Beech Grove-Confederate Graveyard

This cemetery is actually in Coffee County, TN, but since it is a Confederate Graveyard and near Rutherford County, I have decided to include it here to preserve it for future researchers.  As you can see from the images, we are just in time.

Kim Shockey took the same images in 2003 on her site at http://www.kimshockey.com/cem/co/coffee/beechgrove2.html  so you can compare how much damage has been done to this cemetery in just 6 years.

 

These pictures were take by Cheryl Parsons mchasjunk@aol.com on 12 Sep 2009.

  

PVT William T. F. Pike

Hillards Co A 2 ALA Legion CSA

1842

1863

 

Charles Henry Johnston

CO F

4 KY INF

CSA

27 Mar 1832

03 Apr 1863

 

Isaac Eoff

PVT Continential Line

Rev War

1761

1841

[Cheryl’s Note’s:  Isaac Eoff was married to Margaret Knox. He applied for a Revolutionary War Pension on 7 August 1832. My information says he died in Coffee County. I’m not sure why a Revolutionary War marker would be in this Confederate cemetery. I think this is the only one. Since the marker says it was originally the site of an old pioneer cemetery, maybe Isaac was buried there already and someone ordered the newer stone for him.]

John C. Ahsley

13 Dec 1823

17 Aug 1824

Aged 8 Months

[Cheryl’s Notes: This is one of at least four markers inside a little black iron fence in the Beech Grove Confederate Cemetery. The other stones are for J. P. Stephenson, Mary S. A. Stephenson, and Louisa Stephenson. One online source lists this child’s parents as William Ashley and Polly (Weaver) Ashley. I haven’t verified this, but I know Ashleys lived all around Beech Grove.]

Louisa A.

Daughter of

J. P. and M. S. A.

Stephenson

Sep 3 1863

Oct 14 1880

(Cheryl’s notes:  These dates from Kim’s site)

Marshall Fergason

Co K

24 Tenn Regt

CSA

Mary S. A. Stephenson

wife of

J. P. Stephenson

April 12 1834

Dec 16 1881

Teresa’s Notes:  While this cemetery is not in Rutherford County, if there is a cemetery of historical significance like this one in surrounding counties that someone would like to photograph, I will gladly add it to the blog.  These men were not just from Coffee County, They came from all over the country. They just died in battle here.  The sad thing is to see the deteriation of this cemetery in just the short time between when Kim photographed it in 2003 and when Cheryl did in 2009. Will this cemetery even exist in 2015 for the 150th anniversary of the war?

 

I was born of her womb; I was nurtured at her breast; and when my last hour shall come. I pray God that I may be pillowed upon her bosom and rocked to sleep within her tender and encircling arms- Edward Ward Carmack 1858-1908