DECATUR COUNTY, TN - CEMETERIES - Union Cemetery

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David Donahue, the creator of this file, declares it to be in the public 

domain.

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UNION CEMETERY

Decatur County, Tennessee



            Union Cemetery is the major black cemetery in the 

southern part of Decatur County. It is shown on the U.S.G.S. 

Bath Springs quadrangle (1972) as Union Church, west of state 

highway 69 and about a half mile north of Tucker's Store. 

Union Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in Decatur 

County. The cemetery is on the site of Union Church. The 

church stood east of the original cemetery, probably north of 

the present parking area near the recent Brasher family 

burials. Existing carved markers lie along the west, north, 

and eastern edges of the cemetery. In the center of the 

cemetery are cedar stumps and fieldstone-marked graves. 

Hundreds of depressions suggests that the area from the 

eastern-most fieldstone to the western edge of the cemetery, 

and from the fence of the north to the access drive to the 

south, is completely full of burials. From one of the markers 

near the northwest corner it is possible to count 17 grave 

shaft depressions in a single row while walking but half way 

up the rise to the first fieldstone. There may be 300-400 

unmarked graves at this cemetery. David Donahue recorded this 

cemetery December 27, 1996, and checked and updated March 19, 

2003.



            Blanche Tuten and Margarett Alexander recorded 

Union Cemetery on July 30, 1976. Their record appears in 

Decatur County, Tennessee Cemetery Records published by the 

Captain Daniel A. Wesson Chapter, United Daughters of the 

Confederacy, Parsons, Tennessee, 1984, pp. 598-599. They noted 

"at least 33 unmarked graves and possibly many more." The "33" 

is probably the number of fieldstone-marked graves. The work 

by Tuten and Alexander is referred to as the UDC transcription 

in notes below.



 



Akins, Mary M., Mar. 23, 1914-May 18, 1914, "Dau. of Mary M. & 

Will Akins" (fallen)



Akins, Mary M., July 16, 1890-Apr. 2, 1914, "Wife of Will 

Akins" (fallen)



Boggan, Leora E., Oct. 1, 1899-May 18, 1925, "Wife of Abe 

Boggan"



Brasher, Alberta A. Shannon, Feb. 12, 1912-July 9, 1990 

[adjacent to marker for Barley Brasher]



Brasher, Babe A., Apr. 12, 1912-Nov. 27, 1998, "Father"

Brasher, Essie Mae, Sept. 21, 1914-May 3, 1995, "Mother"



Brasher, Barley, Mar. 10, 1896-Mar. 7, 1968



Brasher, Clarence Ray, Feb. 16, 1944-Dec. 23, 1995, "Dad""



Brasher, Coulas, 1920-2000



Brasher, George Ike, May 29, 1905-June 18, 1995, "Father" 

footstone



Brasher, LaMyron Vychelle, Mar. 3, 1967-Mar. 3, 1967



Bugg, Decie, d. Jan. 3, 1974, "Age 85 years" [not found in 

1996 or 2003; from UDC transcription, probably read from a 

temporary marker]



Bugg, J. B., 1870-Apr. 20, 1958 (homemade, dates difficult to 

read) [along western fence; marker style looks much older that 

1958 death date would suggest]



Casey, Elsie, Jr., Mar. 26, 1927-May 23, 1949



Casey, George W., Dec. 21, 1925-Nov. 18, 1948



Kindle, Allen, Dec. 25, 1887-Apr./191970



Kindle, Joanna, July 28, 1888-Aug. 8, 1960



McDonnell, Mary H. N., d. Oct. 19, 1896, "Aged 1 m 19 d" "Dau 

of Wiley and Mary McDonnel" (eroded) [death year from UDC 

transcription]



McDonnell, Mary, d. Sept. 5, 1896, "Age 20 y 4 m 29 d" "Wife 

of Wiley McDonnel" (fallen)



McElrath, Alfred, d. Aug. 20, 1969, "Aged 56 Years 4 Months 5 

Days," temporary marker, Parham Mortuary, 3 yards northeast of 

marker for LaMyron Vychelle Brasher



Moody, Louis G., Dec. 8, 1912-Dec. 23, 1989\Moody, Annie M., 

June 15, 1917-July 8, 1999



Russell, Elizabeth, 1911-1985, temporary marker, 1 yard north 

of temporary marker for Oscar A. Russell, approximately 5.5 

yards east-northeast of marker for Willie Dee Brasherberta E. 

Shannon Brasher



Russell, Oscar A., 1892-1986, temporary marker, Parham, 

approximately 5 yards east of marker for Eillie Dee Moody



Shannon, Alberta A. [see Brasher, Alberta A. Shannon]



Stegall, LeVaner, d. Aug. 6, 1987, "Age 77," temporary marker, 

S. B. Moore Funeral Home, 4 yards west of double marker for 

Louis G. and Annie M. Moody



Thomas, Jewel, 1910-1999, "Mrs."; temporary marker, Brewer 

Funeral Home, 8-9 yards east of marker for George Ike Brasher



Walker, Lona, 1901-1988, temporary marker, Parham Mortuary, 7 

yards east of marker for Alberta E. Shannon Brasher



Yarbro, Dafner, d. Oct. 8, 1898, "Age 85 years" "Wife of T. 

Yarbro" 



Yarbrough, Willie, Dec. 8, 1878-Dec. 3, 1896