Elmore-Richardson Cemetery Decoration

Elmore-Richardson Cemetery

By Tommy Roberts - 16 Jun 2019

The descendants of Arvil "Slick" and Fannie (Whitehead) Herron gathered at the Elmore-Richardson Cemetery yesterday for a "decoration". Slick's mother was Etta Roberts, so they are all descendants of Joseph Roberts of Mine Lick Creek. Fannie's mother was Aunt Dude (Mary Arena) Richardson who married Jimmy Whitehead. Aunt Dude was a noted mid-wife in the Mine Lick Creek area. She delivered two or three of my siblings. Aunt Dude's grandparents were William Heizer Richardson and his wife, Sarah Goslin, so all of Francis Marion Roberts' descendants are cousins to this group through the Richardsons as well. Isn't it amazing how all the local families are intertwined? Oh what tangled webs we weave!

The name history of this cemetery is thus. It was first called Burgess Cemetery. This is noted in some of the earliest death certificates. At some point, the Richardsons out numbered the Burgesses and it began to be called the Richardson Cemetery. Then, the Richardsons married into the Elmores and, it appears, it attained its current name of Elmore-Richardson Cemetery. I find that interesting and it is important for genealogical research. Otherwise, one might ask, who are these Burgesses buried here.

Many thanks to Tammy and her family for maintenance of this Cemetery. It looks so good compared to its former condition.

After the decoration, the family gathered at the Baxter Park for a family meal.