Winchester Cemetery
The first location of Winchester Cemetery was at the corner of Third Street and Poplar Ave. The bodies from this spot were removed and interred in the New Winchester Cemetery, High Street,
which was the site of the park now called Winchester.
Winchester Cemetery was perhaps the oldest burying ground in the City of Memphis. The records show that it was one of the oldest in the Shelby County
History -
No public burial ground was established in Memphis
prior to 1827, when Marcus B Winchester and the
Proprietors of Memphis donated a plot of ground consisting of 11 acres on High Street (now Lane St)
to the city.
About the year 1874, the city of Memphis extended its limits and the Winchester Cemetery was no longer used.
"At this time, most of the bodies, were removed to Elmwood Cemetery." Part of the 11 acres was made into a
park now called Winchester Park.
Marcus Brutus Winchester...first Mayor of Memphis...son of Gen. James Winchester his body lies near this cemetery (was not moved with others)
Historical Records Project (June 2, 1936)
Official project No. 65-44-1495
Copied under Progress Administration
"An Old Citzen" published in the Appeal newspaper June 10, 1877, lists burials in this old cemetery
Public Ledger Newspaper - Nov 27, 1891
Commercial Appeal April 8, 1923, lists some more burials and pics of Virginia Kirks tombstone
Jesse P Prescott, longtime custodian of Winchester Cemetery, died after 100, but in 1931 Judge J P Young looked for the Winchester Cemetery Log & Plat Book but never found it
John H Lenow's Winchester Cemetery List at Shelby County Library;
First Burial; Lt. Thomas S Trask buried July 29, 1828
There is a marker at the Winchester Park where the cemetery was and it reads:
The Winchester New Burying Grounds was established in 1828 as the first cemetery for Memphis by Andrew Jackson, John Overton, and James Winchester, the three original land owners of Memphis. At that time, the city government was less than two years old. Prior to this there was a small cemetery at Poplar and Third. Through the 1830's, the 40's and 50's Winchester was the principal city cemetery. The last burial there was in 1874. The cemetery occupied 10.82 acres bounded by what is now Lane Ave on the south, the old L & N railroad on the north, Danny Thomas Blvd on the west, and Manassas St on the east.
As a result of neglect and candalism beginning during the Yellow Fever epidemics, the cemetery went to ruins. The desecration resulted in protests by citizens and lawsuits by relatives. In 1931 a park was established on the 7 acres that you see now. Among those buried there were the victims of the Helen McGregor Steamboat disaster, William Lawrence, the first surveyor, Henry Van Pelt, the first editor of the Appeal, and Marcus Winchester, our first Mayor who in 1819 set up the first store in Memphis and in 1821 the first Post Office. Winchester;s grave is located under what is now the city garage on the west side of this property.
______, James H...died Dec 1849
Abbott, William H...died Feb 26, 1856
Able, Mary...died Apr 30, 1850...3rd wife of J Y Gibson
Adair, Henry S...died Oct 23, 1865
Adair, Nancy...died Oct 25, 1869
Adair, Thomas...died Nov 27, 1866
Adams, Ann E...died June 7, 1845
Akin, Joel...died June 15, 1847
Akin, Martha M...died Jan 12, 1851
Alexander, Henry...died Dec 29, 1847
Alexander, James W....died Feb 21, 1846
Alexander, Rebecca Ann...died Feb 5, 1855
Allen, J A...buried June 13, 1855
Allen, William F...Feb 29, 1808/Aug 28, 1852...age 43yrs
Allen, William S...died Aug 28, 1816
Anderson, John...died June 9, 1854
Atkinson, E E (Mrs)...died Oct 2, 1865
Atkinson, Marie L...died Sep 29, 1850
Atkinson, Stephen B...died May 29, 1855
Attwood, Ann (Mrs)...died Sep 16, 1826
Avery, John...died Dec 8, 1848
Avery, Nathan...died Mar 5, 1846
Baccus, Charles W....died Oct 7, 1864
Bargar, James H...died Feb 7, 1852
Barker, Pricilla...died Aug 29, 1843
Barry, Martha H (Mrs)...died May 8, 1845
Barry, Victor D (Hon.)...1794/Apr 28, 1853
Beattie, Elizabeth Ann...died Apr 24, 1844...wife of Rev James Beattie
Beatty, James Maryo...died Mar 22, 1839...age 8yrs...son of Thomas B Beatty
Beck, Delia D...died Oct 1, 1848
Bell, Nancy Ann...died 1850
Bellamy, William...no dates
Bender, Amelia...died Aug 28, 1861
Bender, Children...1853-1856...children of William & Josephine Bender
Bender, John...died Mar 21, 1856
Berryman, Mary W (Mrs)...died Mar 14, 1844
Bias, Mary Gatewood...died May 1, 1849
Biddalph, Joseph...died Dec 11, 1863
Bishop, James...died May 7, 1845
Bishop, Lt Col...died Feb 5, 1865
Bone, James B...died Mar 7, 1853
Booth, Thomas...died Apr 14, 1849
Bostick, John G...age 73yrs
Bostick, Mary Eliza...died Apr 11, 1854
Boswell, William E...no dates
Bowen, Sammy...died Dec 21, 1850
Bowers, W P...no dates
Bradshaw, Joseph...died Aug 20, 1855
Braham, Silas...died May 9, 1846
Brenner, Sebastian....died Apr 8, 1860
Brotherline, William F...died Feb 1, 1852
Brown, Jenny...died May 29, 1862
Brown, Rich P...died Oct 6, 1856
Browning, H L...died Apr 22, 1858
Bruce, John...no dates
Bruns, Elizabeth...died Jan 7, 1851
Bruns, Fred...died Dec 5, 1850
Bruns, George...died Dec 3, 1850
Bruns, John F...died Nov 10, 1851
Bruns, Joseph...died Mar 1847
Buck, Jane (Mrs)...died Sep 25, 1843
Campbell, Mary (miss)...no dates
Carr, _____...no dates
Carr, John Hudson...died July 19, 1849
Carson, S...died Oct 1, 1855
Carter, Henry F...died Aug 6, 1842
Causey, Susan A...no dates
Causey, W C...no dates
Chester, W E...died Apr 1841
Chiles, Lizzie M...died 1864
Christian, Wyatt (Dr)...died Sept 18, 1846
Church, Sarah...no dates
Clopton, James W...died July 29, 1842
Collins, J C...died Feb 15, 1847
Collins, Priscilla W...died Oct 9, 1850
Cook, John...died Mar 11, 1845
Cook, Marcus...died May 4, 1845
Cook, Richard S...no dates
Cook, Robert...died Dec 14, 1844
Cook, Robert...born May 7, 1838...son of Markes & Amelia Cook
Cornwell, Bettie...died Jan 11, 1856
Cowden, Mary...no dates
Cowperthwait, Thomas...died June 1, 1859
Cox, Euphemia Theresa...died Apr 1, 1842
Craft, J N...died Nov 15, 1849
Crockett, Sallie F...died Feb 14, 1856...wife of Col. Robert C Crockett
Dalton, Milbre...died Dec 18, 1862
Daniel, James A...died Mar 17, 1861
Daniel, Robert Saule...died Jan 30, 1855
Davis, Jane (Mrs)...died June 10, 1854
Davis, June...died July 10, 1834..age 42yrs
Davis, Child....daughter of James D Davis
Diamond, Mary Sidney...died July 14, 1853
Doll, Louise...no dates
Dunn, Josephine...died Dec 22, 1845
Eaton, Maria Allen....Aug 5, 1797/July 18, 1832
Eckerle, Christine...died Aug 19, 1863
Eckerle, Daniel...died Dec 1861
Eddy, Emma...died Nov 28, 1861
Edgar, Rebecca...died Nov 11, 1845
Edwards, Charles...no dates
Elam, Archie...no dates
Elliot, Ann (Mrs)...died Aug 10, 1867
Elliot, Ann T...died Apr 24, 1854
Elliot, Elizabeth...died Apr 30, 1854
Elliot, William (Sr)...died Nov 26, 1845
Enloe, Benjamin,,,died Dec 28, 1856
Enloe, Joan...died Apr 9, 1856
Evans, Darius Durham...no dates
Ezell, William....died July 9, 1866
Farrington, Emma McGehee...died Nov 12, 1847
Farrington, Jacob...died Jan 28, 1851
Farris, Grace...died Sep 24, 1850
Farris, John...died Aug 12, 1850
Faucet, Mary Ann...died Apr 11, 1844
Feeney, Robert A...died Sep 23, 1823
Felts, Dewis...died Jan 20, 1872
Field, Jennie...no dates
Fillington, Erastus...died Aug 7, 1853
Fisher, Frances M (Mrs)...died Sep 7, 1838
Fisher, Wesley...died Oct 27, 1870
Foster, Mary...died Jan 5, 1841
Fowlkes, Jeptha (Dr)...no dates
Frank, Joseph...died Aug 26, 1849
Frank, Josephina...died Jan 26, 1850
Frey, Emma...died Jan 27, 1857
Frey, William...died June 30, 1864
Garrison, Sarah Elizabeth...died Nov 26, 1841...age 2yrs...dau of W B & S E Garrison
Gatewood, Mary...May 25, 1779/Dec 27, 1838...consort of William Gatewood
Gibbs, A D...died Dec 19, 1853
Gibbs, Isabella...died Feb 27, 1845
Gibbs, Julia...died Aug 9, 1860
Gibbs, Mary Palmer...died July 7, 1860
Gibson, Catherine...died _____...wife of JY Gibson
Gibson, Mary Able...died Apr 30, 1850
Glenn, Archibald M...Feb 28, 1833/Apr 20, 1867
Goode, Elizabeth...died Jan 7, 1861
Goldsmith's sons...died Jan 11, 1844
Graham, Amanda...died Nov 9, 1845...child
Graham, Sophia Amanda...died Jan 7, 1861...wife of Barnett Graham
Graves, William...died Nov 1844
Grimes, Barbara...died 1849
Grimes, Charles...died 1849
Gwynne, Parmelia...died Mar 20, 1851
Harrison, Emma died July 24, 1868
Harsson, Edwin A...age 49yrs...buried Mar 21, 1868 in Elmwood Cemetery
Harsson, Eliza A...buried Mar 21, 1868 in Elmwood Cemetery
Harsson, William....buried Mar 21, 1868 in Elmwood Cemetery
Hart, Ruby G...died Sep 10, 1839...died in New Orleans, LA
Henderson, Littleton
Henderson, Mary King...Dec 17, 1799/Nov 20, 1851...age 51yrs...wife of Littleton Henderson
Hill, Matilda...no dates
Hill, William..no dates
Hilliard, W H M...died Apr 9, 1832
Hobbs, Anna Eliza..died July 1841
Hobbs, Infant...died July 1841...dau of Anna Eliza Hobbs
Holt, Robert E...Mar 21, 1842/Mar 30, 18--
Jackson, John...died Mar 22, 1859...age 47yrs
James, Eliza J...died Sep 24, 1834...dau of Henry F James
James, Elizabeth...Aug 9, 1838/Jan 6, 1840...dau of W R James
James, James...Aug 9, 1838/Jan 6, 1840...son of W R James
James, Mary A...died Dec 12, 1834...age 7yrs...dau of Henry F James
James, Thomas R...died Nov 1, 1834...son of Henry F James
James, Virginia...May25, 1835/Dec 8, 1836...dau of John R James
Jones, Adeline Boaz....no dates
Jones, Ann Eliza...no dates..dau of Marcus Jones
Jones, Charles... no dates..son of Marcus Jones
Jones, David...no dates..son of Marcus Jones
Jones Granville...no dates..age 2yrs...son of Marcus Jones
Jones, Lucy Adeline...no dates..dau of Marcus Jones
Jones, Marcus (Jr)....no dates..son of Marcus Jones
Jones, William...no dates..son of Marcus Jones
Kimbrough, James...died Mar 31, 1833
Kirk, Virginia...died May 17, 1845...dau of Mr & Mrs John Kirk
Langtrey, John...died Apr 5, 1842...age 27yrs
Lawrence, William M...died April 11, 1830...age 32yrs
Lennox, Thomas...died Oct 15, 1849
Maddox, W G...moved May 13, 1867 in Elmwood Cemetery
Maddox, William M...moved May 13, 1867 in Elmwood Cemetery
Manning, Sarah H...May 19, 1807/July 25, 1851
McWilliams, Frances...died Oct 12, 1864...age 73yrs
Means, John...died Mar 23, 1855
Mitchell, Martha Ann...died May 13, 1845...first wife of J Y Gibson
Morrison, David...died Sep 16, 1852
Murray, Ophelia...July 11, 1849/May 24. 1852...dau of William & Prudence Murray
Myers, Elizabeth...died Dec 31, 1841
Nelson, Stith M...died Mar 26, 1843
Parron, Thomas...died 1836
Patton, Sallie...child...buried June 18, 1867 in Elmwood Cemetery
Phoebus, Thomas...died Sep 11, 1838
Pittman, Thomas...died June 1, 1856
Polk, Richard...no dates
Porter, Sarah (Mrs)...died 1855
Porter, Thomas J...died Aug 30, 1843
Quarmby, Mary...died May 31, 1866...wife of William Quarmby
Rankin, Adam...died Oct 7, 1836
Rawlings, Isaac...no dates
Reinhardt, C E (Dr)...died Nov 4, 1847
Ried, Mary (Mrs)...died Aug 19, 1833...age 37yrs
Sappington, M B (Dr)...died Aug 28, 1852
Shelton, William H...died July 11, 1833
Spickernagle, William...no dates
Stephenson, Susan C...broken stone
Summerville, Caroline...no dates
Talbot, Basil D...died Feb 3, 1830
Titus, William E...died Nov 1832
Todd, Ward...no dates
Trader, William...died 1860
Trask, Thomas S (Lt)...died July 29, 1828...US Army...died at Fort Pickering
Trezevant, Louisa...no dates...wife of John Trezevant
Trezevant, Theodore P...Apr 20, 1851/Nov 1852...son of Flora Trezevant
Turley, William B...died May 28, 1851
Van Pelt, Kathreen...died Sep 1, 1846...2nd wife of J Y Gibson
Van Pelt, Henry...died Apr 23, 1851...founder of Memphis Appeal
Watkins, Susanna...no dates
White, Adaline...age 58 yrs...buried May 5, 1874...Elmwood Cemetery
Whitsett, James S...died Dec 8, 1853...age 71yrs
Whitsett, Sarah...died Aug 20, 1837...dau of J S & S Whitsitt
Wright, Alexander J...died Sep 26, 1833
Young, Emanuel (Capt)...died Nov 31, 1831
