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

Franklin Cemeteries Project and Preservation Plan:

Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven

Prepared by:

Brigitte Eubank

Kristen O’Hare

Mandi Pitt

Sara Rieger

Katie Rosta

Essentials of Historic Preservation, Fall 2010

MTSU Center for Historic Preservation

Dr. Carroll Van West, Director

2

TABLE OFCONTENTS

Background of Study…………………………………………………………………………… 2

Project Methodology…………………………………………………………………………… 3

Old City Cemetery……………………………………………………………………………… 4 Location ……………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Roads………………………………………………………………...…………………………5 Sections………………………………………………………………………………………..5 Features……………………………………………………………………………………….6 Architectural and Folk Art Landmarks………………………………………………………9 Iconography………………………………………………………………………………….12 People…………………………………………………………………………………………16 Themes………………………………………………………………………………………19

Rest Haven………………………………………………………………………………………20 Location………………………………………………………………………………………20 Rural Cemetery Movement………………………………………………………………….20 Touissaint L’Overture Cemetery…………………………………………………………….23 Design of Cemetery Landscape……………………………………………………………24 Iron Fences……………………………………………………………………………………25 Civil War……………………………………………………………………………………26 Monuments…………………………………………………………………………………29 Iconography……………………………………………………………………………34 Epitaphs………………………………………………………………………………………38 People…………………………………………………………………………………………39 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier……………………………………………………………45 Themes………………………………………………………………………………………47

Impact of 2010 Flood………………………………………………………………………….48

Preservation……………………………………………………………………………………50 Overview……………………………………………………………………………………51 Old City Cemetery………………………………………………………………………….56 Rest Haven…………………………………………………………………………………..69

Further Research……………………………………………………………………………..62

Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………..63

Appendix I Maps………………………………………………………………………………65 Appendix II WPA List of Interred……………………………………………………………71 Old City Cemetery………………………………………………………………………….72 Rest Haven…………………………………………………………………………………..85 Appendix III Phase I Preservation Plan………………………………………………….102

3

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 to Franklin 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 MTSU’s 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.

4

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 five students 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 Haven’s 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 the cemeteries. 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 city’s most prominent community members and ultimately helps to tell the story of Franklin’s 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.

5

OLD CITY CEMETERY

Location

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

“Beginning on the North West margin of the town of Franklin at a stake opposite the most Northern corner of lot No. twenty seven and on the South West side of the main crop street in said town, and running South fifty two degrees West along of margin twenty four poles to a stake opposite the South Western corner of lot no. one hundred and thirty seven thence North thirty eight degrees West thirteen and 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 third poles to the Beginning containing two acres.”1

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

While the Natchez Street Neighborhood, located a mile away, is the most prominent of Franklin’s African-American neighborhoods, the Fourth Avenue and Margin Street area also has a rich African-American heritage. Further down North Margin, on the other side of this property, were tenement homes for African-Americans, known as Eggleston’s and Henderson’s Bottoms, likely referring to their position near the river. Whites owned these neighborhoods and rented to African-Americans as slum housing. African-Americans in Franklin not only owned prominent businesses in the area, but also worked for the interurban railroad, whose depot was located on the land behind Old City Cemetery. While African-American owned businesses had been common in Franklin in the early twentieth century, the number of businesses owned by the Franklin African-Americans has decreased significantly over the years.3

The cemetery is located near the bottoms of the Harpeth River, which curves near Fourth Avenue 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.

6

easy to dig and perhaps unattractive to build upon because of its flood risk. The physical location of the cemetery, then located on the “margin” of town, also contributed to its undesirability as a private or commercial property. The land immediately adjoining the back of the cemetery, off Third 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. Included is a larger image of the 1927 map. (See Appendix)

Roads

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

Along North Margin Street, which borders the south side of both cemeteries, the Nashville Interurban Railroad came into Franklin from the northeast of City Cemetery following N. Margin Street beside both cemeteries. A loop of the Interurban Railroad circled Franklin’s square to pick up and drop off passengers. This railway was established in 1908 or 1909 and ran until the early 1940s when Nashville and Franklin began to favor buses. This is an important time in Franklin’s history which demonstrates its connection and reliance on commuting to Nashville for shopping and business. Sections

The southeast section of Old City Cemetery is

where African-Americans are known to be buried.

7

Old City Cemetery can be divided into several sections. The front portion appears to be the oldest, holding some of the stateliest and most damaged box tombs in the cemetery. The middle section also contains some enclosed family groupings, a large pecan tree, and, to the left of the pecan tree, a group of graves of Irish-Catholic immigrants. In the back section are a few tombstones, 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 be completely submerged. In the back right corner of the cemetery, in what is traditionally called a pauper cemetery or a potter’s field, lie the graves of some African-Americans and poorer residents. It is possible that their graves extend to the back left as well, though this is undocumented. It is significant in any town that African-American citizens were buried in the same cemetery as white citizens. Prior to the Civil War, Old City Cemetery was the only cemetery, other than small family and community cemeteries, for the city of Franklin. Once Rest Haven was established in the mid-nineteenth century, blacks were no longer buried with whites. Instead, Touissaint L’Overture Cemetery served as the new resting place for the city’s black population four-tenths of a mile away from Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven.

Features

The main entrance gate and the stone walls are two

of Old City Cemetery’s prominent features.

The most immediate defining features of the cemetery are the stone wall and entrance gates, now forced open by a tangled growth of grass, earth, and weeds, added by the Franklin Old Glory chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in 1916. The wall is part of the larger American cemetery improvement movement of the early twentieth century and of the female societies’ historic preservation initiative of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. 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

8

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

“The restoration of Old Cemetery, the preservation of historic spots, the building of Memorial Gateways, has become a national movement. To the Daughters of the American Revolution, throughout the country, largely belongs the credit. Old Glory Chapter, following the trend of the times, began restoring our old cemetery…”5

This photograph is of the memorial gates donated by

the Daughters of the American Revolution. These stone walls and entrance gates are important because they reflect the community’s initial recognition of the cemetery’s importance as the final resting place of Franklin’s founders and pioneering 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 firmly situated prior to the 1870s, when Rest Haven was established. Sunk into the granite gatepost on the opposite side is a similar plaque, which is dedicated to honor the four Revolutionary War soldiers 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 City Cemetery’s most prominent features. Located above the graves, the tombs and table monuments serve 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 buried beneath them. Crockett, one of the family names on these tombs, belongs to a pioneer family of Franklin, showing that this section of the cemetery contains some of the oldest and most influential members of Franklin.

4 Fannie Pinkerton Dozier & Mrs. D.J. Wallace, “Memorial Gateway and Old Cemetery,” October 29, 1916, Franklin, TN, 89.

5 Ibid.

9

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 Rest Haven. 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 a result 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 grave piled over with large granite stones. Its purpose is unclear, but it may have once been a sort of rectangular box tomb constructed out of large blocks rather than granite slabs. Branches from the pecan tree have fallen on the rocks, not only covering the formation, but perhaps resettling the stones over the years.

The pecan tree gives Old City Cemetery an aesthetic element.

10

Enclosed family plots to the south of the pecan tree are also significant features. Raised about a foot off the ground by a concrete ledge, these plots were also completely surrounded by iron fences at one point. Two of the plots still have twisted remnants of iron, and the snapped bottom 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 the West and South entrances are also missing pieces and railings. It is possible that Old City Cemetery’s iron fences fell prey to this trend. The Hightower enclosure is a fine example of this problem. Once entirely enclosed with iron railings, it is now entirely open on one side with a few iron pieces dangling from their posts. Likewise, the ironwork enclosing the Ewing family plot is completely missing, now shows only iron stumps where the posts once were. Family plots such as these, enclosed with iron, were common before the 1850s. Historian Stanley French claims that such rigid enclosure “served little practical purpose in the well supervised rural cemetery.” Rather, enclosing a family plot with iron railings not only delineated one’s perceived higher social 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 of the tombstones in both cemeteries signed their work. Two examples were found in Old City Cemetery. 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 Rest Haven section of this report.

Old City Cemetery contains a wealth of traditional symbolic grave art that tells us much about the community of which it represents. A large portion of the tombstone symbols are Masonic. 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.

11

There is much symbolism relating to the fraternal organization, the Freemasons. The Freemasons in Franklin have had a rich history. The Masons established Hiram Lodge No. 7 in 1809 with its parent lodge being in North Carolina. Once the Grand Lodge of Tennessee was constituted in 1813, the Hiram Lodge surrendered its charter from North Carolina and received its present charter in 1815.7 Franklin’s Mason population established the first legal lottery in Tennessee to raise funds for the construction of a new three-story Masonic Temple in 1823. This temple stood as the tallest building west of the Allegheny Mountains and is one of the oldest continuous lodges in the same location in the United States.8 It was also the site where President Andrew Jackson met with the Chickasaw delegation in 1830 to discuss sale of Native American lands. Because of its historical importance, the Hiram Masonic Lodge No. 7 became a National Historic Landmark in 1973. Masonic imagery, including the all-seeing and the Masonic blade and chevron, can be seen on at least three monuments in Old City Cemetery, including Richard Hightower’s box tomb in the Hightower family enclosure.

There is a proliferation of Victorian iconography on the tombstones, including most often a 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. Richard Roberts’s grave, dated 1880, incorporates the pointed elements of gothic architecture into the top of the gravestone, which has three points, one large in the middle, flanked by two smaller pointed shoulders.

Tablet markers come in a variety of designs from

double-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.

12

Some gravestones and monuments incorporate urns, both a classical symbol and a symbol of mourning. One large obelisk in the Ewing family enclosure has an urn at its top as a point. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, there was a marked shift from rounded puritan headstone 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.9 More on the iconography of Old City Cemetery will be discussed later in the report.

Many of the stones and monuments reflect ideas of the time period about death. The Perkins 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 to represent the shortness of life through the tree’s 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, the incompleteness of a life cut short. The sun is another common engraving. Several of the box tombs have a pattern of a circle with radiating lines, not only a decorative design, but also reflecting 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 is

the 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 tree to the left side of the cemetery near the chain-link fence. This small population is significant because it reflects the humble beginnings of one of Franklin’s current and most prominent

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

(American Antiquarian Society 2003), 13 -14.

13

religious groups. Increased immigration of Irish-Catholics to Tennessee, and to Franklin, specifically, resulted in the eventual founding of St. Philip’s Church in 1871. Engraved across the top of Hugh Dempsey’s 1849 tombstone features are the Latin words “Gloria in Excelsis Deo,” meaning “Glory to God in the Highest,” a traditional Catholic hymn also known as the Greater 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 are typical Irish-American symbols.10 Like tombstones in other Irish communities, the Irish-Catholic grave 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 of Symbol

Crown On Eugenia Parrish’s monument, this symbol includes the words “savior lead me” underneath The inclusion of the crown reflects a belief in the afterlife, and in the sovereignty of Christ.

10 Jackson & Vergara, 55.

11 Ibid, 54.

14

Drapery Drapery reflects the neoclassical movement in gravestone iconography. Repeated across the sides of a box tomb, this icon also reflects the elevated status of the person buried within.

Flowers Flowers are a traditional American symbol of mourning. The theme of flowers and greenery is repeated on tombstones and obelisks throughout the cemetery. This inset flower is on Lucy R.J. Brown’s monument.

Freemasons’ all-seeing eye and

open palm

The all-seeing eye is a typical Freemason symbol. The engraving under this singular icon in Old City Cemetery states, “dedicated to the memory of our esteemed brother… a member of Franklin [unintelligible].”

HIS Means “Jesus, savior of mankind.” On Hugh Dempsey’s gravestone, this symbol is indicative of Catholic Irish-American cemetery iconography.

Masonic symbol Found on Richard Hightower’s box tomb, this symbol is another Masonic icon. At least one other stone features the symbol.

15

Roses Many of the flowers on Old City Cemetery monuments are roses.

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

Stylized fleur-de-lis

The fleur-de-lis is a symbol of French royalty. On the intricate Parrish monument, the fleur-de-lis is not only a regal symbol that emphasizes the wealth of the Parrish family but also is a reflection of the intricate Victorian style.

Stylized Engraved letters

Engraved stylized letters are common details throughout Old City Cemetery. This engraving is from the obelisk memorializing Anna Dudley, wife of Revolutionary War soldier Guilford Dudley.

Sunburst This intricate detail is popular on the sides and lids of box tombs throughout Old City Cemetery. On one small child’s tomb, the sunburst is repeated in a pattern of five on each side. This is an image that not only reflects the faith of the bereaved in an afterlife but also provides a beautiful detail.

16

Sunrise/ Sunset Like the sunburst, this image also reflects a hope for the afterlife. It suggests both sunrise and sunset, reflecting the dualistic relationship between death and eternal life.

Tree Trunk The cut-off tree trunk on this monument in the Perkins family plot reflects a life cut short by death.

Urns Urns on top of obelisks are common throughout the cemetery. Like the drapery symbol, urns are a part of the neo-classical revival in cemetery iconography.

Willow tree The weeping willow, a rare symbol in Old City Cemetery, is characteristic of the neoclassical revival, along with drapery and urns. A willow tree, often called a weeping willow, is also a symbol of mourning.

Wreaths A laurel wreath, like the one on this obelisk, may also be an icon reflective of the neoclassical revival. It also suggests royalty and importance.

17

People

The burials occurred in Old City Cemetery from the establishment of the cemetery in 1811 until the creation of Rest Haven in 1855. It holds the remains of Franklin’s early pioneer families who blazed trails into Williamson County. Some came as a result of grants rewarded for Revolutionary War services, while others came for personal reasons. These families poured into the vast wilderness felling trees, constructing homes, and hunting game. These are graves of the men, women, and children who overcame obstacles to carve out their niche in this new rural society. Some of Franklin’s earliest families include: Cameron, Perkins, Stuart, Carter, and McPhail. Throughout the literature regarding the founding of Williamson County, these names frequently 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 the

first house in Franklin around 1798. Cameron is not the only buried settler to build a significant home in Williamson County. In 1809, Thomas Hardin Perkins completed a Georgian style house called Meeting of the Waters, named aptly for the nearness to the junction of the Big Harpeth and West Harpeth Rivers. Perkins and his wife Mary are buried in Old City Cemetery. Thomas Stuart 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 Franklin’s bloody past. The Carter House was the scene of a vicious skirmish during the Battle of Franklin in November 1864. Every account regarding the battle of Franklin mentions this house and its walls still bear visible bullet holes. 12 The Carter House is now a house museum and a popular tourist attraction for visitors. More on Franklin’s Civil War legacy will be discussed in the Rest Haven section.

12 Ibid, 146.

18

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 town’s founding

settlers. 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 of mustering 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. Legend has it that he was the first surgeon to successfully administer anesthesia in Middle Tennessee.14 McPhail died in the Mexican War and lies in section 2, row 9 of the Old City Cemetery.

Daniel McPhail’s monument inscribed “Daniel McPhail M. D. Born in [sic] Scotland

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

13 Ibid, 2.

14 Ibid, 105.

19

White citizens were not the only people who were buried in the Old City Cemetery. In the far right corner of the back section, there is evidence of African American graves, marked and unmarked. These headstones reveal notable surnames of African American families who lived in Franklin. We can only be sure of the names of seven African-Americans buried in Old City 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 Although we can only be sure of the names of seven African-Americans buried in Old City Cemetery, the depressions in the ground and open space in the back of the cemetery suggest more graves. A common name throughout this section of the cemetery is Otey. Many generations of the Otey family have settled in and married in Williamson County and the Otey name has a prominent black heritage.

The monument to Harvey Otey, a prominent African-American

in 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 potter’s or pauper’s field, and the remainder for African-Americans.17 Once Rest Haven was established in the 1850s,

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

Journal 31, Franklin, Tennessee, 2000: 246.

16 Angela Kruger-Kahloula, “On the Wrong Side of the Fence: Racial Segregation in American Cemeteries,” In History and Memory in African-American Culture, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1994): 130-149: 136.

17 Kruger-Kahloula, 141.

20

blacks were no longer buried with whites. Instead, they were buried in the African-American Toussaint L’Ouverture 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 City

Cemetery. Information regarding the early settlement patterns, burial of African Americans and influence of Victorian grave iconography reflect settlement patterns of the various ethnic and cultural people that made up the landscape.

Settlement Patterns-Migration and Military

Looking at the tombstones in the Old City Cemetery reveals significant information about early settlement patterns in Williamson County. Immigrants from Ireland and Scotland came to establish their homes in America, which offered them personal freedoms and new opportunities for 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 the west. After the Revolutionary War, free land was issued to veterans in return for military service. Whether immigrants or military soldiers, these early settlers established small settlements in Tennessee developed into larger communities. These settlement patterns reflect the idea of forging the American identity, and speaks to the town’s race relations prior to the 1850s.

African American Settlement

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

Influence of Folk Art

The iconography of the Old City Cemetery tells us much about early Franklin. Victorian symbols, 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 about the beliefs and practices of remembering the dead. A wealth of information-religious, cultural and social- can be ascertained from what is carved into a slab or monument.

21

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 in the 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 thousand eighty-five dollars and sixty-two cents ($1085.62). One month later, October 29, 1853, he sold the 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] and P. A. Perkins running thence south 53 degrees West 24 poles and six links to a rock North 33 ½ degrees West 57 poles and twelve links to a rock thence North 53 ½ degrees West eleven poles and twenty one links to a rock on the Big Harpeth River near the water and running with the outer of the upper wall of the [sic] north 8[8] ½ degrees East twelve poles and fifteen links to a rock thence South 37 degrees East four poles and twelve links to a rock thence South 53 degrees West two poles and eighteen links to a rock thence South 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 we know them today. In early settlement days, the location of one’s death was often the location of one’s burial and grave markers were made with natural materials such as wood and rocks. For these reasons, many early graves are unknown today; most commonly, the markers have

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

22

deteriorated or people remove them for various reasons. There was no long term planning for establishing 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 of gravestone carving was not a practical skill in the United States, especially in the frontier, during this time.19

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

In other areas, burials in churchyards became more common. These were still not formal graveyards 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 that cemeteries became in the nineteenth century . . . the lush grass of the graveyards was purchased by a local farmer, who earned the right to pasture animals . . . This sharing of space continued contact between the living and the dead, but the lack of concern for the sacredness of the graveyard made displacing the dead and obliteration the graveyard much 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 of family and friends were laid to rest in an unorganized fashion.

As the social structure in the United States became more complex, burial practices evolved as well. In the early 1800s, the Industrial Revolution brought about extensive expansion within the United States. Increased urbanization that allowed for much less contact with nature than ever before. Land development occurred rapidly and many times businesses and residences surrounded established cemeteries in proximity to the churches. Particularly in larger cities, such as New York and Boston, this urban development overwhelmed the townspeople who no longer felt a connection with nature and believed that the foul air from cemeteries was hazardous to their health. In the following passage, Martha V. Pike and Janice Gray Armstrong address the conflicts 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.

23

“The transformation of church lands to commercial purposes in the 1830s caused a scarcity of burial sites both in New York City and in Brooklyn. Even more discouraging was the disruption of graves by urban encroachment. By the mid-1830s it was obvious that interment in the neighborhood grave sites did not ensure eternal slumber. Nor was grave violation a preoccupation reserved for city planners or city developers. Grave robbing was a common practice, hardly hindered by the ineffective fences that surrounded untended graveyards. Not only were churchyards proving inadequate to their consecrated purpose, but they were thought to foul the air and cause disease, principally yellow fever.”22

In addition to a desire for healthier and more sanitary environments, people were demanded green spaces for recreation. Places such as Mount Auburn in Boston and Green Wood in Brooklyn, became havens for the dead, moved away from the city life. With the dead moved outside the urban areas, sanitary conditions improved. These places were designed as formal gardens that could also be used from recreation. “Americans from other cities and regions recognized the importance of Mount Auburn as prototype and inspiration for cemeteries which they 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 Haven presents not only a resting place for the dead but also a place for the living to contemplate life and enjoy free time. Although Rest Haven is nowhere near the scale of these places, the ideology of creating a haven for the dead as well as the living is evident in the layout and attempt at 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 for purposed 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 to nature.

J.H. Devereux designed the layout of Rest Haven in 1854. He divided the cemetery into plots which were sold for $20 to residents and $30 to nonresidents.24 (see appendix) If a resident sold his plot to a nonresident, $10 would have to be paid to the town. These plots are in grid form for easy maneuverability during funerals and visitation as carriages were permitted. Burials are no longer are a common occurrence in Rest Haven. Grave markers range from 1855 to the 1920s but there have been burials during the 1960s and as late as the 1990s. Included in the appendix is a plat map of the cemetery plots.

Rest Haven’s planned landscape is another characteristic representative of the Rural Cemetery Movement of the 1830s. Although Rest Haven is much smaller than Mount Auburn, it possesses 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.

24

evolution to these ideas. A comparison of the layout of Rest Haven with that of Old City Cemetery illustrates this evolution. “After the invention of the public park and the dissemination of the pastoral landscape without the graves to cities across the nation, the recreational popularity of ‘rural’ cemeteries began to wane in the last quarter of the nineteenth century.”25 By the time Mt. 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, Voice of American Culture. The pioneer cemetery, such as Old City Cemetery, usually has no family plots or landscape. The transitional cemetery, which Rest Haven represents, has family plots and a planned landscape. The modern cemetery is organized in individual graves.

This graph represents the evolution of cemetery ideology.

Toussaint L’Ouverture Cemetery

Once Rest Haven was established in the mid-nineteenth century, blacks were no longer buried with whites. Instead, Toussaint L’Ouverture Cemetery, established in 1881, became the location for African American burials. The cemetery is four-tenths of a mile away from Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven, located near the intersection of Del Rio Pike and Hillsboro Road (Highway 431). The Toussaint L’Ouverture obtained its name out of honor and inspiration for Toussaint L’Ouverture, the slave leader whose rebellion helped lead to Haiti’s independence in

25 Meyer, 323.

25

1804. The cemetery itself was established in 1881. As mentioned previously, African-American residents established the cemetery soon after the creation of Rest Haven, when blacks and whites were 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 Vietnam conflicts.” Additionally, the marker states, “Many resting here, while nameless, were active citizens of the Baptist Neck, Belltown, and Hard Bargain neighborhoods, offering their labor and domestic skills for the betterment of Franklin.” Well-known community members buried here include A.N.C. Williams, a local merchant and minister, and Mariah Otey Reddick. The cemetery 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 4th Avenue across from the Old City Cemetery. Situated to the east is the main entrance with smaller entrances to north and south. The east gate is much larger with a swinging iron fence and a pathway leading to the monument 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 opening as are in the other two. The grave markers in this section of the cemetery are much sparser as the ground is low and closer to the Harpeth River which is prone to flooding. This is probably the pauper section of Rest Haven. More trees are in this section than any other. The north entrance exits directly onto North Margin Street and the design of the gate matches the south gate. While one section of the old iron gate remains, one section is missing. In the 2006, Phase I Assessment Plan located in the appendix, these gates were intact but inoperable. A family plot and tree are within a few steps of this entrance. The west side is bordered by the rear of businesses along Fifth Avenue.

North Entrance South Entrance East (Main) Entrance

A dry stone wall matching the one at Old City Cemetery surrounds Rest Haven. A resolution on May 8, 1860, ordered the creation of a wall for the north, south, and west side of the cemetery. The side on Indigo Street (4th Ave.) was to remain a wooden fence.26 The northwest section along the back of the cemetery has been covered by dirt and vegetation but not this 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.

26

simply never existed. A section of the wall on the northwest possibly remains but digging would be necessary to ascertain that. Approximately three-quarters of the top vertical stones of the wall on the east side are missing. A section of the wall along this road is in poor condition due to collapse. 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 near the north side. As mentioned before, this side of the cemetery holds more trees than gravestones but there are many unmarked graves as indicated by sunken areas. According to the WPA survey in 1938, there are approximately 700 unmarked graves.27 It is possible that many unmarked graves 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 the west, 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 most prominent is the fence surrounding Lizzie Hoffman. This particular fence surrounds her individual plot while others in the cemetery enclose an entire family section. Although highly ornamental, Lizzie Hoffman’s fence is in poor condition as are many other fences throughout both Rest Haven and Old City Cemetery. The iron is rusted and twisted. Parts are detaching as well. This will be addressed in the preservation section of this report.

The iron fence surround Lizzie Hoffman’s grave is in poor condition.

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

27

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 to use the fences as gates in private residences and gardens. This vandalism is nearly impossible to trace. During World War II, scrap drives also led to the taking of iron fences. Scrap metal is often sold by looters during financial hard times. Although we do not know why many decorative metal elements have been taken, their lost distracts from the cemetery’s 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 Franklin’s heritage because of the Battle of Franklin. 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 an audience such as this, because I can see sparkling in your eyes the reflection of other days, 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 self sacrificing devotion and patriotism, all that is heroic in human suffering and endeavor, all that 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 and beauty. Yes, when the weary mariner forgets the star that guided him and his storm driven vessel into a haven of rest ad safety. Yes, when the fire of love has gone out on the

28

heart’s altar and when memory has emptied its urn into forgetfulness – then and not till then.”28

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

“The cross has ever been to all Christian nations the symbol of self-sacrifice, fit emblem for our Confederate soldier, whose life during the four years struggle was nothing, if not one of self-sacrifice . . . this southern Cross of Honor, as a testimonial of your fidelity and courage, for you were faithful when it meant much to be faithful, courageous when it meant much to be courageous . . . and when life’s battles are ended and you have gone to join those comrades, whose names are written among the immortals, your loved ones left behind 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 60

Confederates are buried at Rest Haven. “The service records and other notes concerning all individual 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.

29

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 the Confederation 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. In 2010, 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 complete and detailed list and map of the cemetery’s Confederate burials, please see the “Confederate Soldiers – Rest Haven Cemetery – Franklin, TN” document in the appendix.

Union markers are in the shape of stars. Each point contains symbols for each military branch, as well as stars in circles. The center reads “GAR 1861 1865.” The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a social, cultural, and political organization established in 1866, just after the end of the Civil War, and served as a veterans’ organization for men who served in the Union Army. 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 the late 1800s. “The GAR founded soldiers’ homes, was active in relief work, and in pension legislation. 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 Republican ticket without the endorsement of the GAR voting bloc.”32 Concerned citizens established organizations such as the Women’s Relief Corps, and the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in the late 1880s to carry on the work of the GAR. It is surprising to find GAR burials at this 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,” SUVCW—Grand Army of the

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

30

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, to serve 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. Sloan’s company is responsible for the creation of the several monuments 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 can provide 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 small and located on the right corner of one of the monument’s sides. While some markings are legible, 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. Coleman Nashville

31

L. H. & J. B. Fuller St. Louis

M. K. [sic] Nashv[sic]

M. L. Shelton Nashville Tenn.

J. T. Sloan Franklin

Styles in cemeteries match the architectural styles of their times. When Rest Haven Cemetery 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 the cemetery. There is a single table-top tomb in Rest Haven in a plot purchased by the Bennett family but the inscription is illegible.

Classical

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

32

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 between Victorian 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 which style a monument is. Due to weather and erosion, some of the figures on the monuments’ top have been knocked off and removed out of their context. Once removed, it is nearly impossible to determine to which monument they belong.

Image of Victorian Style Monument Name Description

Bolster A bolster monument refers to the shape of a pillow. Some feature designs such as a flower on the sides. Using a round pillow shape reinforces the idea that the interred are not dead but only sleeping in eternal rest.

Cradles A cradle design is a smaller version of the flower box and usually signifies the burial of a child. Hence the name “cradle.”

33

Desk and Wedge

Several family plots have matching monuments in the desk and wedge style. This design is a gently sloping marker. In Rest Haven, many of these have a scroll design on which is engraved the information of the interred.

Flower Boxes

A flower box design is fairly common in Rest Haven. The name derives from the growing of flowers above the grave. Some outlines are simple while others are more elaborate.

Tablets Tablets are a common design in both Rest Haven and Old City Cemetery. Pictured is a thin marker with writing usually on one side. Tablets can have various top designs from the double-lobed to arches.

Gothic

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

34

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

Other

There are other monuments that do not fit into these categories. The monument that simply reads “Carter” has no epitaphs or iconography. It is a smooth work of sandstone that serves as a marker. The stone for the Pinkertons is much more elaborate. It too is made of sandstone but is carved to look like unpolished stone. The family name and a column are the only 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 burials have occurred as recently as 1999. These gravestones are unique in that they are rectangular and

35

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

More modern burials WWII veteran William M. Smith who died 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. Others reflect the feelings of death. These are the flower, urn, and drapery. Some symbols reference organizations such as the Odd Fellows or the Freemasons. Others images are of an unknown meaning and will be included in the further research section.

Image Name Meaning

Angel Angels, though not a common symbol in Rest Haven, are present. They represent the heavenly host and are thought to lead the soul into Heaven.33

Bird (Dove) The most common bird image in cemeteries is that of the dove. Used to represent innocence and peace, the dove symbolizes a soul at peace or if in flight, can mean the soul’s 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.

36

Cross The cross is a Christian symbol representing Christ. This image also has the letters “IHS” under the cross meaning “Jesus, savior of mankind.”

Cross in Crown

A comparatively ornate tablet for James T. Kerman displays a cross in a crown with a sunburst behind it. Directly above it is a laurel of roses and a wreath. The cross in crown symbolizes “trading earthly burdens for a heavenly reward.”35

Drapery Drapery is a long standing symbol of mourning. It refers to a veil. Drapery can be found over an urn or over the monument itself.

Flowers Flowers represent the brevity of life. A flower off of a broken stem symbolizes a life cut short. In other cemeteries, the saying, “Budded on Earth to Bloom in Heaven” is present. This, like the lamb, is found on the stone of the younger who have died premature deaths. The image on the bottom is from the monument to Alice McLemore who was two and a half months when she died.

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

2010), 69.

37

Gates Open gates, also known as “Gates Ajar” or “Pearly Gates,” represent the way into Heaven, or in the case of Samuel Arron, towards a banner with “At Rest” written across it.

Masons The Freemasons are a fraternal organization. The most common Freemason symbol is the square and compass overlapping with a “G” in the middle. The “G” stands for God as well as geometry. The square and compass image symbolize that “members are to be circumspect and square in their dealings.”36

Masons This is another mason symbol in Rest Haven. The spade and the pickaxe are common tools of the basic level of Masonry. The protruding image at the bottom is a casket. The archway framing the symbol complete with a capstone. The triangle is also a Masonic symbol. More research needs to be done to learn what the combination of icons mean.

Odd Fellows

The International Order of Odd Fellows has a symbol. It is three chain links, usually with the initials F, L, and T for their motto “Faith, Love, and Truth.” Although this symbol is rare in Rest Haven, it can be found on the gravestone of William Abner Moss.

36 Ibid, 69.

38

Sleeping Sleep is seen as the tie between life and death. A figure sleeping is usually on a child’s grave.37

Southern Cross

The Southern Cross on a tombstone signifies that the person was Confederate soldier. Often, the cross has a laurel inside the cross to represent honor. The shape of the stones, either old or new, is generally the same. They have 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 the Tree of Life or eternal and everlasting life.

Trees – Palm Tree

Palm trees appear on at least two of the monuments. The most elaborate of which is that of N. E. Perkins which has a tall palm tree with a banner circling around it reading: “the Righteous Shall Flourish Like a Palm Tree.” This refers to Psalm 92:12 of the Bible.

37 Rochester’s History, “Victorian Cemetery Symbolism – Sleeping Child”

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

39

Tree – Weeping Willow

On the monument of Daniel German, a weeping willow can be seen symbolizing mourning. This is one of the most popular carvings from 1800-1850.

Urns The urn, like drapery, is a common Victorian icon in cemeteries. They are symbolic of the soul because in cremation, ashes of loved ones are kept in an urn.

Wreath Symbolizing victory, the wreath is a prominent symbol throughout the cemetery and is displayed with several variations. This is a symbol from the Victorian era which also reflects on the overall design of the monument. The wreath can be found on the monument as a design or “laid over” an urn adorning the top of the marker.

Epitaphs

Epitaphs are the written saying on gravestones to commemorate the dead. The gravestone 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 of death: “Remember friend as you pass by; as you are now as once was I; as I am now so shall you be; prepare for death and follow me.” Many epitaphs are based on the Bible such as the Lord’s Prayer.

40

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 the iconography but is found within the people buried there. Although Rest Haven is not the older of the two cemeteries and therefore does not hold the founders of Franklin, it does contain their descendents and prominent figures in Franklin’s Antebellum and Reconstruction period. When entering the cemetery it is clear that several distinguished families are buried there. Large enclosed plots with tall monuments draw attention to the importance of families and research into these family histories illustrates the important roles various citizens played within the history of Franklin.

Theodrick (“Tod”) Carter is one of the most locally well-known persons buried in Rest Haven. Carter was the seventh son of Fountain Branch and Mary A. Carter. Tod and his brothers, Moscow and Francis, signed up for the 20th Tennessee Regiment of which Tod became a Captain. Mortally wounded in the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864, he died two days later at his family’s home, the Carter House, which is now a Registered National Historic Landmark because of its central role in the Battle of Franklin. A heartbreaking story surrounds Tod Carter: “After three and a half years absence he was almost home; in fact could see, he thought, the outline of his father’s house in the distance.”38 Little did Tod know, he would be dead within a few days. In Historic Williamson County: Old Homes and Sites, Virginia Bowman emphasizes 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 battle in their own yard, died in the bosom of their family, and gone to the grave from their father’s house?”39

38 Virginia McDaniel Bowman, Historic Williamson County: Old Homes and Sites (Nashville, TN: Blue & Gray Press, 1971), 145.

39 Ibid, 145.

41

Image of Tod Carter who died during the Civil War.

Tod Carter’s grave is hardly noticeable in comparison to the many tall monuments in the

cemetery, though a Confederate iron cross designates his importance. He and several others who fought 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 of Moscow 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 also mortally wounded in the Battle of Franklin) and Francis Otey.

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

Union Soldiers are also given recognition in Rest Haven.

42

Near the Carter plot lies the body of Dr. Daniel B. Cliffe. Cliffe gained success by working as a physician, Confederate surgeon, and president of the Nashville and Decatur Railroad. He was the nephew of Dr. Daniel McPhail, a prominent Franklin physician who served as a surgeon in the United States Army during the Mexican War and who is also buried in the Old City Cemetery.40 Much of Dr. McPhail’s land, including his office on Main Street and home, was transferred to Dr. Cliffe upon his uncle’s death.41 When the Civil War broke out, Dr. Cliffe utilized his medical skills by serving as a surgeon in the 20th Tennessee Regiment under General Felix 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 whenever possible.43 Buried beside Dr. Cliffe are his daughter Belle and her husband; Union General James 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 in section 4, row 3 of the cemetery. Dr. Cochrane earned is fame by enlisting as a member of Company D, Ferguson’s Brigade in the 2nd Alabama Calvary and “served continuously until the surrender.”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 Cochrane’s were one of the earliest families to own an electric car, while other families still used horse and carriage.45 Also, in their wills, the Cochrane’s donated an adjacent property to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.46

Reverend Thomas L. Douglass, an early Methodist minister, is another prominent citizen who is buried in Rest Haven. The cemetery’s entrance sign mentions his name, designating his importance. Approximately 10 years after his death, “Methodist families in the neighborhood established the Douglass Church at the junction of Lewisburg Turnpike and Douglass Road.”47 The tract of land that Douglass owned eventually became known as the Reams Place, another site 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

43

Another person of significance in Rest Haven is George Cuppett. Mr. Cuppett is known for “[superintending] the re-interring of the Confederate soldiers when their remains were placed in 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: “George Cuppett 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 Miller’s. 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-story home for his wife, John W. Miller also constructed the library and, most notably, the courthouse which is one of only six antebellum courthouses in Tennessee. The community admired Miller’s his excellent craftsmanship and unwavering attention to detail. His plot embodies the passion he had 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 eight of 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.

44

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

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

The Merrill family plot can be found next to the main road in Rest Haven

leading to the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. As you walk toward the monument for the Unknown Soldier, the plot for the Park family sits 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 Maney Park, Mary Ann Park, and Mary Maria Park. Dr. Park (1819-1907) was Franklin’s primary physician during the years leading up to the Battle of Franklin and afterwards. He lived in a home located on 3rd Avenue, known as the Park House. Dr. Park was the first resident of Franklin to spot the entering Union troops in the spring of 1862 and stood as a watchman on his roof relaying information to the town members gathered below. After the Union occupation began, Dr. Park’s first wife, Mary Ann (1824-1863) became gravely ill. Despite this reality, the

52 Ibid, 107.

45

Union troops held their drills in front of the Park House daily. In May 1863, General Gordon Granger, the Federal Commander in Franklin, ordered Dr. Park and his family to leave the city within 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 the Park 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 significant not only because of his service as the town’s physician before, during, and after the Civil War is evident, but also for the important role he played in interactions during the occupation of Franklin. Today, there stands a tall oak tree in front of the Park House. John Spry Park planted an 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 of whom made great contributions to Franklin’s education and banking. William S. Campbell and his 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 already living in Franklin.54

Before the Civil War, William S. worked as a teller at the old Planter’s Bank. After the War, he started the National Bank of Franklin and served as the president of this bank until his death in 1881. The bank was located on the north side of the square. William S. married his cousin Margaret and had four children. Like many of the children found within Rest Haven, they all 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 when she died and their last child, Selina, died shortly after turning four months old. This disturbing trend was a reality during this period, and there are several tombstones within Rest Haven that have infant children’s 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 Forrest Hill Academy just six miles west of Franklin. Shortly after, the two men were asked to serve as principals at Harpeth Academy which was located in West End. The Campbell’s were known for their heavy hands and low tolerance level for unruly students and they exhibited that stance while at Harpeth Academy. In 1856, the Know-Nothing Party gained power and declared that “no person of foreign birth could hold a place of honor or responsibility.”56 This forced the brothers to resign from their position as principals because they were born in Scotland. Andrew Campbell decided to open a private school at Brown’s Creek. The school was located approximately 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. Tennessee Williamson Bible, Family and Tombstone County Historical Records Project; available from Tennessee State Library and Archives.

56 Bowman, 119.

46

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 the 1890s. The Campbell School in Franklin is now a private residence, but was used temporarily throughout the early 1900s for classes when the Franklin Female Institute was destroyed. The current 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 Franklin’s early townspeople, including prominent families and families just struggling to make ends meet. But the ties to the town are strong, and their monuments on these grounds are a visual testament to that fact. Whether a person in Franklin sees the inscriptions of names on a window pane or sees the great oak tree, the presence of Franklin’s most infamous people still are recognizable long after their death.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

On May 14, 2009, an unknown Civil War soldier’s remains were found at a local construction site off Columbia Avenue. Little information is known about the soldier, including which side he fought for and if he fought in the Battle of Franklin. A combination of buttons was 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, Franklin created a monument to the Unknown Soldier in Rest Haven.

57 Ibid.

47

On October 10, 2009, the town of Franklin led an official military funeral for the Unknown Soldier followed by a monument unveiling at Rest Haven, which was open for public viewing. The monument itself is an original column from the state capital building from Nashville. 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 in Nashville. 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 are small 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 Soldier’s funeral was held at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Established in 1827, the church has a Civil War history as it was used as barracks for Union troops during 1864.59 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 the cemetery. A tradition procession, complete with women mourners in period clothing accompanied 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 Herald posted 9/17/09.

http://www.williamsonherald.com/home?id=66283 (accessed Nov. 10, 2011) 59 Franklin’s Charge, “Unknown Soldier Recovered From Franklin Battlefield”,

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

48

Themes Throughout 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 the soldiers 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 L’Ouverture 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 for historians. 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.

49

IMPACT OF 2010 FLOOD

On May 1st and May 2nd of 2010, Middle Tennessee experienced devastating flooding that was unique to all others resulting in previous floods in the area. Instead of consisting of a series of rainfall over several days or weeks, this storm was a two-day event that resulted in almost seventeen (17) inches of rain. The effect was flash flooding. The record rainfall reached its highest amount in more than 140 years of recorded data. One major problem was that most of the rain that fell was outside of the water controlled by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. According to their After Action Report of the May 2010 Flood Event of the Cumberland 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 Cheatham pool and were major contributors to record river levels during the event.”60 Therefore, the magnitude of rainfall occurring over the portion of the basin that was neither protected nor controlled by their Corps's flood damage reduction projects meant that this equipment “were not in 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 Corps' flood damage reduction projects and therefore is at risk of future flooding. The May 2010 event caused the Harpeth River to “flood crest” at 35.18 feet. The standing record prior to that was set on February 13, 1968 which was 35.2 feet. The flood stage for the Harpeth River is set at 30 feet, and therefore, the estimated flow frequency is seventy years.62 The damage experienced in Franklin was so widespread, that both the City Cemetery and Rest Haven suffered damage from flood waters. The cemeteries, being located near the Harpeth are in constant danger of flooding because the construction of flood control projects are primarily located in Nashville and do not protect the sub-basins.

The May 2010 flood was preceded by three other outstanding historic floods of the Cumberland River. The first one was in December of 1926 that carried over into January of 1927 and was the product of an 8-day constant rainfall. The second flood occurred in January 1937, again caused by a long duration of rain. The flood in March of 1975 was the result of just four days of rain that spanned over a wide area of Middle Tennessee, and produced flooding in “nearly all portions of the basin.”63 The effects of these three floods were seen in Franklin as the Harpeth reached cresting levels above the flood stage.

Since the 1926/27, 1937 and the 1975 floods, the Cumberland River has had several flood reduction projects put in place by the Corps. But these projects have occurred primarily in the Nashville area and do not extend to the Harpeth. Therefore, both the Old City Cemetery and the Rest Haven are guaranteed to flood again. With this reality, it is clear that further work needs to be done to protect the cemeteries from flood damage by the Harpeth River.

60United States Army Corps of Engineers. “After Action Report: May 2010 Flood Event Cumberland River Basin 1-3 May 2010,” (21 July 2010): 10.

61 Ibid, 10. 62Ibid, 19.

63Ibid, 10.

50

Flooding is not the only natural enemy to cemeteries. On October, 25-26 2010, strong winds and rain had damaged portions of the cemetery. Various monuments toppled under the strong winds. One of the pear trees flanking the main entrance was split and fell across the cemetery wall. If this tree had fallen a few more feet to the left, it would have damaged the only table top monument in Rest Haven. Preservation work needs to be done on the less stable monuments so they are able to withstand strong winds.

Part of a tree near the main entrance fell during recent high winds.

51

PRESERVATION

Both Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven are in need of repair. Although preservation work has been done before, the techniques and technology has changed dramatically over time. Previously repaired stones are in just as much need, if not more, than stones that have had recent damage. It is very important to preserve these cemeteries for future generations so they can learn about Franklin’s past, just as we have in this report. Cemeteries serve as primary resources because monuments have largely been unchanged by human interaction since their placement. The major enemies to cemeteries are weather, negligence, and poor management.

Citizens of Franklin have always demanded proper upkeep of their cemeteries. An article in The Review-Appeal dated 1976, shows public outcry concerning the upkeep and care of Franklin’s cemeteries specifically relating to mowing the grass. Although much has been accomplished in recent years, many of the same problems continue over thirty years later. A quote from R. N. Moore address the problems with riding mowers: “The problem is, though, you can’t get men to work with hand clippers now,” he stated, “nobody’s going to work 6-8 hours a day clipping the grass by hand. People have gotten used to riding mowers and won’t take on a job doing handwork.”64 Mowers, while eliminating the need to burn the grass for maintenance, are big and bulky making it easy to hit tombstones. Many stones show damage from being hit by mowers that include chipping, scratching, and, in a few cases, unstable monuments were hit with enough force to twist them off their center. While tending the grass and other vegetation is very important, it should be stressed that cemeteries require extra attention as there are many obstacles in the path of the mowers.

This image shows the damage caused by

lawn mowers hitting a gravestone.

In 2006, a Phase I Cemetery Assessment was conducted by Quinn Evans architects Ilene R. Tyler and Tracy Coffing. This was done in preparation for Bicentennial Park. Much of the preservation planning in this assessment is still valuable today. It provides a brief description of

64 Jody Buckley, “Our Cemeteries-Our Heritage,” The Review-Appeal July 1, 1976 Sec. 4 p. 2.

52

the location and current care (as of 2006) of both Rest Haven and Old City Cemetery. Many of the preservation techniques within this document are still valuable to use today. In the appendix, a copy of the Phase I Cemetery Assessment can be found and should be reviewed closely.

Many preservation techniques presented apply to both Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven. To make this report more specific to each cemetery, there are common preservation techniques that apply to all cemeteries and specific recommendations for Old Cemetery and Rest Haven.

Overview of Preservation Techniques

Do not use anything stronger than water and brushes until you have consulted with a professional conservationist. Not only is there a possibility of destruction of the monuments during preservation, it can be dangerous. Unstable headstones and monuments can fall, resulting in injury and death. Some damage to tombstones might be irreversible and information that could be learned would be lost forever. Before any attempt at preservation is conducted, documentation should be conducted of the condition, location, and legible inscriptions during and after the project is completed.

In working with cemeteries, there are a few basic rules. Always treat each stone as if it is fragile, because it is. As previously mentioned, a wind can create enough force to topple a headstone. A forceful push by human hands is enough to do the same. The materials of the stones are very susceptible to chemical cleaners and brighteners so be sure to use as little of these as possible. Water should be the main ingredient in everything used on the stones. Because of the nature of grave markers, pressure washers should never be used. While these remove dirt and vegetation, they also remove lose bits of stone that have begun to flake off. As early preservation in the cemeteries was to set the grounds on fire, this is inevitable. When working on a stone, there is a list of things not to do:

1. Do not employ pressure washers. 2. Do not use any type of acids or acid based solutions. 3. Do not use any kind of abrasives. 4. Do not use metal or wire brushes. 5. Do not use bleach or any other household cleaners. 6. Do not attempt to clean any stone that appears to be flaking, crumbling, or

weakened in any way.65

By following these rules, you will ensure that the cemeteries remain a vital part of the community for generations to come.

Cleaning

Before you start cleaning the stone, determine how clean you want it. A stone does not have to be spotless and shining to be useful for cemetery viewers. Sometimes, just removing the vegetation from the stone is all the preservation work required. Keep in mind to always use the

65 Jonathan Appell, “Gravestone Preservation” New England Cemetery Services.

http://www.gravestonepreservation.info/cleangr-2.asp (accessed Nov. 17, 2011).

53

gentlest preservation techniques possible. Strong chemicals can cause the monuments to erode quickly making the inscriptions illegible after a few years. In scrubbing off lichens and other vegetation, use soft bristles and be sure to have a variety of brushes at hand. Instead of using a bucket of water, consider using a spray bottle. This ensures that clean water will be introduced during the entire cleaning process. The American Association for State and Local History, with the Association of Graveyard Studies, has produced a publication that is very useful called the A Graveyard Preservation Primer. This is a great handbook to have when determining what type of preservation needs to be done. The Association of Graveyard Studies also has a useful website that can be referred to at http://www.gravestonestudies.org. Their “FAQ” section has useful information on what not to use and why.

Trees

If not properly maintained, trees, a large part of the Rural Cemetery Movement landscape, can be dangerous to historic cemeteries. Branches can fall, damaging monuments and fences. Strong winds can break trees in half. Smaller stones can also be taken in by developing trees as those found in the North section of Rest Haven. Other problems with vegetation include plants growing in seams of family plot boundaries, such as plot 6, the Bosticks. Eventually, the plant will take over the ground, pushing the stones aside. Another problem is that as the tree grows, stones are taken into it.

Although providing an aesthetic element to both Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven,

trees can cause damage to gravestones around them. Relocated stones

Many headstones have fallen off their base. Placing removed stones in a pile by the walls is NOT an acceptable solution. Once these stones have been removed from their location, it is nearly impossible to find where they belong. A few family plots have a collection of footstones located on the stone boundaries of their family plots. Although these will never be put back as they originally were, at least they are close to where they belong. Stones should only be removed after they have been well documented and for preservation purposes only. The ideal choice is to leave them where they are or repair them so they can remain in their context and identify who they are supposed to identify.

54

While many gravestones have fallen off their base, it is better to leave them as

they lie than to move them. The broken stone leaning against another, while close to its original location, will never be exact again.

Probing

Many of the missing headstones and footstones could possibly be found by probing the area. When monuments fall, they can be overtaken by dirt and grass and buried just under the soil. Probing is a fairly easy but possibly time consuming work. To make a probe, take an iron rod and shape it with a rounded “handle,” like cane. For the other end, taper the end so it is easier to penetrate the earth. Stones tend to stay where they fall so check in front of and behind where it should be. If your probe hits a hard spot, carefully dig. Although the stone may be recovered, it may be broken or illegible. In poorer areas of the cemetery, such as the North section of Rest Haven, you may uncover field stones or bricks that serve as markers. These are very important as they show a different aspect of Franklin’s history that is not reflected in the wealthier sections of the cemeteries.

Vegetation covers many fallen stones. If this is

not stopped, the stone could be buried.

55

Stabilizing Stones

Over the years, much of the ground under many of the stones in Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven has resettled. When the ground moves under a headstone or footstone, they become more susceptible to toppling over. In falling, damage can occur by hitting other stones, iron fences, or the borders around the family plot. As there is potential to cause damage during this process, resetting the stones is to be used for those that are in danger of falling, not for cosmetic reasons.

Although this monument is leaning, adjusting it would be for

cosmetic reasons and could possible damage it.

Correcting Old Preservation

At some point in Rest Haven’s existence, preservation was attempted with broken grave markers. Small iron rods were placed within the broken stones that were to act as an anchor for the base and broken parts. In the plot purchased by S. H. Bailey, for example, this preservation did not work and many of the headstones are broken again or leaning. As close as these are to the stone boundary, more damage could be done if they fell and hit. The iron rods need to be either removed completely or cut down enough for epoxy to be inserted into the holes. Each broken section of the stone should be cleaned and all dirt removed.

56

The family plot of the Bailey reflects several problems that can occur in cemeteries: from poor

previous preservation to fallen headstones.

Genealogy Research

Cemeteries are an important place to learn history and are a wealth of information for genealogist of all ages. Taking notes is a great way to gather information on family members but creating rubbings using wire brushes slowly destroys the headstones. They are too harsh to use on most monuments. Instead, encourage visitors to use cameras to take pictures or refer them to the 1938 WPA transcriptions. Another way is to make rubbings of each monument and keep them in a public accessible location. If using this alternative, a sign would need to be placed telling visitors that they are welcome to take pictures but to refrain from creating rubbings as they can cause damage. The stones have been documented and can be accessed in a public accessible location.

If a stone is difficult to read, the best way to make the letters stand out is with light. Place mirrors to capture sunlight to shine directly on the words. Using anything with chemicals to make the letters stand out, such as shaving cream, is detrimental to the health of the stone. Chemicals in these products stick to the surface and fill in the pores of the stone.66 While it is

66 The Association of Gravestone Studies. “Preservation,”

http://www.gravestonestudies.org/preservation.htm (accessed Nov. 15, 2011).

57

able to be read temporarily, the damage from residue can cause discoloration and deterioration depending on the chemical ingredients.

Walls

The walls surrounding both Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven are dry stone walls. This means that only the weight of the stones and gravity holds the wall together. In some places, the wall is starting to crumble and collapse. This should be repaired by professionals trained in dry stone wall techniques to ensure historical integrity as these walls are defining features of both cemeteries.

The walls around both cemeteries need constant maintenance.

Old City Cemetery

Walking through the Old City Cemetery, there is evidence of years of wear and neglect. Virtually, all of the tombstones in the Old City Cemetery are in poor condition. According to the Williamson County Archives, there are 307 extant monuments for the 373 burials in the Old City Cemetery. 67 The gravestones, table tombs, chest or box tombs, flat tombs, and obelisks are predominately limestone but marble and granite lime monuments are dotted throughout the cemetery also. Much damage has resulted from burning of the grass. Stones show evidence of flaking and in some cases, the stones have started to separate and peel apart in layers, especially on the limestone box tombs. This is evident in the grave of H. H. Hobbs.

67 Tyler, Irene R. & Tracy L. Coffing. Quinn Evans Architects. “Phase I Cemetery Assessment: Bicentennial Park, Franklin, Tennessee.” (14 February 2006), 6.

58

Former maintenance used fire that has caused deterioration of some monuments.

Due to shifting of ground settlement, some of the graves have broken at ground level and

need to be reset in an upright position. Many of the stones have come off of their base and casting aside removed stones is not an acceptable solution. The tops of the box tombs have cracked and shifted leaving shattered piles of fragments on the ground. In some cases, the table and box tombs have totally collapsed.

Parts of several box-top and table-tomb monuments are falling apart.

59

Many of the tombstones have evidence of biological growth on their surfaces. These lichens and algae have caused deterioration of the markers. These growths can trap moisture in and secrete acids and with time can further destroy the headstones. Plant life, such as ivy, ferns, and mosses, can also be hazardous because they can penetrate the stone. Vegetation growth is not as evident in Rest Haven but there are some instances where it does occur. Use the same techniques to clean those stones.

Other problems with vegetation include overgrowth near the chain-link fence on the northeast corner of the cemetery. Due to past storms, the chain-link fence has collapsed causing graves, such as John Craig, inaccessible for visitors. The iron gates on the West and South entrances of the Old City Cemetery are missing pieces and railings. Individual tombs and family plots enclosed with iron fencing are also missing pickets and sections of railings.

The Ewing family enclose is missing sections of iron fencing.

There is evidence of grave desecration. Vandals have come in and scratched the exterior of the headstones with chalk. To properly remove the surface applied graffiti, the National Park Service Preservation Brief # 38 deals with removing graffiti from historic masonry. This brief can be viewed at www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief38.htm.

Careless site maintenance has also led to the neglect of the cemetery. Fallen leaves cover the grounds and some leaves have become imbedded in the cracked graves. The large Pecan tree in the middle of the cemetery needs to be properly maintained. Overhanging large tree branches need to be cut to prevent further damage to surrounding headstones, while maintaining adequate shade to continue the peaceful environment intended. Properly training landscaping and maintenance staff through workshops is essential to the future of the Old City Cemetery. Public awareness will also generate public interest in saving the Old City Cemetery.

60

Rest Haven

Many stones are obviously not as they were originally. Many, such as the obelisk of Susan J. Cecil, are drastically leaning and are in danger of falling. Many others are no longer square on their base and are also in danger of falling and breaking. There are already several of the smaller, thinner tombstones that have already been broken, several of which have had preservation work to reconstruct them.

Some monuments are leaning while others have fallen. This fallen column

just missed the gravestone behind it.

Preservation work is evident in the tombstones. Several have obviously been broken and put back together. Others are leaning against their base while others still have been left on the ground. The latter will eventually be buried as rain and the growing grass conceal them. This could be the case for many missing head and foot stones other than the ones found in various piles in the plots and along the dry stone walls.

This tablet broke and was put back together using nails.

61

Rest Haven was originally looked after by the office of sexton. After the office was no longer operating, the Ladies’ Resthaven Association tended the needs of the cemetery with occasional financial support. Most of the preservation revolved around controlling vegetation growth by setting the cemeteries on fire once a year. This did much damage to the stones from rapid heating and cooling causing the stones to flake. This damaged the finishes on the fences as well.

Some joints in the iron fencing are starting to detach from the posts at the corners of the family plots. These need to be reattached but only if this can be done without damage to either the fence or concrete posts.

This iron fence is detached from the post and is in danger of falling.

As addressed several times, it is not acceptable to remove gravestones from their original location or where they fall. Once removed, the exact location of the stones is nearly impossible to relocate. This also applies for the iron fencing. Near the gate is a pile of fencing that has been removed from its family plot. While it may be easier to return to its original location due to its unique design, part of its integrity is lost.

This iron fencing is laid against the wall of Rest Haven.

62

As part of the Rural Cemetery Movement, Rest Haven was designed in family plots. Many of these are bounded by four posts and long rectangular stones. These need as much care as the gravestones. Several posts have broken and placed back together by stacking the fragments. While this is a temporary solution, eventually, these need to be repaired permanently.

Many of the posts that were used to mark boundaries of family plots

and the hold the iron fences are crumbling. Sunken graves are common in Rest Haven. These are caused by the ground settling over a burial. Many of these are located within the family plots and are less dangerous for visitors to the cemetery. Do not fill them in or you will lose the evidence of a prior burial.

Many sunken graves are located within the family plots in Rest Haven.

63

FURTHER RESEARCH

Several important lessons can be learned from the study of cemeteries. One of the first things the cemetery observer can see is how the town feels about their past. If the cemetery is in good condition, it can be inferred that the city cares about their history and heritage. Looking deeper, the observer can learn more specifics about the city. The people interred tell a story of the history of Franklin from their actions and experiences in life. Although this history is not written on the tombstones, a visitor to the cemeteries can see who the wealthy were by the elaborate stones. If their curiosity is enticed, a quick visit to the library or archives can shed light on the history of Franklin. More broadly, noticing the differences in the layouts between City Cemetery, Rest Haven, and Toussaint L’Ouverture shows an evolution in the burial process that impacts our funerary practices today. The monument to the Unknown Soldier shows that the Civil War is still a strong part of local heritage and respect is shown for both the Union and the Confederacy soldiers.

This report looks only at a few lessons to be learned from Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven, but there is still research to be done. For a more comprehensive understanding of City Cemetery and Rest Haven, it is suggested that the following be pursued:

As a matter of safety, the pipe near between the German and Perkins plots that needs to be removed if possible. Visitors can trip over this.

Who were the stone masons that created the various monuments and how did the monuments come to be in Franklin? Monuments have come as far as Indiana and by looking at how they can to rest in Franklin can tell about the history of transportation in Franklin and other parts of the county.

The survey of the inscriptions needs to be updated. Although the WPA survey is a great resource, many of the monuments have been destroyed, misplaced, or weathered to the point where it cannot be read. By understanding the rate of deterioration, immediate preservation needs can be better accessed and work can be done to make rubbing while the stones are intact for future generations. A photo log with descriptions of the tombstone, measurements, location, and condition is a great way to keep this information in a safe place. It will also create a central location for genealogical researches to gather past information on their family’s resting place.

During any future inventory, unmarked graves need to be identified. The WPA survey estimated there were several hundred unmarked graves in Rest Haven. There may be more today from weathering and removal over the past eighty years. Although the stones cannot be replaced, knowing where the remains are is useful to get a proper number.

64

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Adgent, Nancy. Deep East Texas Grave Markers. Austin, TX: Stephen F. Austin State University Press, 2010.

Appell, Jonathan. “Gravestone Preservation.” New England Cemetery Services. http://www.gravestonepreservation.info/cleangr-2.asp (accessed 17 November 2010).

The Association for Gravestone Studies. “Preservation,” http://www.gravestonestudies.org/preservation.htm (accessed 15 November 2010).

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

Buckley, Jody. “Our Cemeteries-Our Heritage.” The Review-Appeal. (1 July 1976): 2.

“Crosses of Honor for Heroes,” Franklin Historical Society, 1901.

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

Deed of Sale from John Marshall, 29 October 1853.

Dozier, Fannie Pinkerton and Mrs. D.J. Wallace. “Memorial Gateway and Old Cemetery.” (29 October 1916), Franklin, TN.

Farber, Jessie Lee. “Early American Gravestones: Introduction to the Farber Gravestone Collection.” American Antiquarian Society, 2003.

Franklin’s Charge, “Unknown Soldier Recovered from Franklin Battlefield” http://www.franklinscharge.com/unknown-soldier-recovered-from-franklin-battlefield (accessed 17 November 2011)

Hartley, John. “Reverend W. H. F. Scruggs,” 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.

Jackson, Kenneth T.and Camilo Jose Vergara. Silent Cities: The Evolution of the American Cemetery. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1989.

Jacobs, D.A. “Alphabetical List of Graveyard Symbols and their Meanings.” Gravestones: A New England Art Form. D.A. Jacobs Photography http://www.deejaysgravestones.net/Alphabetical.htm (accessed 13 December 2010).

65

Kruger-Kahloula, Angelika. “On the Wrong Side of the Fence: Racial Segregation in American Cemeteries.” In History and Memory in African-American Culture. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994.

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 09 November 2011).

McKnight, Glen. “Brief History of the Grand Army of the Republic,” SUVCW—Grand Army of the Republic. http://www.suvcw.org/gar.htm (accessed 09 November 2011).

Meyers, Richard E., ed. Cemeteries of Gravemarkers: Voices of American Culture. Ann Harbor, MI: UMI Research Press, 1989.

Pike, 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.

Rochester’s History. “Victorian Cemetery Symbolism – Sleeping Child.” http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-tl/Photos/MtHope/Sym0235.html (accessed 13 December 2010).

Sloane, David Charles. The Last Great Necessity. Baltimore, MD: The John Hopkins University Press, 1991.

Tate, Mindy. “Preparing to Bury the Past” from The Williamson Herald posted 9/17/09. http://www.williamsonherald.com/home?id=66283 (accessed 10 November 2011)

Tyler, Irene R. & Tracy L. Coffing. Quinn Evans Architects. “Phase I Cemetery Assessment: Bicentennial Park, Franklin, Tennessee.” 14 February 2006.

United States Army Corps of Engineers. “After Action Report: May 2010 Flood Event Cumberland River Basin 1-3 May 2010,” (21 July 2010).

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

Warwick, Rick. email to Sara Rieger, 4 November 2010.

Warwick, Rick. “Franklin Masonic Lodge.” In The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, ed. Carroll Van West. Nashville, TN: The Tennessee Historical Society, 1998.

Warwick, Rick. “Who was Marcellus Cupper?” Williamson County Historical Society Journal. (29 November 1998): 114.

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

66

APPENDIX I – Maps

The original design of the town of Franklin from the Williamson County Archives.

67

68

Sanborn Map of Franklin, Tennessee, 1913 map 2.

69

D. G. Beers Map of Williamson County, Tennessee.

70

1927 Map of the city of Franklin from the Williamson County Archives.

71

Map of lots in Rest Haven from Rick Warwick.

72

73

Location of Confederate Soldiers in Rest Haven from the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

74

APPENDIX II – WPA List of Interred

75

Old City Cemetery

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

Rest Haven

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

APPENDIX III – Phase I Preservation Plan

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131