UNNAMED CEMETERY, 65 – 1huntsvillehistorycollection.org/hh/hhpics/pdf/rankin/... · 2013. 2. 17. · 1 UNNAMED CEMETERY, 65 – 1 Summary Report When this cemetery was visited in

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UNNAMED CEMETERY, 65 – 1

Summary Report

When this cemetery was visited in January of 2003, it was found to have no

tombstones, no fieldstones, and no surface evidence of grave depressions. It

is a large, fenced area that could contain many hundreds of graves, if full.

The location is within Test Area 1, south of Center Line Road, about

halfway to Dodd Road from the entrance at the Test Area Control Gate. It is

near the Clark Cemetery (65-1) and the Simpson – Jones Cemetery (65-3).

The immediate theory due to location and lack of definitive surface features

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is that the cemetery must be a slave cemetery, probably for the Simpson

and/or Clark plantations. However, an examination of the land records was

done to check on the theory:

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The INDEX TO LANDS reveals that the NW/4 of Section 17 was

purchased in two parts. The east half was sold by the government to Jacob

G. Points in 1837. The west half was sold to John Ives in 1830. Maps show

that the cemetery is located in the west half of the NW/4:

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If the Southern Engineering map has correctly placed the cemetery, then it

was on land originally owned by John Ives, from the time of 1830. The

1830 census shows the household of John (and his wife Lucy Lanier) Ives as

including only 2 slaves, and those slaves were one male and one female in

the age 10 to 24 age bracket. The 1840 census shows that James (and his

wife Lucy Lanier Ives) Clark had only 8 slaves. James died before Lucy did

in 1844, but their estates included only a few slaves. However, John H.

Hundley had gotten a part of the west half of the NW/4 of Section 17 in

1838 from John & Lucy Ives. Of course, 1838 was the date that the land

record was filed with the probate court, so the actual date of transfer of

ownership may have occurred a bit earlier. By 1840 Lucy had remarried to

James E. Clark, a younger man that she outlived by a few month. In fact,

the 1838 land ownership transfer from John & Lucy Ives included part of the

NW/4 to James Clark, as well as the other parcel that went to John H.

Hundley. Hundley was a witness to the Last Will & Testament of James

Clark. (See the Summary Report for the Clark 65-2 Cemetery.)

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(1830 Madison Co. AL census; household of John Ives underlined in red.)

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(Household of James E. & Lucy Lanier Ives Clark underlined near bottom.)

Note that the young girl shown in the household of John & Lucy Ives in the

1830 census is not shown in the 1840 census. Examination of Lucy Clark’s

will revealed that the girl died and was buried in the Clark Cemetery, 65-2.

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(1840 Madison Co. AL census; slaves of James & Lucy Clark per bottom

red line – 8 slaves, plus count for James and Lucy from the first 1840 page

for them produced a total household of 10 on the above sheet.)

The 1830 census showed that John H. Hundley lived in Madison County at

that time. Old land records (from Margaret Matthews Cowart’s book OLD

LAND RECORDS OF MADISON COUNTY, ALABAMA) show that

Hundley had in 1829 and 1830 purchased two parcels of land in the 19th

section of T5-R2W. Those parcels are west of the town of Triana, about 7

miles west of the Unnamed Cemetery (65-1), and nearly on the Limestone

County line. By 1840 the census showed him as living in Limestone

County, where he lived for the rest of his life. In other words, John

Hundley’s holdings in the majority were in Limestone County and extreme

southwestern Madison County. The land that he got in the NW/4 of Section

17, T5-R1W, was small in comparison.

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(Enumeration of John H. Hundley household, 1830 Madison Co. AL; 4th

from top of page, underlined in red.)

The 1830 Slave page for the John H. Hundley household is shown below,

totaling 15 slaves.

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(The first number, for the count of male slaves under ten years of age, is

believed to be a “5”, which makes the total count of 19 fit, since 4 of the

total are from the Free White portion of the household on the previous page.)

The 1840 census sheets of Limestone County for the John H. Hundley

household are shown below:

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The 1840 record shows that the Hundleys had 7 Free White males, no Free

White females, and 19 slaves. In 1850, the John H. Hundley family in

Limestone County had 47 slaves, and all of them were listed in Limestone

County (none in Madison County, which was checked). The 1860 slave

schedules show that the Hundley family owned 68 slaves prior to the

outbreak of the Civil War. J. H. Hundley was shown with 38 slaves in

Limestone County, none in Madison County. His son J. Henry Hundley was

shown with 3 slaves in Limestone County and none in Madison County.

Son William H. Hundley was shown with 3 slaves, all in Limestone County.

However, son Orville Hundley was listed as owning 18 slaves, all in

Madison County. Orville had married Mary E. Holding in Madison County

in 1853, and Mary is thought to have been the daughter of Richard Holding,

who owned a plantation where the international airport terminal is now

located. In the 1850 census, the Holding family was enumerated in Morgan

County, with a daughter listed as “Martha” at age 19. That was probably

“Mary Martha” Holding. John H. Hundley married Sarah F. Toney (of the

town of Madison area) in 1860 in Madison County. There were two

Hundley marriages in Madison County in 1871. One was for Joe Hundley

and the other for Jordan Hundley. They may have been brothers and one of

them may have been the father of the senior John H. Hundley by an earlier

wife, since John H. Hundley was born about 1796 in Virginia. It is

interesting to note that in 1860 and 1870 John H. Hundley was shown with

the occupation of “Cambelite Preacher / Minister”.

The census images for the Hundley family from 1850 through 1870 (without

the slave schedules) are inserted below:

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The above newspaper clipping shows that Oscar, the son of John H. Hundley

Sr., became an attorney in Huntsville by the 1890s. Overall, the family

prospered in the pre-Civil War days by using slave labor to farm extensive

land holdings. However, after the war, they continued to prosper in

professional occupations.

If the cemetery in the NW/4 of Section 17 in T5-R1W was in fact a slave

cemetery, the land was owned for the longest period (1838 – 1870) prior to

the Civil War by the slave-owning Hundley family. In fact, even the part

that was sold to James E. Clark and his wife Lucy Lanier Ives Clark was

passed by her Last Will & Testament into Hundley hands. It was not until

1870 (after the end of the Civil War in 1865) that the land passed from

Hundley ownership to John Simpson. Therefore, the Simpson slaves of

before the Emancipation Proclamation would not be prime candidates for

having been buried in this cemetery. Still, the Hundley slaves were not so

numerous as to have required such a large cemetery during their period of

ownership, so it is suspected that later black families used the site for a

community cemetery.

As early as 1893, Zebulon Joiner appears in the land records for this parcel.

However, it was not until 1919 that the Simpson and Proctor ownership was

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relinquished to Frank Jacobs, and then in 1920 Yancy Horton appears as

an owner of land in the quarter section. These are known to be black

landowner families, who are also associated with several other cemeteries on

the arsenal. Examples of their census records of the time are given below:

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Because the above 1880 image from Ancestry.com is so weak and difficult

to read, the Mormon Church’s Family History Resource disks were used to

extract portions of the 1880 census. The results are shown below, including

Frank Jacobs and Yancy Horton, as well as Zeb Joiner.

Census Place: Madison, Alabama Source: FHL Film 1254021 National Archives Film T9-0021 Page 135D

RelationSex Marr Race Age Birthplace

John SHEFFIELD Self M M MU 27 AL Amanda SHEFFIELD Wife F M MU 39 AL Yancy HORTON SSon M S MU 19 AL Virginia HORTON SDau F S MU 15 AL Celia HORTON SDau F S MU 13 AL Everett HORTON SSon M S MU 12 AL Paris HORTON Son M S MU 4 AL Ida SHEFFIELD Dau F S MU 9M AL James GILBRETH Nephew M S MU 15 AL King GOODLOE Other M M B 55 AL

Census Place:Township 5, Madison, Alabama Source: FHL Film 1254021 National Archives Film T9-0021 Page 135D


Susan WOODWARD Self F W W 61 AL Clinton WOODWARD Son M S W 30 AL John W. WOODWARD Son M S W 27 AL Charles WOODWARD Son M S W 25 AL

Census Place:Township 5, Madison, Alabama Source: FHL Film 1254021 National Archives Film T9-0021 Page 136B


Frank JACOBS Self M M MU 25 AL Liza JACOBS Wife F M B 25 TN Madora JACOBS Dau F S B 8 AL Francis JACOBS Dau F S B 1 AL

Census Place:Township 5, Madison, Alabama Source: FHL Film 1254021 National Archives Film T9-0021 Page 136B


Robert GREY Self M M B 28 AL Fannie GREY Wife F M B 22 AL Laura GREY Dau F S B 6 AL Lucilla GREY Dau F S B 3 AL Lillie GREY Dau F S B 5M AL Margaret GREY Sister F W B 52 AL Lee GREY Nephew M S B 18 AL

Census Place:Madison, Alabama

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Source: FHL Film 1254021 National Archives Film T9-0021 Page 136B


William LOWE Self M M B 40 AL Margaret LOWE Wife F M B 50 AL P LOWE Son M S B 10 AL LOWE Dau F S B 8 AL

Census Place:Madison, Alabama Source: FHL Film 1254021 National Archives Film T9-0021 Page 137C


Nancy LEWIS Self F W B 45 AL Sam LEWIS Son M S B 15 AL Ruben LEWIS Son M S B 3 AL Malinda LEWIS Mother F W B … VA Addie LEWIS Niece F S B 18 AL



John THORMTON Self M M B 50 AL Virginia THORMTON Wife F M B 38 AL Celtia THORMTON Dau F S B 14 AL Mahala THORMTON Dau F S B 12 AL Lucy THORMTON Dau F S B 11 AL Thornton THORMTON Son M S B 10 AL Earnest THORMTON Son M S B 8 AL Coleman THORMTON Son M S B 6 AL Siam THORMTON Son M S B 2 AL



Austin GROORS (Groves) Self M M B 32 AL Parilia GROORS Wife F M B 28 AL Hendesson CAMEL Other M S B 10 AL Hayes BANUT Nephew M S B 3 AL



Davis CAMBELL Self M M B 53 AL Daisie CAMBELL Wife F M B 28 AL Alls CAMBELL Son M S B 9 AL David CAMBELL Son M S B 7 AL Zackaus CAMBELL Son M S B 5 AL



Zeb. JOINER Self M M MU 23 AL

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Lizzie JOINER Wife F M MU 22 AL Arthor JOINER Son M S MU 7M AL



Solomon LEMORE Self M M MU 28 AL Rodie LEMORE Wife F M MU 26 AL James LEMORE Son M S MU 1 AL

Census Place:Township 5, Madison, Alabama Source: FHL Film 1254021 National Archives Film T9-0021 Page 137C


Joseph NICKOLS Self M M MU 59 AL Nancy NICKOLS Wife F M MU 58 AL Walker NICKOLS Son M S MU 13 AL



James LACY Self M M MU 40 AL Prissilla LACY Wife F M MU 39 AL Nellie LACY Dau F S MU 18 AL Wyatt LACY Son M S MU 14 AL Amanda LACY Dau F S MU 12 AL Margaret LACY Dau F S MU 10 AL Francis LACY Dau F S MU 8 AL Thomas LACY Son M S MU 6 AL Edith LACY Dau F S MU 4 AL Russel LOWE Other M M B 41 AL Flora LOWE Other F M B 29 AL Anna LOWE Other F S B 8 AL Sophia LOWE Other F S B 6 AL Matilda LACY Mother F W MU 60 AL



Will T. WILLIAMS Self M M B 35 AL Nancy WILLIAMS Wife F M B 24 AL Trustie WILLIAMS Son M S B 4 AL



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Lucy BILLUPS Self F W B 47 AL Peggie BILLUPS Dau F S B 27 AL Amanda BILLUPS Dau F S B 17 AL Fannie BILLUPS Dau F S B 12 AL Moses BILLUPS Son M S B 8 AL



Stephen QUAIM Self M M B 39 VA Prissilla QUAIM Wife F M B 37 AL Adaline QUAIM Dau F S B 16 AL Liza QUAIM Dau F S B 14 AL Margaret QUAIM Dau F S B 12 AL Perks BEARD Other M S B 26 AL



Richie TIMIS Self M M B 23 VA Sarah TIMIS Wife F M B 21 AL Angeline TIMIS Dau F S B 4 AL Francis CULP MotherL F W B 45 AL Marthy CULP SisterL F S B 5 AL

Census Place:Madison, Alabama Source: FHL Film 1254021 National Archives Film T9-0021 Page 137D


Munro BELL Self M M B 48 AL Sarah BELL Wife F M B 35 AL William BELL Son M S B 6 AL Munro BELL Son M S B 1 AL Francis LIGHTFOOT Niece F W B 28 AL

Census Place:Madison, Alabama Source: FHL Film 1254021 National Archives Film T9-0021 Page 137D


John MARLIN Self M M B 35 AL Laura MARLIN Wife F M B 32 VA Susan MARLIN Dau F S B 15 AL William MARLIN Son M S B 8 AL Julia MARLIN Dau F S B 7 AL Mary MARLIN Dau F S B 5 AL Ida MARLIN Dau F S B 2 AL Sallie MARLIN Aunt F W B 80 NC

Census Place:Madison, Alabama Source: FHL Film 1254021 National Archives Film T9-0021 Page 138A

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Thomas DAVIDSON Self M M B 20 AL Mary DAVIDSON Wife F M B 18 AL Julia DAVIDSON Sister F S B 18 AL Matilda DAVIDSON Mother F W B 55 AL Alfred BLACK Cousin M S B 21 AL

Census Place:Township 5, Madison, Alabama Source: FHL Film 1254021 National Archives Film T9-0021 Page 138A


Andrew COWAN Self M M B 25 AL Berry COWAN Brother M M B 28 AL Mahala COWAN Wife F M B 23 AL



Berta COWAN Self F M B 23 AL Rosa COWAN Dau F S B 1 AL Green COWAN Brother M S B 15 AL



Samuel CAMBELL Self M M B 31 AL Virginia CAMBELL Wife F M B 23 AL



John POLLARD Self M M B 36 GA Mary POLLARD Wife F M B 25 AL John POLLARD Son M S B 10 AL James POLLARD Son M S B 5 AL



Charles A. BELL Self M M W 35 AL Rebecca BELL Wife F M W 25 AL Deward BELL Son M S W 8 AL Claud BELL Son M S W 6 AL Ewing BELL Son M S W 5 AL Minnie BELL Dau F S W 2 AL Arthur BELL Son M S W 3M AL


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Charles COWAN Self M M B 45 AL Harriett COWAN Wife F M B 40 AL Rella COWAN Dau F S B 20 AL Scott COWAN Son M S B 15 AL Lizzie COWAN Dau F S B 12 AL Charles COWAN Son M S B 9 AL Wesley COWAN Son M S B 4 AL Henderson CAULIMORE Other M M B 26 AL



Munroe TIMMONS Self M M B 36 AL Harriet TIMMONS Wife F M B 23 AL Gracie TIMMONS Dau F S B 2 AL Charles HOGAN Other M S B 22 AL



Margaret CLEMENT Self F W B 45 AL Felix CLEMENT Son M S B 12 AL Lottie CLEMENT Dau F S B 8 AL King GUIMEL Other M W B 44 AL



Sallie BELL Self F W W 55 AL Stanhope BELL Son M S W 27 AL Zera BELL Dau F S W 18 AL



Fannie BELL Self F W B 28 AL Houston BELL Son M S B 8 AL Rosa BELL Dau F S B 4 AL



Frank BELL Self M W B 65 AL Frank BELL Son M S B 12 AL Charles BELL Son M S B 10 AL Samuel BAILIE Other M S B 25 AL

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Now the census images from Ancestry.com are continued:

(Note the different wife for Zebulon in 1900. The record shows that they

had been married only 3 months when the census was taken.)

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(This Frank Jacobs is younger than the one listed in the 1880 census, but the

older Frank Jacobs was not found in the 1900 records by using the index of

Ancestry.com. This Frank Jacobs would have been about age 39 when the

land around the Unnamed Cemetery 65-1 was purchased in 1919.)

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These men and their neighbors are the more likely candidates to have been

buried in the Unnamed Cemetery, 65-1, than slaves from the pre-Civil War

era. Unfortunately, most black families in the South through the early 1900s

could not afford tombstones. Furthermore, tombstones at graves were not a

part of the culture that had been brought from Africa, and the slave owners

in America did not have any reason to teach them that custom. It has only

been in more modern times that tombstones at black family graves have

become more commonplace. Accordingly, since this cemetery was too large

to be a single family burying ground, it therefore is in all probability a black

community cemetery on land of the Jacobs and Horton families from the

time of the 1920s. If a name is to be considered for it, perhaps the Horton –

Jacobs Cemetery, 65-1 would be appropriate.

Prepared by John P. Rankin, September 10, 2005

Documents

UNNAMED CEMETERY, 65 – 1huntsvillehistorycollection.org/hh/hhpics/pdf/rankin/... · 2013. 2. 17. · 1 UNNAMED CEMETERY, 65 – 1 Summary Report When this cemetery was visited in