Country Wanderings
I've had my first week teaching again. The new country commute is beautiful. Wandered into town a day or two before beginning last week to do some last minute lesson planning.
I'm having my students do a genealogical research project. I am allowing them to choose between three cemeteries.
The first is called Maplewood Cemetery (35.35,-86.21); within that graveyard, there is a special monument/ section dedicated to (407 specifically now known) Confederate soldiers. They were buried there either after dying on the fields of Civil War battle, in one of the hospitals established when Tullahoma (TN) was headquarters for the army of Tennessee during the first six months of 1863 (following the battle of Murfreesboro and preceding the withdrawal of the army to Chattanooga), or were re-interred.
Originally, more than 500 southern soldiers were simply buried with wooden headboards, but soon all vestiges of individual markers were lost in what essentially became a mass grave.
In August 1889, Col. Matthew Martin of the 23rd TN Infantry (doesn't he look like President Snow (Donald Sutherland?) gave this property to be maintained. He made it so that no one could be buried in the Civil War section after 1889, unless they were "killed or died in actual service of the Confederate States of America whose remains their friends wished moved and buried in this grave-yard" (Hallowed Ground plaque). [Note the cool sketch from 1889 of the "Last Resting Place, Tullahoma's Confederate Cemetery"]
However, in 1992, through research of military service records by the Sons of Confederate Veterans more than 380 soldiers buried there were identified. In 1994, the plaque with all of their names was put at the memorial and gradually those that fought from each state in the Confederacy have put up individual monuments in the regiments' honors.
The next cemetery is called Citizens Cemetery (35.3629836, -86.1883155); it was originally supposed to be "colored" only in the 1870's. And apparently hundreds of unmarked graves are located there. It was taken over by the state of TN and became Camp Peay (WWI training base). In the 1940's, the government again took over and it became part of Camp Forrest (WWII training base) and burials stopped.
The cemetery contains many refugees from the Great Flood of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers of 1937 (relocated to Camp Peay). The cemetery was later abandoned and heavily vandalized. In the 1990's citizens and a teacher attempted to help fix it up and do genealogical research.
Right inside the entrance, there is a large headstone with names and job titles of former freed slaves (those that study AA history know that if their real names are undocumented it is due to their taking their master's last name). Also, "occupations of those buried in Citizens Cemetery and born before the end of the Civil War are engraved on their headstones. Most of those are listed as 'home keeper,' 'day laborer' and 'farmer' (Tullahoma News). Others apparently named themselves after famous Presidents.
There are several other interesting stones (though many are vandalized and unreadable). One in particular has been stolen several times because supposedly it was associated with magic/ witchcraft. Actually, Malinda Rhoton's tombstone is inscribed with "Faithful Member of Magic Circle No. 81."
On top of it, it has an image of a lion and "RFC" (Royal Circle of Friends). It was an African-American fraternal organization founded in 1909 in Arkansas. Read more about it here:
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5861
Finally, there is a really cool old Lutheran Chapel & cemetery.
In 1808, Martin Shofner (a German immigrant) established it; said to have been the first Lutheran congregation in TN or anywhere west of the Allegheny Mtns. He had been a soldier in the Revolutionary War and received monies for that service, which he used to purchase land and begin the church.
He and his wife's graves are shown at left.
A couple of interesting looking tombstones seen in the chapel's graveyard.
Also, popped by the Normandy Dam
I'm having my students do a genealogical research project. I am allowing them to choose between three cemeteries.
The first is called Maplewood Cemetery (35.35,-86.21); within that graveyard, there is a special monument/ section dedicated to (407 specifically now known) Confederate soldiers. They were buried there either after dying on the fields of Civil War battle, in one of the hospitals established when Tullahoma (TN) was headquarters for the army of Tennessee during the first six months of 1863 (following the battle of Murfreesboro and preceding the withdrawal of the army to Chattanooga), or were re-interred.
Originally, more than 500 southern soldiers were simply buried with wooden headboards, but soon all vestiges of individual markers were lost in what essentially became a mass grave.
In August 1889, Col. Matthew Martin of the 23rd TN Infantry (doesn't he look like President Snow (Donald Sutherland?) gave this property to be maintained. He made it so that no one could be buried in the Civil War section after 1889, unless they were "killed or died in actual service of the Confederate States of America whose remains their friends wished moved and buried in this grave-yard" (Hallowed Ground plaque). [Note the cool sketch from 1889 of the "Last Resting Place, Tullahoma's Confederate Cemetery"]
Then in 1900, the United Daughters of the Confederacy put up the "Confederate Dead" entrance gate and iron fence. Following that, in 1964, the "unknown" monument was erected documenting that "407 Unknown" Confederate dead were buried in that mass grave.
However, in 1992, through research of military service records by the Sons of Confederate Veterans more than 380 soldiers buried there were identified. In 1994, the plaque with all of their names was put at the memorial and gradually those that fought from each state in the Confederacy have put up individual monuments in the regiments' honors.
There is a speaker that tells the history of the Civil War, monument, and it will even read a locally written poem and songs dedicated to the Confederate dead.
The next cemetery is called Citizens Cemetery (35.3629836, -86.1883155); it was originally supposed to be "colored" only in the 1870's. And apparently hundreds of unmarked graves are located there. It was taken over by the state of TN and became Camp Peay (WWI training base). In the 1940's, the government again took over and it became part of Camp Forrest (WWII training base) and burials stopped.
The cemetery contains many refugees from the Great Flood of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers of 1937 (relocated to Camp Peay). The cemetery was later abandoned and heavily vandalized. In the 1990's citizens and a teacher attempted to help fix it up and do genealogical research.
Right inside the entrance, there is a large headstone with names and job titles of former freed slaves (those that study AA history know that if their real names are undocumented it is due to their taking their master's last name). Also, "occupations of those buried in Citizens Cemetery and born before the end of the Civil War are engraved on their headstones. Most of those are listed as 'home keeper,' 'day laborer' and 'farmer' (Tullahoma News). Others apparently named themselves after famous Presidents.
There are several other interesting stones (though many are vandalized and unreadable). One in particular has been stolen several times because supposedly it was associated with magic/ witchcraft. Actually, Malinda Rhoton's tombstone is inscribed with "Faithful Member of Magic Circle No. 81."
On top of it, it has an image of a lion and "RFC" (Royal Circle of Friends). It was an African-American fraternal organization founded in 1909 in Arkansas. Read more about it here:
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5861
Finally, there is a really cool old Lutheran Chapel & cemetery.
In 1808, Martin Shofner (a German immigrant) established it; said to have been the first Lutheran congregation in TN or anywhere west of the Allegheny Mtns. He had been a soldier in the Revolutionary War and received monies for that service, which he used to purchase land and begin the church.
He and his wife's graves are shown at left.
A couple of interesting looking tombstones seen in the chapel's graveyard.
And loved the color of the door and knob.
Also, popped by the Normandy Dam
and fish hatchery,
before heading back home!
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