Boomtown Cemetery, Cherokee, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/cherokee/cemeteries/boomtown.txt =============================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed and copyrighted by: William L. "Bill" Stephenson, Jr. ================================================================================= November 1999 In trying to locate Broomtown Cemetery, we talked with a number of residents in the area. Most agreed that finding an exact location of Broomtown Cemetery thought to be the oldest in the area, is an elusive goal. The cemetery behind the current Bethel Baptist Church is often referred to as Broomtown Cemetery as is another cemetery a number of miles to the east of Menlo, Ga. beyond the area identified as Chelsea, plus a few small plots inbetween. From this we surmise that many locations along the valley may have been named, or referenced, as Broomtown. This cemetery is greater than five acres in size with hundreds of markers. The propertyis well maintained. A number of markers have fallen over the years and the grass is beginning to hide them. A few of the oldest markers are broken but only a few have beenotherwise moved or damaged. This cemetery would be a candidate for a complete and systematic recording of the tombstones. Following are the tombstone inscriptions of a couple of markers of particular interest to the recorder: Martha Jane Pledger, b. Dec. 13, 1855, d. Mar. 17, 1911, wife of James Thomas Pledger James Thomas Pledger, b. June 19, 1842, d. Jan. 23, 1921, husband of Martha Jane Pledger