Nashville Hardgrave Cemeteries 1997 Report
To the Hardgrave Family Reunion, Clarksville, AR, June 28, 1997
HORSESHOE BEND HARDGRAVE FAMILY CEMETERY
It is established that James Hardgrave, son of Francis, owned this land as part of his 200 acres on the Harpeth River from 1801 until 1836 when he sold it to David M. Harding. It passed through several families, including possibly the Sawyer family, before being developed in the 1980’s as an upscale subdivision.
The Tennessee State Archaeologist, Nick Fielder, has established the fact that Francis and Sarah Hardgrave are buried here. This was established by his probing on May 27, 1997. Our April research experience further established that the John Hardgrave buried here is James’ brother. Circumstantial evidence causes us to believe that the Johnson Hardgrave buried here is the son of James. See reports in the Hardgrave Family Newsletter, Vol. 3, #2, June 1997. It was further established by the state archaeologist that the graves of Columbus, WH, FH, and two other unmarked stones are infants or small children. There are at least 30 graves at this site, many with no stone at all. The June newsletter (page 5) lists all of the readable tombstone inscriptions at this graveyard. Since that listing I have discovered a date of 1816 on the ANS stone.
I plan to place a fence around this half acre plot as soon as enough money is collected. I am appreciative of the family association providing $200 out of the auction money at last year’s reunion and a few individual contributions. To help involve local persons in the restoration, “Friends of Horseshoe Bend Hardgrave Cemetery” has been organized for an annual membership of $20. Each of you are invited to join and/or contribute. (That never happened.)
PROVIDENCE CHURCH CEMETERY (DeMoss Cemetery)
In 2018 I edited or updated the original report paragraph here in blue. The only change since the last report is that we are sure that Francis is not buried here. I hope to have the DAR monument moved to Horseshoe Bend. (Note: Gene Hugh and I moved both the Francis & Skelton stones later.) The “Friends of Providence Church Cemetery” is an effort to involve local persons in its restoration, also with a $20 membership. (This effort was later taken on by a new group of locals as the Friends of DeMoss Cemetery) You are invited to join it also. Skelton was thought to be buried here, though not proven. (It is now believed he is buried in New Orleans where he was killed by a debtor.) One of the original stones was earlier read as a Hardgrave, but not readable now. A twice-a-year newsletter will provide updates. Instead of a fence, I hope to rebuild the stone wall around this plot. (The DeMoss group is working on that.) The city councilman for this district is also interested in helping and I hope to involve one or more local churches and scout troops. (I am no longer involved actively with this group though I did attend a few meetings and a ceremony for the new Louis DeMoss stone.
Charlie Doggett (Descendent of Francis Hardgrave)
. . . and every man is a quotation from all his ancestors.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson