DeMoss Cemetery Bellevue

MENU FOR DEMOSS CEMETERY SUBPAGES

 

Why do I have so much information and interest in this early 1800’s cemetery? Well, it started in 1983 as my Hardgrave family line research led me to papers by Edythe Whitley who said my 5th Great Grandfather (Francis Hardgrave) and his son (Skelton Hardgrave) were buried here and she called it the “Hardgrave Cemetery.” In addition, she had added DAR stones for both of them in 1941 and I was so excited to make this discovery of one of my revolutionary war relatives.

Then . . . more research and talking with people in the Bellevue branch of the Nashville Public Library led me to the real Hardgrave Family Cemetery in 1995, located across the river in Horseshoe Bend subdivision with the original burial stone for Francis. Other research shows that his son Skelton was murdered in New Orleans in 1828 trying to collect a debt and was buried there rather than either cemetery here in Tennessee. So by 1997 our Hardgrave family from Arkansas moved those two 1941 DAR stones to the “real” Hardgrave Cemetery. That is a summary of another subpage here titled Hardgrave Family Connections.  Plus I’m hoping all the documentation here will help future researchers of this cemetery and some of the families interred here.

And we still have an interest in this one because Skelton Hardgrave “sold” for $1 a portion of his land for The Providence Church and (I thought then) this adjacent cemetery. Because of map studies, it is now possible that the church had no cemetery and that this was a DeMoss Family Cemetery and may not be connected to Skelton Hardgrave, as based on earlier information. Not certain, but I am certain that the original people were close friends of my family with Francis Hardgrave and Louis DeMoss being best friends both in North Carolina and Tennessee, signing each other’s documents, etc.

It is also notable that Francis Hardgrave and Louis DeMoss fought in the Revolutionary War together in the same NC regiment and they moved to middle Tennessee about the same time as best friends. I envision my 5th Great Grandfather living in a log house very similar to the “Bellevue I” house now displayed in the Red Caboose Park of Bellevue, which was the first one built by Louis DeMoss.

These pages or subpages record my research information on the Providence Church or DeMoss Cemetery in Bellevue section of Nashville, Tennessee in the River Plantation Condominiums, mostly between 1983 & 1995. In other places you may find it called the Hardgrave Cemetery or the DeMoss Cemetery because the founder of Bellevue, Louis DeMoss is buried here.  Use the menu to find particular information you need and feel free to email me if you want to discuss or correct information. Contact.

DISCLAIMER: After studying the maps showing the two locations of the Providence Church, I now think it is possible that this cemetery was not located adjacent to the church, even though Edyth Whitley said it was. More property deed research is needed. It is possible this was started as a DeMoss Cemetery, though there are a lot of other families buried there.

The photos on this page were made in 1995. See the Inscriptions page for photos I made of the actual markers in 1983 and 1995. In 1995 my energy and interest shifted to the other cemetery and I have had minimal relationship to this one since. But it is still connected to the Hardgrave family.

Also note that a “Friends of the DeMoss Cemetery” is being organized in 2013 for the preservation of this important place. For more information contact Sanford Payton sanpayton@comcast.net I will not quarrel over the name as long as they are preserving it! In fact my association of it to the church is from Edythe Whitley papers which were wrong about my 5th Grandfather being buried here. So more power to you guys! The above name link goes to Sept-2013 Meeting Minutes.    -Charlie

 

“Bellevue I” Cabin of Louis DeMoss