Anderson Cemetery Byhalia, Ms.

Recently I was on my way to the Byhalia Cemetery to take some headstone photographs for my FindAGrave project, I just happened to look up at the right moment and noticed a headstone through the bushes, from the Hwy. Not seeing a driveway to the area, I pulled over at the neighbors house and asked the gentleman who was out in the driveway if it was a private cemetery. He didn't seem to know much about it other than that it was an African American graveyard. But he was gracious enough to allow me to park in his driveway and walk up thru the wooded trail to the cemetery, so that I could photograph the headstones.
The Anderson Cemetery is located on Old Hwy 178 about a mile east of Byhalia, Ms in Marshall County. It sits in a small clearing on top of the hill, just west of the intersection of Quinn Mills Rd and Edwards Rd which cross Hwy 178.
Approx. GPS Coordinates: Lat. 34.86829/ Lon.89.66964 .
There were 9 names memorialized in the small clearing and what looked like at least 2 unmarked graves, where the ground had started to sink. I have set up memorial pages and added the cemetery to the FindA Grave memorial website.
I have not yet had a chance to research the history of this little cemetery, but if you have any information about it that you would like to share or add to the memorials on FindAgrave, you can click on the links below each photo to view the individual memorials and send the information to me and I can either add the information for you or if you are a family member and have a FindAGrave account, I will transfer the memorial to you and you can add any information you wish to add. I had some problems with posting some of the photos, blogger is not cooperating with me today, but you can click the link and see the headstone photo as they are all posted on the FindAGrave memorials.

Rickie Recardo Anderson

Sept 20 1955- Jan 18 2001

Manervie Watson

Oct 8 1877- July 1 1946

Sim Watson

Sep 10 1870- Jan 13 1944

Robert Anderson

Mar 24 1898- May 5 1975

Ida B Anderson

Nov 1 1895- June 19 1984

Photo on Findagrave

Moses F Watson
Feb 3 1891- July 9 1967

Photo on Findagrave

Carrie Watson

Mar 24, 1893- Dec 21- 1980

Watson Anderson Sr.

Nov 9 ?- Dec 8?

Earline A Taylor

Dec 31 1933- July 31 2000

Hillcrest Cemetery Holly Springs Mississippi

Hillcrest Cemetery came into use in the 1830's, following the Chickasaw Secession. Most of the oldest and earliest headstones have long ago crumbled and been carted away. But there are a few remaining stones that mark this early era. Leaving only a small clue as to the original age of the cemetery.
While many prominent plantation families had their own family plots set aside on their own land, there were many prominent citizens, as well as, those whos' wealth did not afford them a private family burial grounds.

Some of the oldest markers left standing at the Hill Crest are :

( Click highlighted links to see Find A Grave Memorials, Photos & Headstones.)

Susan Thomas, born in Granville S. C in 1775, died Nov. 19, 1838

Martha E Blake wife of M Blake who died Sept 12, 1839

Ann W Morgan, Consort of John Morgan died Sept 6 1840

Originally, only a few small acres were set aside for the Hill Crest Cemetery, in a tree shaded area at the crest of the hill, but as more and more settlers came into the area, the cemetery was required more room. As the cemetery began to expand, the stables and lot of the Sims Stagecoach Stand was taken in as eventually was the baseball field. The cemetery now encompasses approximately 25 acres.

Will Coyle was the first person to be interred in the new section of the cemetery, the area which was formerly a baseball field, which became part of the cemetery in 1905. Ironically, Will Coyle was killed with a baseball bat.

Hill Crest Cemetery has long been known as Little Arlington to the locals. All but two of the twelve Generals from Holly Springs, who marched away to war in 1861, are laid to rest here.

Major General Edward C Walthall

Brigadier General Samuel Benton

Brigadier General Winfield S. Featherston

Brigadier General Daniel G Govan

Brigadier General Absolom M West

Brigadier General Christopher H Mott

General Henry E Williamson

Adj-General Thomas A Falconer

Adj-General Kinlock Falconer

Asst. Adj-Genera Harvey W Walker

One of Two Confederate Memorials

Micajah Autry one of the martyrs of the Alamo has a memorial shaft here. He perished during the days between Feb 23, and March 6, 1836 when 150 revolutionist were killed at the Alamo Mission in the Texas War of Independence.

Samuel A Cole of the Marshall Guards fell at Matamoros Mexico in October 1846 during the Mexican War is also at rest here.

John Lester, one of eleven men who were the first to be taken prisioner in World War I is honored here with a memorial. He had been taken prisioner with 10 others in the Toul section of France on November 3 1917.Lieut.

Colonel James L Autry was in command at Vicksburg, when a federal fleet under the command of Admiral Farragut steamed up the Mississippi River from New Orleans in 1862. Farragut demanded the surrender of Vicksburg. Col Autry's reply to this demand:

 " Mississippians do not know how how to surrender, nor do they care to learn."

The Federals opened fire on the city, filled with women and children. This bombardment lasted for several day, but caused little damage. Col Autry was killed in battle on Dec 31 1862 and his body was returned to his home in Holly Springs
 

There are also numerous politicians, judges, statesmen and senators buried here including Hiram Rhodes Revels, the first African American Senator of Mississippi, who was liked and respected in the community.

Yellow Fever struck Holly Springs in the 1870's . Six of the twelve nuns of the Sisters of Charity are laid to rest side by side at Hill Crest, they had nursed and cared for the victims of the fever and then became victims themselves. All meeting their fate within a weeks time of each other. Father AnacletusOberti who had taken charge of the Court House hospital also became a victim of the fever and is buried near the sisters. The citizens of Holly Springs out of appreciation of the service so graciously given them by the Sisters and Father Obererti collected funds and erected a monument in their memory the year after the fever epidemic.
When yellow fever first came to Holly Springs in 1870, all who were able fled the town to avoid contamination. Out of a population of 3500, only 1500 were left in the town and 1440 of them contracted the disease.

Mayor Goodrich was the first person to die of the epidemic. He died on August 31st, 1878. You may visit the The Yellow Fever Martyrs Church and Museum (circa 1841) East College Ave., Holly Springs, MS 38635, 662-252-3669, Museum dedicated to preserving the legacy of seven Catholic martyrs who gave their lives during the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1840. Open by appointment only.

Another popular set of headstones at Hillcrest is that of Mammy, the 94 year old nanny of the prominent Coxe Family. She is buried in the family plot in a place of honor with the family she so lovingly cared for. Her tombstone inscription reads " Mammy, Faithful Unto Death"
The small headstone in the photo on the left, that is turned to face sideways, is Mammy's Headstone.





Hillcrest Cemetery is the setting for storytelling as local townspeople, dressed in costumes of the day, re-enacting roles of Holly Springs' most illustrious characters at the Annual Holly Springs Pilgrimage, held every year in April. You can take a walking tour of the cemetery and here stories related to those interred here.

To learn more about the history and lives of those buried at the Hillcrest Cemetery you can also visit the Marshall County Historical Museum located on Van Dorn Ave, you can reach it by dialing 662-252-3669.

See More Photos

Hillcrest Cemetery Photo album by Angela L Burke

Sources:
Find A Grave.com
It Happened Here True Stories of Holly Springs by Olga Reed Pruitt 1950 South Reporter Printing Co
Images Of America Holly Springs by Alice Long & Mark L Ridge 1998
Childhood In Holly Springs A Memoir by Chesley Thorne Smith 1996
http://www.visithollysprings.com/pilgrimage.html
Marshall County Historical Museum

Hillcrest Cemetery
Elder Street
Holly Springs, MS 38635
662-252-2515

Emma Gene Wensel Venn

Emma Gene Wensel Venn

Born 1884

Died 1918

She served as a Red Cross worker in France during World War I and was killed in the line of duty in 1918.

She was the daughter of Theodore V. Wensel, a Confederate Veteran, who conducted a general store named Rumble & Wensel at Natchez Under-The-Hill.

Emma's headstone is located at The Natchez City Cemetery.

EarthTrek Gravestone Project

I came across this article while searching cemetery projects, I thought it sounded interesting and thought I would share it with you. If you or your paranormal research group has an interest in cemetery preservation as well as scientific data collection ,  then this might be of interest to you. As well as the animal lovers who can get involved in the hummingbird project mentioned as well.
If you have an interest in the project please click the link at the bottom of the article to find out how you can participate with this scientific cemetery project that is open free to the public.


Gravestones Hold Secrets to Earth's Climate Past

By Charles Q. Choi,
Special to LiveScience
posted: 09 December 2009 04:24 pm ET



EarthTrek draws upon the local citizenry to build global information databases.
Gravestones may hold secrets of how the Earth's atmosphere has changed over the centuries, and scientists are now asking for the public's help to read these stones.

Little by little, atmospheric gases dissolved in raindrops cause the marble in gravestones to erode. As such, headstones can serve as diaries of changes in atmospheric chemistry over the years due to pollution and other factors.

By gathering data from marble gravestones of different ages across the globe, scientists hope to produce a world map of the weathering rates of these stones. They are asking volunteers to take measurements using simple calipers and GPS, following a set of scientific protocols that are explained online at the Gravestone Project. They can also log data into the scientific database at the site.

Naturally, volunteers are asked to follow local regulations, laws and customs when visiting graveyards, and they may need to seek permission from land managers before collecting data from these sites. Also, graves are sacred places for many in the community, and volunteers are asked to not walk on, disturb or damage a grave or gravestone in any way.

This project is part of a new global citizen science program called EarthTrek, which is administered by The Geological Society of America in partnership with organizations across the country and around the globe. Other scientific research projects currently underway through EarthTrek involve spotting hummingbirds and investigating invasive plant species.

"Being involved in EarthTrek provides people with the opportunity to be involved in real scientific research," said EarthTrek director Gary Lewis. "The data they collect while participating in a wonderful outdoor activity may make a real difference in the way we manage our environment. And it's free to participate."

More projects are soon to be added. "We are working with scientists on new projects involving hail, natural springs, animal and plant inventories, and much more," Lewis said.


http://www.goearthtrek.com/Gravestones/Gravestones.html



Spnsored by:

 

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Carved in Stone

Headboards of Stone Grave Yard Rabbit Blog
Carved in Stone
by Angela L Burke

I by no means, claim to be a professional photographer, but, I very much enjoy taking photos in cemeteries. And while I may be a Paranormal Researcher, my main purpose in visiting cemeteries so frequently is not just to try and capture a spirit on film or a voice on my recorder. I have many reasons for visiting cemeteries.

One reason is because I enjoy documenting headstones for my tombstone genealogy projects and another is because I love the beauty, charm and exquisite artwork that are characteristic of the old stones. Many of the new stones are quite bland and boring. Only recently , with the introduction of the etched black marble stones, have any of the newer stones been that interesting.

Some of my favorite Mississippi cemeteries for beautiful stones include , Hillcrest Cemetery in Holly springs, The Natchez City Cemetery and Hernando Memorial Gardens (Old Section). but there are many cemeteries to explore and these are just some of the larger collections of beauty.

The headstones in a cemetery can tell you alot about the person buried there. Not just their times and dates of death , but some of the larger stones, from the 1800 era have personal and family histories, Military and career information, as well as political and social club affiliations and migration information.

In addition to the information that can be gleaned from a headstone, there is beautiful artwork and inscriptions that are sometimes unfamiliar to us, but which hold a wealth of information regarding the personality , religious and social standings of the persons buried there.

Being a poetry lover, I also enjoy reading the beautiful poetry that is left on the markers. There have been some that have brought me to tears, although I didn't know the person.
The wealthy and the poor, even after death, are recognizable, based on the intricacy and size of their headstones. The details and images of the hand carved stones are a lost art to headstone manufacturers of our time. Which is another reason that cemetery documentation and preservation are so important. Not only will the records of ancestors be lost, but the
memorial left behind to commemorate them will tragically be lost as well. Being apart of a preservation effort whether it is documentation, photography or hands on clean-up and restoration of cemeteries and stones is a very rewarding and important effort.

I frequently come across lost and abandoned cemeteries which are over grown, neglected and vandalized. It is a very sad thing when nobody, including the property owners or the descendants of the deceased cares enough or is able to even try to preserve their resting places.

If you photograph the stones and document the names of just one cemetery, you have done something to help in the preservation of our burial grounds. I encourage anyone who has an interest in cemeteries or has access to a paranormal or historical group to utilize your volunteers and give something back to the dead, by organizing at least one cemetery preservation project a year.

The Mississippi Society of Paranormal Investigators, which I am a Co Founder of, has adopted the Old Philadelphia Presbyterian Cemetery in Victoria.
A beautiful private owned cemetery , who's owner is in his elder years and has contributed nearly $10,000 dollars of his own money to remove trees and debris from the cemetery, unfortunately , although the cemetery has been declared an historical site by the State of Mississippi, he has been unable to get funding or resources or even volunteers from local churches to help him in preserving and cleaning up the cemetery.

I think this is a tragedy. Just because a cemetery is privately owned does not necessarily mean that we as a society are not responsible to ensure that it is preserved. Some cemeteries are inherited or owned by elderly descendants of those buried there and are unable to physically or financially keep them up. Many are owned by the state and local townships who have limited, if any funds to maintain them. I believe that it is up to us as a community to be responsible.

Our present day headstones tell us little about the lives of the persons interred and have few features that distinguish them as different. The introduction of the black etched marble stones are a welcome addition to the cemetery in my personal view as many of them depict scenes of interest that give the dead a personality to associate with. They are somewhat harder to
photograph however due to their reflective surfaces, but the stories they tell are most interesting. I also love the stones that have personal portraits of the person, this draws me in and helps me to associate with the fact that these were real human beings and not just a name carved on a stone.

I also love the angel art and statues found in cemeteries.

Some of them come alive with emotions when you look at them.

The trinkets and tiny statues left by grieving loved ones at grave memorials are sometimes odd and sometimes very personal and make you wonder what certain items might have meant to the person who lays to rest there. I recently came across a grave marker that had a small pair of sunglasses and tiny trinkets that would mean nothing to the
average person, and it made me wonder what memories might be associated between both the person interred and the person who left them.

I hope that the next time you drive past a cemetery that you make time to take a walk through it, that you take the time to notice the finer details of the stones you pass. Cemetery stones are not just a place marker, they are not just a plaque to let you know who's buried there. They are story tellers and works of art as well as clues to mysteries about the dead. And if you take the time to pay attention to the details, examine them closely, look and listen,........they just might speak to you.

Headboards of Stone- Rabbit Holes

Headboards of Stone
Rabbit Holes by Angela L.














I spend a great deal of my time in cemeteries. photographing, documenting and investigating.
I am a paranormal investigator, a volunteer headstone photographer and a history researcher. I have a great love for cemeteries and working with cemetery documentation and preservation.

I never get tired of going, in fact I prefer to be there. Not that I'm ready to be buried or live among the ranks of the deceased, but because I find peace, beauty and tranquility in cemeteries.

They are full of history, mystery and charm. They are sacred places that calm my nerves and bring me closer to my own spirituality. They have not only become my hobby but also one of my passions. I look for them, drive down country back roads and crawl through thick underbrush and tall weeds, just to photograph them. Many people who know me, think I'm crazy and that I prefer to be among the dead, rather than among the living. They don't understand why I talk about them with excitement and spend every chance I get walking among them.

But recently, I've noticed that nearly every cemetery I have visited in the past two years, has had a rabbit hole. A simple hole in a tree, obviously, some too high off the ground for a rabbit to jump into, but in my mind they have always been rabbit holes. Like the story of Alice In Wonderland, I've often wonder where they lead. And why on earth I am so drawn to them.

Are they portals to the spirit world or just my crazy imagination? Am I loosing my mind? Why do I feel compelled to photograph every one I see. Why can I not pass one up, without taking a peek inside? What do I hope to see? This has been a perplexing question for me for quite some time.

I mentioned my feelings to some friends recently who said , that I was truly crazy and that if I looked around, rabbit holes are every where and then my friends all laughed and asked me what I had been smoking. So, I went home and took a walk in the woods behind my house..contemplating my sanity and my inability to understand myself and my own
weirdness......but, I saw no rabbit holes in the woods behind my house and finally after walking for about an hour I returned to my normal routine.




I have become so fascinated by these holes , that now every time I see one, I have to take a picture. I have wondered many things about rabbit holes in cemeteries, are they portals to another plane, a doorway to the underworld, or just plain old holes in the walls of nature? It's funny that something so trivial as a hole in a tree could capture my attention the way they do.

Do you believe in signs, random things in life we barely notice that are sometimes clues to directions we need to take in life ? When I was a little girl, my grandmother read Alice In Wonderland to me. It scared me to death to be honest, giant caterpillars, shrinking houses, mad hatters, and crazy queens. My grandmother would try to comfort me by telling me this,
"not every rabbit hole has to be scary, sometimes they are doorways that lead to magical places, you have to be brave enough to trust the white rabbit."


Just this past week, while reading in bed , my fiance' was watching the movie, The Matrix. While deeply engrossed in my book, I heard the lines from the movie, "follow the white rabbit", It got my attention immediately, drawing me away from my book, which is not easy to do, and gave me the shivers all over, still I did not understand why it caught my attention or bothered me so much. I shook off the feeling and went back to my book.

Then last night, out of the blue, while doing some cemetery research, I came across a website that nearly floored me. The Association of Graveyard Rabbits. If you don't know what a graveyard rabbit is then you need to visit this website: The Association of Graveyard Rabbits. It's free to join and if you love cemeteries, well this is a great place to read and write about them. It became very clear to me what I was suppose to be doing. A question I've had in my mind for some time now, answered by a hole in a tree. I cannot count the times I have seen and photographed these holes, never really understanding my own fascination with them or understanding what I was suppose to do with the pictures of them that crowd my computer files.

So, I am starting this blog and signing up for membership with The Association of Graveyard Rabbits, in order to write on the subject of cemeteries & graveyards, in celebration of my sudden awareness of why I have been so drawn towards, and perplexed by these Rabbit Holes. Isn't it strange how our minds work and what a big impact, something that seems so very silly to some, can have on someone else?

I am dedicating this blog to the subject of cemeteries and the research and preservation of our sacred burial grounds, because it is a subject I love to write about and what better way to share my experiences and stories of cemetery research in both the history and paranormal fields.

I have many stories to tell and pictures to post, so I hope you will bookmark my blog and and come back often to venture with me, on a trip down a cemetery rabbit hole.