of Latin phrases I've come across on tombstones in cemeteries.  Today, I have one more to add: Esse Quam Videri This translates to "To be, rather than to seem to be." Interestingly, this phrase was adopted as the state motto by North Carolina in 1892. And contemporaneously, the character of Stephen Colbert on his Comedy Central show, had as his motto a play on this phrase.  V ideri Quam Esse , or “to seem, rather than to be," was engraved on his set's fake fireplace. Ellen Turner, memorialized on the elaborate and angelic tombstone pictured above and below, was laid to rest in Magnolia Cemetery at Charleston, South Carolina.

This mausoleum, located at Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina, houses members of the McDowall and Wragg families. Andrew McDowall was born 25th January 1790 in Scotland, and died 4th October 1866.  His wife Pamela was born 25th November 1797, and died 17th June 1875.  Their eldest daughter Caroline is there, as well.  She was born 22nd June 1816, and died 10th November 1858.  An obituary from page 2 of the 23rd November 1858 Charleston Courier (available online at GenealogyBank ): Obituary. DEPARTED THIS LIFE , at Savannah, on Wednesday, 10th November 1858, in the forty-second year of her age, Mrs. CAROLINE WRAGG, wife of Dr. JOHN A. WRAGG, formerly of this city. it is a beneficent constitution of nature, that the ordinary approach of death is manifested, by disease, old age, or some failure of human organization.  By this process, so to speak, not only the sufferer, but surviving friends are prepared for the catastrophy [sic]; yet if the shock b...

Article from 2006 originally published on Southern Graves site. Some newer images added. " An important historical vestige of the cultural landscape of the rural South is the Upland South folk cemetery. " - D. Gregory Jeane Some Southern cemetery traditions include wife-to-the-left burials, bordered family plots, and feet-to-the-east interments. These practices can be fairly common in today's Southern cemeteries, but there are other traditions that may not be. The southern folk cemetery is characterized by hilltop location, scraped ground, mounded graves, east-west grave orientation, creative grave markers and decorations using materials readily available (not commercially produced), certain species of vegetation, the use of grave shelters, and the obvious devotion to God and/or parents and family with the graveyard workdays and monument dedications. Some of these characteristics can certainly be found in other parts of the United States, even the world. It is the comp...

"E gyptian, is perhaps the most funerary of all architecture," writes Douglas Keister in Forever Dixie: A Field Guide to Southern Cemeteries & Their Residents .  This, of course, makes perfect sense.  The very definition of an Egyptian pyramid, at it's core, is a tomb.  History.com's article about the Egyptian Pyramids says this: The pyramid's smooth, angled sides symbolized the rays of the sun and were designed to help the king's soul ascend to heaven and join the gods, particularly the sun god Ra. Oftentimes, especially in cemeteries located in the southern United States, Eqyptian architecture is combined with more mainstream Christian symbols.  Delmar Warren's pyramid tombstone at Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, Georgia , however, is pretty plain. Frankly, the simple display looks out of place amid the crosses, angels, flora, and fauna carved in stone around it and throughout the cemetery.  So why was this particular tombstone placed for Delmar Arlis...

From Clayton Baptist Church Cemetery at Rabun County, Georgia - Dr. A. B. Sams Jan 5, 1819 Feb 1, 1893 Be Ye Also Ready For In Such An Hour As Ye Think Not The Son Of Man Cometh

Elisha Millican Canup, born 1865, was a son of Jackson Canup, and a husband to Cleo Burton.  He died in 1930 at Rabun County, Georgia (possibly in Mountain City). While viewing his death certificate, I came across an unfamiliar term.  What caused Elisha's death was a disease called Pellagra .  It is defined as "a deficiency disease caused by a lack of nicotinic acid or its precursor tryptophan in the diet. It is characterized by dermatitis, diarrhea, and mental disturbance, and is often linked to overdependence on corn as a staple food." An article at Wikipedia also notes this: …Soon pellagra began to occur in epidemic proportions in states south of the Potomac and Ohio rivers . The pellagra epidemic lasted for nearly four decades beginning in 1906.  It was estimated that there were 3 million cases and 100,000 deaths due to pellagra during the epidemic. I thought the "in states south of the Potomac and Ohio rivers" bit interesting.  Appalachia Georgia certainly...