A SKETCH ~ TENT GRAVES ~ GOOLSBERRY

GOOLSBERRY 'GOOLSBY' KEY

Birth November 9, 1826 in Overton, Tennessee

Death June 12, 1909 in Bushing, Overton, Tennessee

Wife of Goolsberry

Elizabeth Finley

Birth July 4, 1831 in Fentress County, Tennessee

Death August 27, 1901 in Overton County, Tennessee

The pair married on May 22, 1849 in Fentress County, Tennessee.  

They had at least 11 children.

Goolsberry is not any 'blood' kin!

However, getting led to him through the twists and turns 

of family research, was worth all the twists and turns. 

My 2nd great grand uncle (Lafayette 'Fate' Baldwin) married Armilda Key

who was one of the daughters of Goolsberry and Elizabeth.

SKETCH of Goolsberry 'Goolsby' Key

I have not come upon many drawings/sketches of my ancestors. I find the hat quite unusual ...would love to know the title of the small book (or whatever it is) that he is holding.  Elizabeth's appears to be a photograph.  He lived about 8 years after she died. I wonder if he sat for this drawing...or was it a photograph and then sketched. 

I just wonder.  Wish I knew. Can't quite get this hat.

Goolsberry is buried in Cedar Chapel Cemetery 

in Overton County, Tennessee.  His grave is a Tent Grave.

Tent Graves

Located in the Highland Rim and western Cumberland Plateau area of Tennessee is a folk culture type of grave covering called a tent or comb grave.  There are hundreds of these structures from near Albany , KY and across Tennessee mainly in the counties of Fentress, Overton, Putnam, White, Warren , Van Buren and continuing into Coffee County . They are also found in limited numbers in northern Alabama and northern Arkansas . The principal material is sandstone from the Hartselle Formation which occurs in outcroppings in the area.  Other materials used to a lesser degree are limestone, tin or metal, concrete, and on rare occasions marble.  Variations occur in the construction of the tents over the area of use.   In Overton County the sides are often supported by an iron rod whereas in the White County area they are supported by a triangular end section of stone inserted underneath.   While many are not inscribed others may have a separate grave marker or inscription on side of the slab rock.  Reasons for their construction are often given as protection from animals such as cattle walking on the graves or to protect the grave from the weather.  The date of the tent graves generally is between the middle 1800’s to the mid 1900’s. PHOTOS OF TENT GRAVES  In Some Of The Areas Mentioned Above DAVIS Cemetery in White County, TN FALLING SPRINGS Cemetery in Overton County, TN FRANCE Cemetery in White County, TN OLD JERICO Cemetery in White County, TN BUSHING - OVERTON COUNTY - TENNESSEE The Keys lived in an area in Overton County, Tennessee,  known as Bushing. Bushing was described in the  Rand McNally Atlas in 1895 as having a  post office and no railroad service. I didn't spend much time on finding information about Bushing...but I will! Bushing was located at the red marker on the map.  I describe it as 'was' located because I have been unable to find anyone familiar with the name/place. It appears to have been between present-day Rickman and Hanging Limb (TN) There is a creek called 'Rushing Creek' -  I wonder if somehow 'Bushing' got changed to 'Rushing'...???

ENUMERATION of Male Voters 1891

Goolsberry (Goolsby) Key (1826 - 1909)

father-in-law of 2nd great grand uncle

Armilda Key (1854 - 1927)

daughter of Goolsberry (Goolsby) Key

Lafayette Fate Baldwin (1849 - 1906) (My 2nd Great Grand Uncle) was the husband of Armilda Key

John Wesley Baldwin (1811 - 1891)

father of Lafayette Fate Baldwin

Millicent Stephens Baldwin (1837 - 1937)

daughter of John Wesley Baldwin

John Calvin Asburn SR (1862 - 1943)

son of Millicent Stephens Baldwin

William Esker Asburn (1897 - 1968)

son of John Calvin Asburn SR

Lorene Ashburn (1924 - 2003)

daughter of William Esker Asburn

Anna Faye Allison

I am the  daughter of Lorene Ashburn 

Goolsberry and Elizabeth's Children

Research leads me to believe there were at least 11 children.

Their their last child was General Washington Key.  

Here is General's Death Certificate...

ASAFOETIDA & THOMAS FUSON (MY 5th GREAT GRANDFATHER)

Thomas Fuson  

5th Great Grandfather

Born January 3, 1765 in St. Paul's Parish, Hanover, VA

Died in 1849 in Chenoa, Bell County, KY

Rachel Permelia Robinson

5th Great Grandmother (Thomas' Wife)

Born December 22, 1768 in New Garden, Guilford, NC

Died May 23, 1857 in Chenoa, Bell, KY

Burial Site Chenoa Cemetery - Bell County, Kentucky

This cemetery is an old pioneer cemetery 

near an area called Big Clear Creek.

Thomas and Rachel were married in 1791 in Patrick County, Virginia.

The inscription on their stone reads…

 'Buried Somewhere In this Graveyard.' 

Thomas Fuson's Story

Thomas Fuson was born in Virginia and migrated to Dismal Creek, Smith County, Tennessee. It is thought by some of Thomas Fuson's family that he came to Kentucky 

in 1817. (See note 10)  Some think earlier, around 1800.  Some in Tennessee think he left there around 1826 [seems very probable that this is more likely the more reliable date from present-day research-l.m.](see footnote 1)  It seems the confusion comes from the 

fact that he made some hunting expeditions in conjunction with hunting parties into Kentucky before he brought his family.  This is true.  It is probable that he

 visited Kentucky thus about 1800, or prior to that time.  

On one of these expeditions he got separated from his hunting party and remained in Kentucky, alone, for two years.  At the end of this time, coming up on another hunting party from Tennessee, he returned with them to his home.  The traditional story is told of him that, when he approached his house, the children ran and hid (in pioneer days they were taught to do this when attacked).  When they had returned to the house and had learned that there was no harm to come to them, they begged her not to live with the “old hairy man”.  He was said to have had an unusual amount of hair all over his body.  His clothes had worn out and, instead, he had clothes and shoes make of deerskin. His long hair and beard made him an object of fear to most any child, or even grown person. 

He is said to have been a six-footer with broad shoulders and smaller hips.  He was large, strong and rugged with it.  For that pioneer day he was considered a man among men.  A story is told of him in connection with driving hogs for the southern markets.  The hogs were collected at Cumberland Ford (now Pineville), and entered in a drove to be taken south.  On this occasion Thomas Fuson, with several men to aid him, was taking his drove to the Ford, and, when only a mile from the place, a big old sow of the drove seemed to sense the situation (she had tried to get away a number of times and get back to her pigs, but Tom had determined she should go) and broke away from the drove. When Tom headed her, she made a lunge for him, grabbed him in the stomach and floored him.  The other men rushed up and beat her off with clubs.  When the defeated Tom got on his feet, he remarked:  “Hell warm my soul if she didn’t like to get me, boys.” Another story is told of him.  He was out hunting one day, walking down a path of Pine Mountain in the direction of his home late in the afternoon when he discovered a panther out on a limb over the path watching something down below.  He sat down on a log to watch the outcome of the situation.  Presently he saw a fawn feeding slowly up the path.  The panther leaped on the fawn and killed it.  Then Tom with the good aim of his rifle felled the panther.  So he got both the panther and the fawn by waiting.  This is an instance where the hunter bagged two with one shot.

        He is said to have introduced wolf hunting into this mountain region. He hunted wolves in this way, so the tradition goes.  First, he put assefoetida on the sole of his shoes and walked through the woods where the wolves were.  Soon they would take up his track and follow him.  He would sit on a log and wait for them to come up to kill them

1.In 1820, Thomas, John and Jonathan Fuson were on the Smith County, Tn. census.

Dismal Creek 

Dismal Creek is a branch of Smith Fork of the Creeks Fork of the Cumberland River. Nestled between the steep hills four miles north of Highway 70 in Liberty is the beautiful Dismal Valley. It is a serene peaceful valley with green hay fields, a variety of tree types, and a beautiful rolling creek.  During World War II the United States Army held training maneuvers in this area.

Asafoetida is a plant. It has a bad smell and tastes bitter. 

That probably explains why it is sometimes called “devil’s dung.” People use asafoetida resin, a gum-like material, as medicine. The resin is produced by solidifying juice that comes out of cuts made in the plant’s living roots. It is used for breathing problems including ongoing (chronic) bronchitis, H1N1 "swine" flu, and asthma. It is also used for digestion problems including intestinal gas, upset stomach, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and irritable colon. Other uses include treatment of “whooping cough” (pertussis), croup, and hoarse throat.Some people use asafoetida for hysteria, insanity, convulsions, and as a nerve stimulant for ongoing mental and physical fatigue with depression. Women sometimes use asafoetida to restart their menstrual periods after menstruation has stopped for some reason. Asafoetida is sometimes applied directly to the skin for corns and calluses. In manufacturing, it is used as a fragrance in cosmetics and as a flavoring ingredient in foods and beverages. It is also used in products meant to repel dogs, cats, and wildlife.

Well, the many uses for asafetida - quite interesting.

From 'intestinal gas' to 'fragrance in cosmetics' seems a bit weird.

Thomas Fuson (1765 - 1849)

5th great grandfather

Jonathon Fuson (1795 - 1867)

son of Thomas Fuson

Elizabeth Fuson (1837 - 1917)

daughter of Jonathon Fuson

Evaline "Babe" Cantrell (1859 - 1939)

daughter of Elizabeth Fuson

Pearl Gambrell (1881 - 1935)

daughter of Evaline "Babe" Cantrell

Fannie Pearl Herron (1906 - 1993)

daughter of Pearl Gambrell

Lorene Ashburn (1924 - 2003)

daughter of Fannie Pearl Herron

Anna Faye Allison - Burgess

You are the daughter of Lorene Ashburn 

THIS IS WILLIAM FUSON (1789-1879)

BROTHER OF THOMAS FUSON

from "The Virginia-Ohio Fusons", By Sylvia C. Fuson Ferguson, 1939, revised 1979, p. 50

Bo

MARTIN-ALEXANDER CEMETERY

Martin-Alexander Cemetery

DeKalb County, Tennessee

There is a great deal that I continue to uncover as I keep researching.  I happened upon this cemetery as I began putting my 'Martin' connection together.  This family line has some unknowns and mysteries; however, I do know the information below is correct.

Alexander Martin (1797 - 1876)

is your 4th great grandfather

Matthew T Martin (1823 - 1863)

son of Alexander Martin

Ammon Asbury Martin (1837 - 1913)

son of Matthew T Martin

Alexander Martin (1865 - 1925)

son of Ammon Asbury Martin

Dovie Mary Martin (1894 - 1933)

daughter of Alexander Martin

Ernest Haywood Allison (1921 - 2000)

son of Dovie Mary Martin

Anna Faye Allison-Burgess

You are the daughter of Ernest Haywood Allison

As I began delving more into Alexander Martin (4th Great Grandfather), I found a number of things engaging. 

1) I had never heard or read anything 
about this cemetery - planning to visit 
this upcoming week.


2) Of the more than 80 cemeteries that were moved from the area covered by 
Center Hill Lake in 1948, not one was
 located in a church yard.  I find that unusual. 

3) Here's the truly engaging fact...
within a family unit, 'some' members of the family will be buried in the same cemetery - and others will be buried with spouses in other cemeteries, etc.This is the 'first' family (parents and their children) that I have happened upon where all are buried in the same cemetery - except for Matthew and Abram who were killed during the Civil War.

Matthew & Abram were killed during the Civil War - their bodies were lost or destroyed. Lost or destroyed  - those words sadden and hurt my heart.


ALL BURIED IN MARTIN-ALEXANDER CEMETERY
Alexander Martin
Martha "Patsy" Gambrell (Alexander's wife)
Children buried here:
Mary Ann Martin - married a Parker
Martha P. Martin - married an Allen
Matthew T. Martin (Civil War Casualty) - married a Tyree 
Abram Moore Martin (Civil War Casualty)
Susan Elizabeth Martin - married a Phillips
Jane Elizabeth Martin - married a Tinsley
Missouri Marian Martin - married a Hayes
(In addition to the above, there are spouses and other descendants from this family buried in this cemetery.)

This Cemetery is named for Alexander Martin (1797-1876).

Located on Martin Cemetery Road - 1 mile south of 
Hurricane Bridge (east of Hwy. 56). 
Site on top of hill overlooking the lake.

Access is left, off road at gate, or through resort at the end 
of the road.  When accessing from the resort, bear left 
through all turns and splits.  Cemetery is on left.

CEMETERY NO. 105 in Cemeteries of DeKalb County, Tennessee.

"There are about 350 cemeteries in DeKalb County, most of them small family or neighborhood plots. These family cemeteries might be anywhere; sometimes on the most inaccessible ridge on the property, and other times in the corner of the front yard or behind the barn. These family cemeteries exist in all parts of the county; in the Caney Fork area there was hardly anything else. Of more than 80 cemeteries moved from the area covered by Center Hill Lake in1948, not one was located in a church yard. Most of these graves were moved to Mount Holly Cemetery and are included in this book. We have, however, kept the information that we obtained from the Corps of Engineers in the separate plots in which they recorded the information gathered at the time of the disinterment."

Thomas G. Webb, DeKalb County Historian

Audrey D. Turner Webb

Robert T. Wall

Doris Garrison Gilbert, Transcriber

Richard Allan Gilbert, Computer Programmer

Family Names

Allen, Anderson, Burton, Drake, Dunham, Hayes, 

Hudson, Martin, Parker, Pedigo, Phillips, Shields, Smith,

Tinsley, Warren

Last burial was around 1953
Transcription of Headstones from Martin, Alexander Cemetery, Dekalb Co. TN

ID	Grave ID	First Name	Middle Name	Other Name	Surname/Family	Birth Date	Death Date

207808	01	Herbert	S.		Dunham	23 Apr 1895	14 May 1931
207809	02	Mary	Ann		Parker	1819	1873
207810	03	Jane			Tinsley	1 Dec 1831	20 Jan 1867
207811	04	Martha	Ann		Warren	8 Jul 1850	19 Nov 1880
207812	05	Nelson	M.		Phillips	2 Dec 1862	(no day) Oct 1864
207813	06	M.	A.		McGuire	25 Aug 1842	13 May 1884
207814	07	W.	H.		Smith	2 Jun 1840	16 Oct 1861
207815	08	Nancy	M.		Tyree	8 Feb 1841	14 Aug 1894
207816	09	John	M.		Tinsley	7 Jan 1826	7 Mar 1902
207817	10	Lena			Ashburn	3 Apr 1901	3 Aug 1934
207818	11	Susan	L.		Hayes	13 Nov 1864	10 Sep 1884
207819	12	Cappie			Hayes	18 Jul 1861	10 Jan 1948
207820	13	Ada			Lisk	28 Nov 1863	14 Jul 1890
207821	14	Carry	May		Hallum	24 Jul 1889	20 Oct 1890
207822	15	G.	W.		Hallum	18 Dec 1853	7 Oct 1909
207823	16	Maggie	Anderson		Coe	7 May 1910	4 Dec 1969
207824	17	William	Erskine		Anderson	12 Feb 1891	25 Oct 1901
207825	18	Infant			Anderson	18 Mar 1896	12 Jun 1896
207826	19	Dora	E.		Anderson	1 Sep 1889	1 May 1890
207827	20	Susan	M.		Eastham	2 Feb 1844	4 Jul 1878
207828	21	Laura	M.		Hayes	20 Mar 1876	9 May 1975
207829	22	Alexander			Martin	19 Nov 1797	21 Nov 1876
207830	23	Patsy			Martin	17 Feb 1801	18 Jul 1879
207831	24	Infant			Hayes	20 Mar 1867	29 Feb 1868
207832	25	John	S.		Allen	13 Feb 1813	20 May 1878
207833	26	Martha	P.		Allen	21 May 1821	20 Jan 1894
207834	27	Richard	C.		Hayes	31 Oct 1832	8 Dec 1895
207835	28	Missouri			Hayes	6 Jun 1837	7 Mar 1899
207836	29	Cora	Allen		Shields	21 Oct 1854	10 Jun 1918
207837	30	Will	H.		Smith	8 Dec 1861	6 Feb 1937
207838	31	Jessie	Spencer		Anderson	21 Dec 1892	14 Jan 1942
207839	32	Maggie	L.	Eastham	Anderson	16 May 1871	1 Oct 1913
207840	33	Silas	Francis		Anderson	21 Nov 1863	14 Jun 1949
207841	34	Infant			Anderson	18 Dec 1894	18 Dec 1894
207842	35	Mance	M.		Burton	30 Nov 1854	30 Jun 1946
207843	36	Pattie	Drake		Burton	8 Jan 1873	-
207844	37	Effie	D.		Warren	21 Mar 1881	31 Mar 1922
207845	38	I.	N.		Drake	27 Oct 1834	22 Apr 1902
207846	39	E.	R.		Drake	5 Aug 1840	2 Jan 1917
207847	40	M.	M.	Drake	Shields	1879	1903
207848	41	Anna			Drake	1871	-
207849	42	John	A.		Drake	2 Jun 1863	17 May 1865
207850	43	Ida			Drake	4 Nov 1864	21 May 1865
207851	44	G.	M.		Drake	1868	1870
207852	45	Daisy			Drake	1884	1884
207853	46	Martha			Dunham	14 Mar 1859	6 Dec 1939
207854	47	F.	P.		Dunham	24 Jan 1853	3 Aug 1917
207855	48	Ruby	Kate		Warren	1 Sep 1928	10 Sep 1928
207856	49	Ada	D.		Hudson	18 Apr 1875	10 Jan 1953
207857	50	Clyde	Drake		Burton	22 Mar 1894	17 Sep 1896
207858	51	Infant			Warren	20 Mar 1900	21 Nov 1900

I mentioned early in this post that I have encountered some 'hardships' along the way concerning this line.  To be more specific, my problem came with Matthew T. Martin (my 3rd Great Grandfather).  My 2nd Great Grandfather - Ammon Asbury Martin - was the son of Matthew T. Martin and Lois Deweese.  I do not believe they were married.  Lois was 15 years old when Ammon was born - no record of marriage.

 In addition, Ammon lived in the household of John and Nancy Lafever in an 1850 Census record.  John was a well-known potter; along with sons John and Jesse.  I have yet to figure out this connection - but I plan to keep on keeping on.

Matthew T. was married to Nancy Tyree - after the birth of Ammon - and they had 3 children.  Nancy is buried in this cemetery.

...and the research will remain in operation!