Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-05-01
AMONG THE TOMBS.
A Sunday Afternoon in Old Win.
chester Cemetery.
A Pleasant Chat with a Lively
Ghost About His Familiar
Spirits.

whole souled hobgoblin, Mr.. w. S.
Rogers, the guardian ghost of Win
chester Cemetery, a representative OF
this journal strOlled about that sacred
spot yesterday evening, resurrecting
time worn inscriptions from moss
grown tombstones with the end of his
cane, and drinking 10 the crisp, cheer
full tones of his guide-toues all the
more crisp and cheerful by contrast
with the dismal surroundings.
81 am glad to see you sir, p said Mr..
Rogers heartily. II am glad to have
any one visit this 'ere.spOt and see the
improyements-and this spot has been
improved. This graveyard has been,
sir, snatched from the tombs. Two
years ago it used to be dreaded on a
double accountable ghosts and the
hoodlums. But the hoodlums was the
worst; the ghosts is innocent and don't
hurt nobody. But them roughs!
Pledge you my word l had to get
shotgun in daytime and sheet at
night to keep EN- from playin cards
on that tombstone yonder," pointing
to a large, fat tomb to one side.
THAT was two years ago, when first
took charge. | had to take it gradual
you know. Got only f.o-r-t-y-nine dol
lars and i>i-f-t.e EN- cents for my
services the first year. Small? Yes,
but my heart is in the collins there
with the old citizens, and | persevered,
now | am doing better. Its agin the
rules to have yourself buried here, but
the Old Folks have promised me l
shall be. / sOrter think the Old
Folks have an eye to business though,
and think if there is anything In
ghosts walkin around at night, they'll
have mine on hand to tend to bust
ness and keep the scamps away"
Mr.. Rogers has certainly wrought
great changes in the place, A stout
wire fence surrounds the grounds, the
posts aud ground boards being freshly
whitewashed. A pretty double gate
leads into the cemetery, the drives
have been widened and repaired, the
walks weeded and leveled, the trees
topped, every particle Of debris re
moved, and comfortable little Office
stands near the reception vault.
And even the little wild flowers
seem to feel what is expected of them,
and are springing up everywhere to
deck the graves of the long forgotten
dead" exclaimed the familiar spirit
in burst Of poetic feeling, removing
his cap and waving it with an eloquent
gesture all his own. But yonder is
something stouter than these pretty
little flowers, which also sprang up to
mark a graYe-my fathers. Fifty
years ago he was buried there. An
acorn tell in the fresh earth, sprouted
and grew. You see it now, a great
oas. ] ask no filter monument for
my fathers gave than nature has
given IL = Nov,
here lies the first Methodist preacher
1 ever listened 70. Rev. Singleton j.
Henderson, n. D.. born March z,
1915; died September IL, 1852. To
show Jon bow popular be was. I'll tell
you 8 start. AsuzugeF heard Of him,
comes from ls1g Ways 10 hear him
preach Vel, he goes Up 70 the First
Methodist church and takes > seat.
Directly Old gentleman comes along
and whispers Begy0ur pardon, strzns
ger, but that smy pew I've paid for
i and EEss the whole uses Of It.
'Alrgat, says the stranger, and be
gets up and takes another seat
further bssk. By and By an
other party CONES along and says,
Excuse ne, sir, but / will have TO
ask you to find another pew. This ia
private
81 am agreeable, says the stranger,
and be gets further back still. Then
somebody else makes him get up, and
he goes out into the street and gets
him block, brings it back, plants it
down 10 the aisle, settles his chin Oh
his hands aud gets ready for the
straight gospel. Bout the time he
gets fixed the usher comes along and
SEE: Mister, you're out of order.
Let him remain, hollers the preach
er, who has been watching. Then the
sermon goes on, and after it is over
DR.. Henderson SEE few things about
paying to hear the word of God, and
when he gifts through pews was goini
for half price. The First church
hasn't been much on the pew rent from
that day to this.
Nov, here is the grave OF Royal
G. Hart, the first tavern keeper oil
Memphis, and a royal old fellow h
was. Old Davy Crockett slept in BIZ
house many night. There a heart
you see, carved on the footstone. Hi,
sign was Royal Co. followed By BIZ
heart, painted red. He got consump,
tive, and the doctors advised him I,
90 to New Orleans to ketch the yellow
fever and he would get we'll. But tn
doctors didn't known no more abou
yellow fever then they do now. Il
died Of it.
We've made some improvement
in spelling since Bazel d. Talbot wa
blown up by the Helen McGregor i
1886. You see the stone says he wa
q passenger on the 'steembote Helle
Macgregger. Here is a lot wher
there's three ladies buried-wife's {
one man. The fourth survived hil
aud visits here nearly every Sunda,
Over thers you will see a monumer
with three OIL the four sides filed wit
inscriptions. Look at il"
One side was dedicated to the men
DRY of Martha Ann, a native of Sout
Carolina, LIST beloved wife Of j. !
Mitchell; another to Catherine /,
Vanpelt, Of Tennessee, End believe
wife; the third to Mary A. Able,
Alabama, Sd beloved wife Of j.
Mitchell. The last passed away
1850. No further record of the ma