Clay County Alabama Cemeteries Hughes Cemetery ****************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ******************************************* Submitted by: Linda Ayres May 2003 Hughes Cemetery Location of this cemetery is uncertain, it is either Clay, Calhoun or Talladega County the article states: "Kaintuck" and mentions "Mount Cheaha loomed as a backdrop to the scrubby, shoulder high pines, and you could see "Bald Rock" and "Pulpit Rock" on the crest of the big mountain as clear as, well, the day." If you know of this cemetery and it's exact location, please contact Debra Crosby or Linda Ayres Note Added January 31, 2004 by Patti Martin E-Mail: fcspatti@hotmail.com "I noticed on the posting for the Hughes Family Cemetery, that you are not sure of its location. I have been there and can find it again. It's off the Salt Creek Road. I can't tell you by an address, but there is a sign for a turn off near the home of Curtiss Collette and his wife (who is a NOWLAND). John Toliver HUGHES is also my gr gr gr grandfather. The last time I was there, there was a marker on his grave again. I have a photo that I took." Patti Martin Note Added June 24, 2005 by Terry Wolfe Twolfe@wellborn.com I saw on your website that you did not know were this cemetery was at. My wife’s mother maiden name was Hughes and has family buried there. I can tell you the easiest way to get there if you can put the road name on it. This is the best way I know to tell you how to get there. If you was at cheaha state park store. Turn right like going to Talladega. Keep that road straight and about 4-5 miles you will go right by it. It is on the left in a patch of woods. You can’t miss it. Terry Wolfe Twolfe@wellborn.com An article was written about this cemetery by George Smith in the Anniston Star, Sunday Feb 22, 1981 in which he interviews Lucille Hughes about a stolen headstone. She reported that someone had stolen the Confederate headstone which she had purchased and placed at the head of her grandfather's grave "five years ago". The headstone was for John Tolover Hughes "Only an iron rod, driven into the rain-softened ground, marked the head of the old soldier's grave. There are no markers at all on the brush-covered mounds on each side of the old man's grave. Beneath them are the two wives he had" The article gives an account of how she and other relatives and volunteers gathered together to clean up the cemetery for her father James Marcus Hughes. At the time of the article there were only two marked graves in this old forgotten cemetery. Father Marcus Oliver, Jan 9, 1887 - March 1, 1924 Daughter Lois Oliver Feb 23, 1919 - Sept 27, 1923. Marcus Oliver had died just five months after his 4 year old daughter. Lucille reported in this article that there was at least one other Oliver buried there "The only Confederate soldier buried there besides my grandfather" "Several members of the Hughes family are buried on top of the scrubby ridge. Also Wilkersons and Wilson and Knowland. Others probably have kin there too." George reports that there are no markers, only slowly vanishing mounds. There is one other marker, homemade one of cement with seashells on the face but no legend. Lucille said "it was Richard Wilkerson. He had seven small children when he died". Additional Notes: John Toliver Hughes Pension records show he was in the 31st Alabama Infantry Company A, he filed for his pension in Talladega County ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name Death Date Death County Volume Certificate Role Comment Page # Sex Race Lois Oliver Sep 1923 Talladega 40 2 19824 James M. Oliver Mar 1924 Talladega 9 2 4428 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1920 Talladega Co. Al ed 131 sheet 5a Precinct 3 Silver Run 91- Mark J. Oliver 33 head Al Al Al Fannie 33 wife Al Al Al Flora 10 dau Al Al Al Lila 8 dau Al Al Al Grace 6 dau Al Al Al James M. 5 son Al Al Al Dewey M. 2 son Al Al Al Lois 10/12 dau Al Al Al ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This census information was added by Debra Crosby, archives file manager and there is no proof/documention to verify if this is the above mentioned Richard. 1920 Talladega Co. AL Camps Mill ed 131 sheet 15b 40 Richard S. Wilkerson 34 Al Al AL head Della? 33 Al Al Al wife Leo? Geo? A. 14 Al Al Al son William A. 11 Al AL Al son J. A. 8 Al Al AL son John G? 6 Al AL AL son Gladys J? 2 Al Al Al dau Harvie 1 Al Al Al son