PARKER-CARPENTER CEMETERY,
(Ball Hollow Rd) GILES COUNTY TENNESSEE
Mapping the location
Overview of the cemetery 025
026 028
Old Historic Restored home to immaculate
condition - near entrance to Minnow Branch Road:
220
CARPENTER, Eaton, 9 Mar 1811 - 5 Jul
1871. No photo, (likely located next grave north of Emmie in dense
brush.)
CARPENTER, Emmie (Emarsella Wolf), 9 May 1820 - 1 Aug 1882, (wife of Eaton
Carpenter) 221
CARPENTER, R. H. C., 28 Nov 1851 - 3 May 1914 No photo
CARPENTER, Sadie Mai, 22 May 1914 - 5 Sep 1916, (daughter of Marcus & Pearl
Gilliam Carpenter). No photo
CARPENTER, Sammie Laura, B. & D. 12 Jun 1915. No photo
CARPENTER, Samuel E., 21 Jan 1877 - 8 Jan 1915,(son of George W. & Nancy E.
Carpenter. No photo
CHAPMAN, Margaret, 29 May 1862 - 1 Aug 1900. 011
CROSS, Henry T., 10 Feb 1859 - 8 Dec 1901. Father. 021
022 024
and
CROSS, Susan Amanda, 27 Jun 1858 - 10 Feb 1926. Mother. 019
020 023 024
CROSS, Mamie, 3 Dec 1890 - 11 Oct 1895, daughter of T. H. & D. D. Cross. No
photo
HICKMAN, Harriett J., 30 Aug 1847 - 28 Jan 1914. No photo
PARKER, J. (John) H., 19 Aug 1852 - 26 Aug (1928). 002
PARKER, Sallie D. (Carpenter), 18 Jun 1859 - 20 Jun 1916, (wife of John H.
Parker, daughter of Eaton & Emmie Carpenter). 001
014
PARKER, Infant daughter of J. H. & Sallie D. Parker, 8 Oct 1890 - 8 Nov
1890. 015 016
PARKER, Marvin W., 19 Sep 1880 - 11 Jun 1954. 005 006
007 013
PARKER, C. P. (Pearl), 25 Nov 1883 - 12 Aug 1919. (wife of Marvin W. Parker). 003
004 008 013
PARKER, Louisa Smith, 22 Jun 1878 - 14 Jan 1940. (wife of Marvin W. Parker;
1st married to Samuel E. Carpenter (1877-1915) m. 1904). No
photo
QUARLES, Mary B., 9 Aug 1805 - 15 Jan 1892. 009 010
THURMAN, Henry M., 11 Mar 1857 - 24 Mar 1900. 017 018
THURMAN, Marsella Jane Carpenter, 2 Feb 1855 - 19 Mar 1925, ( daughter of
Eaton & Emersella Wolf Carpenter; no tombstone marker found.)
Melissa & Jeff Atkins, the photographers here, were unable to get photos of all the stones due to
the dense saw briars and brush infestation next to a well manicured lawn.
This cemetery is among the worse grown up I have seen and I think I
know the reason. While the cemetery was enclosed by a chain link fence, it is infested
from a growth of weeds, vines & trees. It has been allowed to grow up the last
several years in a very harmful way to this cemetery. It is in extreme danger of
being lost from neglect. Tree roots will invade the graves and render the
headstones out of level causing them to topple to the ground and break
among other things.
The main culprit here is a very serious issue of disagreement and permission
with the land owner who will not allow anyone to come there and clean the
cemetery or even visit it for photos and make condition checks.
I (Wayne Austin) first went there 5 Nov 2009 to do minor cleaning so that I
could make photographs for this site. I went to the owner for permission and was greeted by a lady (whom I will not
name) who promptly ordered me off the land in a very mean spirited
manner. Since I wanted no conflict with anyone I left.
When I discussed this issue with Faye Bradford who helps me with this site I
discovered she is a descendent of the Carpenters interred in this
cemetery. She was devastated that someone would act in such a manner
against her ancestor's graves. She has a deep abiding respect toward those who
came before her. She with her daughter resolved to use the new laws respecting
descendents as the primary owners of the cemetery plots and thus the cemetery to
attempt to gather the photos needed for this site. The above photos though not
complete were collected with their efforts. They deserve our applause for
attempting to get past the "troll under the bridge" to gather and
offer to the public the above images.
I don't believe we have seen the end of this conflict. We are aware of
our rights to respect those good folks that once lived on this green
earth. They deserve our devotion to the upkeep of their graves and at the same
time respect the rights of the land owner even though he or she viciously
allows a terrible cycle of infestation of growth to this once pristine little
cemetery. It is so odd the owners take pride in the beauty of the grass next
to the cemetery and allow this. While I agree the pretty grass next to this cemetery is none of
my business, it is weird to me that folks will care so deeply for their lawns
and allow adjacent brush to destroy a cemetery which is just as much a part of their
land environment. Its as if they are trying to hide the cemetery.
Transcribed from Photos taken by Melissa Bradford Atkins and her husband Jeff Atkins who visited here 21 Mar 2010. Typing by Faye Bradford of Birmingham Alabama. Added here 12 Apr 2010 by Wayne Austin. Again updated by information from Faye Bradford 3 Jan 2010.