McNAIRY COUNTY, TN - CEMETERIES - Old Purdy Cemetery
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		       Old Purdy Cemetery

	 McNairy County Independent, November, 21, 1924

On Sunday, November 16, 1924, while the crowd of Christian
Endeavors , and others assembled in the auditorium of the Purdy
College, the writer, accompanied by J. B. Smallwood, of Purdy,
ended his way across in the hill and through the valley to the spot
known as the old Purdy cemetery, a burying ground laid out a long
time before the Civil War.  It has been long abandoned as a burying
place for the white people, another one having been laid out just
on the northern limits of the town.  This old one is one the hill
west of the old Walker spring, and on the south side of the old
stage road.

Evidently the place was laid out about the time of the
establishment of the old town of Purdy.  The first grave we noticed
on entering the grounds, now overgrown and much neglected, is that
of Sarah J., wife of W. H. Rose, born in Sumpter district,  S.C.,
September 7, 1803, died in Purdy, Tenn., October 20, 1852.  There
is a plain marble slab there.  A Little further south we found an
old grave and an old monument.  On that is the name Jeremiah W.,
son of J. P. and S. Young; born June 20, 1822.   Time has so worn
this monument that  all traces of other lettering is gone.

And still a little further west and south stands a four sided
monument, on the north and  west of which are seen old and weather
stained letters.  On the South side is the name John R. Adams, born
May 28, 1811, died August 27, 1842.  On the north side is the name
of Sarah H. Adams, born January 11, 1889 .  On the west side are
the names John R. Adams and Sarah H. Young, Married, November 25,
1838. These graves are the last resting places of the father and
mother of J. R. Adams of Selmer.  and while there are no  monuments
to their memory yet the fact is that sleeping in unmarked graves
just north of there are the father and mother of J. R. Adams the
grandfather and grandmother of J. R. Adams, of Selmer.

And then we saw another old monument, dim lettered, in memory of L.
W. J. Harwell born September 2, 1814,  died September 8, 1838.  And
then the monument to the memory of Findall W., son of G. C. and
Elisa L. Crump, born in 1853, and died in 1858.  Close by the
monument to the little child is another one and on it are the
words, Eliza L. Crump, wife of Dr. G. C. Crump, and daughter of
Benjamin and M. A. Wright, born January 22, 1825, died November
10,1853."Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. "   Then one in
memory of Mrs. L. Burtwell, died in 1840,  in  the 67th year of her
age.

Another monument in memory of J. A.. E. V. Harwell, born November
11, 1811, died September 22, 1824.  Then the monument to Emily,
wife of Col. N. C. Riggs, born August 13, 1832, died October 13,
1853, and the words  "Behold the Lamb  of  God. "    In the lower
corner on this monument are the words, A. J. Yancey, Corinth, Miss.
The names of the latter will be recalled by many of the older
people as one of the old teachers of the county nearly 70 years
ago, and who was later in the monument business in Corinth.

Then we saw  the simple monument to the memory of Finette, daughter
of William and Nancy Ruleman, and then the one to the mother of
this one, Aunt Nancy Ruleman, Known by all the younger as well as
older generations in Purdy, There is a monument to the memory of
Mary J. , Wife of T. J. Young, born in 1828, died in 1853.  And
then one to Mary, daughter of W. S.. and J. Wisdom. And then in an
iron enclosure there are several graves, and to some there are
monuments.  W. M. Steadman died January 22, 1832, age about 50
years.  Margaret Steadman, died September 10, 1833, age 48, years.
And Celia Sherman, born January, 14, 1804, Married  P.  E. Shull,
October 25, 1826, and  married W. S. Wisdom December 18, 1860. died
February 16, 1887.

And then there is an old monument erected to the memory of "Rev.
Williamson Roark, a preacher of the Gospel  in the Cumberland
church,  He died December 1, 1838, in the 35 year of his age,
leaving a wife and numberless friends to lament the loss. " Blessed
are the dead who die in the Lord."

Then in the center of the old cemetery then, now on the southern
boundary stands one of the most imposing monuments to be seen. It
is 15 feet high, and stands on a base about 5 feet square.  It is
an imposing one even in this day. It was erected to the memories of
Major Benjamin Wright and wife, Martha Ann Wright. On the wide
surface on the monument on its west, are the words:  " The body of
Martha Ann Wright reposes beneath this monument.  Born in Dinwiddie
County, Va., died in Purdy, Tenn., February 27, 1859, aged about 66
years.. She was a good wife and affectionate parent; amiable, wise
and just woman.

                 "The world recedes, it disappears,
                  Heaven open on my eyes,
                  My ears with sounds seraphic ring
                  Lend, lend, your wings,
                  I  mount, I fly,
                  O, grave where is thy victory,
                  O, death where is thy sting, "

And on the south surface we see:,  " In the second grave south
rests the body of Marcus Benjamin Wright, born in Chatham County,
Ga., April 2, 1784, died at Purdy, Tenn., January 30, 1860.  He was
an officer in the U.S. army commanded the left wing of the 59th
Regiment at the battle of the Horse Shoe.  Upon the death of the
brave Montgomery, he resigned his  commission, and engaged in
private pursuits until the breaking out of the Mexican War, when at
age of 65 years, he volunteered as a private soldier in the Fayette
Cavalry, and was present at the siege of Vera Cruz. on his return
home, he was elected Register of McNairy county, which office he
held until his death.  He built the first cabin in the town of
Purdy near where this monument stands.  He was esteemed by all who
know him,  a brave, a generous and honest man.

            "How sleep the brave who sink to rest,
             by all their Country's wishes blessed.."

It was a most beautiful November Sunday morning. There was not a
sound to be heard.  The old stage road is no more, and the old town
of Purdy is but a sweet and lingering memory. Time, remorseless
time, has leveled the mounds in the old cemetery, and the lettered
monuments of granite and of marble are leaning, tottering and
fallen.  But they who sleep out there played well their part in the
early history of this county, and grateful and loving people should
revere their memories, and care for and preserve the graves of
these their ancestors and benefactors.