Ridgewood Cemetery Monument
The property where the Hensley Cemetery was located was purchased by Smith County in January 2007.
The cemetery dating from early 1800's to ca. 1920, was relocated by Bass Funeral Home and Sanderson
Funeral Home to Ridgewood Cemetery in Carthage. No marked tombstones were found or any graves
identified but research indicates the following may have been buried here.
Hensley,Emma 18 Nov 1898-27 Jan 1919
w/o John Hensley d/o Nathan Burdine Massey & Minnie Gertrude Allen
Lynch, David 1841- 26 Oct 1871
A Confederate Soldier who was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg.
Lynch, Ulysses A. age 12 years died Feb 21, 1914.
Gillispie, Mrs. Oshia died 23 Jan 1914. w/o Will Gillispie
Graves of five soldiers were found as indicated by military uniform eagle buttons and a pouch of
percussion caps used to fire muskets. These may be Thomas Reeves, David Piatt, and Elam Dye
of the 92nd Ohio Infantry, who died in early 1863.
This cemetery may have been called the T.B. Wills or the J.R. Wills Cemetery in earlier times.
A monument was erected at Ridgewood Cemetery with wording provided
by the Smith County Historical & Genealogical Society as follows:
"This monument is erected as a tribute to those unknown persons removed from a tranquil, remote
cemetery located on a ridge where the Smith County Justice Center is constructed. The site was
once part of the William Walton grant, later acquired by Joseph Myer and known as Myer Bottom.
The base of the memorial is constructed from the roughly hewn unmarked field stones that
identified the 73 graves on the original site. The year of first burial, names, dates
of birth and death, race and sex remains lost to the passage of time and memory of any
living person. Whatever their circumstances and station in life, these anonymous persons
would have made a contribution to the culture and heritage of Carthage and Smith County.
It is with respect that their remains are removed to this permanent resting
place and honored with this monument. November 2007"
A plaque from a coffin found at the cemetery reading "AT REST" was affixed to the monument.
The following write up and pictures will remain as a MEMORIAL to the original cemetery.
Uploaded December 13, 2006.
Hensley Cemetery
The Hensley Cemetery is located in City of Carthage on a ridge between Cumberland Mine Road
and Carthage bypass (Hwy.25). It is on east side of ridge approx. 200 yards from highway.
Prior to construction of Carthage by-pass this cemetery was in a secluded area at the north
end of Myer's Bottom. There are approx. 30-35 burials unmarked and marked with fieldstones.
It is covered by a heavy growth of the cemetery ground cover periwinkle.
GPS 36-15-554N 85-55-944W
A marked stone listed in Smith County Tennessee Cemeteries- North of the Cumberland River (1983) page 46
Emma Hensley 18 Nov 1898 - 27 Jan 1919 was not located on our visits 8 Dec. 2003 & Dec. 11 2006.
The Smith County Court commissioners voted on Dec 11, 2006 to negotiate for
the purchased of this property for a new county jail and Sheriff Dept. Offices.
If this purchase is completed this cemetery will be relocated.
