Montgomery in Montgomery County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)

Lincoln Cemetery / Rufus Payne, 1884-1939

Lincoln Cemetery Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, January 19, 2014

1. Lincoln Cemetery Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Side 1 Lincoln Cemetery
1907
In 1907 the American Securities Company opened Lincoln Cemetery for African Americans and Greenwood Cemetery for whites, the first commercial cemeteries in the city. Landscape design indicates Olmstead influences with curving drives and two circular sections. Space allotted for 700 graves with first interment in 1908. Most graves are simple concrete slabs with evidences of African-American funerary art and late-Victorian motifs. Marble markers denote members of Mosaic Templars of America, black benevolent society, or graves of veterans. American Securities owned site until tax-exemption ended in 1957. Vandalism and neglect have seriously damaged graves and landscape.

Side 2 Rufus Payne, 1884-1939
"Tee-Tot," Mentor of Hank Williams
Born in Lowndes County, Alabama, Rufus Payne grew up in New Orleans in midst of jazz musicians. Young Payne learned every instrument possible. At death of his parents, he came back to Greenville where he soon had a following of both races, playing jazz and blues for all segments of

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society. In nearby Georgiana, he met young Hank Williams, an eager student of the rhythm and beat of Tee-Tot's music. In 1937, Williams moved to Montgomery and soon thereafter Tee-Tot came to the city where he lived until his death in 1939, a friend of Williams' family and mentor to the singer-composer. Hank Williams stated that Payne was his only teacher. Tee-Tot died a pauper and lies here in an unmarked grave.

Erected 2001 by Alabama Historical Association.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1907.

Location. 32° 22.059′ N, 86° 15.93′ W. Marker is in Montgomery, Alabama, in Montgomery County. Marker is on Lincoln Road, 0.1 miles north of Harrison Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1130 Lincoln Road, Montgomery AL 36109, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Ben F. Moore (within shouting distance of this marker); Hugh A. Carson (within shouting distance of this marker); Montgomery County Vietnam War Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); Remount Depot / Keyton Station (approx. 0.6 miles away); Historic Site of St. James Holt Crossing Baptist Church

Rufus Payne, 1884-1939 Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, January 19, 2014

2. Rufus Payne, 1884-1939 Marker

(approx. 1.1 miles away); Forest Avenue's Medical Facilities / Oak Park Montgomery's First Public Park (approx. 1.2 miles away); Capitol Heights (approx. 1.3 miles away); Capitol Heights Elementary School (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Montgomery.

Also see . . .
1. Rufus (Tee Tot) Payne. (Submitted on January 19, 2014, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
2. Rufus Payne. Find A Grave entry (Submitted on August 31, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Photographed By Mark Hilton, January 29, 2015

3. Marker Area

Marker was moved to accommodate new entrance gate.

Lincoln Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, January 19, 2014

4. Lincoln Cemetery

Rufus Payne Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, January 19, 2014

5. Rufus Payne Monument

Rufus Payne Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, January 19, 2014

6. Rufus Payne Memorial

Monument close-up. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, January 19, 2014

7. Monument close-up.

Rufus "Tee-Tot" Payne, 1884-1939 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Find A Grave, unknown

8. Rufus "Tee-Tot" Payne, 1884-1939

Credits. This page was last revised on September 28, 2020. It was originally submitted on January 19, 2014, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 954 times since then and 86 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on January 19, 2014, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. 8. submitted on August 31, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.