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Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Church with Bell

Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Church and Cemetery

Posted on March 3, 2019May 30, 2022 by ML Williams

Location

Bethel Church and Cemetery is located on Tracy Road in Atoka, TN. Founded in approximately 1850 and a new building was erected in 1953.

Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Church Sign
Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Church Sign

Cemetery

The cemetery is on the left side of the church. It is an older cemetery with about 600 graves. Some of the oldest graves are dated around 1850.

Bethel Church Cemetery Cemetery Entrance
Bethel Church Cemetery Cemetery Entrance
Bethel Church and Cemetery
Bethel Church and Cemetery

Haunting Spirits

I first heard of Bethel Cemetery’s ghost on Memphis’ Channel 3. I went back to find the news report but didn’t have any luck. However, I did run across a website called Paranormal Inc and, as luck would have it, they had a full post about Bethel Cemetery.

The cemetery dates back to the mid-1800s. Sources say it has two separate sections, one for children and another for criminals. Also according to local accounts ghostly voices, lights, shadows and evil growls can be heard coming from the surrounding tree line. More disturbing is the accounts of a “monster” in the cemetery. This monster like ghost is said to have the body of a lion, the head of a dog, and red glowing eyes.

The Paranormal Inc post did not describe anything like this but they did report to have heard a ghostly growl but did not capture the sound on a recording. They went on to say that the cemetery could be a “portal haunting”. At any rate, it does make for a spooky story!

A white mist that appeared in the upper left corner of the picture. This image was not seen at the time the picture was taken, and is facing the gravestones that are near the old tree in the back of the cemetery.
A white mist that appeared in the upper left corner of the picture. This image was not seen at the time the picture was taken, and is facing the gravestones that are near the old tree in the back of the cemetery. [Picture was taken by ibelieveinghosts.com.]

Burials

NAME

DOB

DOD

COMMENTS and OTHER INFORMATION

Banks, Ruth Craig6 Mar 189111 Oct 1976 
Banks, William O.1 Nov 188810 May 1964Tennessee, PFC 3 CORPS School, World War I
Billings, Andrew Harold25 Aug 193123 Aug 1998Double marker with Clara Jo Ellis Billings
Billings, Clara Jo Ellis29 Aug 1938No DateDouble marker with Andrew Harold Billings
Black, Hattie G.25 Apr 18959 Jun 1987Double marker with "Jack" R. Black
Black, "Jack" R.20 Nov 189918 Mar 1993Double marker with Hattie G. Black
Black, Josie Ann18 May 187812 Oct 1957Double marker with Thomas L. Black
Black, Thomas L.10 Jan 187423 Nov 1953Double marker with Josie Ann Black
Bowers, Elizabeth24 Apr 184727 Feb 1891Wife of J. A. Bowers
Ellis, Lulu Mai8 Jan 18978 May 1916Daughter of G. R. & E. G. Ellis
Glover, Donald S.6 Jan 191320 Feb 1982Double marker with Ruby S. Glover
Glover, Ruby S.22 Feb 191411 Feb 1998Double marker with Donald S. Glover
Glover, W. C.18621935 
Hudson, Henry Hardy2 Jan 18426 Mar 1934CO C, 22 ALA INF, C. S. A.
Hutcheson, James W.7 Aug 185314 Feb 1877 
Hutchinson, Elizabeth B.18461924 
Hutchinson, Sarah18225 Jun 1899Inscription: "Born in NC in 1822 / Wife of William W. Hutchinson / Daughter of David & Elizabeth Goss.
Hutchinson, Wm. W.No Date7 Feb 1892Aged 73 yrs.  3 mos. & 17 days
Hutchison, J. L.7 Mar 18301 Apr 1894 
Hutchison, Cynthia JaneNo Date2 Feb 1888Aged 37 yrs. 11 mos. & 22 days
Hutchison, J. C. (SGT)No DateNo DateCO D, 12 TENN CAV,  C. S. A.
Hutchison, Lois Irene20 Oct 187629 Jan 1877Daughter of D. & S. A. Hutchison
Hutchison, M. E.No DateNo DateCO D, 12 TENN CAV, C. S. A.
LeBoeuf, Melba Jean25 Jan 194031 May 1990 
McFerrin, James A.No DateNo Date1 LT,  CO K,  32 TENN INF,  C. S. A.
McMullin, James WashingtonNo Date11 Aug 1872Aged 2 yrs, 10 mos & 30 days / Son of Newton & Sarah E. McMullin
McMullin, Sarah E.6 May 1843No DateWife of Newton McMullin (Stone appears to be broken / DOD may be below ground level)
McNair, Mary J.No Date1 Apr 1882Aged 41 years / Wife of E. McNair
Misemheimer, H. Elizabeth17 May 183713 Nov 1899Wife of J. W. Misemheimer
Moose, Lucille Black18 May 19051 Nov 2000Double marker with Ralph S. Moose
Moose, Ralph S.11 May 190720 Feb 2000Double marker with Lucille Black Moose
Ralph, Arthur W.13 Jan 191725 May 1968Double marker with Martha Agnos Ralph
Ralph, Barney2 Mar 18895 Sep 1970 
Ralph, Martha Agnos4 Aug 192224 Sep 2000Double marker with Arthur W. Ralph
Ralph, William Robert6 Oct 192611 Oct 1941Son of Wm & Lucy Ralph
Ray, Emily Hutchison10 Jan 187923 Aug 1965Double marker with husband, James Robert Ray
Ray, James Robert11 Jun 187327 May 1939Double marker with wife, Emily Hutchison Ray
Rhodes, William T.15 Aug 18454 Aug 1901TENNESSEE , PVT CO A 26 REGT TENN INF, Confederate States Army
Sanders, Calvin Robert13 Feb 18884 Sep 1966 
Sanders, Jimmie R.14 Feb 191712 Dec 1975 
Smith, Andrew T.5 Jan 191019 Apr 2006Double marker with wife, Gunetta B. Smith
Smith, Arthur Theophilus15 Mar 18693 Jan 1946Double marker with Della E. Smith
Smith, Baudine A.18951981Double marker with James C. Smith
Smith, Charles David18791938Double marker with Willie Smith
Smith, Della E.29 Jun 18749 Mar 1974Double marker with Arthur T. Smith
Smith, Edward Scott18601932 
Smith, George T.18761955 
Smith, Gunetta B.15 Nov 191029 Aug 2005Double marker with husband, Andrew T. Smith
Smith, James C.18931981Double marker with Baudine A. Smith
Smith, James Willis13 Mar 188227 Nov 1890 
Smith, Johnny L.3 Jun 18731 Aug 1959 
Smith, Joseph18711952 
Smith, Laura McCormick18591945 
Smith, L. B.No Date3 Jun 1903Aged 76 years
Smith, Mable Rhodes9 Oct 191825 Jun 2003Double marker with Venoy Franklin Smith
Smith, Mary J.2 Jan 18663 Aug 1896Wife of L. B. A. Smith
Smith, NannieNo Date21 Dec 1900Aged 32 years
Smith, Oliver28 May 182719 Jan 1882 
Smith, Oliver Warren13 Dec 187429 Nov 1890 
Smith, Robert B.14 Oct 189614 Jan 1926 
Smith, Sarah1 Mar 184229 Nov 1932 
Smith, Thomas F.14 Dec 186916 Nov 1891 
Smith, Venoy Franklin23 Feb 190827 Aug 2002Double marker with Mable Rhodes Smith
Smith, Willie18891975Double marker with Charles Smith
Todd, Sarah Ruth Ralph8 Sep 192225 May 2003 
Smith, Wayne22 Jul 2016
Walker, Betty Glover17 Apr 193317 Feb 1999Wife of Richard T. Walker / Married 04/13/1951
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Welcome!

Mary Lynne Williams with Kenny Faulk at Bozos Bar-B-Q in 2018
Mary Lynne Williams with Kenny Faulk at Bozos Bar-B-Q in 2018

My name is ML Williams. I am a hiking, fossil hunting, God loving, coffee drinking, hot fries eatin' middle school math teacher! I love researching my family history and, since my family is from Tipton County, I love researching the people and areas of Tipton.

Thanks for visiting my site and good luck in your quest!

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© 2018-2021 Tipton County, Tennessee
Mary Lynne Williams

Shelley, Barbara June Abbott

BARBARA JUNE ABBOTT SHELLEY | 52, of Drummonds, Tenn., clerk for Abbott Jewelry, died Thursday at Baptist Memorial Hospital – Tipton in Covington, Tenn. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Munford (Tenn.) Funeral Home with burial in Poplar Grove Cemetery in Drummonds.  She leaves a daughter, Kimberly Ann Douglas, and a son, James D. Shelley, both of Atlanta; her parents, John and Reamonia Millican Abbot of Drummonds; a brother, Paul Abbott of Memphis, and five grandchildren.

[Barbara June Abbott Shelley; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 14 Dec 2003; Pg 29]

Janie Reamonia Rann

JANIE REAMONIA RANN, 17, of Drummonds, Tenn., clerk for Abbott Diamond Enterprises, died Thursday at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis. Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Munford (Tenn.) Funeral Home with Burial in Poplar Grove Cemetery in Drummonds. She was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church. She leaves her great-grandparents who raised her, Reamonia and John Abbott of Drummonds; a half-brother, John Abbot Peak of Texas, and her grandmother, Barbara Shelley of Drummonds.

[Janie Reamonia Rann; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 20 Sep 2003; Pg 15]

John A Murrell Death

Lillian Oreed Smith

Lillian was born August 22, 1903, in Tipton County, Tennessee and died June 22, 1992, in Covington, Tennessee.  She married William Austin Rhodes, May 25, 1924.  William was born July 18, 1894, and died September 17, 1980.  Lillian taught school in the schoolhouse at Bethel as a very young woman.  Then she went to Memphis where she met and married Austin.  They operated drug stores, sometimes one and sometimes two, in north Memphis most of their adult lives.  One of the stores was on Leath Street very near Humes High School and the other was on Manassas Street.  Rather late in life, they bought the old Smith family house and four acres from Lillian’s mother, Della, and moved back to Tipton County.  They put in a hen house for laying hens and sold eggs until retirement.  Austin and Lillian never had any children.  They both are buried in the “New Part” of Bethel Cemetery.

[ from An Illustrated History of the People and Towns of Northeast Shelby County and South Central Tipton County, page 178]

Lillian Oreed Smith Rhodes Obituary

ATOKA – Lillian Smith Rhodes, 88, retired merchant, died Monday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton after a long illness.  Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Munford Funeral Home with burial in Bethel Cemetery.  She was a member of Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Church and Home Demonstration Club.  Mrs. Rhodes, the widow of Austin Rhodes, leaves a sister, Carmen Smith of Memphis, and two brothers, A. T. Smith of Atoka and Richard Smith of Gautier, Miss.

[Rhodes, Lillian Smith; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 24 Jun 1992; Pg 11]

Delayed birth certificate Lillian Oreed Smith
Delayed birth certificate Lillian Oreed Smith
Lillian Oreed Smith and W A Rhodes Marriage License
Lillian Oreed Smith and W A Rhodes Marriage License
Lillian Oreed Smith Rhodes
Lillian Oreed Smith Rhodes
Richard Arnold Smith

Richard was born on June 29, 1912, and died in Pascagoula, Mississippi on June 3, 1994.  He married Zelma Wright on October 19, 1940.  Richard attended college at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.  I do not know if he got a degree or not.  After college, he went to work for Continental Gin Company as a sales engineer in Birmingham.  He and Zelma lived there for a long time.  He finally did transfer to Memphis and lived there for several years.  During his years with Continental Gin Company, he traveled a lot, even to India for several months to install a cotton gin there.  After a long career with Continental, they bought a small tourist court in Pascagoula and moved down there to operate it.  This facility consisted of several individual cottages scattered through a pine grove.  They did most of the work themselves, just hiring people to supplement in areas that they could not see after twenty-four hours per day.  Most of their clientele were extended stay types who worked on the shrimp boats that fished out of the Pascagoula harbor and construction workers who were there for several months at a time.  Of course, they did do some overnight business, too.  Later in life, when the work became too difficult, they sold the tourist court and retired to Dolphin Island where they lived until Richard died.  It is assumed that both Richard and Zelma are buried in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

[An Illustrated History of the People and Towns of Northeast Shelby County and South Central Tipton County]

Jackson County Memorial Park

Iva Electa Smith

Iva Electa was born April 20, 1901, and died December 24, 1991, in Savannah, Hardin County, Tennessee.  She married Lenvil Gordon Beaver on March 30, 1925.  He died February 21, 1949.  They lived in the community that was named after his family, Beaver, or sometimes referred to as Beaver Town.  There was a store and cotton gin, both of which he owned.  They lived in a house that sat across the road from the store.  They had five children: Lenvil Oneda, Iva Shirley, Steve, Carmen Theo, and Lemuel Gordon Beaver.  Gordon and Iva Electa are buried in Ravencroft Cemetery in Tipton County, Tennessee.

[An Illustrated History of the People and Towns of Northeast Shelby County and South Central Tipton County, page 178]

After the death of Gordon in 1949, Iva Electa married Jesse Ray Blakey on 21 Aug 1970.  Both the bride and the groom were 69 years of age.

Iva Electa passed away on 24 Dec 1991.  Her obit is below:

BRIGHTON – Electa Smith Beaver Blakey, 90, former teacher, died Tuesday at Hardin County General Hospital in Savannah.  Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Munford Funeral Home with burial in Ravenscroft Cemetery.  She was a member of Beaver Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday School and the Women’s Bible Class.  Mrs. Blakey, the widow of Gordon Beaver and J. R. Blakey, leaves three daughters, Lenvil Leadbetter of Savannah, Shirley Dyer of Clinton, Ill., and Carmen Harshfield of Somerville; a son, Gordon ‘Lem’ Beaver Jr. of Brighton; two sisters, Carmen Smith of Memphis and Lillian Rhodes of Savannah; two brothers, A. T. Smith of Atoka and Richard Smith of Gauthier, Miss., 15 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Electa Smith Beaver Blakey; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, TN; 26 Dec 1991; Pg 29
Electa Smith Beaver Blakey; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, TN; 26 Dec 1991; Pg 29

 

Gordon and Electa Beaver's Headstone in Ravenscroft Cemetery
Gordon and Electa Beaver’s Headstone in Ravenscroft Cemetery
Delayed Birth Record Iva Electa Smith
Delayed Birth Record Iva Electa Smith
Electa Smith marriage to Lenvil Gordon Beaver
Electa Smith marriage to Lenvil Gordon Beaver
Electa Smith Beaver Marriage to Jesse Ray Blakey
Electa Smith Beaver Marriage to Jesse Ray Blakey
Carmen Theo Smith

Carmen was born on 24 Oct 1898 in Tipton County, Tennessee.  After graduating high school, Carmen moved to Memphis where she was a bookkeeper and secretary for William G. Smith.  William owned a refrigerator business.  They soon fell in love and where married on 24 Jun 1927.  William had three children from a previous marriage, and he and Carmen did not have any children.  They lived on E. Cherry Circle in Memphis.  According to Wayne Smith, their house was very nice and sat on about two acres of land.  Carmen died on 6 Feb 2000 in Shelby County, Tennessee.  Both William and Carmen are buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee.

Obituary for Carmen Theo Smith

Carmen T. Smith, 101, of Bartlett, retired bookkeeper for Smith’s Refrigeration Co., died of heart failure Sunday at Ave Maria Nursing Home.  Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Memorial Park Funeral Home with burial in Memorial Park.  She was a choir member at Broadmoor Baptist Church, taught Sunday school, and was a charter member at Sunset Baptist Church.  Mrs. Smith, the widow of William G. Smith, leaves a brother, A. T. Smith of Atoka, Tenn. The family requests that any memorials be sent to Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Churchin Atoka.

Carmen T Smith; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 8 Feb 2000; Pg 14
Carmen T Smith; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 8 Feb 2000; Pg 14

 

Delayed Birth Certificate
Delayed Birth Certificate
1910 US Census
1910 US Census
1920 US Census
1920 US Census
1940 US Census
1940 US Census
1950 US Census
1950 US Census
Allie Perry Smith

Allie was born about 1865 and died on 10 Aug 1911.  Allie worked as a clerk in  a store in Randolph, Tennessee.  He never married.

There is an old rumor that Allie was shot and killed.  The suspect, a jealous husband, but no one was ever charged with the crime.  It seems, although an interesting story, this cannot be true as his death certificate states he died of Typhoid Fever.

Fannie Smith

Fannie was born in 1867.  She married John W Reeves (1862-1945) on 7 Feb 1889 in Tipton County, Tenn.  The couple had two children:  Baudine and Finis Henry Uric.  The Reeves family was instrumental in the growth of business and church affairs in Atoka.  John was a merchant for many years and he was very active in the civic projects of the town.  They were members of the Methodist Church, where Fannie taught Sunday school.  Their son, Finis, born 6 Aug 1895, was confined to a wheelchair because of a spinal injury he received as a child.  He died on 28 Jan 1924, at the at of 29. Fannie, John and Finis are buried in Bethel Cemetery.  Baudine, who was born 19 Nov 1893, married James C Smith (1891-1981) on 3 Sep 1916 in Tipton County, Tenn.  Baudine died in Dec of 1981 and is buried in Bethel Cemetery.

 

William Richard Smith

William was born February 16, 1863, and died 22 Oct 1900.  He married Lula Victoria Aycock.  The couple farmed between Tipton and Bethel on land they had purchased.  William and Lula had two daughters, Dorcas Smith and Gladys Smith, and one son, William R Smith who was born 16 Feb 1901, and died 25 Feb 1902.  William and Lula are buried in Bethel Cemetery in unmarked graves.  Their son, William, is buried in part “C” of the cemetery.  They are probably buried in that vicinity.

After William’s death, Lula married Walter Lyles. Walter had a child from a previous marriage named Helen.  Walter and Lula did not have children.

Edward Scott Smith

Edward was born 1860 and died in 1932.  He married Laura McCormick who was born 1859 and died in 1945.  They lived in Shelby County near the Tipton County line just south of Bethel Road.  They farmed, but the land was very poor and they did not do very well.  After their children were grown, Ed and Laura moved into a house located on Tipton Road between Tipton and Munford.  They are buried in the “C” section of Bethel Cemetery.  The children of Edward and Laura McCormick were daughter Myrtle and twins Roger B. and Rodney.

John Alexander Smith

John Alexander married Jarusha Dorcas Walker Oct. 28, 1959 in Tipton County, Tennessee.  She was the daughter of John and Frances Walker.  Jarusha was born July 20, 1842, and died April 24, 1917.  John and Jarusha are buried in the “B” section of Bethel Cemetery.

Arthur Theophilus Smith said that he always heard that John and Jarusha did not own the house and property where they were living when John died.  This property was located in Shelby County between Tracy Road and Mudville Road.  Today the road is known as Mulberry Road.  Somehow, Jarusha managed to raise seven children and purchase a portion of the property, at least the house and maybe some land.  The children of John A. and Jarusha Walker Smith were:  Edward Scott, William Richard, Allie, Fannie, Auther Theophilus, Wyatt Andrew and Johnny LeAndrew.