ROSE HILL CEMETERY, COLUMBIA TENNESSEE


GEPHART, Ernest 1 Sep 1900 - no other date. 
GEPHART, Iris K. 7 Mar 1913 - no other date.
(These two stone are surplus and will be destroyed. not used no burials ocurred here with this name. Buried elsewhere.)
 
Story about these 2 stones told by cemetery researcher Elaine Warren Miller.

These are surplus stones made available because the above mentioned couple were buried elsewhere and leaving them sitting in the Rose Hill Cemetery. They were given to me and I put them in the Harvey Cemetery about 4 or 5 years ago as a way to reserve two plots.  The daughter of Iris gave them to me after tellng me this story. Her elderly mother married an older man named Gephart. Mr. Gephart's daughter was buried in this "family plot" and there were 2 other stones there. One for the wife and mother of the child and one for him. The wife (Iris) was buried elsewhere - unknown. Mr. Gephart had married this ladies mother. When Mr. Gephart died, this lady's mom buried him in her family plot elsewhere. When her mom died, she had her mom placed with Mr. Gephart and she was left with all these plots deeded to her and only Mr Gephart's daughter was left there so Mr. Gephart and his original wife then had two stones that were never used. She deeded the plot to us and I asked if it were okay to remove those 2 stones and she of course agreed because those two people weren't buried there. I had the stones stored so we could make good use of the plots. 

***** When my Aunt Josie wanted two grave sites "reserved" in  Harvey Cemetery what better way than to park these 2 stones temporarily there. I have every intention to remove or destroy them at Harvey Cemetery someday when I find the right use for them. *****
There is still a large center headstone with surname GEPHART remaining in Rosehill that remains surplus. It was too big to move though it may serve the only remaining Gephart grave there. 
In my research I found 16 tombstones for confederate soldiers proven to be buried at Rose Hill - exact locations unknown, but documented to be there. We used the donated surplus plots to put down stones for the soldiers we are sure are buried at Rose Hill in unmarked graves, their exact locations unknown. 
Story as told by Elaine Warren Miller, married to Alan. Today living in Columbia, South Carolina. 23 Aug 2008.
Photo by Wayne Austin 5 Aug 2008.