Just outside of Scotts Hill, literally steps away from the Decatur County line, lies a little piece of the past that has piqued not only the interest of local history buffs, but that of those responsible for adding such places to the National Registry of Historic Places. Last week, around 150 people---locals, out-of-towners, and state officials, gathered at the Doe Creek Cemetery and one-room schoolhouse in the Sardis community. The purpose? To begin the process of national recognition on the
Registry
Interest in preserving the site stems not only from family members of those who attended the school and who were buried there, but since historians say since the site boasts one of the last standing log one-room schoolhouses, excited historians say there's a great chance that the schoolhouse can be restored and the cemetery kept in tip-top shape, once it gets added to the
Register
After a site is designated Historic, it is eligible for grants to help pay for upkeep and restoration. But the project still needs your help. We'll explain later.
It all started with Freddie Kennedy, an avid Civil War buff, and member of the Sons of the Confederacy. He contacted local Veteran's Service Officer Jerry Taylor about getting soldiers' markers for twins Lester and Vester Kennedy, who died just 11 days apart during World War I. Now for those of you who don't know him, Taylor has a reputation of getting things done when it comes to helping any soldier who fought in any American war. So it was only natural, since there are several C.S.A. soldiers buried at Doe Creek (Confederate flags still proudly wave over several gravesites) that Freddie ask Jerry for help.
After putting the markers for the Kennedy twins down on July 15th of this year, Taylor gave Rep. Steve McDaniel a call. McDaniel pulled all the right strings, and the ball began rolling toward registration and restoration of the school and gravesites.
A few steps through Doe Creek Cemetery take a person back in time. It's quite obvious how the plots evolved---some of the oldest graves, all on the western side of the site---simply have stone markers with no names. Those stones slowly transform into elaborate Victorian-era headstones, then give way to more modern-looking ones all the way to the eastern side of the cemetery, which boasts the schoolhouse. Though the unmarked graves may hold some secrets we'll never know, there are well-documented incidents alluding to the identity of the first two people to be buried there. Here is the story, not for the faint-of-heart:
According to the book, "The History of Scotts Hill", written by Gordon Turner Sr. in 1977, there is a sad beginning to Doe Creek Cemetery: "James David Kennedy, C.S.A. Pvt....Not otherwise identified. Son of Robert and Cynthia Eason Kennedy. One of four brothers who fought for the Confederacy. When he returned after the war, feelings were still high. He and a brother-in-law, Bill Nails (also a Rebel soldier) got into a fight with Guerillas some six miles southwest of Scotts Hill...Both Kennedy and Nails were brutally beaten to death. Kennedy's father found them both, and his son's brains had been beaten out. He secured help, gathered his son's brains into a hat the best he could, and both bodies were hauled into an ox-wagon to a corner of the Kennedy farm up on the hill which had been donated as a community graveyard, later to be known as the Doe Creek Cemetery. The brothers-in-law were the first interments there; the start of the graveyard and the graves on the west side were marked only by sandstones. A brighter note: Robert Kennedy gave adjoining land later for the (log) church and snaked the fine poplar logs from nearby woods with which he and the neighbors "raised" the Baptist Church....Still standing, but no longer in use, the old log house served as a schoolhouse for many years. The late
Elmer Duck was one of the last teachers (also buried at Doe Creek), and finished up 30-odd years in the little house." ---from a list of both Confederate and Union soldiers listed in "The History of Scotts Hill", who are buried at Doe Creek. The unlucky Confederate veterans whose young lives were snuffed out by Union guerilla forces are reported to be buried near four very large, old cedar trees that grow at the western corner of the cemetery. There are no visible markers for the two fallen soldiers.
The cemetery, in which many Decatur Countians lie in rest, and the schoolhouse, have a very good chance of making it onto the register of Historic Places. "Once that happens," said Kennedy, "it's possible we can get grants to help restore the old schoolhouse and keep the place up. Since so many people showed up yesterday when the historians came, I believe it can happen, but we'll need more than grant money."
For example, the schoolhouse, believed to be one of the oldest, if not the oldest, still standing in the state, was constructed from hand-hewn poplar logs. "We're looking for people with knowledge of the log-hewing process, because during the restoration we want to make the schoolhouse as original-looking as possible."
Kennedy and Taylor were told that the roof and foundation would cost around $10,000 to restore, with the whole schoolhouse restoration cost adding up to around $100,000. "I believe it can be done, if everyone pitches in," maintained Taylor. "That sounds like a lot of money, but when you've got the number of people that showed up just for the historians' visits, I believe it can be done."
If you have any interest in helping with the project, donating poplar logs or other materials, have any knowledge of old-time log structures, or to donate, please contact any of the folks listed below.
