Tent Graves

Discussion in 'History & Geography' started by Sheldon Scott, Jan 24, 2019.

  1. Sheldon Scott

    Sheldon Scott Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2015
    Messages:
    2,995
    Likes Received:
    4,756
  2. Tim Burr

    Tim Burr Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2016
    Messages:
    1,260
    Likes Received:
    2,619
    Seems to make sense; when the wood coffin decayed they would sink in.
    These sandstone slabs helped to prevent that.

    Used a lot during the 1800's here in Tennessee.
     
    #2
  3. Nancy Hart

    Nancy Hart Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2018
    Messages:
    10,667
    Likes Received:
    19,998
    Interesting. I wonder if the graves are as deep as typical graves. Could be they are not, and the stones would keep animals from digging down through the loosened dirt?
     
    #3
  4. Shirley Martin

    Shirley Martin Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2015
    Messages:
    55,628
    Likes Received:
    23,289
    Fascinating. Since some of them are family cemeteries, wouldn't the families have the history of why they were like that?
     
    #4
  5. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    24,325
    Likes Received:
    42,610
    Here's an article on the ones in Tennessee, and another one, this from Vintage News. The latter mentions Champ Ferguson, who is apparently buried in such a grave. I read his autobiography not long ago, written while he was awaiting execution. He fought for the Confederacy but was executed because he wasn't officially in the military. According to his autobiography, he never go around to filling in the paperwork required to set up the Confederate military company that he organized, thus he was tried as a guerilla.
     
    #5

Share This Page