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Category Archives: Historic Oakland Cemetery

Book Review: Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery

26 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Books, Cemeteries, Famous Locations, Historic Oakland Cemetery, Photography, Statues and Monuments

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atlanta's oakland cemetery, book reviews

Atlanta's Oakland Cemetery book

Cover Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery by Ren and Helen Davis

Book Review: Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery: An Illustrated History and Guide

By Ren and Helen Davis

Every book about cemeteries should be this stunning. (Actually, every cemetery in America should strive to be this tranquil.) Visually appealing, this book matches the actual cemetery. It is well organized into four distinct sections. Each section begins with an illustrated map denoting the gravesites discussed and important structures. A brief overview provides the reader with enough information to pique her interest. The authors pack as many stories into the book as possible. The final chapter details the importance of the cemetery and its role in the Atlanta community. And quite a role it has. History lives on while visitors stroll through this beautiful cemetery. Preservation is paramount. Through annual events and memberships, funds are reinvested into maintenance and education. Oakland Cemetery is more than the final resting place to Atlanta’s population. It exemplifies the garden cemetery plan prevalent in the nineteenth century. The Introduction by Timothy J. Crimmins details the popularity of rural garden cemeteries and their importance in American history. The book does justice to the numerous mausoleums and statuary located throughout the grounds. Stories of great wealth, and sorrow, reside within this cemetery.

Nuts and Bolts: This book contains everything that makes a good book great. It is well-researched. Crisp photographs are accompanied with historical images. The writing style is casual and appealing. The Appendices are clearly structured and relevant to the content. Although not a proper bibliography, the Notes section does provide enough information for the reader to continue on. Finally, the Index is thorough.

Conclusion: Visit Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery. It is a subtle reminder of our history and challenges us to honor the dead. Before you leave, stop in the adorable gift shop (the former bell tower) and purchase this book.

Georgia’s Version of Robert Burns

02 Wednesday Oct 2013

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Cemeteries, Historic Oakland Cemetery

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eugene thaddeus luckie, john wingfield gatewood, poets

Harwick-Luckie-Hemmer Mausoleum Block 212 Classical Revival 1978

Harwick-Luckie-Hemmer Mausoleum
Block 212 Classical Revival 1978

Original Six Acres

Poet Eugene Thaddeus Luckie’s actual birth date is in dispute. According to Find-A-Grave, his birthday is September 19, 1872. However, his death certificate lists the day as September 15, 1872. Either way, Mr. Luckie excelled at poetry. His pen name was John Wingfield Gatewood. His poems included “Old De Kalb” and “Christmas Reflections of a Georgia Cracker.” Some Internet sites brand him the “Georgia [Robert] Burns.”

His parents were E.S. Luckie and Frances Gatewood. Mr. Luckie married the former Ella Rachel Roberts (1877-1954). Together they rest eternally in this impressive mausoleum. At the time of his death on July 10, 1932, Mr. Luckie resided at 185 Roswell Road and was in the Real Estate business. He died of “organic heart disease.” That seems poetic.

Bobby Jones

01 Tuesday Oct 2013

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Cemeteries, Famous People, Historic Oakland Cemetery

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bobby jones, golf

Bobby Jones Child Square; Block 518

Bobby Jones
Child Square; Block 518

The origin of the name “Child Square” is unknown. Researchers think it may be related to graves of orphans. However, there are few children in this section.

Buried in this section is the legendary Robert Tyre Jones, Jr. Otherwise known as “Bobby Jones.” Bobby was born to Clara Thomas and Robert Purmedus Jones, a lawyer, on March 17, 1902. Later on he added the “Junior” to his name to honor his father. After trying several different sports, Bobby settled on golf and became a teen phenomenon. At the age of 28, Bobby won the Grand Slam (1930). He immediately retired to enter the legal profession. Having studied at Georgia Tech and Harvard, Bobby studied law at Emory University.

In 1924, Bobby married his high school sweetheart, Mary Rice Malone. They had three children: Robert Tyre Jones, III, Clara Jones, and Mary Ellen Jones.

Upon retiring, Bobby designed the Augusta National Golf Club and co-founded the Masters Tournament, which has been played in August every year since its inception save one (cancelled because of the war).

Bobby died on December 18, 1971. Golfers leave golf balls at the foot of his tomb as a token of their appreciation.

 

The Battle of Bloody Lane

28 Saturday Sep 2013

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Cemeteries, Civil War, Georgia Statesmen, Historic Oakland Cemetery

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battle of bloody lane, fanny gordon, john brown gordon

General John B. Gordon Confederate Section Block K-3

General John B. Gordon
Confederate Section
Block K-3

Battle of Bloody Lane

John Brown Gordon was born on February 6, 1832 in Upson County, Georgia. He attended the University of Georgia but opted to drop out to study law. Gordon passed the Georgia Bar in 1854 and began his short-lived career as a lawyer. Later that year Gordon married Rebecca “Fanny” Haralson (9.18.1837-4.28.1931). Abandoning his legal career, Gordon dabbled in various occupations before the Civil War erupted.

Civil War

Gordon was one of the least experienced men to enter the ranks; however, he ended the war as Robert E. Lee’s most trusted soldiers. During the “Battle of Bloody Lane,” Gordon was heavily wounded (five times). Gordon is credited as stating: “Until the sun goes down or victory is won.” His faithful wife, Fanny, nursed him back to health whereupon he quickly returned to service. On May 14, 1864, Gordon was conferred as Major General of the CSA.

Post-Civil War

Fanny was an active member of the Atlanta Ladies’ Memorial Association, a sub-set of the organization credited with locating and burying the Confederate soldiers in proper graves. Gordon is widely believed to have presented the founding documents of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and becoming the titular leader (Grand Dragon) at the national convention held in Nashville, Tennessee in April 1867. Gordon became politically active and served as a U.S. Senator (1873-1880, 1891-1897) and Governor (1886-1890). A prominent Democrat, Gordon is honored with a statue at the Georgia Capitol.

Gordon died in Miami, Florida, on January, 9, 1904, with Fanny by his side.

 

The Confederate Section

27 Friday Sep 2013

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Cemeteries, Civil War, Georgia Statesmen, Historic Oakland Cemetery

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civil war, evans county, general clement a evans

The Lion of Atlanta Confederate Section

The Lion of Atlanta
Confederate Section

The Confederate Section at the Oakland Cemetery is the principal place in Atlanta for mourning and memorialization of the soldiers who fought in the war. The remains of soldiers came predominately from battles in Peachtree Creek, East Atlanta, Ezra Church, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge.

Brigadier General Clement Anslam Evans
Block K-9

Clement Evans was born on February 25, 1833, near Lumpkin in Stewart, County, Georgia. He attended Augusta Law School and passed the Georgia State Bar at the age of 18. By the time he turned 21, Evans was a county judge. At 25, Evans was a State Senator affiliated with the Know-Nothing Party. When the Civil War broke out, Evans resigned from the legislature.

Evans organized a militia in 1860 and quickly climbed through the ranks. He was promoted to Brigadier General in May 1864. He was wounded five times during the war. After the war was over, Evans found his true calling as a preacher with the Methodist Church.

Evans married his first wife, Mary Allen “Allie” Walton, in 1854. They had eight children; however, three died in infancy. He would marry his second wife, Sarah Avary Evans in 1887 (see previous post).

General Evans had a full life where he was a politician, officer, author, historian, and finally a minister. His funeral procession was one of the largest held at that time. In honor of his service to the State of Georgia, the legislature created Evans County in 1914.

As you may know, General Evans does not rest beside his wife but is among the other Confederate Generals within Oakland.

A Widow Rests Alone

25 Wednesday Sep 2013

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Cemeteries, Historic Oakland Cemetery

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sarah avary evans

Sarah Avary Evans Bell Tower Ridge

Sarah Avary Evans
Bell Tower Ridge

Nestled beside the “Out in the Rain” fountain, is the unimposing tombstone of Sarah Avary Evans (1842-1902), second wife of Brigadier General Clement A. Evans. Sarah was the daughter of Dr. James Corbin Avary (1818-1873) and Susan Frances Carr (1824-1899). Her first husband died leaving her a young widow. In 1887, Sarah married General Evans. He brought four surviving children to the marriage. Shortly thereafter, they had a daughter, Sarah Lee Evans Lippincott (1889-1972).

Sarah was a member of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and is listed in the 1911 directory with the member number 83727. Sarah died suddenly. Many were shocked to learn of her death. More tragic is that her husband was not interred beside her. Upon his death in 1911, Gen. Evans was interred in the Confederate Section (see discussion tomorrow).

Investigation: During one of the my trips to Oakland, I received the word “dress” while beside Sarah’s tombstone. I have not found any relationship or link between the two. However, I was deeply saddened when I read of her not resting in peace beside her husband. Further, her daughter is not buried in Oakland, but is interred in the West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Pennsylvania. That’s why I wrote about her. She does have a beautifully landscaped family plot with lots of ivy.

The Most Exclusive Section

25 Wednesday Sep 2013

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Cemeteries, Civil War, Georgia Statesmen, Historic Oakland Cemetery, Leo Frank, Sports Related, Universities

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conf. gen. hood, georgia tech, governor slaton, grant field, john grant

Grant Mausoleum Block 57 Eclectic 1888

Grant Mausoleum
Block 57 Eclectic 1888

The Bell Tower Ridge

The Bell Tower Ridge is by far the most sought after area of the cemetery. The land is the second highest naturally occurring point in Atlanta. The panoramic views are stunning. As are the elaborate mausoleums the surround the Bell Tower.

During the Civil War, James Williams owned a two-story house in this section. As the “Battle of Atlanta” was raging, Confederate General John B. Hood stood watch from this vantage point. An historic marker denotes the location.

One of the most elegant–and costly–mausoleums belongs to the Grant Family. John T. Grant (d. 1887) made his fortune building railroad lines. His grandson, John W. Grant (1867-1938) was a banker and real estate developer. John W.’s grandson, Hugh Inman Grant died at the age of 11. To honor Hugh’s memory, John W. donated the money to build a football stadium at Georgia Tech. Originally named Grant Field, the stadium is now called the Bobby Dodd Stadium in Historic Grant Field.

The family mausoleum houses a number of people. The most notable is John Slaton (d. 1955) former Georgia Governor who commuted the death sentence of Leo Frank, the man convicted of killing 13-year-old Mary Phagan. (See the Marietta City and Confederate Section for a discussion). Gov. Slaton married into the Grant family and was given a plot.

Investigation: On my first visit to Oakland and before I toured the mausoleums in this area, I received several words on my Ghost Radar: score, involved, draw, play, Europe, football, rapidly, and orange.

It was only after I went home and researched that particular area did I find a possibly connection. However, subsequent visits have not produced any communication. None. Therefore, I cannot conclusively state that these words came from the Grant Mausoleum. It makes a great story, though.

Civil War Governor

24 Tuesday Sep 2013

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Angels, Cemeteries, Georgia Statesmen, Historic Oakland Cemetery

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gabriel, joseph brown, tornado

Joseph E. Brown Family Lot Block 99 Classical Revival 1873

Joseph E. Brown Family Lot
Block 99 Classical Revival 1873

Two former Georgia governors are buried underneath the archangel Gabriel. Joseph E. Brown (1821-1894) was the Civil War Governor of Georgia. He served four terms, the only person to do so. Later, he became a U.S. Senator and Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. His son, Joseph M. Brown (1851-1932) served two terms.

Architecture: The 7′ archangel Gabriel tops the monument. He gazes toward heaven indicating a victory over death. Two additional angels serve as messengers from God. They hold down-turned torches indicating a life snuffed out.

Tragedy Strikes: On a Friday night in March, 2008, Oakland Cemetery suffered significant damage as a tornado swept through downtown Atlanta. The column toppled. Gabriel shattered. Many believed the statue was beyond repair. Amazingly, within seven months preservationists worked diligently and restored Gabriel to his perch.

Tragic Literary Loss

23 Monday Sep 2013

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Cemeteries, Famous People, Historic Oakland Cemetery

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gone with the wind, margaret mitchell

Margaret Mitchell Marsh 1900-1949

Margaret Mitchell Marsh
1900-1949

Knit Mill

Located in the northwest corner of Oakland, sits the “Knit Mill” section. It is presumably named for the various mills and factories that used to line the area. The area’s most notable inhabitant is Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind.

Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell Marsh was born November 8, 1900, to Atlanta lawyer, Eugene Muse Mitchell, and suffragist, Mary Isabel “May Belle” Stephens. Mitchell’s paternal grandfather, Russell Mitchell, was a Confederate veteran. Mitchell grew up listening to his Civil War stories, which became the basis for her only novel.

While in school, Mitchell took to the nickname “Peggy” or simply “Peg.” She attended one year of college before coming home to tend to the house once her mother succumbed to the Spanish flu. Mitchell married Berrien K. Upshaw in 1922. That marriage ended in an uncontested divorce when Upshaw became abusive. Mitchell then married John Marsh in 1925. They were married up until her death. Unfortunately, they did not have any children.

Mitchell’s Southern novel was published in 1936. Mitchell hoped for a 5,000 print run. However, the book sales broke all expectations. The novel garnered Mitchell a National Book Award (1936) and a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (1937). The book was optioned for a movie for $50,000. In 1939, the motion picture premiered in Atlanta and starred Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. After 74 years, it continues to celebrate widespread appeal and popularity.

Once the movie debuted, Mitchell had no time for writing. It was to be her one and only novel. Tragedy struck on August 16, 1949, when Mitchell and her husband were attempting to cross on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. Mitchell was hit and rendered unconscious. After five days, she died at Grady Hospital at the age of 48.

Her gravesite is extremely popular. Follow the yellow directional signs. Every time I visit, there is always someone sitting on the bench. When her publisher was alive, he would have tulips planted annually.

Alfred Austell’s $16,000 Mausoleum

19 Thursday Sep 2013

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Cemeteries, Historic Oakland Cemetery

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alfred austell, oakland cemetery

Alfred Austell Block 374, Gothic Revival

Alfred Austell
Block 374, Gothic Revival

Brigadier General Alfred Austell’s $16,000 Mausoleum

Alfred Austell (1814-1881) was born near Danbridge, Tennessee on January 14, 1814. In 1836 he moved to Campbellton, Georgia. In 1853 he married Francina Cameron (1833-1917) of LaGrange, Georgia. By 1858 the Austells relocated to Atlanta where Alfred quickly established himself in the railroad and banking businesses.

During the Civil War, he rose up through the Confederate ranks becoming a Brigadier General of the Georgia State Militia. However, Alfred was always a cunning businessman. When the Confederate Army abandoned Atlanta, Alfred rode with then Atlanta mayor James Cameron and seven others to wave the white flag of surrender. Although Alfred’s businesses were devastated after the Civil War, he rebuilt his business empire. The Atlanta Constitution stated that he was one of the wealthiest Georgians at the time of his death. The city of Austell, Georgia was named in his honor. The Austell Mausoleum cost $16,000 when it was built and was the most expensive structure erected in Oakland at the time.

 

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