Graham Cemetery is located in Hale Town, Marion Co., Tennessee, just off of State Highway 156 E&W (the old Georgia Federal Road), on the banks of the Tennessee River which was once the old Graham farm and home place. In the 1960's Nickajack Dam was built causing the river waters to flood property that was close to the river. The Graham farm was one of these properties that was flooded.
Mother Nature, regrowth of the woods and vandals have taken their toll on this cemetery, only 5 graves remain that are readable and from the looks of it, this cemetery will not be there for much longer. It is because of the vandalism that I have not given complete directions to this cemetery.
The underbrush is to thick to tell how many unmarked graves are there. The cemetery is about an acre in size from walking the old, rusty, tumbled down fence line and the small rusty gate is still standing. The graves are made of rock that is about 12-18 inches high and are 3 feet across and about 5 feet long. On top of this rock base is a concrete slab that is about 5 inches thick by 4 feet wide and 6 feet long. On/in these slabs are the inscriptions of the name and dates of the person who is buried there.
These two graves are side by side and are still in fair condition:
1. James Roberts Graham, born January 23, 1823, died May 15, 1891
2. Malinda Cowan Graham, born July 31, 1832, died February 16, 1902
Note: Malinda Cowen to James R. Graham - July 21, 1869
Source: Jackson County, Alabama Marriages, Book A 1859-1871, page 753
This grave is a single, upright tombstone and sits off from the
other graves. It is in fair condition but leaning.
3. Aletha Graham, born March 23, 1875, died July 15, 1931
These two graves are close to each other and are in very poor
shape. Aletha Graham's grave is broken and
John Graham's grave has been
broken up and scattered with blue graffiti spray painted on part of it.
4. John Graham, born February 28, 1793, died August 28, 1848
5. Aletha Graham, born April 9, 1802, died January 4, 1839
One other grave is there but the slab has been tipped off the rock base and is laying face down on the woods floor.
It is to big and heavy to lift back into place so I was unable to read the name of the person buried there.
Update, July 2002;
This grave is Mrs. M. T. Graham, born June 17, 1807, died July 29, 1876
Note:
The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans:
Volume X T
Turpie, David
Turney, Peter, governor of Tennessee, was born in Jasper, Marion
County, Tennessee, September 22, 1827; son of Hopkins Lacy Turney
(q.v.) and Teresa (Francis) Turney. He attended the common schools of
Winchester, and the academy at Nashville, Tennessee, studied law with
his father, with W. E. Venable, and Judge Nathen Green of the Supreme
Court; and practised law at Winchester, Tennessee 1848-61. He was
defeated for Attorney-General in 1845; was alternate Presidential
Elector on the Breckinridge ticket in 1860, and favored the Secession
of Tennessee in 1861. He was elected a delegate to the secession
convention, February 9, 1861, but the action of the convention was
defeated by the popular election that followed. He raised a company of
volunteers, being chosen its Captain, and was elected Colonel of the
1st Tennessee regiment on its organization. He served in Jackson's
valley campain, and was severely wounded at Fredericksburg. He
commanded the eastern division of Florida, 1864-65, and surrendered his
entire force, May 19, 1865. He returned to his law practice in
Winchester; was judge of the Supreme Court of Tennessee to succeed John
P. Buchanan in 1892, taking the office in January, 1893, and serving
until 1897. He was twice married; first, in June, 1851, to Cassandra
Webb, daughter of Thomas Heslop and Eliza (Vernon) Garner of Franklin
County; secondly, in April, 1858, to Hannah Ferguson, daughter of John
and Aletha Graham of Marion County.
Compiled by
May 18, 2002
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Betty McBee
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