Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-04-26

'CobihotAut ioSto hCPOtbCu "i1h ACiCiOhSo
to the exposure Of collins, human bodies,
etc, caused by the deep cut known as
Winchester street or avenue made by
the city through the west end Of the
cemetery some time since. Winchester
Cemetery was the first public graveyard
Of Memphis, and therein repose the
ashes Of the earliest settlers, of the men
and women whose history is entwined
through the early days Of Memphis and
whose descendants today are among our
most respected citizens. For many
years the west end OF the cemetery had
been used as a "potter's field" but in
that locality are also the graves Of many
Of the oldest settlers in private lots, etc.
The old graveyard was owned by the
city, and an addition thereto was made
on the east side by the late undertaken
Smith.
About three years ago, for some reason
Or other, and at the ~instigation Of some.
parties interested, the city opened the
street through the cemetery from Bull
Run out to the Raleigh road. A deep
cut Of nearly twenty feet had to be made
through the east end of " potter's field"
and hundreds Of unknown graves were
broken into and the benes gathered up
and hurled in q common pit. A fence
was erected on the edge Of the street or
cut inclosing a portion Of the cemetery,
but the so-called," potter field" end con.
tanning about two acres filed with graves
was left unfenced and became a com.
mons-at the mercy of everybody, and
to be run over by cattle, horses and
hogs.
In this locality our reporter saw mum.
bers Of broken tombstones and graves
wherein hogs had rooted. The graves
of the poor and unknown lie thick and
deep in this spot turned out as a pasture,
and the tombstones Of many ~well.known
and old citizens can be seen there like
wise; for instance, the grave and tomb.
stone Of Captain Sam Young, who was
buried in 1851. Captain Young was one
Of the earliest settlers on the bluff, and
none was more highly respected. This
grave is within q few feet of the deep cut
forming the street, and will ere long
tumble into the thoroughfare. On either
side of this street our reporter saw the
boards and ends of collins sticking out
awaiting the next rain and crumbliug of
earth to fall into the street. On the east
of the cut theiend of n metallic burial
case protrudes and the earth beneath it
is giving way so that soon the bones Of
the sacred dead will fall a distance OF
fifteen feet. Our reporter got over the
fence and e~ndeavored to discover a head
stone to this grave, but that had long
since fallen down or had been broken by
vandal hands. The enclosed part Of the
cemetery is sown thick with buried dead
and the names on the tombstones are
those of the Oldest families. Within ten
feet of the cut is the vault of the Whit
slit family, and this will also ere long
tumble down. The city opened this
street and made the cut which now 50
exposes the dead and left what is called
"potter's field" unfenced and subject tc
the inroads Of stock that prowl all over
ii, destroying tombstones and disturbing
graves. This is ghoul-like and horrible,
and the least that the city can now do il
the premises is to fence in the place
protect the graves and remove the pro
truding collins Immediately. Let the
City Engineer be instructed to attend tC
this street, which presents SO disgracefu
an appearance to every passer-by. Ever
the fence around the graveyard proper
is dilapidated and falling into decay
the graves and walks are overrun with
weeds and vines, and hogs find no diff
: Guilty in getting in through the fence
Bridges Digest of City Ordinances pub
lished in 1879, page l73, section 3s2
contains the following: The burial o.
dead bodies in any portion of the
grounds known as Winchester Cemetery
be and the same is hereby prohibited.
But dead bodies, principally those Of
negroes, continue to be buried therein
judging from the fresh graves there to be
seen.
We invite the attention Of the Mayor
and General Council to this matter, anC
will continue to do 80 until some actor
. is taken calculated to bring about tn,
. needed repairs and the protecting of tn,
dust of the dead from so ~disgraceful al
exposure so offensive to every feeling o
humanity and every idea Of propriety.