Near Elkmont in Limestone County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)

Old New Garden Cemetery
⎯⎯⎯
New Garden Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Old New Garden Cemetery Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Lee Hattabaugh, May 18, 2014

1. Old New Garden Cemetery Marker

Inscription. (Side A)
Old New Garden Cemetery

This cemetery is one of the oldest in Limestone County and is listed on the Alabama Historic Cemetery Register. Many of the areas earliest settlers are buried here including Patsy Elmore, widow of a Rev. War veteran, along with War of 1812 veterans: Thomas Martindale, William Levesque, Andrew McWilliams and William Malone. The headstone of Barbara Fisher, who died in 1831, is the oldest dated stone in the cemetery, but other undated and in some cases unmarked graves are thought to be even older. Most of the dated burials occurred during the 1850-1869 period when outbreaks of influenza or disease may have swept through the area. Union forces occupied North Alabama throughout most of the war and during the tragic “reconstruction” period that followed. The deprivation and hardships suffered by local residents during the period may have contributed to the high death rate.

The graves in the lower part of the cemetery are thought to be those of slaves and possible casualties of the nearby battle of Sulphur Creek Trestle fort. Col. Lathrop, the Union commander of the fort, was

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killed during the battle and first buried where he fell. His body was later disinterred and re-buried in this cemetery, only to again be removed after the war and taken to the North for final burial, making him a man buried three times. This old section was largely unused after 1870 with only occasional burials after that date, the last being in 1917.

(Side B)
New Garden Cumberland Presbyterian Church

This church was one of the earliest in the area and formed the nucleus of the pioneer community of New Garden. It had its beginning at a camp meeting in 1818. The meeting, held along Muddy Creek, about a mile N.E. of here, was conducted by Rev. Robert Donnell, assisted by Albert Gibson, Robert Steele, Adam Burney and William Levesque.

In 1820 the New Garden congregation was organized by Rev. John Comahan at a meeting held in Robert Steele's barn. There were ten people present, several of whom were members of the Steele family.

The log church was built here on New Garden Hill in 1823, standing at the north end of this old cemetery. The building is thought to have faced north with a wagon road leading up the hill to it. The

Old New Garden Cemetery / New Garden Cumberland Presbyterian Church Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Matt Morring, January 19, 2020

2. Old New Garden Cemetery / New Garden Cumberland Presbyterian Church Marker

current paved road did not exist at that time, although the lower part of it may follow the original wagon road.

The land on which the church was built belonged to Jeffery Murrell at the time, and it wasn't until 1834 that Robert Steele, James Grigsby, James Montgomerty and T.S. Garrison, the trustees of the "New Garden Society", bought the two acres on which the church and camp ground were situated. Another small parcel joining the first was bought from James Grigsby in 1845.

A school was built there, which was used until marauding Union troops tore it down and used the timber in the construction of buildings at Sulphur Trestle Fort. The congregation moved to Elkmont after 1878 and later disbanded completely.

Erected 2011 by the Limestone County Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1812.

Location. 34° 54.374′ N, 86° 57.454′ W. Marker is near Elkmont, Alabama, in Limestone County. It is at the intersection of New Garden

Photographed by Lee Hattabaugh, May 18, 2014

3. Old New Garden Cemetery / New Garden Cumberland Presbyterian Church Marker

Looking south along the New Garden Road spur.

Road and New Garden Road (County Route 98), on the right when traveling south on New Garden Road. Marker and cemetery are located where short north and south spurs of New Garden Road from Hays Mill Road combine to form New Garden Road running east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Elkmont AL 35620, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Alabama

and in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Battle of Sulphur Creek Trestle (approx. 1.8 miles away); Sulphur Creek Trestle, 1864 (approx. 1.8 miles away); Limestone County's First High School / The Delmore Brothers

Old New Garden Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Lee Hattabaugh, May 18, 2014

4. Old New Garden Cemetery

a view of the old section of the cemetery

(approx. 1.8 miles away); Elkmont, Alabama / Tenn. & Ala. Central Railroad (approx. 1.8 miles away); Elkmont Pride: Family-School-Church (approx. 1.8 miles away); Commerce (approx. 1.8 miles away); Downtown Scenes (approx. 1.8 miles away); Alabama Fork Cumberland Presbyterian Church (approx. 3.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Elkmont.

Photographed by Lee Hattabaugh, May 18, 2014

5. Old New Garden Cemetery

a portion of the new section (on east side of the road)

Photographed by Lee Hattabaugh, May 18, 2014

6. Old New Garden Cemetery

another part of the new section

Credits. This page was last revised on February 11, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 19, 2014, by Lee Hattabaugh of Capshaw, Alabama. This page has been viewed 1,977 times since then and 81 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 19, 2014, by Lee Hattabaugh of Capshaw, Alabama. 2. submitted on January 20, 2020, by Matt Morring of Harvest, Alabama. 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on May 19, 2014, by Lee Hattabaugh of Capshaw, Alabama. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.

Old New Garden Cemetery⎯⎯⎯New Garden Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Old New Garden Cemetery
⎯⎯⎯
New Garden Cumberland Presbyterian Church