JONES COUNTY GA Cemetery PETERS FAMILY CEMETERY File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by DaisyZ@aol.com Jeanie Smith Zadach From: Central Georgia Genealogical Society, Inc. Quarterly Volume 9, #3, Page 3 & Volume 10, #4, Page 7 Contributed by BOBBY F. STOKES PETERS FAMILY CEMETERY Located in Jones County on U.S. Government, Piedmont National wildlife Refuge. It might be found by traveling the River road (East Juliette to Macon) for approximately 1.6 miles north of the entrance to the Jarrell Plantation. It is on property, formerly known as the old Felts homeplace and occupied at one time by the descendants of Thomas Beeland. The old house site will be found on the East side of the road with much wisteria vine growing on the ground and in trees. By walking toward the northeast from the house site, for about 400 yards, the cemetery will be found in a stand of hardwoods. The burial area is approximately 20 feet in width and 30 feet in length. There appears to be twelve graves, only one is marked. A visit was made to this cemetery on 3 May 1987 by Thomas Mitchell, a native of the immediate area, who knew of the existance of this cemetery; William C. Yarbrough, Sr. who is related to the Beelands, former residents on the property and Bobby F. Stokes, an historian. The following was seen and recorded: In Memory of Baalam Peters; b. 11 Jan. 1800, d. 17 Dec. 1856, age near 57; J. Artope, Macon (Artope of Macon was a stone worked and engraver). This 42 inch tall tombstone was dug up from under leaves, leaf mold and dirt. It is broken in two pieces. After recording it's inscription, it was left in place, laying propped on an old cedar limb. The foot stone is still standing in its original position, marked with initials, B.P. A deep sink in the ground, on north side of above marker, with native rock at head and foot. A sink in ground on south side of marker, no rock at head or foot were seen. A sink with a pointed granite looking rock at head. A child's grave indicated by sink in ground with rock at head. A child's grave indicated by sink in ground with rock at head. A grave indicated by native rock at head. A grave on the S.E. corner of burial area with two rocks at head. A child's grave indicated by sink in ground, no rock. A grave on west edge of cemetery, indicated by a rock at head. A grave on west edge of cemetery, indicated by a rock at head. There is a very good reason to believe that Nathaniel Peters and Anna or Anne Peters, parents of Baalam Peters, and Lawsey Pitts, wife of Baalam Peters, are buried in three of the umarked graves in the Peters Cemetery. The following information is added from sources, other than the cemetery on the Peters family: Baalam Peters married Lawsey Pitts on 28 Dec. 1820 by Alexander Cadenhead, J.P. The license is recorded in Book A, page 110, Jones County, Georgia Marriages. The 1850 Federal Census of Jones County shows the Baalam Peters household as follows: House 557: Baalam Peters, age 50, male, farmer, real estate $2,575, born in N.C. Lawsey Peters, age 44, female, born in S.C. Nathaniel Peters, age 77, male, born in N.C. Anna Peters, age 70, female born in N.C. Baalam Peters held the office of Tax Collector for Jones County during the following periods: 12 Jan. 1835 to 9 Jan. 1836; 21 Jan. 1839 to to 10 Jan. 1840, and 25 Jan. 1841 to 22 Jan. 1848. He was also a Justice of the Peace for a number of years in the 12th land district. His Will, signed on 15 Dec. 1856 and proven on 6 Feb. 1857 in Ordinary Court of Jones County, indicates he had no living children at the time of his death. His wife, Lawsey Pitts, and mother, Anne Peters, were alive and mentioned in his will. There is no mention of his father, Nathaniel Peters, who had likely died between 1850, when the census was taken, and 5 Dec. 1856, when the will was signed. ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely 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 presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.