Randolph County AlArchives Cemeteries.....Misc Small cemeteries ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Marilyn M. Girardi August 2000 Misc Small cemeteries: (Barton, Benefield, Bowen, Brown, Burgess/Kirby, Burns Mill, High Shoals Baptist Church Cemetery, McClendon, Weathers, Wilson, & Wood-Somons ) Randolph County, AL Cemetery Registration Townships 20 RANDOLPH SMALL CEMETERIES--Inactive Township 20 Randolph County, Alabama These cemeteries are located East to West within a 16 miles strip north from the Chambers County Line (most southern part of Randolph County.) With permission (August 27, 2000) of Dianne Herren surveyor of the cemeteries. Submitted by Marilyn M. Girardi BARTON FAMILY CEMETERY Township 20, Range 12, Section 10 Barton, J. C. Dec 9, 1846 Aug 26, 1918 Barton, Mary J. Aug 31, 1846 Sep 28, 1932 [D/o Isaac Smith & -Bowen] [John Columbus Barton and Mary Jane Smith were married on July 26, 1868] Transcription was completed on September 20, 1988. ****** BENEFIELD CEMETERY Township 20, Range 13, Section 32 Benefield, Nancy E. Oct 27, 1832 Mar 24, 1896 Five (5) unmarked graves Transcription was completed March 18, 1990. ****** BOWEN CEMETERY Township 20, Range 12, Section 22 These graves were unmarked for years as the cattle in the pasture where they rest had knocked down any signs of the rocks, which loved ones had used to mark the graves originally. However, those who had buried their loved ones here had marked the graves well in a way that they had probably never dreamed would be used as a marker. When all other signs of these graves were gone, their location was marked each year by the iris which continued to bloom each spring. Mr. & Mrs. Russell Huddleston now own this land and Mrs. Frances Huddleston remembered how the iris and flowers had always bloomed around the graves which were found there when she was just a child. She remembered that there were at least two graves there, but could possibly have been more graves. Russell then made two cement crosses and he and Frances marked these graves once again. There is no identification of any kind in regard to this cemetery, but Russell has asked questions of some of the older people in the area. They say that these graves are members of the Bowen family who once owned the land. Two (2) or more unmarked graves Site was visited on March 10, 1991. ****** BROWN CEMETERY Township 20, Range 13, Section 34 There are two graves in this cemetery resting beneath a huge magnolia tree and marked only by the remains of the gray chirp which once covered them. The graves rest side by side, but one grave lies east and west while the other grave lies north and south. The two young men who rest here were supposedly cousins by the surname of Brown. The story of this cemetery is written here as the elderly gentleman who now owns the land where this cemetery lies told it to me. During the days when the town of Wehadkee was at its peak, two young cousins by the name of Brown were at the general store, which was a short distance from where the cemetery now rests. The two young men began arguing over the affections of a certain young lady. The argument continued until it became a very, very heated dispute. The two men then challenged each other to a duel for the hand of the young lady. Both men accepted the challenge and the fight was moved to the syrup mill which stood beside where the cemetery now is. They agreed that their left arms would be strapped together with a leather strap, that they would have knives in their right hands, and that they would fight until the end. Whichever one was standing at the end of the duel would have the right to the affections of the young girl in question. If one of them was killed in the duel, he would be buried exactly where he fell. The men of Wehadkee supposedly gathered around the syrup mill to watch this fight. Both young men asked them not to interfere with the fight and all the spectators agreed to their wishes. A leather strap was bound around the left wrist of each young man; each one was handed a knife; the duel for the affections of the young lady began. No one now living knows how long the fight may have lasted or how much each young man must have suffered. But it was a fight to the end so none of the community men interfered with the fight. The two young cousins were allowed to fight until the dispute was settled. At the end of the fight, both men lay on the ground.. .dying. . . their left wrists still strapped together. The two young cousins lay on the ground side by side with one of them lying east and west and one of them lying north and south. Now that the fight was over and the two young men were dead, they were buried according to what had been decided before the fight. They were buried side by side exactly where they had fallen at the end of the fight. Many years later they still rest side by side as they fell. . .one lying east and west and one lying north and south. Two (2) unmarked graves Site was visited and data was compiled on May 12, 1990. ****** BURGESS/ KIRBY CEMETERY Township 20, Range 12, Section 2 An elderly gentleman told me the location for these graves that he remembers from his childhood. There were several Indian graves and two other graves. The two graves were either Kirby or Burgess family members, but he could not remember which family. When the Indian graves were dug into searching for artifacts, the other two graves were also dug into and destroyed. This entire cemetery has now been destroyed. Data was compiled and site was located on March 11, 1989. ****** BURNS MILL CEMETERY Township 20, Range 12, Section 6 Early records indicate that there was at one time a cemetery located near Burns Mill. We have searched and have talked with numerous people who are familiar with the Burns Mill! Burns Lake area, but have been unable to find the exact location of this cemetery. We have found the location of the old Burns Mill on Wedowee Creek and can only assume that the cemetery would have been near that location. There is no way that we can determine the number of graves that are/were in this cemetery or exactly who was buried in this cemetery. Site of Burns Mill was visited and data was compiled on March 6, 1993. ****** HIGH SHOALS BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY Township 20, Range 12, Section 36 Bean, Wiley Emma Sep 26, 1873 Jul 23, 1874 Age 9 mos., 27 days Weathers, Rupert Jan 11, 1894 Oct 8, 1894 Son of J.B. and Bettie Weathers Weathers, Thomas Calvin Nov 27, 1867 De. 15, 1869 Son of Dr. Wm. and N.T. Weathers Waller, Elonzia W. Feb 23, 1875 Nov 19, 1889 Ussery, Janie Taylor Oct 27, 1859 Apr 2, 1895 Wife of M. F. Ussery Presnal, Julia Feb 5, 1841 Jul 29, 1911 [Julia Ann Weathers] Presnal, Robert Jan 6, 1836 May 13, 1907 CO H 31ST ALA INF CSA, Age 71 yrs. 4 mos. 7 days Young, Kittie Bell Feb 25, 1897 Mar 1, 1909 Daughter of T. J. and M. E. Young [Thomas Young & Mollie Waller] Young, Tomus Achen Nov 5, 1900 Jun 18, 1901 Son of T. J. and M. E. Young [Thomas Young & Mollie Waller] Gay, Infant Jun 19, 1917 Jun 28, 1917 Daughter of T. J. & W. D. Gay [Thomas J. Gay & Willie D. Veal] Gay, Nannie B. Jul 25, 1908 Dec 7, 1909 Daughter of T. J. & W. D. Gay [Thomas J. Gay & Willie D. Veal] Twenty (20) unmarked graves Transcription was completed on February 29, 1992. UNMARKED GRAVES: [Death Records]: Daughter of Jessie Weathers-Female, White; Age 1-3-0; Died Oct. 7, 1894. Martha S. Veal-Female, White, Married; Age 57-0-0; Died Mar. 1, 1896. Betty Whatley-Feinale, Black, Married; Age 65-0-0; Died May 20, 1896. Infant of David Kirby-Male, White, Single-Age 0-O-~ Died Oct. 10, 1899. ****** McCLENDON FAMILY CEMETERY Township 20, Range 12, Section 7 These five unmarked graves were all located on the property, which belonged to a Mr. McClendon. All five graves were members of his family. Four of these graves were known to be adult-sized graves. Mounds of earth marked three of them, while two of them were covered with cement. The McClendon family is known to have been living on this land during the Civil War. The exact relationship is not known, but this McClendon family is known to be related to the Hurley family whose descendants still reside in Randolph County. In about 1955 the cement coverings were broken into pieces and removed by a gentleman who wanted to farm the land. After the cement was removed, all five graves were plowed over and made a part of his fields. Thus, the McClendon family cemetery, which had rested there since about the days of the Civil War, was destroyed in about 1955. Five (5) unmarked graves Site was visited on March 7, 1993. ****** WEATHERS CEMETERY Township 20, Range 11, Section 35 There are no marked graves of any kind in this cemetery. There are several different markers, but none of them have any data on them. We walked over the entire cemetery area several times, but could find no data of any kind. It is impossible to get an exact count of the number of unmarked graves, as the area is overgrown in trees, bushes, and weeds and the graves themselves are in a state of deterioration and disrepair. I would estimate that there are fifty (50) or more unmarked graves in this cemetery. Isham Weathers was born about 1775 in North Carolina. His wife was named Mary and she was born in about 1780. Isham Weathers was a soldier in the War of 1812 and 1814 under General Andrew Jackson. In 1823, Isham and family moved from North Carolina to Wilkes Co., Ga.; in 1825 to Green Co., Ga.; and in 1827 to Fayette Co., Ga. In 1841 they moved to Randolph County, Alabama and settled six miles north of Roanoke on High Pine Creek. By 1850 several of his children were also living in Randolph County. Benjamin Cummings who had married Nancy Weathers (Jan. 13,1830 in Fayette Co., Ga.) is shown as a widow in 1850 in Randolph County. Could Nancy Weathers Cummings have died between 1841 and 1850 and have been one of the first buried in the Weathers Cemetery? The other children of Isham Weathers who were living in Randolph County in 1850 were Abel Dale and Adeline Weathers Dale (Married Sept. 16, 1841 in Fayette Co., Ga.), Willis Weathers and Lydia Landers Weathers (Married May 1, 1836 in Fayette Co., Ga.), Seaborn Posey and Susan Ann Weathers Posey (Married Apr. 16, 1835 in Fayette Co., Ga.), Jesse Weathers and Elizabeth Reaves Weathers (Married Jan. 24, 1832 in Fayette Co., Ga.), and Isham Thomas Weathers and Sarah Ann Thompson Weathers (Married Feb. 19, 1839 in Fayette Co., Ga.). By 1860 William Weathers and Rachel Lee Weathers (Married Aug. 24, 1832 in Fayette Co., Ga.) had joined their family in Randolph County. I did not find one daughter Permelia Weathers Thompson and Samuel Thompson (Married Feb. 19, 1835 in Fayette Co., Ga.) living in Randolph County. According to the information that I have the children of Isham and Mary Weathers were Permelia (Born ?), Nancy (Born ?), Adeline (Born about 1810), Willis (Born about 1807), Susan Ann (Born about 1817), Jesse (Born about 1805), William (born about 1801), and Isham Thomas (Born 1811). Were there other children in this family that I am not aware of? Isham Weathers died in August, 1863 at the age of 93. Isham and Mary Weathers and their children are buried on the old man Waldrop place, left of Taylors Crossroads. There are several graves of those who were their slaves also to be found in this cemetery. This was the old Weathers Plantation. Can anyone help identify any of those who are definitely buried in this cemetery other than Isham and Mary Weathers? Cemetery was visited on March 4, 1990. UNMARKED GRAVES: [Death Records): Infant of J. and T. Pitman-Male, White; Age 0-8-0; Died June 6, 1887. ****** WILSON FAMILY CEMETERY Township 20, Range 12, Section 4 Wilson, Julia Ann Mitchum Coker 1828-1906 Wilson, William Walker 1802-1888 Wilson, Winnifred B. Scott 1814-1854 Transcription was completed March 11, 1989. ****** WOOD-SIMONS CEMETERY AKA Omaha Cemetery Township 20, Range 12, Section 13 Wood, Mrs. G. A. Jul 19, 1850 Mar 8, 1918 (Married: Oct. 20, 1867) [Georgia Ann Cockrell] Wood, J. T. Oct 6, 1846 Feb 7, 1915 [John T.] "A Confederate Soldier" [CO C, 35th INF] Simons, Mrs. Leolar Nov 1874 May 16, 1919 [D/o John & Georgia Ann Wood] Simons, Mr. Clem Mar 22, 1918 Ten (10) unmarked graves Transcription was completed March 11, 1989. ******