CUMMINGS
CEMETERY, (Copeland Rd), LIMESTONE COUNTY, ALABAMA
This cabin was the oldest in
Limestone County. It stood until recent vandals burned it.
Old Two Story Log House built by Levi Cummings, probably before 1810 making it the
oldest home in Limestone County before it was burned by marauding
arsonist-vandals.
Area Views:
8662,8418,8419,8420,8421,8422,8431,8432,8436,8437,8438,8444,8445,
8446,8451,8452,8464,8546,8547,8551
Area Views - the Clem grave Lots Labeled:5238C
New Signage added 8 Sep 2017:0497
A new low budget memorial for Lucy Haynes & Permelia Hall Clem.
Their stones are mostly destroyed: 2060CC,2060,2060A,2060B
Restoration effort on 29 Jul 2017/HL Clem:0052,0275,0276,0276W,0277,0292,0473,0474,0475,0476,0477,0478,0479,0480,0481,0482,0483,0484,0485,0486,0488
BOYCE, William A., 11 Sep 1844 - 20 Sep 1848. 8414,8413,8661
CLEM, H. (Hezekiah) L., 10 Apr 1866 - 8 Apr
1905. At rest, son of J. M. & J. N. Clem, T'was hard to .
. . . But thy will O. . . . .. Footstone: "H. L.
C.". Update: Hezekiah L. "Hezzie" Clem b. 10 Apr 1866
in Sardis Springs AL, died 8 Apr 1905. Never Married. 8647,8648,8669,8447,8448,8455,8648,8669,8454,After
Repair: 4044C,4044C1,repaired
again after vandal re-broke it: 0052
CLEM, Joseph Michael,
9 Jan 1829 - 12 Jan 1923 (This stone is
beside his wife Joanna N. Martin Clem.
Broken top of monument was found in the Joseph M Clem grave sink
JOSEPH M. CLEM BORN JAN 9, 1829. DIED JAN 12, 1923,
"His toils are past his work is done He fought the fight the victory
won."; Inscription proven with the help of information found in
"Clem Family History", by Dee Clem: Joseph Michael Clem buried in Cummings
Cemetery, Also Joanna and Thomas Martin Clem, detailed names.
*0473C,0270,0273,
before finding top:8457C,8457,8458
CLEM, J. N. (Joanna N.
Martin),
24 Jul 1837 - 8 Mar 1888. "wife of J. M. (Joseph Michael)
Clem",
".. has fought a good fight, she has finished her course, and has kept the
faith. Henceforth there is laid for her a crown of Righteousness", "Morriss
Bros. Memphis". 8460,8673,8671,8459,5245
CLEM, J. W. (John Wesley?), 1 Mar 1820 - 1 Jun 1873.
8668,8453,8455,
Clem Genealogy Commentary
CLEM, John C.,
11 Oct 1848 - 25 Jul 1854. "son of John & Sarah Clem";
(Son of John Wesley Clem and Sarah A. Hall Clem.)
8670,8449,8450
CLEM, Thomas M. (Martin), 14 Nov 1861 - 18 Jun 1885. "son of J. M. & J. N.
Clem".
8672,8673,5246
CLEM, Permela, 2 Sep 1823 - 8 Jun 1848. (daughter of John D. Hall and
Frances (unknown) Hall).
Just a fragment of the stone is left today with some of the inscription "Sacred
to the memory of Parmela Clem, Daughter of . . . . . . . & Frances . .
. . . Born
Sept . . . . . . . . . (I set in place a
cinder block segment at the spot I dug up this fragment of the tombstone and
added it to the spot I reserved for preserving fragments like this beside the
broken Naomy Keys Cummings memorial.) Update: George
Milton Clem was born 1824 in Madison Co, AL, he married (1) Permelia S. Hall 4
Dec 1845, in Limestone Co, AL., She was born 2 Sep 1823 in SC, daughter of John
D. Hall and Frances (unknown) Hall, Permelia died 8 Jun 1848, buried in Cummings
Cem. Athens, AL.
5273,5235,new
monument:2060CC,2060,2060A,2060B
CUMMINGS, Ann Linch, 8 Jun 1797 - 2 Mar 1827. "Consort of Levi Cummings".
8666,8440,8441
CUMMINGS, Levi, 24 Oct 1776 - 5 Sep 1840. (Halifax Co. Va. native; 1st mar.
Naomy Keys Cummings, 2nd mar. Ann Linch Cummings; Ref: e-mail to Mary Bob from
Wm. Scott Deaver 1962dude@comcast.net ) 8429,8663,8428,8430,footstone
L.C.:5255
CUMMINGS, Naomy Keys,
24 Oct 178- - 10 Jul ----, (24 Oct 1782 - 10 Jul 1819) "Consort of
Levi Cummings". 8664,8665,8434,8435,8439,5249
HALL, Francis,
1 Jan 1794 -
23 May 1840.
"Consort of John D. Hall", "Aged 46 years 4 months & 22
Days". 8667,8442,8443
HALL, Martha L.,
5 Feb 1858 (or 1838) - 28th A_ 1859.
5257,8415,8416,8417,8660,8426,8427
HALL, Loueza V., 22 Apr 1859 - 28 Jun 1861. "dau. of L. F. & Mary J.
Hall".
8423,8424,8425
HAYNES, Lucy,
8 Feb 1810 - 4 Jun 1840, 30 yrs, 3 mos. 27 dys, daughter of
Gideon & Francis (Haynes). We can make out only this bit of inscription
remaining today:
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF . . . . . . . . Y Haynes, Daughter . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . " Another
fragment that could belong here . . . . . . . . . . . . 184_, _ _ _ ars
(years) 9 (months) . . . . . . . Days". However the 9 months is in conflict with
previous researchers who found 3 months. 5262,5250,
new monument:2060CC,2060,2060A,2060B
McNEAL, J.M., Jan 11, 1876 - Apr 24, 1908.
(concrete marker -only the mid section was found)
0055,0261,0267,0268,0057,0279,0282
SCRIMPSHER, William Flem, 23 Mar 1839 - 15 Oct 1902. Masonic
Emblem. Military Marker: "William F. Scrimpsher Pvt Co F 4th
Ala Inf. Confederate States Army". 8656,8404,8405,8650
SCRIMPSHER, James, 7 Oct 1837 - 29 Jun 1910. Military
marker: "Capt Wards Batt Ala Lt Arty Confederate States Army." (Inside
iron fence.) 8409,8410,8411,8658,8659
SCRIMPSHER, Malissa Jane Ridley, 17 Feb 18(6 or 7?)4 - 16 Apr 1900. "wife of W.
F. Scrimpsher". 8657,8402,8403
SCRIMPSHER, Nancy J., 21 Feb 1830 - 7 Apr 1911.
8659,8412
SCRIMPSHER, Sary E., 25 Dec 1842 - 31 Oct 1872. 8407,8406,8656
SCRIMPSHER, Sary Elizabeth,
6 Jan 1876 - 28 Dec 1876. 8399,8398,8655
SMITH, James K. P., 18 Aug 1845 - 12 Oct 1865. Military
marker: "Pvt Co. C 26 Ala Infantry, Confederate
States Army". (son of Roland &
Sarah Elizabeth Henry Smith.)
8653,8395,8396,8397
SMITH, William R.,
12 Oct 1857 - 17 Feb 1883. Footstone:
"W.R.S." (son
of Roland & Sarah Elizabeth Henry Smith.)
8651,8652,8469,8654
Unknown soul fieldstone
marked grave:8433
Stone fragment &
unreadable stone:
"184_......ars 9.......Days."
8548,8549,8550
*This stone (top) was
dug
from the underneath the ground 29 Jul 2017. It was about 18 inches deep inside
the grave sink. I used probe and got that familiar "dink" sound as the point of
the probe struck solid stone.
Located on Copeland Road near the house built by Levi Cummings, probably
before 1810.
Most of the stones were broken and scattered
around by Vandals in the past and that is what I found on the first visit - I
made several attempts at repairing the grave stones and cleaning the cemetery.
The gravestones may not be in their exact original place over the
grave, but I have made an attempt to reassemble as many of the fragments and glue up some of the
ones most easily fixed, including major attempts at stone restoration on HK Clem
and generally the Clem family. Some have since been vandalized again as folks
visit and push on the stones breaking some of them again. I stacked all the
fragments that had inscription on them which could not be matched to stone under
the standing stone of Frances Hall. CWA.
If you visit this cemetery please do not harm or touch any of these stones. They
continue to be fragile, but should last hundreds of years if left alone assuming
the trees do not drop limbs on them. These folks are not my ancestors, but I
have much time & supplies invested in this restoration that I have done via philanthropic means.
I should not catch anyone abusing this cemetery lest I lose my temper and regret
a confrontation (well actually call the law). But by all means I applaud anyone to go
there in gentility and enjoy this historic place if you wish. The HK Clem, Flem
Schrimpcher, & William R. Smith memorials have been broken again probably because the SCV
placed confederate flags over their graves. They were Confederate Veterans. Folks this is reflection of their history (not anything to ruffle your
feathers at) so leave the confederate flags & monuments alone. If not I'll
send Snuffy Smiff with his shooting m'arm afta ya! He might get confused into
thinking a perpetrator is Bugs Bunny in his garden patch" HA!
Original Programming by MB Richardson. Photography by
C. Wayne Austin. Added here 17 Dec
2010. 5XXX photo series made after restoration 19 Jul 2011. Clem family listing
and genealogy updates from Jo
Graf: lestergraft@sbcglobal.net: Tue, Aug 23, 2011, as found in the book: "Clem
Family History", by Dee Clem. Updated again 14 Feb 2012 by info from Cliff
Cumins to display the history on the Levi Cummings house. Revised again 1 Mar 2014
adding some genealogy on the Clems'.
Actually each new series of photo numbers represent a new repair as I continue
to restore this cemetery to the best of my ability using low budget but approved
procedures. Restorations continue on this cemetery even if some of them are
second attempts at getting the stones standing. Two more stones were added after
another visit on 29 Jul 2017. Work continues. I had no idea that so much
information would be uncovered from that brushy patch. Hardly any stones were
showing in 2007 when I went there first.
Had to cut my way into there to find everything so far found.
