Old Shady Grove Cemetery
GPS Coordinates: 320145N, 0941630W
Surveyed by Marylee W. Knight 10-14-98
Directions: From Carthage go westbound on State Highway 315 for 13.2 miles to the intersection with FM 348 on the right. Turn right on to FM 348 and proceed northbound for 1.2 miles. Turn right on to Panola County Road 155 and proceed eastbound for 1.6 miles. This cemetery will be on the left side of the road with a large opening on the east side of the cemetery where Shady Grove Church once stood. No sign of the church remains.
Old Shady Grove Cemetery is open on the east side but nestled in a stand of trees on the other three sides. The oldest marked graves are in the center of the cemetery. These graves are for Chania Gates (1842-1914) Clara Adams (Only date Oct 8 1844 possibly her birth date) and Margaret Laret (Only date Oct 28 1858 possibly her birth date). The newer graves lie along the edges of the cemetery particularly pocketed in the extreme four corners leading one to believe that there is a large number of old unmarked graves in the center portion. A total of 34 unmarked graves were tallied in this survey but the ground in the cemetery is very rough and many more graves could be disguised by the rugged contours of the terrain. Regrettably a large number of the marked graves have only a funeral home marker that time and the elements have wiped clean of all traces of identity and even the name of the funeral home. There is also a large number marked by broken chunks of different colored granite polished on one side. The tombstone of Ozell Wilson appears to be rather old and possibly was broken from its original base and is now mounted on the front of a square column of red brick approximately three feet tall.
It is obvious that this cemetery is treasured by the families of those buried there. The grass outside the cemetery is very high but the cemetery had been recently mowed and showed signs of constant maintenance. Many of the graves were decorated with artificial flowers. This was even true of some of the unmarked graves indicating that someone knows who is buried there and efforts will be made to obtain documentation on those graves. One grave marked only with an illegible funeral home marker had a large cape jesamine bush planted on it that had continued to grow and thrive even during the last few years of drought.
|
Last Name |
First Name |
Birth |
Death |
Comments |
|
Adams |
Clara |
?? |
?? |
Only date Oct 8 1844 possibly her birth date |
|
Ballard |
R.S. Diamond or Damon |
?? |
?? |
- |
|
Ballard |
Rose May |
Nov 6 1938 |
Aug 20 1972 |
Mother of Five |
|
Carter |
Lee C. "Baby" |
Aug 10 1943 |
Aug 10 1943 |
|
|
Castleberry |
Annie |
1897 |
1926 |
"In Loving Memories" |
|
Castleberry |
Walter B. |
Dec 20 1920 |
1926 |
"Loving Brother" |
|
Davis |
Ardell |
Jul 11 1931 |
Aug 17 1990 |
"Father" |
|
Davis |
Charlie |
1888 |
1956 |
|
|
Davis |
Jess |
192? |
? |
|
|
Davis |
Jess B. |
Jul 19 1907 |
Jan 16 1996 |
Married 65 years - husband of Onnie |
|
Davis |
Jesse B. |
?? |
1996 |
(Jenkins-Gorman Funeral Home marker) |
|
Davis |
Joe |
1949 |
1978 |
PVT U.S. Army - Viet Nam |
|
Davis |
Joe B. |
Apr 11 1915 |
Mar 1973 |
|
|
Davis |
Mrs. Febbie |
No date |
Sep 23 1953 |
|
|
Davis |
Onnie |
Mar 25 1911 |
Apr 26 1993 |
Married 65 years - wife of Jess B |
|
Davis |
Rev. George S. |
Dec 25 1921 |
May 14 1992 |
"Father" "I Have Kept the Faith" |
|
Davis |
Rev. L.R. |
Apr 12 1919 |
May 5 1983 |
|
|
Davis |
Synthia |
?? |
?? |
May 11 1942 Only date on stone unknown if birth or death date |
|
Davis |
Verlin |
1930 |
1992 |
Cpl U.S. Army |
|
Fite |
Alberta |
Sep 19 1904 |
Nov 17 1976 |
wife of Eddie |
|
Fite |
Della |
Sep 20 1868 |
Apr 9 1983 |
|
|
Fite |
Eddie |
Jan 15 1906 |
Apr 23 1989 |
husband of Alberta |
|
Fite |
Hubert |
1900 |
1974 |
|
|
Fite |
I.C. |
1874 |
1959 |
Mason |
|
Fletcher |
Bonnie |
1900 |
1994 |
|
|
Fletcher |
James R. |
Nov 11 1941 |
Sep 2 1990 |
PVT U.S. Army - Viet Nam |
|
Fletcher |
Novie |
1906 |
1978 |
|
|
Frazer |
Mrs. Hattie |
Apr 30 1900 |
Feb 19 1973 |
"Loving Mother" |
|
Gates |
Arline |
Mar 1 1904 |
Oct 18 196? |
|
|
Gates |
Chania |
Feb 8 1842 |
May 29 1914 |
|
|
Gates |
Herbert Lee |
Sep 12 1926 |
Oct 3 1990 |
|
|
Gates |
K.C. |
?? |
?? |
TX Quarter Masters Corp |
|
Gates |
Leonard |
Apr 1 1912 |
Oct 25 1979 |
|
|
Gates |
Nora |
Nov 8 1913 |
Aug 4 1982 |
|
|
Gates |
Sammie |
1877 |
1960 |
|
|
Hall |
James E. |
1949 |
1975 |
At Rest |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Harris |
Mrs. Inez |
Apr 23 1943 |
Sep 29 1990 |
|
|
Hill |
?? |
1916 |
1988 |
|
|
Holt |
John |
1874 |
1924 |
|
|
Hooper |
John |
Mar 1 1917 |
Dec 8 1948 |
TX PVT 27th Cav WW II |
|
Horton |
Dayle |
1925 |
1972 |
|
|
Horton |
Mary Lanell |
Dec 15 1986 |
Apr 21 1987 |
|
|
Jackson |
Elizabeth |
No date |
No date |
"Mother of J. McDaniel and C. Collins" "A member of Shedy Grove - Longbranch" |
|
Johnson |
Jessie H. |
Aug 7 1902 |
Apr 27 1982 |
Mason |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Johnson |
Paul Bryan |
Nov 14 1987 |
Nov 2 1987 |
Age 20 days |
|
Laret |
Margaret |
?? |
?? |
Only date Oct 28 1858 possibly her birth date |
|
McDaniels |
Evie |
1900 |
1972 |
|
|
Osborn |
Lucile "Dusty: |
Aug 14 1907 |
Apr 26 1947 |
|
|
Osborne |
Felix Jr. |
Aug 6 1923 |
May 16 1985 |
|
|
Owens |
Gussie Bee |
Feb 1910 |
Oct 3 1989 |
Loving Mother |
|
Page |
Rev. Levi |
Nov 5 1928 |
May 5 1988 |
|
|
Pellum |
Carl |
1902 |
1920 |
|
|
Pellum |
Elnora C. |
Jul 15 1908 |
Jan 30 1986 |
Wife of Obie |
|
Pellum |
Eula B. |
1903 |
1977 |
|
|
Pellum |
Lois |
Nov 10 1917 |
Jan 3 1983 |
|
|
Pellum |
Obie |
1907 |
1981 |
Husband of Elnora |
|
Rattler |
Julius |
Nov 20 1901 |
Dec 5 1986 |
"Daddy Jule" "Married Nov 25 1925" |
|
Rattler |
Virneater |
Mar 20 1907 |
Jul 22 1985 |
"Mama Skeet" "Married Nov 25 1925" |
|
Reagan |
Banner |
No date |
May 3 1967 |
Father |
|
Reagins |
Cornelius |
Aug 30 1900 |
Feb 14 1993 |
Father "At peace the world could not give" |
|
Reagins |
Johnnie G. |
Feb 12 1899 |
Oct 4 1954 |
TX PVT 55 CMLIMPRG Co - WW II |
|
Reagins |
Onerine Davis |
1928 |
1971 |
"Beloved wife of Devola" "Mother of Charles Eva and Vera" |
|
Reagins |
Willie James |
1907 |
1959 |
|
|
Richardson |
Virginia Osborne |
Dec 17 1917 |
Nov 24 1985 |
|
|
Rudd |
Edward |
?? 19 1979 |
?? 19 1979 |
Age 0 yrs 0 months 0 days (Southern F.H. marker) |
|
Rudd |
Rose Mary |
Feb 8 1954 |
May 4 1985 |
|
|
Smith |
Anthony |
Jul 6 1900 |
Jun 11 1968 |
PVT Co D 270 Inf WW II |
|
Smith |
Earlie |
1903 |
1983 |
|
|
Tatum |
Gilbert M. |
1919 |
1980 |
PVT U.S. Army WWII |
|
Tatum |
Ola B. |
Aug 22 1921 |
May 16 1979 |
Picture of Ola B. on tombstone |
|
Tatum |
Rose Mary Rattler |
Feb 25 1928 |
Sep 18 1991 |
Dates noted as "Sunrise" and "Sunset" |
|
Thomas |
James E. |
Feb 24 1926 |
Jun 9 1986 |
STM 1 U.S. Navy WW II |
|
Thompson |
Elmon "Jack-O" |
Mar 10 1898 |
Mar 18 1974 |
|
|
Thompson |
Mrs. K---- |
?? |
May 18 ?? |
Age 36 years (People's Funeral Home marker) |
|
Unknown |
Baby |
No date |
No date |
Unmarked infants grave right beside graves of Julius & Virneater Rattler |
|
Unknown |
Adult |
No date |
No date |
Grave right beside Rev. George Davis marked only with unreadable People's Funeral Home marker |
|
Unknown |
Adult |
- |
- |
Recent grave right beside that of Lois Pellum |
|
Walker |
Gussie Carl |
May 19 1928 |
Dec 7 1988 |
PFC U.S. Army - Korea |
|
Washington |
Elsie |
?? |
?? |
|
|
Wesley |
Lois |
Feb 17 1922 |
May 2 1990 |
A devoted Christian |
|
Wils |
Jessie |
May 12 1877 |
May 18 1946 |
|
|
Wilson |
Garrett |
1876 |
1924 |
|
|
Wilson |
Ozell |
No date |
No date |
"Dad" |