CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH OF BEARDEN
Compilation and comments by David Donahue
The cemetery at Central Baptist Church of Bearden is older than the church and was originally a community cemetery on private land. The church aquired the cemetery through deed of gift.
The first impression of this cemetery, with its manicured grass, is that it is well cared for. That is only a first impression. Air conditioning units, buildings, and service sheds extend into the cemetery on the east. The ground to the south has been cut away to widen the drive to a parking lot. The fenced playground built on the west side of the cemetery has been expanded to the point the fence lies against markers. A parking lot and covered walkway have cut into the north side of the cemetery. In 1989 there was a satellite dish in an area where a series of grave shaft depressions were faintly visible. [Some depressions were still visible in 1997.] By 1997 the satellite dish had been removed, but a sidewalk had been built diagonally through the cemetery. Markers in the way were relocated as necessary.
This cemetery was recorded May 6, 1989 and was checked August 26, 1989. It was rechecked January 21, 1997. Two previous transcriptions exist for this cemetery. The cemetery was surveyed by Eldah Bell Amick on March 29, 1957. Her record appears in Knox County Cemetery Records, an unpublished manuscript in the McClung Collection, Knox County Public Library, Knoxville, Tennessee. The cemetery was transcribed again by Anthony R. Cruze on March 30, 1976. His unpublished manuscript, Tombstone Inscriptions and Death Records of the Central Baptist Church of Bearden Cemetery Knoxville, Tennessee 1876-1976, is available in the McClung Collection, Knox County Public Library. The Cruze record indicates the relative positions of all graves found at that time, which may be important at a later date given the pressures on this cemetery. These earlier records were compared and notes are made where appropriate.
The rate of marker loss at this cemetery is high. Nine markers disappeared 1957-1976, three markers disappeared 1976-1989, and seven markers disappeared 1989-1997. [For comparison, consider the 1956-1989 marker loss at Ebenezer Cemetery. Ebenezer Cemetery is a much older and larger cemetery which is owned by Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church. This cemetery is benignly neglected except for grass/weed cutting once or twice a year. Only four permanent markers seemed to have disappeared 1956-1989 — one was a carved fieldstone, one was noted to be mostly buried in 1956, and one had a death date of 1817 and was probably simple unreadable in 1989.]
In most cemetery transcriptions, the note "fallen" means simply that — the marker has fallen, most often from natural weathering of the marker, ground settlement into grave, and downslope soil surface creep. At this cemetery it denotes markers which have deliberately been laid flat and countersunk into the ground surface for ease of mowing. This is a major problem for the marble markers meant to stand vertically, as lying face up the ground surface increases their exposure to moisture and the rate at which they are turning to calcite and eroding away.
Akridge, Mary Eveline (Kirby), 3/29/1871-3/13/1914
Akridge, Johnie, 7/17/1907-9/21/1917, "Son of G. W. & M. E. Akridge"
Aleridge, Adria M., 9/17/1886-5/10/1887, "Dau. of M. C. & R. E. Aleridge" (fallen)
Arnold, Peggy J., 11/26/1931-7/23/1932 (fallen) [found in 1989 but not found in 1997]
Ballinger, Josiah, 7/14/1829-6/17/1906
Ballinger, Rebecca M. George, 7/26/1832-1/25/1915, "Wife of Josiah Ballinger"
Barger, Elizabeth A. [see Bean, Elizabeth A. Barger]
Bean, Elizabeth A. Barger, 1/10/1840-7/20/1906, "Wife of Wm. Bean" "Mother"
Bean, James D., 1817-1903 [replacement]
Bean, James Mc., 10/15/1847-11/23/1917 (inaccessible) [Note: this marker could not be read in 1997 because there was only an inch of space between the front of this marker and the playground fence. A shrub had sprouted between the fence and the marker since the area cannot be cut.]
Bean, Kate E., 1/17/1848-6/16/1926, "Mother" (inaccessible) [marker difficult to read in 1989; blocked by playground fence; adjacent to marker for James Mc. Bean]
Bean, Mary, 3/12/1817-5/6/1896, "Mrs." [adjacent to marker for James D. Bean]
Bearden, Marcus D., 7/3/1878-5/25/1918, "Son of J. K. & Mary B. Bearden"
Bearden, Mary Belle White, 10/10/1850-1/12/1923, "Wife of J. K. Bearden" (fallen)
Bennett, Darcus, 1/24/1785-1/10/1880, "Wife of James D. Bennett" (fallen)
Bennett, James D., 9/14/1846-2/25/1913, "Our father"
Bennett, Jennie S., 9/26/1866-3/31/1890, "Wife of J. C. Bennett"
Bennett, Josephine C., 4/19/1845-12/16/1922
Bennett, Josie, 2/22/1852-11/10/1885
Bennett, Rufus M., no dates, military marker "Capt." "Co. C. 6 Tenn. Inf." (fallen)
Bennett, Rush O., no dates, military marker "Co. M. 34 U.S. V. Inf."
Bentley, Abbie, 9/2/1888-10/17/1934 (broken) [adjacent to marker for W. M. Bentley]
Bentley, W. M., 5/1/1881-1/2/1928
Bird, John W., 6/15/1841-2/3/1891 (eroded) [Odd Fellows symbol]
Bootes, Thelma [see Henson, Thelma Bootes]
Bozeman, Charlie B., 1/25/1864-10/21/1916
Bozeman, Mary R., 2/23/1860-8/28/1921 [adjacent to marker for Charlie B. Bozeman]
Brewer, Bettie G., "Dau of T. T, & N. J. Brewer," 6/22/1885-4/12/1990 [reported by Amick and Cruze but not found in 1989]
Brewer, Nackie, 8/3/1864-5/14/1896, "Erected by her sister"
Broom, A. J., 10/20/1848-3/15/1906
Broom, Levi, 12/3/1826-4/15/1888, "Father"\Broom, Arminda, 2/28/1830-9/9/1905, "Mother"
Broom, James Wilson, 1/27/1875-8/12/1876, "Son of A. J. & E. E. Broom" (fallen, eroded)
Broom, Judie L., 4/7/1866-11/30/1907
Broom, Katie, 10/28/1977-5/10/1888, "Daughter of H. W. & M. F. Broom"
Broom, Lizzie, 3/28/1879-10/30/1883, "Daughter of H. W. & M. F. Broom"
Broom, Lucinda C., 3/3/1856-1/20/1921
Broom, S. Elizabeth [see Hickey, S. Elizabeth Broom]
Broome, Ellen, 6/22/1839-1/12/1920
Broome, Emma, 3/3/1860-4/11/1936 (fallen)
Broome, Harvey W., d. 10/20/1914 [Woodmen of the World memorial]
Broome, Vina E., 5/8/1862-1/18/1941 (fallen)
Byers, Susan, 9/6/1838-5/13/1894, "Wife of N. Byers" (fallen, eroded)
Byers, Thomas, 10/28/1874-7/14/1882, "Son of N. & S. Byers" "Drowned" [not found in 1989; reported by Amick]
Byrd, Dennis\Grace\Nommia\Willie\Mauna, no dates, "Children of Mr & Mrs J. L. Byrd"
Cartwright, Infant, born & died 3/5/1907, "Infant dau. of J. W. & Annie Cartwright"
Cartwright, J. W., 1/27/1861-8/6/1906
Cartwright, Susan M., 3/23/1897-7/1/1897, "Daughter of J. W. & Annie Cartwright"
Childress, Lula M., 9/2/1846-6/21/1893, "Wife of J. A. Childress" (eroded) [this stone was very difficult to read in 1989; by 1997 the last name was unreadable]
Clark, B. M., 5/5/1863-3/11/1901, "Dr." "Our father"
Clark, Douglas E., 6/23/1927-9/24/1968 [not found in 1989; reported by Cruze]
Clark, Ellen Hipps, 11/18/1858-11/5/1928
Clark, Theresa L., 10/25/1864-7/19/1921 (fallen) [adjacent to marker for B. M. Clark]
Cooper, Charles Palmer, 8/13/1934, military marker "New York Corp 152 Depot Brig."
Cooper, Hunter, 1854-1901, "Squire" [replacement]
Cooper, John, 11/6/1849-8/3/1879 (broken, fallen, eroded) [Masonic symbol]
Cooper, John Leslie, 5/28/1872-3/8/1888, "Erected by mamma" [identifiable but broken and unreadable in 1989; not found in 1997; reported by Amick]
Cooper, Johnnie, 5/11/1877-1/20/1878 (fallen, almost buried)
Cooper, Lenora Ann Gilson, 1860-1942
Cooper, Mary J., d. 10/17/1875, "Age 45 Yrs, 3 Mo, 16 Days" "Consort of J. A. Cooper" "Our mother" (fallen, broken)
Cooper, Nora Lestelle, 5/28/1872-3/8/1888 (fallen)
Cooper, Thomas Gilson, 1884-1886 [replacement]
Cross, Kathern Nelson, 5/27/1868-9/1/1941, "Mother of W. H. Cross"
Cross, Letha Ellen, 6/20/1848-4/18/1920, "Mother" (broken) [Amick and Cruze record this name as Laura Ellen Cross]
Cross, W. L., 6/3/1872-1/9/1931
Currier, Elizabeth [see Johnston, Elizabeth Currier]
Currier, Infant son, born & died 2/5/1893\Ruth, 1/13/1888-1/26/1888, "Children of M. O. & E. G. Currier"\Currier, Audrey C., 12/7/1886-12/23/1886
[Currier], Lucile, 4/22/1913-4/25/1913 [no family name is listed, but she seems to be another child of M. O. & E. G. Currier]
Currier, Mary J., 8/26/1839-12/2/1905 (fallen)
Curtis, Mary L., no dates, "Aged 69 Years" [not found in 1976 or 1989; reported by Amick]
Duncan, Agnes, 12/7/1884-???? (broken at death date, fallen)
Duncan, James H., 10/13/1890-11/13/1912 (fallen, partially buried)
Duncan, Martha M., 12/26/1860-???? (broken at death date), "Wife of R. A. Duncan" "Our Mother" (broken, fallen, out-of-place) [death date reported by Amick as 2/18/1902, "Age 41 years"]
Duncan, Nena Viola, 5/18/1883-2/13/1886 (broken, fallen)
Edington, Lawrence E., 6/15/1899-6/28/1899, "Son of R. C. & R. M. Edington" [marker was out of place in 1989; not found in 1997]
Fox, Lucilia L., 6/24/1868-6/11/1896, "Wife of W. H. Fox" (fallen) [marker probably has been moved]
George, Rebecca M., 7/26/1832-1/25/1915, "Wife of Josiah Ballinger"
Giles, Hazel, 1/28/1913-2/8/1913 (fallen)
Giles, J. Henry, 7/19/1902-10/24/1906 (fallen)
Giles, James, born & died 11/14/1937
Gilson, Lenora Ann [see Cooper, Lenora Ann Gilson]
Graham, J., 8/21/1877-3/20/1910, "Wife of D. E. Scarbrough"
Grubbs, Ella, 8/6/1876-5/21/1902
Grubbs, Frances M., 12/31/1834-5/6/1893? (eroded) [difficult to read in 1989; name unreadable in 1997]
Grubbs, Horton, 8/25/1856-12/10/1892 [not found in 1989; reported by Amick]
Grubbs, Johnie, born & died 7/18/1886, "Son of H. & E. Gribbs"
Grubbs, Martha, 4/24/1838-7/18/1908
Guffey, Arty, d. 12/28/1916, "Age 52" "Mother"
Guffey, Danny F., d. 3/31/1887 [replacement]
Guffey, John, d. 9/7/1894, "Age 35" [replacement]
Guffey, Robert Lee, d. 1/4/1899 [replacement]
Hart, Elizabeth Jane Johnson, 11/23/1824-4/3/1893, "Wife of Joseph Hart"\Hart. Joseph, 7/21/1816-1/27/1905, "Made an elder in the Presbyterian church 1844"
Hartsook, George L., 3/4/1845-12/17/1909, "In memory of our father"
Hayes, Helen M., 1/1/1913-3/7/1916, "Daughter of W. H. & B. E. Hayes" "H.M.E.H." footstone (fallen, partially buried)
Hensley, Henderson, 3/31/1822-12/14/1901, "Our Father"
Hensley, Infant, 9/12/1891-9/26/1891, "Our infant son," H. & M. J. Helsley [not found in 1989; reported by Amick]
Hensley, M. J., 2/27/1854-1/2/1928, "Mother"
Hensley, Margaret Belle [see Hill, Margaret Belle Hensley]
Hensley, Ora E. [see Schaefer, Ora E. Hensley]
Henson, Agee A., 12/18/1889-12/10/1957 [replacement]
Henson, Ann Eliza, 10/8/1861-1/14/1911, "Wife of L. C. Henson" "Mother"
Henson, Lon C., 8/29/1858-9/20/1933 [replacement]
Henson, Thelma Bootes, 8/9/1900-10/10/1943 [replacement]
Hickey, Ina, 1/9/1888-6/19/1890 [Amick read this name as Ida, Cruze as Ada]
Hickey, Maud, 7/11/1883-8/21/1913, "Wife of J. M. Hickey"
Hickey, Ralph, 12/19/1886-4/13/1894 (eroded) [difficult to read in 1989; not found in 1997]
Hickey, Ruth, 10/3/1907-6/2/1909
Hickey, S. Elizabeth Broom, 1852-1924, "Mrs." "Mother"
Hill, Margaret Belle Hensley, 10/3/1853-4/10/1875, "Wife of I. N. Hill"
Hill, Roscoe, 1875, "Infant son of I. N. & Belle Hill"
Hipps, Ellen [see Clark, Ellen Hipps]
Hipps, L. P., 5/13/1852-3/24/1914
Hooven, Mary R., 9/8/1860-6/1/???, "Wife of J. S." [not found in 1976 or 1989; reported by Amick as fallen]
Hutchens, Darcus N., 7/22/1848-12/17/1914
Johnson, Elizabeth Jane [see Hart, Elizabeth Jane Johnson]
Johnson, Mary, 4/26/1836-11/4/1908, "Mother"
Johnston, Elizabeth Currier, 4/6/1808-4/12/1888, "Wife of James H. Johnston" "Mother"
Johnston, Thelma Mae, 1900-1943 [not found in 1989; reported by Amick]
King, Annie L., 7/24/1897-4/7/1917, "Dau. of R. R. & Ella King"\King, Hazel M., 2/23/1900-2/14/1918, "Dau. of R. R. & Ella King"
King, Ella, 11/26/1875-5/25/1919, Wife of R. R. King"\King, R. R., 5/16/1867-7/30/1932 (broken)
Kirby, Mary Eveline [see Akridge, Mary Evelyn (Kirby)]
Lones, Charles A., 5/23/1847-1/1/1919
Lones, Mary [see Seiber, Mary Lones]
Lusk, Lula Belle, 8/7/1884-2/17/1911, "Wife of G. T. Lusk" "Daughter of E. C. & E. Weisgerber" "Mother" (fallen)
Moore, Delphia, 6/11/1867-10/25/1904, "Erected by her sister"
Mullins, James R., 1/29/1871-5/20/1900, "Rev."
Music, David, d. 6/20/1894, "Age 83 Years" [Amick and Cruze record his age as 88]
Music, Isabella, born June ____ , "Wife of David Music" (broken, fallen)
Nelson, G. H., no dates [not found in 1976 or 1989; reported by Amick]
Nelson, Kathern [see Cross, Kathern Nelson]
Phillips, William J., 1842-1926, "Father"\Phillips, Sarah J., 1862-1927, "Mother"
Poston, Elizabeth, 12/3/1823-3/24/1884 [adjacent to marker for William Poston]
Poston, William, 2/3/1823-12/8/1904
Reno, Paul H., born & died 5/27/1915 (broken)
Ricketts, Infant, born & died 2/?/1895, "Son of W. H. & Florence Ricketts" [not found in 1989; reported by Amick and Cruze]
Ricketts, Susan T., 2/13/1839-2/8/1906, "Erected by W. H. Ricketts"
Roberts, Dallas H., 7/20/1932-11/13/1932 (fallen)
Scarbrough, J. Graham, 8/21/1877-3/20/1970, "Wife of D. E. Scarbrough"
Scarbrough, Infant, born & died 9/29/1918, "Baby son of D. E. & J. O. Scarbrough"
Schaefer, Howard N., 11/15/1875-7/2/1935
Schaefer, Ora E. Hensley, 10/26/1977-8/27/1932
Seiber, Benjamin F., 3/26/1849-4/11/1938
Seiber, Mary Lones, 5/23/1851-5/12/1915 [adjacent to marker for Benjamin F. Seiber]
Smith, Infant, 4/12/1903, "Infant daughter of B. F. & M. E. Smith" (broken, fallen)
Stacy, George L., d. 1/13/1886, "Age 21 Ys. 11 Ms. & 27 Ds." (fallen) [this marker may have been moved for sidewalk construction]
Steohens, Infant, "Daughter of N. R. & N. Stephens, 6/30/1886, "Stillborn" (fallen)
Sutton, Mary B., 1881-1943 [not found in 1976 or 1989; reported by Amick]
Swanner, John, 3/22/1840-2/3/1930\Swanner, Mary, 1/27/1853-6/24/1919 (fallen) [playground fence passes over this marker]
Teague, Fannie E., 6/3/1837-1/13/1904, "Mother"
Trotter, Infant, born & died 1/7/1904, "Infant dau. of O. E. & Lillie Trotter" [ easy access blocked by playground fence]
Viar, Ellen, 6/13/1899-10/1/1906, "Daughter of J.-M.A. Viar"
Viar, ____(?), d. May ___, 1888(?) [faint markings on large slab 4 feet north of the double marker for Elizabeth Jane Johnson and Joseph Hart; best guess on initial and dates]
Wallington, Homer J., 6/24/1888-4/1/1914 (fallen)
Wardell, Elmyra, 12/24/1828-12/20/1903, "Wife of D. G. Wardell" "Mother"\Wardell, D. G., 10/17/1824-____ (fallen) [Note: This marker is a double sided column with a square base. In 1989 it was fallen but both sides were readable. By 1997 the marker had been dug into the ground with the side for Elmyra visible flat to the ground surface and the side for D. G. buried.]
Watlington, W. H., 1/16/1848-3/1/1930 (homemade, fallen)
Watson, Hubert A., 5/16/1892-8/2/1903, "Son of J. M. & M. A. Watson"
Watson, Joseph M., 3/8/1854-1/25/1924, "Father"\Watson, Miranda A., 9/22/1858-4/18/1914, "Wife of Joseph M. Watson" "Mother"
Weisgerber, Emma Pauline, 4/18/1896-10/5/1902, "Infant daughter of Luther & Lizzie Weisgerber"
Weisgerber, Emma Pearl, 1/1/1880-4/11/1882, "Daughter of E. C. & Elizabeth Weisgerber" (fallen, eroded)
Weisgerber, Lula Belle [see Lusk, Lula Belle]
Weisgerber, Mamie Jeanette, 10/9/1888-10/19/1892, "Dau. of E. C. & Elizabeth Weisgerber" (fallen, eroded)
Weisgerber, Mayme J., 8/30/1893-5/4/1923, "Dau. of W. F. & C. M. Weisgerber" [probably moved for sidewalk construction]
Wells, A. Y., 6/5/1829-10/18/1906
Wells, Margaret A., d. 1/1/1896, "Aged 61 Years" (fallen) [probably moved for sidewalk construction; in 1989 it way adjacent to marker for A. Y. Wells, but in 1997 the two markers were offset.]
Wheeler, Carrie, 5/3/1878-10/13/1904, "Wife of J. M. Wheeler" [Note: In 1989 this large monument was in pieces, set aside in a flowerbed. In 1997 the marker had been reerected adjacent to the covered walkway. It may have been moved to make room for the walkway.]
White, Isabella, 12/29/1824-3/3/1888, "Wife of J. G. White" (eroded)
White, Mary Belle [see Bearden, Mary Belle White]
Young, A., no dates (fallen, partially buried)
Young, Clemmie M., 9/11/1862-2/13/1897, "Wife of A. J. Young"
Young, L., no dates
Young, W., no dates (fallen)
Young, R. E. B., no dates [or Reb.]
Young, W. A., no dates (fallen)
Note: Four of the Young markers are bunched unusually closely together and probably were moved closer to make room for the sidewalk which separated the four bunched closely together from the two on the other side of the sidewalk.
Unidentifiable
C. K., born & died 8/23/1892 [probably a King]
H. H. [out-of-place footstone; not found in 1997]
O. A. [out-of-place footstone; not found in 1997]
R. K. Jr., 9/23/1912-9/24/1912 (fallen) [Amick and Cruze list this as R. King, Jr.]
_________, d. 2/18/1902, "Age 41 Years" (broken) [based on Amick's record, this probably is the separated half of the broken marker for Martha M. Duncan — see above]
_________, 9/12/1891-9/26/1891 (broken)