JONES COUNTY, GA - The Blake Fitz Jarrell Cemetery ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: jarrell_plantation_park@dnr.state.ga.us Bretta Perkins The Blake Fitz Jarrell Cemetery Blake Fitz Jarrell (1785-Jan. 5, 1856) Zilpha Dunaway Jarrell (1784-Apr. 21, 1860) Seth Fitz Jarrell (1843-1865) son of Seth, grandson of Blake died on local duty in the CSA, shot by an escaped POW. Thomas Fitz Jarrell (1820-Dec. 5, 1864) son of Blake and Zilpha and father of Seth, who died of sickness from the Civil War. At the foot of the farthest grave is a grave handcarved "Mary." "ELA", Elizabeth Lavinia Jarrell Adams (Apr. 6, 1844-Oct. 22, 1864) granddaughter of Blake and Zilpha by their son, John Fitz Jarrell. wife of Francis Marion Adams "FM Adams" Francis Marion Adams her husband (Sep. 26, 1822-Oct. 8, 1858). John Fitz Jarrell (Jul. 25, 1810-Aug. 4, 1884). who was Blake and Zilpha's first child See Below for possible additional burials. HISTORY: Blake Fitz Jarrell of Jones County, Georgia had a cemetery built on a hilltop near his home before 1856. His home was located on the stagecoach road which connected Clinton (the county seat at that time) west to the Ocmulgee River Road (now called Jarrell Plantation Road). According to his grandson, Willie Lee Jarrell, "Blake Fitz Jarrell laid off a family "graveyard" near his home, which he willed to his decendents, several of whom are buried there. the slaves were buried in an adjoining lot" (Jarrell Family Genealogy Notebook, by Willie Lee Jarrell). The land where the cemetery is is currently owned by the Hodge family (Adam Hodge). Not far to the west is a small reservoir called Hodge's Lake. The access to the west is blocked by a stream which would have to be forded. It would be considered a jeep road. To the east is the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge. The access on that side is also by jeep road. The road ends at Five Points Road. This road is gated. Therefore reaching the cemetery requires requesting the rangers at Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge to unlock the gate and the ride in is rough and often deeply muddy. Also, both the Refuge and the Hodge's Land are used seasonally by hunters, so care must be taken entering the areas. It is therefore not an easy adventure to get to the Blake Fitz Jarrell cemetery. It is recommended that the staff at Jarrell Plantation State Historic Site or the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge be contacted before visiting the site. The staff at Jarrell Plantation can inform members of the Jarrell family, who control the cemetery. Jarrell Plantation Historic Site is located about three miles northwest of the cemetery, at 711 Jarrell Plantation Road. As is typical of Primitive Baptists of this area, graves were marked only by a stone at the head and foot of each grave. A Jarrell family member in about 1980 purchased stone markers to add to the graves. Slave graves are unmarked, but there are some depressions in the ground that may be graves. There are fifteen marked graves and probably others next to them that are not marked or poorly marked. At the center, Blake Fitz Jarrell (1785-Jan. 5, 1856) in interred with his wife, Zilpha Dunaway Jarrell (1784-Apr. 21, 1860) to his left. To his right is an unlabelled grave, possibly a child's. To Zilpha's left is an adult size unlabelled grave. At Blake's foot is the grave of Seth Fitz Jarrell (1843-1865), his grandson, who died on local duty in the CSA, shot by an escaped POW. To Seth's left and at Zilpha's foot is Thomas Fitz Jarrell (1820-Dec. 5, 1864), son of Blake and Zilpha and father of Seth, who died of sickness from the Civil War. There are two graves to his left with no markers. At the foot of the farthest grave is a grave handcarved "Mary." At the head of Zilpha's grave is "ELA", Elizabeth Lavinia Jarrell Adams (Apr. 6, 1844- Oct. 22, 1864). To her left is "FM Adams" Francis Marion Adams, her husband (Sep. 26, 1822-Oct. 8, 1858). This E.L. Adams was the granddaughter of Blake and Zilpha by their son, John Fitz Jarrell. Or could this be Elizabeth Lavinia "Betsey" Fitz Jarrell Adams (1815?-Feb. 6, 1860), Francis Marion Adams first wife and Betsey's second husband (after John C. Bohannon (Jan. 17, 1833-Jan. 9, 1852), John Jarrell's sister? At the head of the ELA grave lies John Fitz Jarrell (Jul. 25, 1810-Aug. 4, 1884). who was Blake and Zilpha's first child, and whose farm is now the Jarrell Plantation State Historic Site. To his right lies his first wife, Elizabeth Williamson Middlebrooks Jarrell (June 30, 1815-Oct. 23, 1864). To her right is at least one other unmarked grave, perhaps one of the Elizabeth L. Adams. To John's left is his second wife Nancy Ann Burden Jarrell (Oct. 24, 1834-Sep. 13, 1911). To her lft are perhaps 3 unmarked graves. A grave marked "Mary" rests below the row of graves with Seth and Thomas Jarrell. Willie Jarrell thought that this Mary was Mary E. Smith Jarrell (died April 11, 1886), wife of John Albert Jarrell, son Thomas and brother to Seth. Who might be in the unmarked graves? Other children of Blake and Zilpha were Mary (Polly) Jarrell (1812-bef. 1856), Nancy Fitz Jarrell (1817-bef. 1853), Leroy Fitz Jarrell (1819-bef. 1856), Lavinia Jarrell (1822-before July 16, 1849), Missouri Ann Jarrell (1823-bef. 1856). Who else might be buried near John Fitz Jarrell? His children Levi Williamson Jarrell (May 22, 1834-June 28, 1861), Thomas Jarrell (1838-bef. 1850), Susan Lavinia Jarrell (Feb. 7, 1850-Mar. 27, 1865), Jesaro Jarrell (Jan. 19, 1866-Jan. 20, 1866), and his granddaughter Ella Jane Adams (Mar. 13, 1862-Nov. 2, 1864), who was the child of Francis and Elizabeth Adams. Also these "servants" or slaves were recorded in Blake and Zilpha Jarrell's family Bible: Hal (died April 6, 1860), Edmund (died April 28, 1860), Henry (Oct. 25, 1864), Caroline (died Oct. 28, 1864), Mary (died Oct. 28, 1864), Manda (died Nov. 6, 1864), and Cato (died Nov. 11, 1864). Presumably, they are buried in the cemetery also. All of the more recent burials have taken place at the cemetery of the New Hope Primitive Baptist Church at Caney Creek, which was the Jarrell's church. It is on a well kept graveled road in the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge (Caney Creek Church Road). The current church building was constructed by Benjamin Richard Jarrell, Sr., son of John Fitz Jarrell. We would welcome any additional information. Send it to jarrell_plantation_park@dnr.state.ga.us or to Bretta Perkins, 711 Jarrell Plantation Rd., Juliette, Ga 31046 (478)986-5172. Bretta Perkins Interpretive Ranger Jarrell Plantation State Historic Site Feb. 2, 2005