Family Histories

By John Harvey

When a person decides to research family history, he wants to research all the possible sources.  These include older members of the family, family records, old newspapers, public records, the local library, a depository of genealogical records and cemeteries.  Cemeteries can not only give information such as birth and death dates, but can also give an insight into other areas of the times.

There are many cemeteries to be found about the county as in earlier times many families had their own private burying grounds.  Often these family cemeteries were a few hundred yards behind the main house.  Almost every church had space for it's members in the churchyard.

The different types of stones chosen to mark the graves are interesting in their variety and often times beauty.  Many have interesting messages not only in the information of births and deaths, poetry and statements carved on them, but in the way the stones are carved.

Today they may be either a square or rectangular piece of granite with the family name carved in them or they may be a piece of copper plate at ground level so that the lawnmower may run over them more easily.  The past generations had more imagination.  For example, lets take a look at some of the cemeteries around Monticello:

The Old Methodist Churchyard on Short Street - the church is now the Bible Deliverance Church.  Some of the graves are among the oldest in the county.  There is also even a grave for a "kitty" to be found there.  The graves of Gen. William Lee and Thomas Grant are the two oldest; they are raised above ground in the fashion of the early 1800's.  Many of the family plots are enclosed by iron fences.  A child's grave in the cemetery has as it's headstone a carved "Lamb".  

There once were two graves with steel full length "stones".  Now there is only one, reddish brown with rust.  The one from which the steel cover is missing is now marked with a pile of stones.  The graves are those of two Confederate veterans through to have been brothers.  There is also the stone of Willis Milton Roberts, which says, "Pioneer in Arizona, Gold Prospector in Alaska - 18501917". 

The Presbyterian Church yard  has a grave with "unknown" carved on it.  The story most often told is that the man came in on the stagecoach and became ill while waiting to change coaches.  He was carried across the street to the Tolleson House where he died.  It was then discovered that he had no identification.  A check back along the line yielded no information.  No one could remember when he had got on the stagecoach.

There is the large double lecturn with open Bible headstone marking the graves of Dr. and Mrs. John G. Elder.  A "Scroll" marks James White's grave.  An ornate Woodmen of the World marker stands on Frank B. Holland's grave and Mrs. Holland's small white marble one next to it.  Tall obelisks marks the graves of Judge F. C. Goolsby and Mrs. Goolsby, his wife and hers pink.  The Scottish Cross marks the grave of Henry C. Glover.

Harriet Scovill Heard's red marble obelisk with veiled woman weeping is notable.  Eli Glover wiht the equally ornate Masonic marker looks across the street toward his home.  The Grave of A. A. Hunter, where all  the other graves face east, faces northeast.

The Baptist Churchyard has the smallest area preserved.  Most of the graves go back to the 19th century.  The first grave that draws attention is that of James E. Hine.  The stone is too short for an adult and too long for a child.  The question arises, "Was he a short man"
  Many of the graves are those raised above ground.

Early settlers buried here are Mr. and Mrs. William Penn, Mrs. Martha Penn Rogers and Gen. J. W. Burney.  Mrs. Rogers' husband, John Rogers, is said to be buried here also but the grave is unmarked.  Gen. Burney's military obelisk is flanked by the markers in memory of the two children of Dr. and Mrs. R. L. Furse, is an Angel sleeping in a seashell.  Dr. and Mrs. Furse are buried at West View Cemetery.

Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net) April 2005,  from copies of articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr. 
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's and 1980's time frame. Some were under the title "Jasper Reflections", others "Bicentennial Bits".
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and informative articles.

Copies of articles provided by Benny Hawthorne.