JACKSON COLLEGE CEMETERY-SPRING HILL, MAURY COUNTY, TENNESSEE


Shown here is a broken box tomb that has an unknown inscription due to being broken. The top that normally contains the lettering is shattered, buried or scattered. The sides and ends are mostly fallen and buried. You may be wondering what force could have caused such a jumbled up mess out of what was once a beautiful nine part tomb assembly. Only two parts of the many fractured pieces of the top shown in the left middle of the photo could be readily found. This tomb has something in the range of one ton of solid granite that has parts that weigh upward to 800 lbs. That much damage could have only come from a large falling tree because the top is practically crushed. Another possible cause of the destruction is rooting hogs. They just might have the kind of strength to do this much damage.  If this was caused by a fallen tree it has long since decayed leaving no evidence of the usual ground cavity from decaying roots. I for one just do not believe teenage vandals could have caused this much damage in spite of the many stories I hear. 
There is a voluntary restoration team at work developing ways to repair this tomb and others here. The ground will be raked and probed for the missing parts of the top and the other parts such as the ends and sides and corners that appear to me to be there will be set up, stabilized and leveled. These must be located and reassembled for the inscription to be recovered. The top (parts) can then be bonded with the latest techniques. This is one of the most difficult restoration challenges one can tackle. 
Located to your right at the bottom is also a fallen foot marker (with the arrow-point shape) that belongs to an infant's grave next to this one. In the upper left area of the photo is the fallen tower sections of the Thompson Memorials. These do not belong to this box tomb assembly.Photo and writings by Wayne Austin 11/04/20003.
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