HARDEMAN COUNTY TN - CEMETERIES - Slaves/Freedmen Buried in Polk Cemetery
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Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Katie Brown Bennett
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SLAVES/FREEDMEN BURIED IN POLK CEMETERY	 

There are at least eleven (11) African-Americans buried in Polk Cemetery. Three
have headstones; seven are documented in John H. Bills' diary; and one is
documented in a 1902 Commercial Appeal newspaper article about Ezekiel Polk.

Three African-Americans with headstones:

1)	John McNeal, April 16, 1907, age 57;
2)	Lila, wife of John, September 1909;
3)	In Memory of Rueben B., faithful servant [of John H. Bills] 
and honest man, 1846.

Seven African-Americans documented in John H. Bills' diary:

1.	Charlotte, died July 28, 1853.  "Thursday, July 28, 1853 … Our house servant,
Charlotte, died this morning at 3 o'clock.  She had been sick for 24 days of
typhoid fever, during all of which time Dr. Neely attended her without affecting
the slightest good in her case.  We bury her in the family [Polk] Cemetery at 5
p.m."

2.	Victoria's infant Emma, February 24, 1863 - Tuesday August 18, 1863.
Victoria was a house servant who was a "general attendant."  It appears she
attended Clara Bills (John H. Bills' daughter).  "Wednesday, September 18, 1861,
Clara Bills & svt Victoria off for a visit to her friends at Huntsville."

It appears Victoria was acquired by John H. Bills between 1845 and 1856.  He
referred to her several times in his diary.  She "jumped the broom" with Willis,
a servant of Dr. Wood, on Monday, December 29, 1862.  She had an infant on
February 24, 1863, who died on August 18, 1863.  "Early this morning Victoria's
infant Emma died, disease convulsions from whooping cough … I bury Vic's infant
in the Polk Cemetery."

3.- 7.  Sam Bills, his wife Lucretia (Creasy), Creasy's daughter Martha, 
          Martha's husband Willis, and Sam's "only son."   

	   Sam Bills, circa 1797 - September 10, 1869.   Sam was buried in Polk 
   Cemetery a day after his death (September 11) "beside his only son."  
   
   John H. Bills had purchased Sam on February 19, 1839 from John Lea 
   for $650.00.  (John Lea was the person who sold The Pillars to John H. 
   Bills.  Hence Sam changed owners but stayed on the same plantation.)   
   Sam was about 42 at the time.
   Sam held a special place with John H. Bills.  Bills had Sam baptized "by 
   sprinkling" on Saturday, June 19, 1858.  Bills' diary contains no other 
   mention of baptism of any other slaves. 
   
   Sam was a "good old servant" who had been with Bills "more than 30 
   years," died of "old age - he was a faithful honest man, refused to leave 
   me when free & was true to my interest during the War of the Rebellion   
   - peace to his ashes."  

Lucretia (Creasy) Bills, wife of Sam, circa 1805 - December 24, 1870.	John H.
Bills purchased Creasy and her two children (Bob and Martha) on July 17, 1833
from Humphrey Keeble.  Creasy was about 28, Bob was 2, and Martha was 2. 

   Creasy served as a milkmaid for Bills.  She died just over one year after 
   the death of her husband Sam.  "Old Creasy who has been sick for 3 
   weeks expires at 9 ½ a.m."  Creasy was buried the next day at 2 p.m.
   
   Martha Bills Mayhugh, daughter of Lucretia (Creasy), circa 1831 - 
   September 17/18, 1870.  Martha "jumped the broom" with Willis, 
   another slave of John H. Bills.  After Willis' death, she married William 
   Mayhugh on May 26, 1866.

   On September 18, 1870, John H. Bills wrote "Arrive at home at 5 ½ 
   o'clock [a.m.] & find my ex servant Martha dead.  She has been sick a 
   long time, leaves 7 or 8 helpless children."

   Willis, husband of Martha, circa 1817 - September 16, 1862.
   John H. Bills purchased Willis on November 28, 1849 from Lucy 
   Wynne.  Willis was about 32 at the time.  One day after his death, Willis 
   was buried in Polk Cemetery.   
	
	   Sam's only son - name and dates unknown; died before his father, who   
               died on September 10, 1869.

Jim, slave of Ezekiel Polk, circa 1776 - between 1860 and 1870.
According to a Commercial Appeal newspaper article about Ezekiel Polk dated
March 2, 1902,  "… In 1849 Edwin Polk gave the land for Polk Cemetery in
southwest Bolivar, 'to be forever a family burying ground.'  To this place
Ezekiel Polk's remains were removed in the early 50s, and a second monument
erected.  Close by was put to rest 'Uncle Jim,' his faithful servant, who
followed his master's fortunes from Pennsylvania to Middle Tennessee; thence to
West Tennessee.  A daughter of this same Uncle Jim is at present living in the
Polk place in her ninety-sixth year."  [Some of the dates in this article are
not accurate.  According to John H. Bills' diary:

Thursday, November 20, 1845
A fine day.  We spend it removing the remains of our 
friends to the Polk Cemetery.  We succeed in removing 
all the tombstones & the bones of Colonel Ezekiel Polk …

            It also appears that Ezekiel Polk brought Jim from North Carolina, not   
            Pennsylvania.]

  
Please note: After Ezekiel Polk's death, Jim became a slave of Ezekiel's son
Edwin Polk, and, after Edwin's death in 1854, was inherited by Edwin's wife,
Octavia Jones Polk.  

The daughter of Jim who was referenced in the Commercial Appeal article appears
to have been a freedwoman named Lively Polk. 



It is reasonable to assume there are other African-Americans buried in Polk
Cemetery.  The above eleven slaves/freedpersons are ones about whom we have
documentation at this time.  


SUBMITTED BY: Katie Brown Bennett
		       June 10, 2004