Carpenter Cemetery - Graveyard Hill off Walker Pike
Submitted by: Gerald Tudor
 
CARPENTER CEMETERY
Graveyard Hill off Walker Pike
Compiled by Gerald Tudor

     There is some history concerning the people buried in this quaint little graveyard.
     The earliest marked grave appears to be that of Zophar Carpenter (6 Feb.  1798 age 65), a native of Westchester Co., New York, who came in about 1753 to that part of Augusta Co., Virginia that became Botetourt County.  Zophar was a veteran of the French and Indian Wars and a Revolutionary War Patriot by his supplying wheat and beef for the cause.  Mary his wife (14 Aug. 1832 age 97) is inscribed on the same marker which no doubt replaced an earlier one for Zophar. Zophar came to Madison County in about 1790 as he first appears on the Tax List for the year 1791.  His 300 acres comes in part from the McKinzie Survey and that part traded to John Boyle that included the cemetery location.  Part of the homestead remains in the family as of 2001.
   Rufus Carpenter, son of Zophar (25 Nov.  1778-19 Mar.  1846) Rufus was born in Botetourt Co., VA.  He was a Veteran of the War of 1812, serving in Faulkner's and Richardson's Regiment in Canada.  Rachel Alexander Reid, his wife (17 Aug.  1788 Greenville District or County, SC - 29 May 1871).  Rachel was the youngest child of John and Elizabeth Reid married in about 1773 County Down, Ireland.  The Reid family came to Savanna, Georgia at the start of the Revolutionary War.  They immediately moved inland to the Greenville District of South Carolina near Kings Mountain.  Here John Reid served in Sumter's Brigade, Wade Hampton's First Regiment State Troops as a Captain.  He moved to Garrard Co.  after 1792 and is no doubt buried in the Carpenter Cemetery as is his wife although there is no known marker for John. Richmond
Kirkendall, son-in-law to John Reid, testifies in his deposition for Rachel Carpenter's application re: John Reid's service, that he witnessed both the burial of John and his wife.  Elizabeth L. Reid (3 Jul.  1835 age 87).
   Isaac Ambrose Ross (abt.1776 Culpeper Co., VA-25 Dec.  1821) Revolutionary War Soldier serving with Kentucky Militias as well as the Virginia Line.  A D.A.R. marker was placed upon his large flat stone in 1993 when Ross descendants gathered for a dedication.  His wife, Elizabeth Gordon (13 Dec.  1844 age 75) has a large flat stone adjacent to that of her husband's.
   Yantis Middleton (no dates) Military Marker Co.  B 3rd KY Inf. Union, Civil War Veteran. Yantis' marker lies flat on the ground misplaced from its original space and is badly deteriorated.  His wife, Elizabeth Holmes (14 Dec.  1816-26 Aug. 1855), a daughter Emeriller (17 Dec.  1844-28 Jan.  1845), a daughter Emmeline (10 Jun.  1846-18 Jun. 1846).
   Isaac Holmes (22 Dec.  1856 age 60) Veteran of the War of 1812 serving in Faulkner's Regiment).
   Infant Reid (born and died 25 Jan.  1840).  son of Andrew and LuvicyAndrew, son of Andrew and Catherine Laywell ReidLuvicy (Levisa), dau.  of Robert and Mary Elizabeth Ross Carpenter.

   THE FOLLOWING CARPENTER BURIALS HAVE NOT BEEN DETERMINED AS TO WHO THEIR PARENTS WERE.

   George W. Carpenter (25 Jun. 1820-15 Sep.  1840) Oral history reports his death as a result of a swing accident.  He is possibly a son of Rufus and Rachel for the memory to carry down.  Their generations remained on the homestead.
   Barton W. Carpenter (2 Oct.  1810-14 Mar.  1835)
   Isabell Carpenter (12 Jun.  1839 age 31)
   Barton Carpenter (20 Mar.  1839 age 2 yrs.  2 mos.  2 days.
   Robert H. Carpenter (5 Apr.  1809-17 Jan 1823) possible son of Rufus and Rachel.  Of the three sons of Zophar, Zenith and Robert had sons named Robert.
     (The name Barton appears twice.  Robert and Mary Elizabeth Ross Carpenter had a son, Barton who lived to have descendants. Barton W. may have been named for the early Barton W. Stone, noted minister at Cane Ridge in Bourbon Co., KY where hundreds came for camp meetings).  There are other names attributed to this cemetery, but there is no proof that they were ever there.  Several are buried out of state and some are just pure guess work on the surveyor's part.  Many field stone markers exist as well as sunken graves without markers.  There was an instance of a marker being carried away to make a door step.  This party was forced to return the marker to the cemetery.  Today, most of the markers are up-right and well preserved with very legible inscriptions.  A few are displaced and need to be restored.
     Three Revolutionary War patriots are interred here as well as two War of 1812 veterans and one of the Civil War.