RUTLAND CEMETERY, COLBERT COUNTY, ALABAMA ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with the USGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. ALGenWeb File Manager - Lygia Dawkins Cutts ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Contributed by Joni Collopy collopy2@gte.net This paper on The Rutland Cemetery Is submitted by Carolyn Weaver, In partial fulfillment of the requirements in History 444, at the University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama, 4-21-77 I here by give my approval for a copy or copies of this paper to be made and placed in a library, archives or any other collection of historical records available for public use. It is signed: Carolyn Weaver There is a map drawn on the second page of the paper above the written directions that follow. The written directions are as follows: The Rutland Cemetery is located in west Colbert County, Alabama. It is just off of Highway 72, approximately half way between the town of Cherokee and the Natchez Trace Underpass. There is not a road going directly to the cemetery, but it is in sight and walking distance of the highway. To reach it, go west on Highway 72 from Tuscumbia toward Mississippi. Continue on this four-lane highway until you reach the town of Cherokee. The highway by-passes the actual business district, but you will notice a big sign on the left of the highway which says "Welcome to Cherokee". Approximately 1 1/2 miles past this sign there is Reid's Farm Equipment and Reid's Gin. There is a brick house just past these two businesses. Just to the S.W. of the house is a big hill in the middle of a pasture. This is the location of the Rutland Cemetery. There is not a road leading to it. The only access is through private adjoining property. Permission to cross to this cemetery is usually granted by asking at the business or house. History of the Rutland Cemetery In the early 1830's, John Watson Rutland bought a large tract of land from his brother-in-law, Armstead Barton. Out of this tract, one acre, up on a hill, was set aside for a cemetery. This private cemetery is known today as the Rutland Cemetery. It was referred to in earlier times as "The Hill". From atop this hill one can see the many acres of land which were once the cotton fields of several area plantation owners. About 1/2 mile to the south of the cemetery is the "Old Rutland Home". A short distance down the road is "Barton Hall" an old plantation home well known for its spiral stair case. The men responsible for building these homes, John Watson Rutland and Armstead Barton are among the 85 known graves on this hill. It is said that this location for the cemetery was chosen because it was the highest land in the area and would drain well. Nearly all of the people buried here are kin either by blood or marriage. Mary Alexander Loller has written an excellent book entitled My Colbert County Families. This book contains genological [sic] records as well as interesting stories about many of the people buried here. There is a copy of this book available for public use at the Helen Keller Library in Tuscumbia, Alabama. The earliest date of burial according to the engravings on markers is 1837. The last burial in the cemetery was in 1945. The entire hill top is covered in trees and is in a very grown up condition at the present time. At one time there was an abundance of cedar there. The settlings from these trees helped to keep down undergrowth. However, the cedars were causing the markers to turn black, so Jimmy Rutland had them cut down around 1940. There are elegant markers in this cemetery. The engravings on many of these reflect that these were religious and warm people who believed strongly in family ties. The tallest marker is that of Armstead Barton. It is made of white marble. It was make in St. Louis by Kent & Fuller. This large stone was brought down the river from St. Louis by boat and carried to its present location on a wagon bed pulled by horses. It origionally [sic] had a photograph of on one side. Stories passed down through the generations say that this was shot out by Yankee soldiers when they passed through this area. There are three known Confederate soldiers buried here. These are graves number 85, 70, and 66. There is a Catholic section in this cemetery located on the east side. There are only two graves in this area (84 & 85) . They are surrounded by twelve concrete posts. Each post is about three feet tall and has a hole in the top for a candle. In one corner, there are two more markers which have places for candles also. It is said that some of the closest of family slaves were buried on this hill also, but there are no markers to confirm this. Alphabetical Index [Although grave numbers are given, there is no map of the cemetery.] [Individual] [Grave number] 1. Alexander, Johnnie F. 1 2. Aldridge, Emma S. 28 3. Aldridge, Samuel H. 29 4. Anderson, Hiram S. 6 5. Barton, Albert Goodloe 38 6. Barton, Amanda 33 [Amanda Cook Barton] 7. Barton, Armstead 32 8. Barton, Armstead 36 9. Barton, Elizabeth 14 10. Barton, Emma Goodloe 40 11. Barton, Eudora 12 12. Barton, Henry C. 37 13. Barton, Henry G. 39 14. Barton, Dr. Hugh 16 15. Barton, Infant daughter 13 16. Barton, James A. 31 [This is my ancestor] 17. Barton, John 11 18. Barton, Josephine Shelton 34 19. Barton, M. Mary 15 20. A. G. C. 50 (Only initials are given) 21. S. M. C. 49 (Only initials are given) 22. Carloss, Edward Pride 17 23. Desprez, John G. 85 24. Dickson, Elizabeth 21 25. Dickson, Elizabeth 18 26. Dickson, Lizzie 30 27. Dickson, Mary 25 28. Dickson, Ruben 20 29. Dickson, William Senr. 19 30. Dickson, William 22 31. Finley, Lucinda G. 5 32. Goodloe, Joseph M. 35 33. Granbery, Augustus W. 4 34. Huston, Annie Barton 41 35. Huston, George 42 [a child of Annie and the Dr] 36. Huston, Dr. J. M. 43 37. Huston, Jimmy 44 [should say Jimmie] 38. Johnson, Doct. Henry H. 3 39. Johnson, Martha Ann 9 40. Little Tommie 26 (No last name is given.) 41. Malone, Goodloe W. 27 42. McCreary, ___?___ Ann 7 43. McCreary, Mrs. Mary 8 44. Morris, Margaret L. 82 45. Pride, Annie R. 47 46. Pride, Frank G. 48 47. Pride, Frankie 67 48. Pride, Goodloe 66 49. Pride, Maggie R. 46 50. Rivers, Mrs. Elizabeth 24 51. Rivers, Infant daughter 23 52. Rutland, A. B. 57 53. Rutland, Alice 72 54. Rutland, Annie M. 71 55. Rutland, Mrs. Elizabeth 56 56. Rutland, Hannah M. 61 57. Rutland, Hugh Watson 70 58. Rutland, Infant daughter of J. W. & E. M. Rutland 83 59. Rutland, Infant daughter of John W. & Margaret Ann 63 60. Rutland, James S. 65 61. Rutland, John W. 64 62. Rutland, Julia Louise 76 63. Rutland, Lacy D. 81 64. Rutland, Little Louise 68 65. Rutland, Louisa Eudora 54 66. Rutland, Maggie Doss 80 67. Rutland, Margaret Ann 62 68. Rutland, Mary Elizabeth 55 69. Rutland, Robert Goodloe 77 70. Rutland, Sallie Louise 69 71. Rutland, Turner 78 72. Rutland, Wells 79 73. Rutland, William R. 75 74. Scruggs, Alice 60 75. Scruggs, Edward Barton 53 76. Scruggs, Ellen R. 58 77. Scruggs, Jack Rutland 51 78. Scruggs, Mary Chandler 45 79. Scruggs, Nathen H. 59 80. Smith, Susannah 84 81. Unmarked 2 82. Unmarked Baby's Grave 52 83. Warren, Horace 10 84. Weaver, Anna R. 74 85. Weaver, R. L. 73 END OF ORIGINAL REPORT - SEE BELOW FOR LIST BY GRAVE NUMBER A note from Joni: I have rearranged the graves to be in the order of grave number so that we can see who might be closely related to whom: [Individual] [Grave number] 81. Unmarked 2 1. Alexander, Johnnie F. 1 38. Johnson, Doct. Henry H. 3 33. Granbery, Augustus W. 4 31. Finley, Lucinda G. 5 4. Anderson, Hiram S. 6 42. McCreary, ___?___ Ann 7 43. McCreary, Mrs. Mary 8 39. Johnson, Martha Ann 9 83. Warren, Horace 10 17. Barton, John 11 11. Barton, Eudora 12 15. Barton, Infant daughter 13 9. Barton, Elizabeth 14 19. Barton, M. Mary 15 14. Barton, Dr. Hugh 16 22. Carloss, Edward Pride 17 25. Dickson, Elizabeth 18 29. Dickson, William Senr. 19 28. Dickson, Ruben 20 24. Dickson, Elizabeth 21 30. Dickson, William 22 51. Rivers, Infant daughter 23 50. Rivers, Mrs. Elizabeth 24 27. Dickson, Mary 25 40. Little Tommie 26 41. Malone, Goodloe W. 27 2. Aldridge, Emma S. 28 3. Aldridge, Samuel H. 29 26. Dickson, Lizzie 30 16. Barton, James A. 31 [This is my ancestor] 7. Barton, Armstead 32 6. Barton, Amanda 33 [Amanda Cook Barton] 18. Barton, Josephine Shelton 34 32. Goodloe, Joseph M. 35 8. Barton, Armstead 36 12. Barton, Henry C. 37 5. Barton, Albert Goodloe 38 13. Barton, Henry G. 39 10. Barton, Emma Goodloe 40 34. Huston, Annie Barton 41 35. Huston, George 42 [a child of Annie and the Dr] 36. Huston, Dr. J. M. 43 [James Monroe Huston] 37. Huston, Jimmy 44 [should say Jimmie] 78. Scruggs, Mary Chandler 45 49. Pride, Maggie R. 46 45. Pride, Annie R. 47 46. Pride, Frank G. 48 21. S. M. C. 49 (Only initials are given) 20. A. G. C. 50 (Only initials are given) 77. Scruggs, Jack Rutland 51 82. Unmarked Baby's Grave 52 75. Scruggs, Edward Barton 53 65. Rutland, Louisa Eudora 54 68. Rutland, Mary Elizabeth 55 55. Rutland, Mrs. Elizabeth 56 52. Rutland, A. B. 57 76. Scruggs, Ellen R. 58 79. Scruggs, Nathen H. 59 74. Scruggs, Alice 60 56. Rutland, Hannah M. 61 67. Rutland, Margaret Ann 62 59. Rutland, Infant daughter of John W. & Margaret Ann 63 61. Rutland, John W. 64 60. Rutland, James S. 65 48. Pride, Goodloe 66 [Confederate solider] 47. Pride, Frankie 67 64. Rutland, Little Louise 68 70. Rutland, Sallie Louise 69 57. Rutland, Hugh Watson 70 [Confederate solider] 54. Rutland, Annie M. 71 53. Rutland, Alice 72 85. Weaver, R. L. 73 84. Weaver, Anna R. 74 73. Rutland, William R. 75 62. Rutland, Julia Louise 76 69. Rutland, Robert Goodloe 77 71. Rutland, Turner 78 72. Rutland, Wells 79 66. Rutland, Maggie Doss 80 63. Rutland, Lacy D. 81 44. Morris, Margaret L. 82 58. Rutland, Infant daughter of J. W. & E. M. Rutland 83 80. Smith, Susannah 84 [Catholic] 23. Desprez, John G. 85 [Catholic & Confederate soldier]