The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-07-21
For rHK cLAEIos1
Among the Tomb-Stones of Yazoo
County.
Some Famous Famllies-'old shiloh

/ fail 70 interest, to some extent, great mani
people now living within its limits; anc
this subject is necessarily attractive to other:
who have removed to distant lands and left
the bones of friends or relatives moulderins
| beneath its soil.
/ The writer, IN the course of several years
waaderings, mas crossed in his path num-
bers OF these homes of the dead, but will
mention here only few of the many now
prominent in his mind
Somebody has said: "Show me your
grave-yards and public roads, and 1 will tell
what kind of people you are" This, to
some extent, may be true, but the writer
does not propose, here, to assume the role of
censor, nor discuss the condition of either.
it is sufficient that both are bad enough /;
the result Of a disastrous war, the effects of
which in these particulars will be discerni-
bic COR uu11y years TO come. The HaZoo
City Cemetery certainly presents a neat
appearance and contains many beautiful
family plats and some exquisitely sculptured
monuments. The ladies Of the county are
now at work collecting funds for a monu-
ment TO the one hundred and thirty un-
known Confederate soldiers, who rest here
IN four ranks in a plat TO themselves. But
il is with the od-time tomb-stones, that this
article has to deal.
BENTON.
The graveyard al Benton, the oldest, and
at one time, the most thriving aud populous
town IN the county. much to my surprise
presented but few familiar names only
some ten or dozen are at all legible, and
several of the graves are crumbling away
into the great guliies on either side. The
oldest tomb and most familiar family name
recognized, was that of w. p. Gadberry,
who died, Nov. 9th, 1888, aged 80 years.
Mrs. Nj. G. Bostic& was born Dec. 18th,
1922 and died in 1874, aged u years.
Christian" The same shaft is Gin memory
of her two infants John Purvis and Catha-
rine Jane" Some dozen others of more
recent date, and a few with no stones to
mark them, complete the list. Five miles,
almost due north, from Benton, buried in
the primitive woods, and accessible only by
dim trail, is an old graveyard known by
the now historic name of
SHILOH.
This, many years ago, was the site of
Shiloh Church and the wealth and beauty
of the country for many miles around as
sembied here for worship. These were the
flush times of Mississippi, and Shiloh was
an aristOcratIc church. Under the shade of
the tall trees, high mettled horses stood
harnessed to stately old-fashioned carriages /;
and, perched on his high box, the black
coachman dozed away the time, while the |
aristocrats of these June days |
of the South listened to the inspirations of |
the pioneer preacher.
But the sleek horses fattened the wild |
hogs, and the pompous driver furnished |
food for worms long years ago. The stately |
carriage, like Ben. Bolts old miil-wheel, |
"has fallen to pieces" and not a single |
vestige of the church remains. Only |
the gloomy shadows of the mighty |
oaks, aud great silence unbroken save by
the harsh note of the blue-iay, or the rustic
of the lizard in the dry leaves. But hard
by under costly marble, sleep the master and
mistress, the young man and the merry,
merry maiden" and the little children. who
went to church at Shiloh. Beverly r. Gray
son was buried here in July, 1913, aged 90
years, and six weeks later, his wife Sarah,
aged 10 years, was laid by his side Clai-
borne, in his History of Mississippi, pays a
Just tribute to the merit of this distinguish
ed Grayson family, noted, since Colonial
days, alike, in letters, politics and arms,
and many OF whom haze lived and
lied in Yazoo county. VIM. L. Chew, the
founder of the Chew family in Mississippi,
also mentioned by Claiborne, is buried at
Shiloh. He was born in 177S and died in
1888, aged 80 years. Here are the Cara
lines the Walkers and many others, the
mention Of whose names would awaken
pleasing and painful memories to many Mis-
sissippi people.
SOLITUDE.
Ia an old sedge field of thousand acres,
the property of the Vaughan family, there
is solitary grave inclosed by brick wall,
On which rest a broad marble slab, with the
somewhatq inscription which
we give literally
SACRED
To the Memory of
HENRIETTA 5. THEUs,
Who departed this life on the 4th Sept,
1884, in the twenty-first year of her life, af-
Ter a short but painful illness, which she
pore with christian patience and frmness,
ill after the death of her premature babe
which lies entombed beside her, and then
she became anxious to be gone and be with
It in Heaven, their dwelling-piace.
Thou vert not formed for living here
For thou vert kindred with the aky;
Yet, yet we held thee all so dear,
We thought thou vert not form'd to die.
INQUIRY from old residents failed to elicit
any information as to the history of the
Young mother who, for forty-seVen years,
has slept, with her babe, in this mournful
but the lonely grave, the elaborate
marble and the peculiar inscription, are
suggestive of the old story of mans
perfidy and woman's trust.
The burial ground on the Cage Planta-
ton Is completely covered over by a dense
of rose and honeysuckle vines, and
walled in by thick underground of shrub
berry and bramble; but after penetrating to
the interior the visitor sees some stately
the names on which are sug-
gestive of stirring times. The Cage family
was one of the largest and most influential
families in the State, and Robert Cage, the
head of this branch of the family, who died
in 1855, was noted for his many fine quail
ties of head and heart, and his lavish and
splendid hospitality His brother, Judge
Harry Cage, was for several years member
of Congress and prominent in Mississippi
politics in the times of Poindex1er and
Pummer.
In this cemetery lie the bodies of Harmon
A. Hays and his wife, Elizabeth, who both
died in 1888; and this is the only part of the
inscription now legible. They were the
parents of Col. Jack. Hays the famous Tex
az ranger, and of Harry Hays, distinguish
ed lawyer of New Orleans, and gallant
Maior-General in the Confederate army,
now also dead VIII Hays, another brother,
is buried here with his parents The famous
Col Jack still lives near San Antonio,
Texas, and unlike many Of the noted char
acters of aats belIum days, he is in af1uent
These three were the neph
ews and after the death OF their parents the
wards of Robert Cage, and spent their early
wears on this old plantation close to the spot
where all bat tEo of the family lie, waiting
the judgment day"
SUICIDE.
On s'Flodden Field" plantation in the
midst of what is noE known as the Barks-
dale feld, the impeeunious Rphoider Of the
Heed of trust turns aside his soFrowful mule
ID avoid a small dense cluster of elder
bushes and wild grape vines. Underneath