Cemeteries of Madison County

Oak Grove Missionary
Baptist Church Cemetery


Photographer Tim Batross

Big Black Creek Historical Association

Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery is located in the Westover community about 2 miles southwest from present city limits of Jackson. The cemetery is located on the east side Currie Lane about 0.25 mile south of Oak Grove Road. In January 2004 Currie Lane was blocked at the last house and it was necessary to walk about 200 yards to reach the cemetery. The last datable burial in the cemetery was in 1996, and the cemetery seems largely abandoned, though the Dupree family may continue to use it in the future. The cemetery is large, overgrown, and filled with down tree branches. There are many deep depressions and hundreds of unmarked graves. Probably fewer than one-fifth of the graves here are marked.

David Donahue recorded this cemetery January 22, 2004 based on earlier work by Jonathan K. T. Smith. Mr. Smith's 1995 record for the cemetery appears in his Tombstone Inscriptions from Black Cemeteries in Madison County, Tennessee and a few additional markers are listed in a later supplement. Over a dozen markers reported by Smith in 1995 were not found in 2004; however, five markers not recorded by Smith were found, and I got corrected dates and information for three others, so the revisit was worth the effort. 


Baskerville, Dilcy, no dates

Bennett, Harriett, 1841-1901 (fallen, lichen encrusted concrete marker)

Blackwell, Josephine, 1949-1987, temporary marker, Mercer Brothers, in northwest corner of cemetery,
 approx. 8 yards northwest of military marker for Edd Cobb

Blalark, Ralph, d. 1954 [not found in 2004; reported by Smith in 1995]

Bond, ______, born & died 1912
Bond. ______, born & died 1918, Infants of R. & F. Bond"

Brown, Eliza, 1891-1915
______, Maud, 1913-1915
______, George, 1915-1916 (lichen encrusted concrete marker)

Brown, Rosie, July 25, 1883-Aug. 14, 1913, "Wife of John Brown"

Cheatham, Jesse, Mar. 15, 1909-Nov. 15, 1959, military marker "Tennessee Pvt US Army World War II"

Cobb, Ed, Jan. 10, 1889-June 25, 1950, military marker "Tennessee PFC 808 Pioneer Inf World War I"

Cobb, Mary Greer, 1860-Sept .1945, "Wife of Spencer Cobb" 

Cobb, William, d, Mar. 12, 1900, Aged 67 Y'rs

Collier, M. F., 1870-19__ 
Collier, Nannie, 1874-1936

Crothers, Roy, 1909-1927, Age 18

Cunningham, A. B., Feb. 11, ????-Dec. 1, ????, Age 21, "Son of G. W. Cunningham" (fragment or broken marker)

Cunningham, Emma Bell, Oct. 11, 1858-Nov. 4, 1962

Cunningham, G. W., 1864, Died Aug.18, 1921, "Husband of E. B. Cunningham"

Currie, J. H., d. Aug.13, 1988, "Rev.," temporary marker, Mercer Brothers,
 6 feet east of marker for Randall Donaldson

Curry, Pearl B., d. Feb. 28, 1985, temporary marker, Mercer Brothers, 9 feet east of marker for Maggie Donaldson

Davinport, Mary, Jun. 6, 1851-Aug. 4, 1908 (broken; lichen encrusted concrete marker)
 [death date unreadable in 2004; that listed was reported by Smith in 1995]

Davis, Annie, 1872-Aug. 26, 1968 (homemade)

Davis, Classie, Oct. 7, 1907-Oct. 24, 1964 (homemade)

Davis, Emma, Mar. 31, 1906-1996, "Love sister Virgie Mayo"

DeBerry, Allen, 1852-1912, "Husband of Lizzie Deberry" [not found in 2004; reported by Smith in 1995]

DeBerry, Minerva, d. Feb. 20, 1905, Aged 29 Y, 5 M, 29 D [not found in 2004; reported by Smith in 1995]

DeBerry, Rafe, d. Feb. 24, 1917, Age 32 Yrs., "Bro. of E. B. Cunningham" (broken, fallen)

Donaldson, Lillie Mae, 1898-1912 (lichen encrusted concrete marker)

Donaldson, Maggie, d. Aug. 19, 1921, Aged 65 Yrs

Donaldson, Randall, Mar.5, 1851-Jun. 27, 1902, "Husband" "Father"

Dupree, Andrew L., 1954-1980, Son of Eugene & Cornelus Dupree

Dupree, Eugene, Sept. 26, 1906-July 27, 1972

Dupree, Lawrence, Sept. 5, 1913-Dec. 19, 1979

Dupree, Lewis J., Feb. 14, 1888-Oct. 5, 1975
Dupree, Manie D., Feb. 14, 1891-Dec. 19, 1968, "Wed Dec. 1905"

Dupree, Willie, Apr. 18, 1912-July 20, 1969

Estes, Joe, 1852-1940
Estes, Parlee, 1860-1922, "Wife of Joe Estes"

Greer, Mary [see Cobb, Mary Greer]

Harrison, Beatrice, Mrs., d. July 28, 1947, Age 40

Hays, Charlie, d. Apr. 15, 1943, military marker "Tennessee Pvt 804 Pioneer Inf"

Hogsett, Jesse J., July 28, 1896-Sept. 25,1935, military marker "Ohio Pvt 158 Depot Brig"

Hulsey, Ellee, d. May 7, 1933, "A-C-Ford" (homemade)

Johnson, E. D., 1885-Mar. 5, 1928 [Masonic symbol]

Kelley, Bertha, no dates, Aged 22 Yrs. (fallen)

Knight, Willie, July 30, 1925-Dec. 16, 1972, military marker "Tennessee Pvt US Army World War II"

Lackey, Lott, d. Nov.7, 1942 [not found in 2004; reported by Smith in 1995]

Lacy, Easter, Feb. 27, 1859-May 2, 1893

Long, Annie, 1827-Feb.27, 1917 (very unusual looking molded concrete marker)

Long, Annie, About 1875-1892, "Dau. of Perry & Manda Long"

Long, G. G., 1847-1920, "Rev."
Long, Roda J., 1858-1910

Long, Joseph, Apr. 22, 1878-Oct. 1, 1922, "Husband of Kittie Long" (fallen)

Long, Laidy J., July 7, 1872-May 10, 1949

Long, M. E., 1868-____, "Wife"
Long, Aaron, Apr. 17,1864-Mar. 13, 1920, "Husband"

Long, Matt, d. Mar. 29, 1895, Aged 70 Ys [not found in 2004; reported by Smith in 1995]

Long, Mollie, d. July 15, 1963

Long, Perry, 1857-1912, "Rev." "Erected by his sister E. Smith" (fallen)

Long, Sam, 1859-Oct. 11, 1919, "Husband of H. E. Long"

Long, Silas C., 1859-1922, "Rev." "Pastor Oak Grove Church 33 Yrs."

Love, Charlotte, d. Dec. 11, 1917, Aged 48 Years (fallen)

Love, D. C., d. mar. 9, 1936, military marker "Tennessee Pvt 1Cl 20 Engrs"

Martin, George, Aug. 29, 1906-June 29, 1979 [not found in 2004; reported by Smith in 1995]

Martin, John, 1906-1948, temporary marker, Stephenson, no good reference point [grave against eastern fence]

Martin, Odie Bell, Dec. 1, 1911-Oct. 26, 1983 [not found in 2004; reported by Smith in 1995]

Masely, Malinda, d. Dec. 3, 1902, Aged 66 Years, "My mother"

McCool, Anna, Mrs., d. July 19, 1958, Aged 72 [not found in 2004; reported by Smith in 1995]

McFadden, A. F., 1896-1918, "Died at Camp Sherman, Ohio" (fallen; lichen encrusted concrete maerker)

McFadden, John, 1860-1928

Meriwether, Madison, 1849-1921, "Father"

Mo(ffitt?), Maurice Durell, d. Oct. 23, 1963, Aged (Faded Yr), 1 Month, 17 Days [not found in 2004; 
reported by Smith in 1995]

Moore, Glads, Sept. 30, 1926-Sept. 30, 1943, Age 17 (homemade)

Moore, James Arthur, d. Oct. 12, 1956, temporary marker, Bledsoe Funeral Home, no god reference point
 [Smith listed "Aged 54"]

Moseley, John, Dec. 1866-Nov. 18, 1915

Moseley, William, d. Feb. 28, 1911

Newby, Iona, 1893-1929 [not found in 2004; reported by Smith in 1995]

Nunley, Malinda, 1906-1929, Age 23 (eroded, lichen encrusted concrete marker)

Phillips, Mary Sue, 1904-1928, Age 24

Ruf B. Cheatham, 1872-1919 (lichen encrusted concrete marker)

Scott, Alfred, May 1841-Apr. 1907, "Husband of Cylvia Scott"

Scott, Eric Dewayne, Sept. 16, 1973-Aug. 18, 1990 (lichen encrusted concrete marker)

Spencer Cobb, July 10, 1848-Mar. 16, 1915

Tapley, Ellen, Mrs., Mar. 1, 1874-Sept. 20, 1945, Age 71 (homemade)

Tapley, George, Dec. 25, 1880-Feb. 24, 1955, military marker "Ohio Pvt Stevedore Regt World War I"

W_____, Carrie, Mrs., d, Nov. 19, 1941, Aged 42 [not found in 2004; reported by Smith in 1995]

Weedle, Nannie, 1887-Sep. 13, 1910

White, Stanley, d. Sept. 16, 1946, Age 42 Yrs. [not found in 2004; reported by Smith in 1995]