| Cemeteries of Henry County Tennessee |
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| Fairview Church of Christ Cemetery | |
| Directions/Map | Condition, Description, History| Statistics | Listing | Ambient Photos |
| Directions/Map | Back to Top |
| Paris to Big Sandy - 16 Miles (25 Minutes) From Paris court square, take Market Street / Veterans Drive / Mineral Wells to 69A toward Big Sandy. Once in Big Sandy, turn left on Main Street (there is a Citgo Gas station on the Northwest corner), bear right on Front Street, turn left on Second Street, then right on Fifth Street (where a sign points to the right and reads "All Resorts"). Fifth Street takes a hard turn to the left and then right, and is now considered Lick Creek Road. A fork comes up pretty quick with Faxon Road, so bear to the left to stay on Lick Creek Road. It is another 10 miles and between 25 to 30 minutes from Big Sandy to the Henry/Benton County line and the wildlife refuge boundary. You will pass an old storefront on your left and then turn left on Bennett's Creek Road to enter the refuge and cross the county line. While inside the refuge, you are on gravel roads at best and dirt roads at worst. You are best to double and triple check that your vehicle is prepared for some rough terrain. Also of note, Cellular phones do not work while in the old 23rd district, so emergency assistance may not be as easy to get. Once inside the 23rd, you will pass the Mt. Zion Baptist Church building on your left after a mile. From there, it is another 3/10 mile to the TVA equipment shed on your left. After another 1/2 mile, a dirt road will appear to your left with a sign reading "Authorized Personnel Only." Proceed at your own risk. This road dips downward from the main road and can get very muddy. The Fairview Church of Christ Cemetery is about 125 yards down this road and on the left. A clearing will appear more visible on the right of the road (where one can park). If you're not looking for stones, you could miss the cemetery so be watching. Travel time from Paris Court Square is approximately 45 minutes, allowing for slow speeds. Topographical Map At: Topozone.com |
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| Click and drag or use the arrows to move the map, and use the + or - buttons to adjust zoom. |
| Condition, Description, History | Back to Top |
| The Fairview Church of Christ Cemetery sits deep inside the woods of the Old 23rd District, off Bennett's Creek Road and
a small dirt road (historically known as Watkins Hill Road) that is difficult to drive. The location is quiet, peaceful, and heavily shaded by
tall woods. According to Larry T. Perry's map of the area, the Church building was across the road from the cemetery. There were only ten graves at this cemetery in 1940 when TVA did their initial listings. In 1943, TVA moved the Bradford/Pace Cemetery to this location, bringing a large number of graves with them. Only 39 could be identified, the remaining graves were moved at the request of Mrs. Emily Caroline (Bradford) Pace (then the Bradford/Pace cemetery's landowner). When walking around the cemetery, it is difficult to judge its size and shape. The unidentified graves were signified with temporary markers by TVA. Some of these markers survive, but there has to be a lot that are lost. Overall, condition is as good as can be expected for a cemetery so far in the woods. This author is more concerned with access to the cemetery than the cemetery itself. Some stones have definitely been placed in the last few decades, though the cemetery obviously does not benefit from any regular care. Overall, condition is good. |
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| Statistics |
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| Earliest birth date: Henry Bradford, born 23 Aug 1811. | Names listed in Compendium: 24 |
| Oldest death date: Henry Bradford, died 10 Jun 1863. | Names evident on records as of May 27, 2007: 38 |
| Prevalent names seen: Weldon: 8 | |
| Photos archived here: 50 | |
| Listing |
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| Photographs taken May 27, 2007. | |
