Franklin Cemeteries Project and Preservation Plan 12.2010

7/31/2019 Franklin Cemeteries Project and Preservation Plan 12.2010

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Franklin Cemeteries Project and Preservation Plan:Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven


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Franklin Cemeteries Project and Preservation Plan:

Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven

Prepared by:

Brigitte Eubank

Kristen OHare

Mandi Pitt

Sara Rieger

Katie Rosta

Essentials of Historic Preservation, Fall 2010

MTSU Center for Historic Preservation

Dr. Carroll Van West, Director


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TABLE OFCONTENTS

Background of Study 2

Project Methodology 3

Old City Cemetery 4

Location 4Roads...5Sections..5Features.6Architectural and Folk Art Landmarks9Iconography.12People16Themes19

Rest Haven20

Location20Rural Cemetery Movement.20Touissaint LOverture Cemetery.23Design of Cemetery Landscape24Iron Fences25Civil War26Monuments29Iconography34Epitaphs38People39Tomb of the Unknown Soldier45Themes47

Impact of 2010 Flood.48

Preservation50

Overview51Old City Cemetery.56Rest Haven..69

Further Research..62

Bibliography..63

Appendix I Maps65

Appendix II WPA List of Interred71

Old City Cemetery.72Rest Haven..85

Appendix III Phase I Preservation Plan.102


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BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven are important resources for the city of Franklin.

Residents and visitors alike often visit these cemeteries. One family who had just moved toFranklin visited these sites because they looked interesting. They did not know much of the

history of the cemeteries or what the specific design of the layouts mean, but they did understand

that these cemeteries are an important place in Franklin and that warranted a visit. Old City

Cemetery and Rest Haven are unique places that deserve attention and care from the community

as they are a historic resource.

Visitors take pictures of Old city Cemetery.

Amanda Hall, preservation planner with the City of Franklin, contacted Carroll Van

West, director of MTSUs Center for Historic Preservation, to ask for assistance with the

creation of a preservation plan for Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven. After the flood of May

2010, city officials in Franklin needed to know what damage had been done to the historic

cemeteries that lie near the Harpeth River, as well as what needed to be done to fix and prevent

such damage. The purpose of this report is to present information about both cemeteries as a

precursor to a nomination for the National Register of Historic Places.


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METHODOLOGY

This history of Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven is the product of a graduate class titled

Essentials of Historic Preservation and Cultural Resource Management. Dr. West assigned fivestudents from this class to work on the Franklin Cemeteries project. Of these five students, two

researched the Old City Cemetery and three researched Rest Haven. From there the project was

broken up according to various themes among the students. The Old City Cemetery group

looked at the location of the cemeteries in relation to the surrounding neighborhood and the

Harpeth River. This group also prepared preservation needs specific to Old City Cemetery. The

Rest Haven group conducted research on the development of cemeteries designs in the United

States, especially focusing on the Rural Cemetery Movement and how it is reflected in Rest

Havens layout and landscape. Both groups looked at the different styles of monuments and

iconography for their respective cemetery. Photo documentation was taken for all of these

aspects. Both groups researched prominent individuals and families buried within thecemeteries. The students selected such individuals according to the grandness of their monument

and/or based on importance as described by Rick Warwick in on-site interviews. Although

information could not be found about all of the interred, the information presented in this report

offers a glimpse into the lives of some of the citys most prominent community members and

ultimately helps to tell the story of Franklins development.

This report presents the preservation needs of Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven in

addition to an overview of the basics of cemetery preservation. The guidelines presented in this

section apply to all cemeteries. Specific needs of Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven are broken

down into their respective sections.

The students received assistance from a variety of sources. Rick Warwick of the

Williamson County Historical Society gave the students tours and other valuable information

throughout the development of this report. Director of the Center for Historic Preservation

Carroll Van West and Assistant Director Caneta Hankins provided assistance with editing, fact

finding, and organization of the final report. Catherine Hawkins also provided assistance with

iconography and resources for research.


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OLD CITY CEMETERY

Location

Old City Cemetery is located at the intersection of Fourth Avenue and North MarginStreet in one of Franklins historically African-American districts. Old City Cemetery sits two-tenths of a mile from Franklins busy Main Street district, a block from Highway 431 (HillsboroPike), and directly east from Rest Haven Cemetery. Its location is described in the 1811 deedfrom Joel Parrish to the city of Franklin as follows:

Beginning on the North West margin of the town of Franklin at a stake oppositethe most Northern corner of lot No. twenty seven and on the South West side ofthe main crop street in said town, and running South fifty two degrees West alongof margin twenty four poles to a stake opposite the South Western corner of lotno. one hundred and thirty seven thence North thirty eight degrees West thirteenand one third poles to a stake thence North fifty two degrees East twenty four

poles to a stake. Thence South thirty eight degrees East thirteen and one thirdpoles to the Beginning containing two acres.1

It is roughly half the width of, but deeper than Rest Haven, its counterpart across thestreet, which stretches a full city block between Fourth and Third Avenues. It is bounded on thesoutheast by North Margin Street on the west by Fourth Avenue and to the northeast by a stonewall and iron fences. Its left side is enclosed with a chain-link fence. In 1815, the cemeterybecame the church yard of the First Presbyterian Church, which was built northwest of the OldCity Cemetery on the land deeded by Parrish.2

While the Natchez Street Neighborhood, located a mile away, is the most prominent ofFranklins African-American neighborhoods, the Fourth Avenue and Margin Street area also hasa rich African-American heritage. Further down North Margin, on the other side of thisproperty, were tenement homes for African-Americans, known as Egglestons and HendersonsBottoms, likely referring to their position near the river. Whites owned these neighborhoods andrented to African-Americans as slum housing. African-Americans in Franklin not only ownedprominent businesses in the area, but also worked for the interurban railroad, whose depot waslocated on the land behind Old City Cemetery. While African-American owned businesses hadbeen common in Franklin in the early twentieth century, the number of businesses owned by theFranklin African-Americans has decreased significantly over the years.3

The cemetery is located near the bottoms of the Harpeth River, which curves near FourthAvenue to run almost parallel to North Margin Street. Land here, as it is so close to the river, was

1 Deed from Joel Parrish to the city of Franklin, September 19, 1811.

2 Virginia Bowman,Historic Williamson County: Old Homes and Sites (Nashville: Blue and Gray Press,1971), 101.

3 Scruggs, Reverend W. H. F., transcript of an oral history conducted December 13, 1993 by John Hartley,

Williamson County African-American Video Oral History Project, John and Kristina Hartley, Project Directors,

Franklin, Tennessee.


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easy to dig and perhaps unattractive to build upon because of its flood risk. The physical locationof the cemetery, then located on the margin of town, also contributed to its undesirability as aprivate or commercial property. The land immediately adjoining the back of the cemetery, offThird Avenue, has historically been unattractive to citizens of Franklin and is currently empty,once housing both a boot factory and a depot on the Nashville Interurban Railroad. On the other

side of this area, at the end of North Margin Street next to the river, was the city dump. Includedis a larger image of the 1927 map. (See Appendix)

Roads

Even though the land was undesirable as commercial or residential property, roads werecreated nearby as Franklin developed. There is an old wagon trail along the Harpeth River that isstill visible today. Currently, Fourth Avenue divides Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven. Onthe original city plat map from 1800, this road was Indigo Street and changed to College Streetsometime before 1878 when the D. G. Beers map was drawn. By 1913, numbered avenues hadbeen established in Franklin. (See Appendix) Usage of the word avenue shows urbanization inFranklin as it had outgrown its wagon trails and rural planning.

Along North Margin Street, which borders the south side of both cemeteries, theNashville Interurban Railroad came into Franklin from the northeast of City Cemetery followingN. Margin Street beside both cemeteries. A loop of the Interurban Railroad circled Franklinssquare to pick up and drop off passengers. This railway was established in 1908 or 1909 and ranuntil the early 1940s when Nashville and Franklin began to favor buses. This is an importanttime in Franklins history which demonstrates its connection and reliance on commuting toNashville for shopping and business.

Sections

The southeast section of Old City Cemetery iswhere African-Americans are known to be buried.


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Old City Cemetery can be divided into several sections. The front portion appears to bethe oldest, holding some of the stateliest and most damaged box tombs in the cemetery. Themiddle section also contains some enclosed family groupings, a large pecan tree, and, to the leftof the pecan tree, a group of graves of Irish-Catholic immigrants. In the back section are a fewtombstones, as well as visible depressions in the ground indicating unmarked graves. In places,

one can see pieces of tombstones protruding from the ground, indicating that more may becompletely submerged. In the back right corner of the cemetery, in what is traditionally called apauper cemetery or a potters field, lie the graves of some African-Americans and poorerresidents. It is possible that their graves extend to the back left as well, though this isundocumented. It is significant in any town that African-American citizens were buried in thesame cemetery as white citizens. Prior to the Civil War, Old City Cemetery was the onlycemetery, other than small family and community cemeteries, for the city of Franklin. Once RestHaven was established in the mid-nineteenth century, blacks were no longer buried with whites.Instead, Touissaint LOverture Cemetery served as the new resting place for the citys blackpopulation four-tenths of a mile away from Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven.

Features

The main entrance gate and the stone walls are twoof Old City Cemeterys prominent features.

The most immediate defining features of the cemetery are the stone wall and entrancegates, now forced open by a tangled growth of grass, earth, and weeds, added by the FranklinOld Glory chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in 1916. The wall is partof the larger American cemetery improvement movement of the early twentieth century and ofthe female societies historic preservation initiative of the late nineteenth and early twentiethcenturies. The local DAR valued the forging of American identity. Mrs. D.J. Wallace,Chairman of the Cemetery Committee of the Old Glory Chapter, presented the city of Franklin


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with memorial gates that are sacred to the old soldier and inhabitant.4 A plaque outsideaffixed to the stone reads these gates erected by Old Glory Chapter D.A.R. August 1916 inhonor of the pioneer men and women buried here. The DAR chapter recognized theirparticipation in the larger movement, saying in the speech at the gates dedication:

The restoration of Old Cemetery, the preservation of historic spots, the buildingof Memorial Gateways, has become a national movement. To the Daughters ofthe American Revolution, throughout the country, largely belongs the credit. OldGlory Chapter, following the trend of the times, began restoring our oldcemetery5

This photograph is of the memorial gates donated bythe Daughters of the American Revolution.

These stone walls and entrance gates are important because they reflect the communitys initialrecognition of the cemeterys importance as the final resting place of Franklins founders andpioneering citizens. By this time, the cemetery was one-hundred years old and, for the most part,was no longer being used. A few graves in family plots date to the 1910s, but most are firmlysituated prior to the 1870s, when Rest Haven was established. Sunk into the granite gatepost onthe opposite side is a similar plaque, which is dedicated to honor the four Revolutionary Warsoldiers buried in the cemetery: Guilford Dudley, David Squier, Moses Priest, and Miles Priest.

The box tombs and table monuments at the front of the cemetery are some of Old CityCemeterys most prominent features. Located above the graves, the tombs and table monumentsserve no practical purpose of housing remains or keeping out animals. The ornate detailing on

these boxes reflects their purely ornamental nature and the wealth and importance of those buriedbeneath them. Crockett, one of the family names on these tombs, belongs to a pioneer family ofFranklin, showing that this section of the cemetery contains some of the oldest and mostinfluential members of Franklin.

4 Fannie Pinkerton Dozier & Mrs. D.J. Wallace, Memorial Gateway and Old Cemetery, October 29,

1916, Franklin, TN, 89.

5 Ibid.


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A common feature in Old City Cemetery are table-top monuments.

There is a large pecan tree in the middle of the cemetery that not only gives shade to the

plots beneath it but also serves as an aesthetic element as well, which is missing from RestHaven. In addition to the pecan tree, there are pine trees interspersed throughout the cemetery.Because these are not arranged in any particular order, it seems likely that these trees grew as aresult of migrating pine needles, not of a planned tree-planting initiative. The pecan tree,however, was an aesthetic element deliberately added. Under the tree, there is a singular gravepiled over with large granite stones. Its purpose is unclear, but it may have once been a sort ofrectangular box tomb constructed out of large blocks rather than granite slabs. Branches from thepecan tree have fallen on the rocks, not only covering the formation, but perhaps resettling thestones over the years.

The pecan tree gives Old City Cemetery an aesthetic element.


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Enclosed family plots to the south of the pecan tree are also significant features. Raisedabout a foot off the ground by a concrete ledge, these plots were also completely surrounded byiron fences at one point. Two of the plots still have twisted remnants of iron, and the snappedbottom portions of poles are visible on at least one enclosure. Most of the iron railings, however,are no longer present, having been stolen over the years to be sold as scrap. For instance, during

World War II, it was popular practice to trade scrap iron for ration stamps. The iron gates on theWest and South entrances are also missing pieces and railings. It is possible that Old CityCemeterys iron fences fell prey to this trend. The Hightower enclosure is a fine example of thisproblem. Once entirely enclosed with iron railings, it is now entirely open on one side with a fewiron pieces dangling from their posts. Likewise, the ironwork enclosing the Ewing family plot iscompletely missing, now shows only iron stumps where the posts once were. Family plots suchas these, enclosed with iron, were common before the 1850s. Historian Stanley French claimsthat such rigid enclosure served little practical purpose in the well supervised rural cemetery.Rather, enclosing a family plot with iron railings not only delineated ones perceived highersocial status, but also reflected ideals of private property, even after death.6

Iron fencing is missing from the Hightower family enclosure.

Architectural and Folk Art Landmarks

Though not as common in Old City Cemetery as in Rest Haven, the creators of many ofthe tombstones in both cemeteries signed their work. Two examples were found in Old CityCemetery. The stone of Hugh Dempsey was created by [sic] Hitchcock and Co. of Nashville.Another mason was H. Henderson of Nashville. The masons mark will be addressed in the RestHaven section of this report.

Old City Cemetery contains a wealth of traditional symbolic grave art that tells us muchabout the community of which it represents. A large portion of the tombstone symbols areMasonic. There is also a large amount of Victorian iconography and Irish Catholic symbolism.Additionally, several monuments express the way people felt about death during that period.

6 Kenneth T. Jackson & Camilo Jose Vergara, Silent Cities: The Evolution of the American Cemetery (New

York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1989), 61.


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There is much symbolism relating to the fraternal organization, the Freemasons. TheFreemasons in Franklin have had a rich history. The Masons established Hiram Lodge No. 7 in1809 with its parent lodge being in North Carolina. Once the Grand Lodge of Tennessee wasconstituted in 1813, the Hiram Lodge surrendered its charter from North Carolina and receivedits present charter in 1815.7 Franklins Mason population established the first legal lottery in

Tennessee to raise funds for the construction of a new three-story Masonic Temple in 1823. Thistemple stood as the tallest building west of the Allegheny Mountains and is one of the oldestcontinuous lodges in the same location in the United States.8 It was also the site where PresidentAndrew Jackson met with the Chickasaw delegation in 1830 to discuss sale of Native Americanlands. Because of its historical importance, the Hiram Masonic Lodge No. 7 became a NationalHistoric Landmark in 1973. Masonic imagery, including the all-seeing and the Masonic bladeand chevron, can be seen on at least three monuments in Old City Cemetery, including RichardHightowers box tomb in the Hightower family enclosure.

There is a proliferation of Victorian iconography on the tombstones, including most oftena dual-lobed gravestone. Other stones include Victorian symbols of grandeur like the fleur-de-lis. The Parrish monument, dated 1903, incorporates a multitude of different designs, including

crosses, diamonds, triangular borders, and rounded borders.

Some of the stones reflect the gothic influence of the nineteenth century. RichardRobertss grave, dated 1880, incorporates the pointed elements of gothic architecture into the topof the gravestone, which has three points, one large in the middle, flanked by two smallerpointed shoulders.

Tablet markers come in a variety of designs fromdouble-lobed to a more Gothic influence.

7 Rick Warwick. Franklin Masonic Lodge from The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, ed.

Carroll Van West (Nashville, TN: The Tennessee Historical Society, 1998), 337.

8 Warwick, Franklin Masonic Lodge, 337.


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Some gravestones and monuments incorporate urns, both a classical symbol and asymbol of mourning. One large obelisk in the Ewing family enclosure has an urn at its top as apoint. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, there was a marked shift from rounded puritanheadstone styles to simpler styles that reflected the neoclassical revival of European architecture.Gravestones and monuments not only became sleeker and simpler, but also incorporated urns

and willows.

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More on the iconography of Old City Cemetery will be discussed later in thereport.

Many of the stones and monuments reflect ideas of the time period about death. ThePerkins monument is a large tree trunk, covered over with bark and viness cut into the granite.The top of the monument appears to have been cut off, but the effect is intentional, meaning torepresent the shortness of life through the trees trunk having been cut off in its prime. Similarly,a small obelisk raised on three stone platforms, is purposely cut at an angle, reflecting, again, theincompleteness of a life cut short. The sun is another common engraving. Several of the boxtombs have a pattern of a circle with radiating lines, not only a decorative design, but alsoreflecting the image of the sun and of heavenly splendor. Other gravestones feature a sunrise/sunset dual image that reflects not only the end of a life, but the beginning of eternal life. The

Parrish marker discussed above incorporates this image at the foot of the monument.

The Perkins monument reflects many ideas of death, most obvious isthe shortness of life through the symbolism of a cut tree trunk.

There is a small section of Irish-Catholic immigrant graves located behind the pecan treeto the left side of the cemetery near the chain-link fence. This small population is significantbecause it reflects the humble beginnings of one of Franklins current and most prominent

9 Jessie Lee Farber, Early American Gravestones: Introduction to the Farber Gravestone Collection,

(American Antiquarian Society 2003), 13 -14.


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religious groups. Increased immigration of Irish-Catholics to Tennessee, and to Franklin,specifically, resulted in the eventual founding of St. Philips Church in 1871. Engraved acrossthe top of Hugh Dempseys 1849 tombstone features are the Latin words Gloria in ExcelsisDeo, meaning Glory to God in the Highest, a traditional Catholic hymn also known as theGreater Doxology, dating to the earliest days of the Church. The Irish-Catholic stones also

feature the inscription IHS, meaning Jesus, savior of mankind and simple crosses which aretypical Irish-American symbols.10 Like tombstones in other Irish communities, the Irish-Catholicgrave markers in Old City Cemetery are simple slabs, not large monuments. 11

The monument of Hugh Dempsey incorporates many Irish-Catholic symbolism such as the cross,

the letters HIS, and the Latin epitaph Gloria in Excelsis Deo.

Iconography

Symbol Image Symbol Name Context and Meanings ofSymbol

Crown On Eugenia Parrishsmonument, this symbol includesthe words savior lead meunderneath The inclusion of thecrown reflects a belief in theafterlife, and in the sovereigntyof Christ.

10 Jackson & Vergara, 55.

11 Ibid, 54.


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Drapery Drapery reflects the neoclassicalmovement in gravestoneiconography. Repeated acrossthe sides of a box tomb, thisicon also reflects the elevated

status of the person buriedwithin.

Flowers Flowers are a traditionalAmerican symbol of mourning.The theme of flowers andgreenery is repeated ontombstones and obelisksthroughout the cemetery. Thisinset flower is on Lucy R.J.

Browns monument.

Freemasons all-seeing eye and

open palm

The all-seeing eye is a typicalFreemason symbol. Theengraving under this singularicon in Old City Cemeterystates, dedicated to thememory of our esteemedbrother a member of Franklin[unintelligible].

HIS Means Jesus, savior ofmankind. On Hugh Dempseysgravestone, this symbol isindicative of Catholic Irish-American cemeteryiconography.

Masonic symbol Found on Richard Hightowersbox tomb, this symbol isanother Masonic icon. At leastone other stone features thesymbol.


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Roses Many of the flowers on OldCity Cemetery monuments areroses.

Simple cross Like the IHS symbol, the simplecross is a typical icon on Irish-American Catholic monuments.

Stylized fleur-de-lis

The fleur-de-lis is a symbol ofFrench royalty. On the intricateParrish monument, the fleur-de-lis is not only a regal symbolthat emphasizes the wealth ofthe Parrish family but also is areflection of the intricateVictorian style.

StylizedEngraved letters

Engraved stylized letters arecommon details throughout OldCity Cemetery. This engravingis from the obeliskmemorializing Anna Dudley,

wife of Revolutionary Warsoldier Guilford Dudley.

Sunburst This intricate detail is popularon the sides and lids of boxtombs throughout Old CityCemetery. On one small childstomb, the sunburst is repeated ina pattern of five on each side.This is an image that not onlyreflects the faith of the bereavedin an afterlife but also providesa beautiful detail.


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Sunrise/ Sunset Like the sunburst, this imagealso reflects a hope for theafterlife. It suggests both sunriseand sunset, reflecting thedualistic relationship between

death and eternal life.

Tree Trunk The cut-off tree trunk on thismonument in the Perkins familyplot reflects a life cut short bydeath.

Urns Urns on top of obelisks arecommon throughout thecemetery. Like the draperysymbol, urns are a part of theneo-classical revival incemetery iconography.

Willow tree The weeping willow, a raresymbol in Old City Cemetery, ischaracteristic of the neoclassicalrevival, along with drapery andurns. A willow tree, often calleda weeping willow, is also asymbol of mourning.

Wreaths A laurel wreath, like the one onthis obelisk, may also be an icon

reflective of the neoclassicalrevival. It also suggests royaltyand importance.


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People

The burials occurred in Old City Cemetery from the establishment of the cemetery in1811 until the creation of Rest Haven in 1855. It holds the remains of Franklins early pioneerfamilies who blazed trails into Williamson County. Some came as a result of grants rewardedfor Revolutionary War services, while others came for personal reasons. These families pouredinto the vast wilderness felling trees, constructing homes, and hunting game. These are graves ofthe men, women, and children who overcame obstacles to carve out their niche in this new ruralsociety. Some of Franklins earliest families include: Cameron, Perkins, Stuart, Carter, andMcPhail. Throughout the literature regarding the founding of Williamson County, these namesfrequently appear.

This image is of Fountain Branch Carter, an early settler in Franklin.

The City Cemetery holds the remains of Ewin Cameron (section 1 row 6), who built thefirst house in Franklin around 1798. Cameron is not the only buried settler to build a significanthome in Williamson County. In 1809, Thomas Hardin Perkins completed a Georgian style housecalled Meeting of the Waters, named aptly for the nearness to the junction of the Big Harpethand West Harpeth Rivers. Perkins and his wife Mary are buried in Old City Cemetery. ThomasStuart served as the first judge of the Fourth district court, which included Williamson County,from 1809 until 1836.

The remains of other early pioneers such as Fountain Branch Carter (section 2 row 19)

and his wife Mary (section 2 row 17) tell the story of Franklins bloody past. The Carter Housewas the scene of a vicious skirmish during the Battle of Franklin in November 1864. Everyaccount regarding the battle of Franklin mentions this house and its walls still bear visible bulletholes. 12 The Carter House is now a house museum and a popular tourist attraction for visitors.More on Franklins Civil War legacy will be discussed in the Rest Haven section.

12 Ibid, 146.


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The Carter family owned the Carter House, an important home during the Civil War.

Names such as Dempsey and Doyle reveal one migration pattern of the towns foundingsettlers. Early Irish and Scots-Irish settlers came to Williamson County to establish their

homesteads. Many of the settlers were so fresh from the old country they still had the sounds ofmustering clans and the skirt of bagpipes in their ears.13 Scottish immigrant, Daniel McPhail,made his home in Franklin around 1799 and became one of the first doctors in the area. Legendhas it that he was the first surgeon to successfully administer anesthesia in Middle Tennessee.14McPhail died in the Mexican War and lies in section 2, row 9 of the Old City Cemetery.

Daniel McPhails monument inscribed Daniel McPhail M. D. Born in [sic] Scotland

Oct. 12 1796 Died July [sic] 184[6].

13 Ibid, 2.

14 Ibid, 105.


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White citizens were not the only people who were buried in the Old City Cemetery. Inthe far right corner of the back section, there is evidence of African American graves, markedand unmarked. These headstones reveal notable surnames of African American families wholived in Franklin. We can only be sure of the names of seven African-Americans buried in OldCity Cemetery: Catherine Brown, Daniel Brown, Lena Brown and Letitia Brown (daughters and

son of Hale and Charity Brown), Anarchy Cowles, Harvey Otey, and Phebey Otey.

15

Althoughwe can only be sure of the names of seven African-Americans buried in Old City Cemetery, thedepressions in the ground and open space in the back of the cemetery suggest more graves. Acommon name throughout this section of the cemetery is Otey. Many generations of the Oteyfamily have settled in and married in Williamson County and the Otey name has a prominentblack heritage.

The monument to Harvey Otey, a prominent African-Americanin Franklin, is an unadorned tablet.

Most communities had separate burying grounds for blacks or fenced off an area within an

inter-racial cemetery for them.16 Although it is significant that African-Americans were buried

in Old City Cemetery, it is important to note that they were still segregated to the back of the

property. This phenomenon, while less common than completely segregated cemeteries for

African-Americans, is not uncommon. Cities purchased acres of land for the purpose of a burial

ground, dividing the back portion into a lot reserved for strangers, a potters or paupers field,

and the remainder for African-Americans.17 Once Rest Haven was established in the 1850s,

15Richard Warwick, Williamson County in Black and White, Williamson County Historical Society

Journal31, Franklin, Tennessee, 2000: 246.

16 Angela Kruger-Kahloula, On the Wrong Side of the Fence: Racial Segregation in American

Cemeteries, InHistory and Memory in African-American Culture, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1994):130-149: 136.

17 Kruger-Kahloula, 141.


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blacks were no longer buried with whites. Instead, they were buried in the African-American

Toussaint LOuverture Cemetery establish in 1881, located near the intersection of Del Rio Pike

and Hillsboro Road (Highway 431), four-tenths of a mile away.

Themes

Central themes can be found in studying the history and iconography of the Old CityCemetery. Information regarding the early settlement patterns, burial of African Americans andinfluence of Victorian grave iconography reflect settlement patterns of the various ethnic andcultural people that made up the landscape.

Settlement Patterns-Migration and Military

Looking at the tombstones in the Old City Cemetery reveals significant information aboutearly settlement patterns in Williamson County. Immigrants from Ireland and Scotland came to

establish their homes in America, which offered them personal freedoms and new opportunitiesfor success. The burial of four Revolutionary War Soldiers- Guilford Dudley,David Squier,Moses Priest and Miles Priest- in the Old City Cemetery depict the migration of easterners to thewest. After the Revolutionary War, free land was issued to veterans in return for militaryservice. Whether immigrants or military soldiers, these early settlers established smallsettlements in Tennessee developed into larger communities. These settlement patterns reflectthe idea of forging the American identity, and speaks to the towns race relations prior to the1850s.

African American Settlement

The inclusion of the African Americans graves in the Old City Cemetery is significant tothe understanding of race relations during the early nineteenth century. The inclusion of AfricanAmericans in a predominately white cemetery is not uncommon. While the divided layout of theOld City Cemetery illustrates the need for racial separation, the remaining visible family markersmemorialize the significant African-American community in Williamson County, and speak tothe towns race relations prior to the 1850s.

Influence of Folk Art

The iconography of the Old City Cemetery tells us much about early Franklin. Victoriansymbols, Irish Catholic symbols and Masonic symbols adorn the stone monuments of the

cemetery. The folk art on the graves illustrates nineteenth century representations about death,religious groups and fraternal organizations. By studying the iconography we can learn aboutthe beliefs and practices of remembering the dead. A wealth of information-religious, culturaland social- can be ascertained from what is carved into a slab or monument.


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REST HAVEN CEMETERY

Location

Located west across 4th Avenue from the Old City Cemetery, Rest Haven Cemetery sits

on seven acres of land donated by John Marshall, who is buried in this cemetery. Established inthe mid 1850s, Rest Haven Cemetery served as the community cemetery during the Civil War.John Marshall purchased the land from P. A. Perkins on September 29, 1853, for one thousandeighty-five dollars and sixty-two cents ($1085.62). One month later, October 29, 1853, he soldthe seven acres to the city. The deed described the plot as follows:

Beginning on the South West side of Indigo Street on the line between Mrs. [Grady] andP. A. Perkins running thence south 53 degrees West 24 poles and six links to a rockNorth 33 degrees West 57 poles and twelve links to a rock thence North 53 degreesWest eleven poles and twenty one links to a rock on the Big Harpeth River near the waterand running with the outer of the upper wall of the [sic] north 8[8] degrees East twelvepoles and fifteen links to a rock thence South 37 degrees East four poles and twelve linksto a rock thence South 53 degrees West two poles and eighteen links to a rock thenceSouth 37 degrees East [sic] six poles and two links to the beginning.18

John Marshall is buried in Rest Haven Cemetery.

Rural Cemetery Movement

In Colonial America during the late 1700s, burial practices were much simpler than weknow them today. In early settlement days, the location of ones death was often the location ofones burial and grave markers were made with natural materials such as wood and rocks. Forthese reasons, many early graves are unknown today; most commonly, the markers have

18 Deed of Sale from John Marshall, Oct. 29th, 1853.


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deteriorated or people remove them for various reasons. There was no long term planning forestablishing a cemetery. In fact, the word cemetery was not in frequent usage until the 1830s.Pioneer graves tended to be single plots with rudimentary markers, if any at all. The art ofgravestone carving was not a practical skill in the United States, especially in the frontier, duringthis time.19

As a more stable social structure began to emerge, people started burying the dead onfamily lands. Although plots of land were initially set aside for family burials and it soonbecame common practice for members of the community to be buried in them as well. Thereason behind this stems from isolation; a sense of isolation developed because farmers livedaway from the city and church during the late eighteenth century. Thus, it became easier to buryfriends and family close to home. Although this grouping created a sense of community, therewas no protection from grave robbers, vandals, or the elements. Also, many times the owner ofthe land would let his livestock pasture in the cemeteries.

In other areas, burials in churchyards became more common. These were still not formalgraveyards as we know them today and, like cemeteries on family farms, offered no protection

from grave robbers.

Neither churchyards or domestic graveyards were the sacred, closed places thatcemeteries became in the nineteenth century . . . the lush grass of the graveyards waspurchased by a local farmer, who earned the right to pasture animals . . . This sharing ofspace continued contact between the living and the dead, but the lack of concern for thesacredness of the graveyard made displacing the dead and obliteration the graveyardmuch easier.20

Religious cemeteries of all denominations generally had the same layout, monuments,management, and problems during this time.21 Lack of cemetery design meant that remains offamily and friends were laid to rest in an unorganized fashion.

As the social structure in the United States became more complex, burial practicesevolved as well. In the early 1800s, the Industrial Revolution brought about extensive expansionwithin the United States. Increased urbanization that allowed for much less contact with naturethan ever before. Land development occurred rapidly and many times businesses and residencessurrounded established cemeteries in proximity to the churches. Particularly in larger cities, suchas New York and Boston, this urban development overwhelmed the townspeople who no longerfelt a connection with nature and believed that the foul air from cemeteries was hazardous totheir health. In the following passage, Martha V. Pike and Janice Gray Armstrong address theconflicts of over-development and cemeteries:

19 David Charles Sloane, The Last Great Necessity, (Baltimore, MD: The John Hopkins University Press,

1991), 14.

20 Ibid, 20.

21 Ibid, 20.


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The transformation of church lands to commercial purposes in the 1830s caused ascarcity of burial sites both in New York City and in Brooklyn. Even more discouragingwas the disruption of graves by urban encroachment. By the mid-1830s it was obviousthat interment in the neighborhood grave sites did not ensure eternal slumber. Nor wasgrave violation a preoccupation reserved for city planners or city developers. Grave

robbing was a common practice, hardly hindered by the ineffective fences thatsurrounded untended graveyards. Not only were churchyards proving inadequate to theirconsecrated purpose, but they were thought to foul the air and cause disease, principallyyellow fever.22

In addition to a desire for healthier and more sanitary environments, people weredemanded green spaces for recreation. Places such as Mount Auburn in Boston and Green Woodin Brooklyn, became havens for the dead, moved away from the city life. With the dead movedoutside the urban areas, sanitary conditions improved. These places were designed as formalgardens that could also be used from recreation. Americans from other cities and regionsrecognized the importance of Mount Auburn as prototype and inspiration for cemeteries whichthey would create as local amenities for themselves when they returned home from visits to

Boston.23 Following the ideas established by Mount Auburn and Green Wood, Rest Havenpresents not only a resting place for the dead but also a place for the living to contemplate lifeand enjoy free time. Although Rest Haven is nowhere near the scale of these places, theideology of creating a haven for the dead as well as the living is evident in the layout and attemptat landscaping.

The characteristics of the Rural Cemetery Movement are evident in Rest Haven.Individual sections contain family plots. Each family usually had a single monument forpurposed of distinction and display. Constructed pathways divide the cemetery into sections.The planting of various types of trees reflects the intentional symbol of human connection tonature.

J.H. Devereux designed the layout of Rest Haven in 1854. He divided the cemetery intoplots which were sold for $20 to residents and $30 to nonresidents.24 (see appendix) If a residentsold his plot to a nonresident, $10 would have to be paid to the town. These plots are in gridform for easy maneuverability during funerals and visitation as carriages were permitted. Burialsare no longer are a common occurrence in Rest Haven. Grave markers range from 1855 to the1920s but there have been burials during the 1960s and as late as the 1990s. Included in theappendix is a plat map of the cemetery plots.

Rest Havens planned landscape is another characteristic representative of the RuralCemetery Movement of the 1830s. Although Rest Haven is much smaller than Mount Auburn, itpossesses the same feature typical of those previously described havens. There is an obvious

22 Martha V. Pike and Janice Gray Armstrong. A Time to Mourn: Expressions of Grief in Nineteenth

Century America (New York: The Museums at Stony Brook, 1980), 53.

23 Richard E. Meyer, ed. Cemeteries of Gravemarkers: Voices of American Culture (Ann Harbor, MI: UMI

Research Press, 1989), 307.

24 Rick Warwick, email to Sara Rieger, Nov. 4, 2011.


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evolution to these ideas. A comparison of the layout of Rest Haven with that of Old CityCemetery illustrates this evolution. After the invention of the public park and the disseminationof the pastoral landscape without the graves to cities across the nation, the recreational popularityof rural cemeteries began to wane in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. 25 By the timeMt. Hope cemetery was established there was yet another change in the popular design of

cemeteries. This evolution is presented in an image from Cemeteries and Gravemarkers, Voiceof American Culture. The pioneer cemetery, such as Old City Cemetery, usually has no familyplots or landscape. The transitional cemetery, which Rest Haven represents, has family plots anda planned landscape. The modern cemetery is organized in individual graves.

This graph represents the evolution of cemetery ideology.

Toussaint LOuverture Cemetery

Once Rest Haven was established in the mid-nineteenth century, blacks were no longer

buried with whites. Instead, Toussaint LOuverture Cemetery, established in 1881, became thelocation for African American burials. The cemetery is four-tenths of a mile away from Old CityCemetery and Rest Haven, located near the intersection of Del Rio Pike and Hillsboro Road(Highway 431). The Toussaint LOuverture obtained its name out of honor and inspiration forToussaint LOuverture, the slave leader whose rebellion helped lead to Haitis independence in

25 Meyer, 323.


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1804. The cemetery itself was established in 1881. As mentioned previously, African-Americanresidents established the cemetery soon after the creation of Rest Haven, when blacks and whiteswere no longer buried together. According to the inscription on the main cemetery marker,Grave sites date to 1869 and include veterans of both World Wars, and the Korean and Vietnamconflicts. Additionally, the marker states, Many resting here, while nameless, were active

citizens of the Baptist Neck, Belltown, and Hard Bargain neighborhoods, offering their labor anddomestic skills for the betterment of Franklin. Well-known community members buried hereinclude A.N.C. Williams, a local merchant and minister, and Mariah Otey Reddick. Thecemetery received recognition in 1996 by being listed on the National Register of Historic Place.

Design of Cemetery Landscape

Rest Haven is located at the corner of N. Margin Street and 4 th Avenue across from theOld City Cemetery. Situated to the east is the main entrance with smaller entrances to north andsouth. The east gate is much larger with a swinging iron fence and a pathway leading to themonument of the Unknown Civil War Soldier. The gate is usually kept open as there is no latch.There is a chain between the entrance and the road that says Foot Traffic Only. The north

entrance is much smaller and leads into a small parking lot. There is no iron gate in this openingas are in the other two. The grave markers in this section of the cemetery are much sparser as theground is low and closer to the Harpeth River which is prone to flooding. This is probably thepauper section of Rest Haven. More trees are in this section than any other. The north entranceexits directly onto North Margin Street and the design of the gate matches the south gate. Whileone section of the old iron gate remains, one section is missing. In the 2006, Phase I AssessmentPlan located in the appendix, these gates were intact but inoperable. A family plot and tree arewithin a few steps of this entrance. The west side is bordered by the rear of businesses alongFifth Avenue.

North Entrance South Entrance East (Main) Entrance

A dry stone wall matching the one at Old City Cemetery surrounds Rest Haven. Aresolution on May 8, 1860, ordered the creation of a wall for the north, south, and west side ofthe cemetery. The side on Indigo Street (4th Ave.) was to remain a wooden fence.26 Thenorthwest section along the back of the cemetery has been covered by dirt and vegetation but notthis entire boundary is defined by the stone wall. It was either buried under dirt and grass or

26 Rick Warwick, email to Sara Rieger, Nov. 4, 2010.


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simply never existed. A section of the wall on the northwest possibly remains but digging wouldbe necessary to ascertain that. Approximately three-quarters of the top vertical stones of the wallon the east side are missing. A section of the wall along this road is in poor condition due tocollapse. The north section wall is also missing many coping stones as well.

The land itself is fairly level throughout the cemetery. There is a slope to the land nearthe north side. As mentioned before, this side of the cemetery holds more trees than gravestonesbut there are many unmarked graves as indicated by sunken areas. According to the WPA surveyin 1938, there are approximately 700 unmarked graves.27 It is possible that many unmarkedgraves are in this section of the cemetery.

Many trees were planted in Rest Haven. Two pear trees flank the main entrance.Magnolia and Hemlock trees are scattered throughout the north section of the cemetery. On thewest, pines are prevalent. The landscaping reflects the Rural Cemetery Movement aesthetic.

Iron Fences

Iron fences frame many of the family plots within Rest Haven Cemetery. One of the mostprominent is the fence surrounding Lizzie Hoffman. This particular fence surrounds herindividual plot while others in the cemetery enclose an entire family section. Although highlyornamental, Lizzie Hoffmans fence is in poor condition as are many other fences throughoutboth Rest Haven and Old City Cemetery. The iron is rusted and twisted. Parts are detaching aswell. This will be addressed in the preservation section of this report.

The iron fence surround Lizzie Hoffmans grave is in poor condition.

27United States Federal Government. Works Project Administration. October 5, 1938. TennesseeWilliamson Bible, Family and Tombstone County Historical Records Project; available from Tennessee State

Library and Archives.


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It is evident in many of the plots that iron fences were once standing but no longer are.Throughout the years, looters stole iron fencing. One reason for looting is that people wanted touse the fences as gates in private residences and gardens. This vandalism is nearly impossible totrace. During World War II, scrap drives also led to the taking of iron fences. Scrap metal isoften sold by looters during financial hard times. Although we do not know why manydecorative metal elements have been taken, their lost distracts from the cemeterys appearance.

One quarter of the iron fence is missing in the Bostick plot.

Civil War and Rest Haven

The Civil War remains an important part of Franklins heritage because of the Battle ofFranklin. In 1901, the local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC)presented crosses of honor to Confederate veterans buried at Rest Haven. A speech by Mr.Miller sums up the feeling of the Civil War in Franklin:

Ladies and gentlemen, Confederate Veterans and friends, I am glad to appear before anaudience such as this, because I can see sparkling in your eyes the reflection of otherdays, of days gone by more than thirty years, of other scenes, of scenes enacted far away.But days and scenes however sad that are dear alike to you and me; whose actuality on

every occasion was filled with all that was most noble, pure and sublime in selfsacrificing devotion and patriotism, all that is heroic in human suffering and endeavor, allthat is inspiring in lofty intentions and noble purpose; whose memory is most sacred,holy. Forget them! Yes, when the flower forgets the sun hat warms it and gives it life andbeauty. Yes, when the weary mariner forgets the star that guided him and his stormdriven vessel into a haven of rest ad safety. Yes, when the fire of love has gone out on the


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hearts altar and when memory has emptied its urn into forgetfulness then and not tillthen.28

The UDC placed an iron southern cross on the graves of all soldiers who fought in theConfederacy. In the same speech, the President of the Franklin Chapter of the UDC, Miss AnnieW. Claybrooke, speaks on the importance of the Southern Cross as a symbol for theConfederacy:

The cross has ever been to all Christian nations the symbol of self-sacrifice, fit emblemfor our Confederate soldier, whose life during the four years struggle was nothing, if notone of self-sacrifice . . . this southern Cross of Honor, as a testimonial of your fidelity andcourage, for you were faithful when it meant much to be faithful, courageous when itmeant much to be courageous . . . and when lifes battles are ended and you have gone tojoin those comrades, whose names are written among the immortals, your loved ones leftbehind will cherish this southern Cross of Honor as a priceless heritage.29

The Southern Cross is placed near the graves of some Confederate Soldiers.

A committee, including camp historian Stewart Cruickshank, discovered that over 60Confederates are buried at Rest Haven. The service records and other notes concerning allindividual soldiers have been compiled, along with regimental histories for eventual

publication.

30

Metal markers or Crosses of Honor distinguish many of these Confederate

28 Franklin Historical Society, Crosses of Honor for Heroes, 1901. 8

29 Ibid. 9.

30 Carroll Van West, email to Sara Rieger, attachment Rest Haven Information from SCV 10.21.10, Oct.

21, 2010.


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Veterans. The Confederate States of America markers are in the shape of black crosses.Inscribed on each marker are the names of each letter for CSA in three points and theConfederation flag in the center. Originally the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC)placed these markers. Many of these, unfortunately, have been stolen from the cemetery. In2010, the members of the Sam Davis Camp 1293, Sons of the Confederate Veterans, purchased

new iron Southern Crosses to be placed at the graves of 11 Confederate Soldiers. For a completeand detailed list and map of the cemeterys Confederate burials, please see the ConfederateSoldiers Rest Haven Cemetery Franklin, TN document in the appendix.

Union markers are in the shape of stars. Each point contains symbols for each militarybranch, as well as stars in circles. The center reads GAR 1861 1865. The Grand Army of theRepublic (GAR) was a social, cultural, and political organization established in 1866, just afterthe end of the Civil War, and served as a veterans organization for men who served in the UnionArmy. The code of this brotherhood was Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty. At its peak in 1890,more than 400,000 men were members.31 The GAR was an important organization during thelate 1800s. The GAR founded soldiers homes, was active in relief work, and in pensionlegislation. Five members were elected President of the United States (Grant, Hayes, Garfield,

Harrison, and McKinley) and, for a time, it was impossible to be nominated on the Republicanticket without the endorsement of the GAR voting bloc.32 Concerned citizens establishedorganizations such as the Womens Relief Corps, and the Sons of Union Veterans of the CivilWar in the late 1880s to carry on the work of the GAR. It is surprising to find GAR burials atthis Franklin cemetery.

Though not as common as the Southern Cross for the Confederacy,

the GAR star is seen near several graves of Union soldiers.

31 Library of Congress, The Grand Army of the Republic and Kindred Societies, Library of Congress

Main Reading Room, Humanities and Social Sciences Division. http://www.loc.gov/rr/main/gar/garintro.html(accessed Nov. 09, 2011).

32 Glen McKnight, Brief History of the Grand Army of the Republic, SUVCWGrand Army of the

Republic. http://www.suvcw.org/gar.htm, (accessed Nov. 09, 2011).


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Monuments

Many of the monuments in the cemetery have the inscribed names of the stone masons.As far away as St. Louis, Missouri, these stones were brought in, possibly by the railroad, toserve as markers for the deceased. Many of the stones originate from local craftsman such as J.J. Short and Nashville native J. E. Sloan. In an 1888 Nashville directory, an advertisement of J.E. Sloan & Company exists. Sloans company is responsible for the creation of the severalmonuments at Rest Haven such as the one for Miller and Reams families. In this same directory,there are listings for only five (5) other monument works in Nashville. Craftsman markings canprovide valuable information on trade routes and the wealth of the family of the interred.Unfortunately, however, many of these markings no longer exist. Markings are usually smalland located on the right corner of one of the monuments sides. While some markings arelegible, many others are not due to weathering and erosion.

This advertisement for J. E. Sloan and Co. is found in the 1888 Nashville directory.

Image of stone masons marks Stone Mason

D. C. ColemanNashville


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L. H. & J. B. FullerSt. Louis

M. K. [sic]Nashv[sic]

M. L. SheltonNashville Tenn.

J. T. SloanFranklin

Styles in cemeteries match the architectural styles of their times. When Rest HavenCemetery was first opened for burial, architectural style was transitioning between Classical

revival and Victorian. Victorian, especially Gothic, is by far the most prominent style in thecemetery. There is a single table-top tomb in Rest Haven in a plot purchased by the Bennettfamily but the inscription is illegible.

Classical

Although few in number, several monuments reflect the Classical Revival style. Thesemonuments have the appearance of columns with three parts: the base, shaft, and capital.


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These two monuments were created in Classical Revival style.

Victorian

Victorian monuments are more decorative than their Classical Revival counterparts.While still in the obelisk or column form, one of the distinguishing differences betweenVictorian and Classical is that Victorian monuments typically have ornamentation, drapery, urns,or both, adorning the tops. Careful observation should be used when trying to conclude whichstyle a monument is. Due to weather and erosion, some of the figures on the monuments tophave been knocked off and removed out of their context. Once removed, it is nearly impossibleto determine to which monument they belong.

Image of Victorian Style Monument Name Description

Bolster A bolster monument refersto the shape of a pillow.Some feature designs suchas a flower on the sides.Using a round pillow shapereinforces the idea that theinterred are not dead butonly sleeping in eternal rest.

Cradles A cradle design is a smallerversion of the flower box

and usually signifies theburial of a child. Hence thename cradle.


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Desk andWedge

Several family plots havematching monuments in thedesk and wedge style. Thisdesign is a gently slopingmarker. In Rest Haven,

many of these have a scrolldesign on which is engravedthe information of theinterred.

FlowerBoxes

A flower box design is fairlycommon in Rest Haven.The name derives from thegrowing of flowers abovethe grave. Some outlines

are simple while others aremore elaborate.

Tablets Tablets are a commondesign in both Rest Havenand Old City Cemetery.Pictured is a thin markerwith writing usually on oneside. Tablets can havevarious top designs from thedouble-lobed to arches.

Gothic

Many of the monuments are Victorian Gothic in style. There are two prominent Gothicmonuments located at the center of Rest Haven along the road leading to the Unknown Soldiermonument; these are the Merrill and the Briggs family monuments. One can identify thesemonuments by the quatrefoil shapes at the top and pointed arches in their ornamentation.


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The monuments for the Miller and Briggs families aretwo of the few Gothic monuments in Rest Haven.

Other

There are other monuments that do not fit into these categories. The monument thatsimply reads Carter has no epitaphs or iconography. It is a smooth work of sandstone thatserves as a marker. The stone for the Pinkertons is much more elaborate. It too is made ofsandstone but is carved to look like unpolished stone. The family name and a column are theonly decoration.

The Carter and Pinkerton monuments are unique in Rest Haven

and do not fit into Classical Revival, Victorian, or Gothic design.

Although Franklin stopped using Rest Haven as their main burial grounds, a few burialshave occurred as recently as 1999. These gravestones are unique in that they are rectangular and


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are generally lacking traditional iconography. Some graves are marked only with plaques on theground.

More modern burials WWII veteran William M. Smith whodied in 1960 and Nellie Boyd Mangrum who died in 1999.

Iconography

The symbols within a cemetery express the ideas of death of a particular time period.Many symbols represent religious views such as the cross, crown, angel, and dove. Othersreflect the feelings of death. These are the flower, urn, and drapery. Some symbols referenceorganizations such as the Odd Fellows or the Freemasons. Others images are of an unknownmeaning and will be included in the further research section.

Image Name Meaning

Angel Angels, though not a common symbol inRest Haven, are present. They represent

the heavenly host and are thought to leadthe soul into Heaven.33

Bird (Dove) The most common bird image incemeteries is that of the dove. Used torepresent innocence and peace, the dovesymbolizes a soul at peace or if in flight,can mean the souls flight to Heaven.34

33 Alphabetical List of Graveyard Symbols and their Meanings.

http://www.deejaysgravestones.net/Alphabetical.htm (accessed Dec., 13, 2010).

34 Ibid, 69.


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Cross The cross is a Christian symbolrepresenting Christ. This image also hasthe letters IHS under the crossmeaning Jesus, savior of mankind.

Cross inCrown

A comparatively ornate tablet for JamesT. Kerman displays a cross in a crownwith a sunburst behind it. Directlyabove it is a laurel of roses and a wreath.The cross in crown symbolizes tradingearthly burdens for a heavenlyreward.35

Drapery Drapery is a long standing symbol ofmourning. It refers to a veil. Draperycan be found over an urn or over themonument itself.

Flowers Flowers represent the brevity of life. Aflower off of a broken stem symbolizes alife cut short. In other cemeteries, thesaying, Budded on Earth to Bloom inHeaven is present. This, like the lamb,is found on the stone of the younger whohave died premature deaths. The image

on the bottom is from the monument toAlice McLemore who was two and ahalf months when she died.

35 Nancy Adgent.Deep East Texas Grave Markers (Austin, TX: Stephen F. Austin State University Press,

2010), 69.


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Gates Open gates, also known as Gates Ajaror Pearly Gates, represent the way intoHeaven, or in the case of Samuel Arron,towards a banner with At Rest writtenacross it.

Masons The Freemasons are a fraternalorganization. The most commonFreemason symbol is the square andcompass overlapping with a G in themiddle. The G stands for God as well

as geometry. The square and compassimage symbolize that members are tobe circumspect and square in theirdealings.36

Masons This is another mason symbol in RestHaven. The spade and the pickaxe arecommon tools of the basic level ofMasonry. The protruding image at thebottom is a casket. The archway

framing the symbol complete with acapstone. The triangle is also a Masonicsymbol. More research needs to be doneto learn what the combination of iconsmean.

OddFellows

The International Order of Odd Fellowshas a symbol. It is three chain links,usually with the initials F, L, and T fortheir motto Faith, Love, and Truth.

Although this symbol is rare in RestHaven, it can be found on the gravestoneof William Abner Moss.

36 Ibid, 69.


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Sleeping Sleep is seen as the tie between life anddeath. A figure sleeping is usually on achilds grave.37

SouthernCross

The Southern Cross on a tombstonesignifies that the person wasConfederate soldier. Often, the crosshas a laurel inside the cross to representhonor. The shape of the stones, eitherold or new, is generally the same. Theyhave the Southern Cross at the top,

followed by rank, name, company, unit,CSA, and then birth and death dates.

Tree of Life An image of a tree can represent theTree of Life or eternal and everlastinglife.

Trees

Palm Tree

Palm trees appear on at least two of the

monuments. The most elaborate ofwhich is that of N. E. Perkins which hasa tall palm tree with a banner circlingaround it reading: the Righteous ShallFlourish Like a Palm Tree. This refersto Psalm 92:12 of the Bible.

37 Rochesters History, Victorian Cemetery Symbolism Sleeping Child

http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-tl/Photos/MtHope/Sym0235.html (accessed Dec., 13, 2010)


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Tree WeepingWillow

On the monument of Daniel German, aweeping willow can be seensymbolizing mourning. This is one ofthe most popular carvings from 1800-1850.

Urns The urn, like drapery, is a commonVictorian icon in cemeteries. They aresymbolic of the soul because incremation, ashes of loved ones are keptin an urn.

Wreath Symbolizing victory, the wreath is aprominent symbol throughout thecemetery and is displayed with severalvariations. This is a symbol from theVictorian era which also reflects on theoverall design of the monument. Thewreath can be found on the monumentas a design or laid over an urnadorning the top of the marker.

Epitaphs

Epitaphs are the written saying on gravestones to commemorate the dead. Thegravestone of F. T. Cunningham reads He was a dutiful son, a kind brother, and a loyal friend.The epitaph for Mary E. Briggs reads: Bright in intellect, and faith; manners pure in spirit and[sic] pre-eminently the Christian virtues, her death was peaceful and happy, she rests in hope.As they are written by the living, they often speak comforting words to those who read them.Common epitaphs include at rest and gone but not forgotten. Others offer warnings ofdeath: Remember friend as you pass by; as you are now as once was I; as I am now so shall yoube; prepare for death and follow me. Many epitaphs are based on the Bible such as the Lords

Prayer.


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Some epitaphs are brief while others, such as this one

for Cynthia Graham McEwen, are long.

People

The importance of Rest Haven Cemetery lies not only in the landscape and theiconography but is found within the people buried there. Although Rest Haven is not the older ofthe two cemeteries and therefore does not hold the founders of Franklin, it does contain theirdescendents and prominent figures in Franklins Antebellum and Reconstruction period. Whenentering the cemetery it is clear that several distinguished families are buried there. Largeenclosed plots with tall monuments draw attention to the importance of families and researchinto these family histories illustrates the important roles various citizens played within thehistory of Franklin.

Theodrick (Tod) Carter is one of the most locally well-known persons buried in RestHaven. Carter was the seventh son of Fountain Branch and Mary A. Carter. Tod and his brothers,Moscow and Francis, signed up for the 20 th Tennessee Regiment of which Tod became aCaptain. Mortally wounded in the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864, he died two dayslater at his familys home, the Carter House, which is now a Registered National HistoricLandmark because of its central role in the Battle of Franklin. A heartbreaking story surroundsTod Carter: After three and a half years absence he was almost home; in fact could see, hethought, the outline of his fathers house in the distance.38 Little did Tod know, he would bedead within a few days. InHistoric Williamson County: Old Homes and Sites, Virginia Bowmanemphasizes the significance of Tod Carter to the Franklin community by asking, Of all the

American soldiers who have given up their lives in war, how many have been wounded in battlein their own yard, died in the bosom of their family, and gone to the grave from their fathershouse?39

38 Virginia McDaniel Bowman,Historic Williamson County: Old Homes and Sites (Nashville, TN: Blue &

Gray Press, 1971), 145.

39 Ibid, 145.


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Image of Tod Carter who died during the Civil War.

Tod Carters grave is hardly noticeable in comparison to the many tall monuments in thecemetery, though a Confederate iron cross designates his importance. He and several others whofought in the Civil War have individual plaques near the Monument to the Unknown Soldier.Other Carter members buried in the cemetery, in section 4, row 5, include America V. (wife ofMoscow B. Carter), Orelena Caladonia/ Orlann C. (wife of Moscow B. Carter), Sallie Ella(daughter of MB & OC), Theodorick (son of MB & AV), William Harrison (son of MB & AV).

Also, there are two Carters buried in section 6 of the cemetery: John C. (a General who was alsomortally wounded in the Battle of Franklin) and Francis Otey.

This plaque for Bvt. Brig General James P. Brownlow of the 1stTennessee Cavalry represents

Union Soldiers are also given recognition in Rest Haven.


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Near the Carter plot lies the body of Dr. Daniel B. Cliffe. Cliffe gained success byworking as a physician, Confederate surgeon, and president of the Nashville and DecaturRailroad. He was the nephew of Dr. Daniel McPhail, a prominent Franklin physician who servedas a surgeon in the United States Army during the Mexican War and who is also buried in theOld City Cemetery.40 Much of Dr. McPhails land, including his office on Main Street and home,

was transferred to Dr. Cliffe upon his uncles death.

41

When the Civil War broke out, Dr. Cliffeutilized his medical skills by serving as a surgeon in the 20th Tennessee Regiment under GeneralFelix Zollicoffer.42 However, after being captured and returning home, he became a unionist,though he was known for being somewhat of a mediator between the two sides wheneverpossible.43 Buried beside Dr. Cliffe are his daughter Belle and her husband; Union GeneralJames P. Brownlow. Others buried in the plot on section 4, row 5 include Chris. O., Dan. M.,Jennie, and John Brownlow all sharing the last name Cliffe.

Notable Franklin residents Dr. Hardin Perkins Cochrane and his wife Leighla rest insection 4, row 3 of the cemetery. Dr. Cochrane earned is fame by enlisting as a member ofCompany D, Fergusons Brigade in the 2nd Alabama Calvary and served continuously until thesurrender.44 The Cochrane home has a rich history for the townspeople of Franklin. It once

served as the location for classes when the Tennessee Female College burned. The Cochraneswere one of the earliest families to own an electric car, while other families still used horse andcarriage.45 Also, in their wills, the Cochranes donated an adjacent property to St. PaulsEpiscopal Church.

46

Reverend Thomas L. Douglass, an early Methodist minister, is another prominent citizenwho is buried in Rest Haven. The cemeterys entrance sign mentions his name, designating hisimportance. Approximately 10 years after his death, Methodist families in the neighborhoodestablished the Douglass Church at the junction of Lewisburg Turnpike and Douglass Road.47The tract of land that Douglass owned eventually became known as the Reams Place, anothersite of Civil War significance The house was, no doubt, used as a hospital more than once. 48

Buried beside Reverend Douglass, in section 6, row 1, is his wife, Frances McGee.

40 Ibid, 106.

41 Ibid, 106.

42 Ibid, 106.

43 Ibid, 106.

44

Ibid, 125.

45 Ibid, 125.

46 Ibid, 125.

47 Ibid, 65

48 Ibid, 65


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Another person of significance in Rest Haven is George Cuppett. Mr. Cuppett is knownfor [superintending] the re-interring of the Confederate soldiers when their remains were placedin the McGavock Cemetery.49 An article in the Williamson Country News, November 30, 1899,discusses the dedication of the Confederate Monument, with a headline reading: GeorgeCuppett Attends Unveiling Day His grave lies in section 6, row 3 of the cemetery, alongside his

wife Malvina C. Cuppett.

50

One of the first family plots you see upon entering the cemetery is that of the Millers.The Miller Family plot contains four members: Christina, John, John W. and Thomas D. Miller.On the corner of Third Avenue and Margin Street stood their home, the Miller-Beasley House,which was built by John W. Miller (1804-1888) in 1866. In addition to building this one-storyhome for his wife, John W. Miller also constructed the library and, most notably, the courthousewhich is one of only six antebellum courthouses in Tennessee. The community admired Millershis excellent craftsmanship and unwavering attention to detail. His plot embodies the passion hehad for his work as it contains the same ironworks used in the construction of the courthouse. 51

The plot purchased by the Millers has iron caps on its

posts that reflect those around the courthouse.

The Merrill family plot lies next to the Miller family plot. The Merrill plot contains eightof the family members: Andrew, Charles A., Chas. A., Dee W., James H., Louisa A., M.

Sophronia and Rosalie. The Merrill family resided in an estate called the Rosemont which was

49 Rick Warwick, Who was Marcellus Cupper? From Williamson County Historical Society Journal.

(November 29, 1998): 114.

50 Ibid, 113.

51 Bowman, 134-36.


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directly located on the battlefield of the Battle of Franklin. The Merrills were the biggest slavetraders in Franklin prior to the Civil War.52

In 1871, Sophronia Reams (1812-1880), by marrying Charles A., joined the Merrillfamily by marrying Charles A. Coming from an affluent family herself, Sophronia becamewealthier when her familys furniture store burnt down. The bank bought the property;Sophronia spend the money she received from the transaction to erect the Merrill monument inRest Haven. Although her monument has suffered damage, and the original iron fence thatenclosed is missing, her dedication to the town as an aristocrat allowed her to present the familywith a handsome testament to their wealth and prestige within Franklin.

The Merrill family plot can be found next to the main road in Rest Havenleading to the Monument of the Unknown Soldier.

As you walk toward the monument for the Unknown Soldier, the plot for the Park familysits further down the middle of the cemetery. Buried within this family plot are six members,including: James Dickinson Park, Dr. John Spry Park, Maggie Eliza Park, Margaret Ann ManeyPark, Mary Ann Park, and Mary Maria Park. Dr. Park (1819-1907) was Franklins primary

physician during the years leading up to the Battle of Franklin and afterwards. He lived in ahome located on 3rd Avenue, known as the Park House. Dr. Park was the first resident ofFranklin to spot the entering Union troops in the spring of 1862 and stood as a watchman on hisroof relaying information to the town members gathered below. After the Union occupationbegan, Dr. Parks first wife, Mary Ann (1824-1863) became gravely ill. Despite this reality, the

52 Ibid, 107.


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Union troops held their drills in front of the Park House daily. In May 1863, General GordonGranger, the Federal Commander in Franklin, ordered Dr. Park and his family to leave the citywithin three days. With his ailing wife and seven children, Dr. Park wrote letters to Granger,pleading that he cancel the eviction. His convincing letters were successful. Granger allowed thePark family to stay within Franklin. Mrs. Mary Ann Park died three months later. Dr. Park

remarried Margaret Ann Maney (1830-1906) and had another daughter. Dr. Park is significantnot only because of his service as the towns physician before, during, and after the Civil War isevident, but also for the important role he played in interactions during the occupation ofFranklin. Today, there stands a tall oak tree in front of the Park House. John Spry Park plantedan acorn in a jar when he was a child; the oak tree resulted from this action.53

There are several members of the Campbell family buried within Rest Haven, many ofwhom made great contributions to Franklins education and banking. William S. Campbell andhis brother Andrew arrived in Nashville from Donegal County, Ireland, in 1839. Upon arrival,they joined their cousins, William P. Campbell and James and William Park, who were alreadyliving in Franklin.54

Before the Civil War, William S. worked as a teller at the old Planters Bank. After theWar, he started the National Bank of Franklin and served as the president of this bank until hisdeath in 1881. The bank was located on the north side of the square. William S. married hiscousin Margaret and had four children. Like many of the children found within Rest Haven, theyall died before reaching childhood. Their son Henry died at one month of age, their son John A.passed away after one year, their daughter Carrie was only two months and three days old whenshe died and their last child, Selina, died shortly after turning four months old. This disturbingtrend was a reality during this period, and there are several tombstones within Rest Haven thathave infant childrens names inscribed into them.55

Patrick Campbell (1820-1897) was a devout Presbyterian but, unable to preach, decided

to teach. He joined his brother, Andrew (1818-1892), in 1848 who was a teacher at the ForrestHill Academy just six miles west of Franklin. Shortly after, the two men were asked to serve asprincipals at Harpeth Academy which was located in West End. The Campbells were known fortheir heavy hands and low tolerance level for unruly students and they exhibited that stancewhile at Harpeth Academy. In 1856, the Know-Nothing Party gained power and declared thatno person of foreign birth could hold a place of honor or responsibility.56 This forced thebrothers to resign from their position as principals because they were born in Scotland. AndrewCampbell decided to open a private school at Browns Creek. The school was locatedapproximately four miles south of Nashville. Patrick relocated to Louisiana where he taught at a

53 Ibid, 135.

54 Ibid, 118.

55 United States Federal Government. Works Project Administration. October 5, 1938. TennesseeWilliamson Bible, Family and Tombstone County Historical Records Project; available from Tennessee State

Library and Archives.

56 Bowman, 119.


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private school for the children of Winder plantation. But their jobs outside Franklin were short-lived and upon their return to the city, they opened The Campbell School in West End until the1890s. The Campbell School in Franklin is now a private residence, but was used temporarilythroughout the early 1900s for classes when the Franklin Female Institute was destroyed. Thecurrent home still has a blackboard with equations written on it as well as the names of boys who

inscribed their signatures into the window panes.

57

The Campbell family plot holds the remains of many significant people to Franklin.

The Rest Haven Cemetery is the final resting places for hundreds of Franklins earlytownspeople, including prominent families and families just struggling to make ends meet. Butthe ties to the town are strong, and their monuments on these grounds are a visual testament tothat fact. Whether a person in Franklin sees the inscriptions of names on a window pane or seesthe great oak tree, the presence of Franklins most infamous people still are recognizable longafter their death.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

On May 14, 2009, an unknown Civil War soldiers remains were found at a localconstruction site off Columbia Avenue. Little information is known about the soldier, includingwhich side he fought for and if he fought in the Battle of Franklin. A combination of buttonswas found on the man making it hard to determine on which side of the Civil War he fought.After careful planning to recreate a proper Civil War burial respectful to both sides, Franklincreated a monument to the Unknown Soldier in Rest Haven.

57 Ibid.


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On October 10, 2009, the town of Franklin led an official military funeral for theUnknown Soldier followed by a monument unveiling at Rest Haven, which was open for publicviewing. The monument itself is an original column from the state capital building fromNashville. William Strickland designed the building starting in 1845, finished in 1859. In 1953,nearly one hundred years later, the General Assembly provided funding for restoration work on

the interior and the exterior. The discarded columns were placed behind the State Prison inNashville. Robin Hood, a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer and resident of Franklin,designed the monument to consist of three sections of the columns with cap pieces. 58 There aresmall plaques to a few of the soldiers and markers for CSA and GAR surround the monument.

The Monument to the Unknown Civil War Soldier is a prominent feature in Rest Haven.

The Unknown Soldiers funeral was held at the St. Pauls Episcopal Church. Establishedin 1827, the church has a Civil War history as it was used as barracks for Union troops during1864.59 Both a Union and Confederate chaplain re-enactors participated in the funeral service.Union and Confederate pallbearers carried the coffin to the horse and carriage to be taken to thecemetery. A tradition procession, complete with women mourners in period clothingaccompanied the soldier to the gates of Rest Haven where he was reinterred with full military

honors, including a 21-gun salute and Taps.

58 Mindy Tate, Preparing to Bury the Past from The Williamson Heraldposted 9/17/09.

http://www.williamsonherald.com/home?id=66283 (accessed Nov. 10, 2011)

59 Franklins Charge, Unknown Soldier Recovered From Franklin Battlefield,

http://www.franklinscharge.com/unknown-soldier-recovered-from-franklin-battlefield (accessed Nov. 17, 2011)


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ThemesThroughout Rest Haven, several themes emerge. This are connected ideas that can be

learned from Rest Haven cemetery. The Civil War is a major theme as Franklin as the site of a

major battle. Other themes deal with the social aspects of Franklin. African-Americans are no

longer buried with whites once Rest Haven is established. The concept of death can be

discovered by the various iconography and epitaphs on the gravestones and monuments.

Civil War

Within Rest Haven Cemetery lay in rest numerous Civil War veterans and with them, the

stories of their experience. The Civil War in Franklin was a turning point in its history as Union

occupation transformed the town as well as the people who lived in it. The soldiers buried within

the cemetery represent the ultimate sacrifice that was made for the Confederacy and their

connection to Franklin is engraved within their tombstones. The War not only affected thesoldiers but also the fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, wives and loved ones of those men who

fought to protect the town, but were killed in their efforts to do so. The shattered lives of broken

homes, made so because of the tragedy of war, are also buried within the cemetery. With over

7,000 Confederate casualties during the battle in 1864, there was no way to avoid the

transformation that the town underwent to adjust to Union occupation and then the rebuilding of

their city during Reconstruction. But within the Rest Haven lay the men who embodied the

bravery, resilience and dedication of the Army of Tennessee and gave their lives on that

November day.

African-American History

As Rest Haven was established, Franklin no longer buried its African-Americans citizens

with whites. No matter the reasons for this change, it is significance because the social structure

of Franklin changed by 1881. Whether this was attributed to the bloody conflicts of the Civil

War or something else, African-Americans were completely segregated in life as well as death

by the establishment of the Toussaint LOuverture Cemetery.

Ideology of Death

Rest Haven reflects the ideas of death in Franklin during the late 1800s. Most of the

monuments and iconography are Victorian. The acceptance of death is an interesting topic forhistorians. The idea expressed in Rest Haven is that the dead are in peace. The images of

children sleeping demonstrate a peaceful eternal slumber. Iconography such as the weeping

willow is symbols of the mourning of those left behind. Other images such as flowers represent

the brevity of life. Several epitaphs are written with this idea with sayings that include words

such as sleeping and at rest while others are warnings that life will end for everyone at some

time.


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IMPACT OF 2010 FLOOD

On May 1st and May 2nd of 2010, Middle Tennessee experienced devastating floodingthat was unique to all others resulting in previous floods in the area. Instead of consisting of aseries of rainfall over several days or weeks, this storm was a two-day event that resulted inalmost seventeen (17) inches of rain. The effect was flash flooding. The record rainfall reachedits highest amount in more than 140 years of recorded data. One major problem was that most ofthe rain that fell was outside of the water controlled by the United States Army Corps ofEngineers. According to their After Action Report of the May 2010 Flood Event of theCumberland River Basin, released in July 2010, they found that two of the hardest hit sub-basins, the Harpeth River and Mill Creek, both enter the Cumberland River within the Cheathampool and were major contributors to record river levels during the event.60 Therefore, themagnitude of rainfall occurring over the portion of the basin that was neither protected norcontrolled by their Corps's flood damage reduction projects meant that this equipment were notin a position to play a major role of reducing flood crests along the Cumberland.61

As aforementioned, the Harpeth River in Franklin is not protected under Corp

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Franklin Cemeteries Project and Preservation Plan 12.2010

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