The Lee s of Beat Four, Wayne County, Mississippi. Part III: The Old Lee Cemetery. Lennard (Larry) Woodrow Lee, Jr., PhD

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1 The Lee s of Beat Four, Wayne County, Mississippi Part III: The Old Lee Cemetery By Lennard (Larry) Woodrow Lee, Jr., PhD

2 Contents Introduction... 3 The Old Lee Cemetery... 4 Ethel James Ivy... 8 J. Edward Ivy... 8 Martha C. Lee... 9 Albert C. Lee... 9 Nathaniel Greene Lee Wiley Thomas Lee Robeson (Rob, Robert, Roberson, Robertson) Earl Lee Roberson Lee s Footstone Katy (West) Lee (Katie, Catherine); wife of Robeson Lee Robert and Katie Lee s headstones Baby Lee headstone Baby Thurman marker Baby James Markers Baby Lee Marker J. Rufus Lee Audrey Elizabeth (daughter of J. Rufus Lee) James Waldrom Lee (Walter or Buddy) P.A Lee and wife Pollie An (Overstreet) Lee Mattie Buckley Robert Hairel Lee McIlwaine Lee Hazel Roberta Lee Goldie (Campbell) Arrington The Arington Twins Mrs. Solma Pugit Vanosdol Distant picture of the Old Lee Cemetery in December

3 Introduction In Part 3 of my Lee Family history, I present the Old Lee Family Cemetery. It is located on a privately owned pasture near Waynesboro, Mississippi; the owner, Noland Clark s widow, is not a member of our Lee family. The cemetery was first used after the death of my 2 nd Great grandfather, Robeson (Robert/Rob) Earl Lee who died on July 25, Grandpa Rob was born on April 6, His parents, Samuel Jefferson Lee, Senior, and Sarah Shay (or Sarah Burns) and some of their early children were among the first white settlers to come into Wayne County, Mississippi. They may have come into the county as early as 1805, but they were surely here before my 2 nd Great grandpa Rob s birth. This cemetery was once part of the Lee Plantation that Samuel established and passed down to his youngest son, Rob. Rob s mother Sarah is buried in an unknown grave on the property that was once the Lee Plantation. She may or may not be buried in the present day Old Lee Cemetery. If she is buried there, her grave is unmaked and she would be the first person buried there as she died in It is likely she s not buried there, however. Her gravesite, and the gravesites of at least two of her younger children that she was buried beside, have been long ago lost. However, it is believed by some that they are buried not too far from the present day Old Lee Cemetery. All the individuals buried at the Old Lee Family Cemetery are offspring of Samuel and Sarah; or they are related to our Lee family by marriage. My 2 nd Great grandparents, Rob and Catherine Katie (West) Lee have children, grandchildren and great grandchildren buried at the cemetery. Best I can tell the last person buried there was in So the cemetery was active from 1897 to 1946; a total of 49-years. It is worth noting that the cemetery was being used to bury family members LONG after the land around it fell out of the hands of the Lee family. Since the cemetery is not located on family owned property, it gets heavily overgrown at times and very difficult to find or even see the headstones when you are only a few feet away. Up until the 1970s, the cemetery was kept up; but now that the Lees that knew individuals buried there have aged, the cemetery only gets an occasional clean up. Most of the present day generations of Lees have no idea the cemetery exist or their connection to the individuals buried there. I am working with the Waynesboro City Library to get the cemetery cared for. As of the year 2013, there is a project that the library is sponsoring that is attempting to find old abandoned cemeteries in Wayne County and clean them up. I have provided the library the data and the GSP coordinates for this cemetery (basically I provided them Part 3 that I wrote for our family history). I have also taken a member of the library project to the cemetery personally. The library knows about the cemetery and where it is. I am hopeful now that the cemetery will be kept up and not lost. But I am concerned that sometime in the future, it may get lost anyway. If so, this document will help a future researcher find it. I now present to you the old Lee Family Cemetery. 3

4 The Old Lee Cemetery Old River Road Waynesboro, Mississippi 10 January 2013 Compiled by Lennard (Larry) Woodrow Lee, Jr. The Old Lee Cemetery is on the west bank of the Chickasawhay River north of Waynesboro, Mississippi. It was once located on the Old Lee Plantation but is now surrounded by a privately owned pasture. The pasture is owned by Noland Clark s widow; I do not know her name. GPS Coordinates for the Old Lee Cemetery: N W Using two different lists of individuals buried at the Old Lee Cemetery, and by actually going out to the cemetery and examining the grave markers, I came up with the following combined list. It is the best list I know of that s available for the cemetery. 1. Ethel James Ivy grave photographed 6/17/1899 2/18/ J. Edward Ivy grave photographed 12/11/1934 2/11/ Martha C. Lee grave photographed 7/9/1864 4/12/1944 Gone But Not Forgotten 4. Albert C. Lee 1 grave photographed 9/15/1854 4/8/1915 May He Rest in Peace Father 5. Greene Lee 2 grave photographed Erected by Sadie Stenet Gone But Not Forgotten 1 Some sources have his name listed as Albert G. Lee and I believe the middle initial should be C. There is an Albert G. Lee buried at the Lee s Chapel Cemetery in Wayne County, but he is much younger than the person listed as being buried at the Old Lee Cemetery. 2 Nathaniel Green Lee. 4

5 6. Wiley T. Lee 3 grave photographed 7/16/ /16/1946 May He Rest in Peace 7. In Memory of Robt. E. Lee 4 grave photographed 4/6/1818 7/25/1897 Gone But Not Forgotten 8. Katy Lee 5 (Wife of Robt. E. Lee) grave photographed No Dates 9. Baby Lee grave photographed No Dates 10. Baby Thurman grave photographed No Dates 11. Baby James grave photographed No Dates 12. Baby James grave photographed No Dates 13. Baby Lee grave photographed No Dates 14. J. Rufus Lee grave photographed 3/1/1893 4/14/1946 Forever with The Lord Daddy 15. Audrey Elizabeth grave photographed Daughter of J.R. & Mary Lee 2/12/ /21/1923 Asleep in Jesus Darling 16. James Waldrom Lee 6 grave photographed 11/2/1907 2/18/ Wiley Thomas Lee. 4 Robt. E. Lee. His real name is Robeson Earl Lee. His name shows up on various documents as Roberson, or Robertson, or Robert E. Lee. Known in the community as Rob. My 2 nd great grandfather. 5 Catherine Katie (West) Lee, wife of Robeson Lee. Known in the community as Katie or Katy. My 2 nd great grandmother. 6 James Waldrom Lee; also known as Buddy or Walter. He is the son of P.A. and Pollie An (Overstreet) Lee. 5

6 17. P.A. Lee 7 grave photographed 1/19/1858 2/12/1935 May He Rest in Peace Father 18. Pollie An Lee 8 grave photographed 12/14/ /12/1931 She was the sunshine of our house Mother 19. Mattie Buckley grave photographed Robert H. Lee 9 grave photographed 7/28/1938 7/28/ McIllwaine Lee grave photographed 3/16/1927 3/28/1933 Gone To a Better Home 22. Hazel R. Lee 10 grave photographed 6/25/1933 3/1/ Goldie (Campbell) Arrington grave photographed 7/13/1899 1/17/ Arington Twins grave photographed No Dates 25. Mrs. Sloma Pugit Vanosdol 11 grave photographed Phillip Anaphur Lee, nicknamed Napper. My great grandfather. 8 Pollie An (Overstreet) Lee, or Polly Ann Lee. Nicknamed Pruda. My great grandmother. 9 Robert Hairel Lee; son of Gerod and Estelle (Busby) Lee. Still born. My uncle. 10 Hazel Roberta Lee; daughter of Gerod and Estelle (Busby) Lee. Died in a house fire. My aunt. 11 Another source cites her name as Mrs. (Saloma) Van Osdol. 6

7 26. Mary K. James Lee unmarked grave Frank James unmarked grave Sarah Lee James unmarked grave Ben Franklin (Bud) James unmarked grave Ruby Lee Starling unmarked grave Daughter of Goldie Campbell I was not able to find the graves of: Mary K. James Lee Frank James Sarah Lee James Ben Franklin (Bud) James Ruby Lee Starling One source that listed graves for the Old Lee Cemetery stated that these graves were unmarked. That would agree with my findings. Some older sources state the James Walter Lee is buried in the Old Lee Cemetery and that his grave is unmarked. These sources have the incorrect middle name for my granduncle. His real name is James Waldrom Lee and his headstone is in the cemetery. James Waldrom Lee was also known by his nicknames: Buddy or Walter. I found and photographed 25 head stones. There are at least 5 graves unmarked. One headstone for the Arrington twins would be for 2 babies buried in the grave. I think it is safe to say there are at least 31 people buried in the Old Lee Cemetery. If Sarah Mamie Lee is not Sarah Lee James and both are buried in the cemetery, then there is a possibility of one more person buried there for a total of 32. (I think she is the same person, however.) Interesting is that a cousin recently told me that there was an adult female that was buried near the Old Lee Cemetery but not in the cemetery itself. For whatever reason, the Lee family did not want this individual buried in the cemetery; perhaps she offended some of the family some way; but they did allowed her to be buried on the Old Lee Plantation outside the cemetery s parameter. I have no idea who she is or exactly where she may be buried. Below are the photographs of the headstones. 7

8 The following pages contain photographs that I took of every headstone and marker in the cemetery when it was cleaned up in December 28, The photographs same order as the list above. Ethel James Ivy J. Edward Ivy 8

9 Martha C. Lee Albert C. Lee 9

10 Nathaniel Greene Lee Wiley Thomas Lee 10

11 Robeson (Rob, Robert, Roberson, Robertson) Earl Lee Roberson Lee s Footstone 11

12 Katy (West) Lee (Katie, Catherine); wife of Robeson Lee Robert and Katie Lee s headstones 12

13 Baby Lee headstone Baby Thurman marker 13

14 Baby James Markers Baby Lee Marker 14

15 J. Rufus Lee Audrey Elizabeth (daughter of J. Rufus Lee) 15

16 James Waldrom Lee (Walter or Buddy) Son of Phillip Napper and Pollie An Lee 16

17 P.A Lee and wife Pollie An (Overstreet) Lee Phillip Anaphur Lee; nickname, Napper. Some documents incorrectly list his middle name as Napier or Nelson. 17

18 Mattie Buckley Robert Hairel Lee Son of Gerod and Estelle Lee Still born 18

19 McIlwaine Lee Hazel Roberta Lee Daughter of Gerod and Estelle Lee 19

20 Goldie (Campbell) Arrington The Arington Twins 20

21 Mrs. Solma Pugit Vanosdol 21

22 The Old Lee Cemetery Relationships to me: Distant picture of the Old Lee Cemetery in December

23 1. Name: Robeson Earl Lee (Robert E. Lee) (Rob) 2 nd Great grandfather Relationship to me: 2. Catherine Katie (Katy) [West] Lee 2 nd Great grandmother 3. Phillip Anaphur Napper Lee Great grandfather 4. Pollie An [Overstreet] Lee Great grandmother 5. James Waldrom Lee 6. Baby Lee Granduncle; son of Phillip and Pollie An Lee; nicknames Buddy or Walter. Grandaunt; most likely daughter of Phillip and Pollie An Lee 7. Nathaniel Greene Lee Great granduncle; son of Rob and Katie Lee 8. Albert C. Lee Great granduncle; son of Rob and Katie Lee 9. Martha C. Lee Great grandaunt; daughter of Rob and Katie Lee 10. Wiley Thomas Lee Great granduncle; son of Rob and Katie Lee 11. Sarah [Lee] James Great grandaunt; daughter of Rob and Katie Lee 12. Frank James Great granduncle; husband of Sarah [Lee] James 13. Ben Franklin (Bud) James 1 st cousin, twice removed; son of Frank and Sarah [Lee] James; grandson of Rob and Katie Lee 14. J. Rufus Lee 1 st cousin twice removed; son of Albert C. Lee 15. Audrey Elizabeth 16. Ruby [Lee] Starling 17. Goldie [Campbell] Arrington 18. Arrington Twins 2 nd cousin once removed; daughter of J. Ruffus Lee 2 nd cousin once removed; great grandchild of Rob and Katie Lee 1 st cousin, twice removed; granddaughter of Rob and Katie Lee 2 nd cousins once removed; great grandchildren of Rob and Katie Lee 23

24 Name: Relationship to me: 19. Robert Hairel Lee Uncle; son of Gerod and Estelle [Busby] Lee 20. Hazel Roberta Lee Aunt; daughter of Gerod and Estelle [Busby] Lee 21. Mattie Buckley Unknown; all unknowns are likely distant cousins 22. McIllwaine Lee Unknown 23. Mrs. Sloma Pugit Vanosdol Unknown 24. Mary K. James Lee Unknown 25. Ethel James Ivy Unknown 26. J. Edward Ivy Unknown 27. Baby James Unknown 28. Baby James Unknown 29. Baby Lee Unknown 30. Baby Thurman Unknown I have cousins that believe there is still another family cemetery that s lost somewhere on the property that was once the Old Lee Plantation. Luther Lee, among others, believed it. Oral stories state that in December 1818 my 2 nd Great grandmother Sarah Lee was buried next to a child that drowned when the family first forded the Chickasawhay River in the early 1800s. Some oral family history states there was at least one more child buried there too, and if so, there are at least three Lee family members buried in unknown grave sites on the Old Lee Plantation property not in the Old Lee Cemetery. That is what the old folks used to call the first Lee Cemetery. The first cemetery site, which was once by a magnolia tree, is now lost. The magnolia tree is long gone. There may be more lost graves. My cousin Charlotte Saik makes a strong argument for this using great logic with simple math. She points out that Sarah Lee died in December 1818, and we know that she was buried somewhere on the property. Charlotte points out that the next burial we now know of was for Robeson Earl Lee in September She then said to me, Are you telling me that in about 79-years no one in a family as big as the Lees died? Are you telling me that if they did die, the family buried them somewhere other than on the property, especially since they already had family graves on the place? I bet Charlotte is correct; but where s the graves? 24

25 Charlotte Saik is my 3 rd cousin. Her 2 nd Great grandfather is Robeson Earl Lee; he is also my 2 nd Great grandfather. Charlotte gave me the following information that I did not know. Ethel James Ivy buried at the Old Lee Cemetery is the sister of her mother s first husband, Benjamin Franklin (Bud) James. I suppose then Ethel would not be blood kin to the Lees which means not everyone buried in the Old Lee Cemetery are related to the Lees by blood or even marriage as I once thought. However, everyone buried there has a close connection to the Lee family; as you d expect. Ethel (James) Ivy had several children but the last child was J. Edward Ivy. When Ethel died, J. Edward was only a few months old. Charlotte s mother did not have any children with her first husband Bud James. So she begged her husband Bud and J. Edward Ivy s father to let her raise the child, and they agreed. However, the child died when he was only about two-years old. The doctor had said from the start that something was wrong with the child but it could never be determined what it was. J. Edward Ivy is also buried at the Old Lee Cemetery near his mother. Charlotte s mother thought that the Vanosdols were a foreign family. However, Charlotte looked up Mrs. Vanosdol in the 1930 census and found that she was from Indiana; which Charlotte says was foreign to her mother when she was living on the Old Lee Plantation. Mrs. Vanosdol is buried in the Old Lee Cemetery; just how she fits in with the Lee family is not known to me at this time. Funny, I was friends with Johnny Vanosdol when I was in high school and never knew that his family and my family may have had past connections! I knew that one of my 2 nd Great grandpa Robeson Earl Lee s daughters; Sarah Mamie Lee married Frank James in about Some say he is closely kin to the outlaws Frank and Jesse James, which was a great source of pride for my Grandfather Gerod Lee as Grandpa sincerely believed that. However, I cannot find the connection in my research; which is not an absolute there isn t any. Nevertheless, it appears that Frank and Sarah and some of the James ; perhaps their children; lived on the Old Lee Plantation with the Lees. Sarah Mamie (Lee) James and her husband Frank James are buried in the Old Lee Cemetery. Charlotte s mother married the son of Sarah Mamie Lee and Frank James; the same Benjamin Franklin (Bud) James as I have previously mentioned. Charlotte tells me that her mother lived on the Old Lee Plantation with her first husband, Bud James. The marriage was not a particular good one as Bud James was known to be very mean. It was even said that he was the meanest man in Wayne County. Against her mother s desires and beliefs, Charlotte s mother divorced Bud James eventually. Divorce was not common at that time and having to do it caused great stress with Charlotte s mother. Charlotte s mother related that she did not like living at the Old Lee Plantation as is was depressing to her. Perhaps this was because of her bad marriage. Charlotte s mother did say that the Lee s loved it there and seemed to be drawn to the river. 25

26 Charlotte says her mother did not get away from the Plantation much until she met her father. Charlotte s mother did get a chance to go to Mobile a couple of times with Babe Mozingo when she was a teenager. Charlotte s father was raised in the French Quarter in New Orleans, so Charlotte s mother got to spread her wings a little after meeting him! 26

The Lee s of Beat Four, Wayne County, Mississippi. Part I: the Ancestors. Lennard (Larry) Woodrow Lee, Jr., PhD

The Lee s of Beat Four, Wayne County, Mississippi Part I: the Ancestors By Lennard (Larry) Woodrow Lee, Jr., PhD Contents Introduction... 3 The Lees of Wayne County, Mississippi... 6 Generation 1: John