Graveyard Destroyed By Tornado 145 Years Ago! (Part 1)

Exploring a forgotten cemetery that was destroyed by a tornado in 1875.

[@AdventuresIntoHistory]

The developers of that subdivision have sunk so much money into the building of homes and clearing up the land all around this cemetery... how cool would it be if they took only a fraction of that money and sunk it into historic preservation and cleaned up and saved this old cemetery. It could be like a historic park within the subdivision. It’ll never happen, but what a nice thought, right? PayPal Tip Jar: www.paypal.me/rwrightphotography Mail: Sidestep Adventures PO BOX 206 Waverly Hall, Georgia 31831 Subscribe to the new Vlog: kzbin.info/door/56vh2L-M0czmoTRLhSMaxg Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/SidestepAdventures My flashlights: olight.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=282

[@mehchocolate1257]

Can't the city relocate the graves?

[@cynthiacronin2794]

Did anyone ask the developer if they might or could do that?

[@indianagrandmary1298]

@@mehchocolate1257 probably nothing left or in fragile condition. Burial vaults weren’t used that far back.

[@johngallagher2313]

I think that would be an excellent idea.

[@patricialenaburg6553]

Thank you Robert enjoyed the cemetery tour, and history. Dan it's always a pleasure, it's great you have all this history.

[@beverlyparrott3890]

If that church moved they still have an obligation to the church members that were buried there. What a shame!

[@juliem.679]

Mr. Dan seems like a fine Southern gentleman that treats the history there with great respect. Thank you for including his very interesting commentary.

[@goodgracious6364]

Very sad that these lives were so quickly taken away by "mother nature". I wonder if the homeowners were told of the history and existence of this large old cemetery sitting right in their backyards? Where I live, you may find one single gated gravesite around a large new community of homes. Interestingly, there are two very large old unidentified wooden crosses of slave graves near an old plantation site by a roadside where I live--nobody seems to notice them, but they always catch my eye--fascinating to me--I always wonder whose lives they represent.

[@lindamccaughey6669]

What a crying shame that happened. What a shame something wasn’t done back in the time to help restore. Thanks for taking me along Robert I loved it. Please stay safe

[@marymcguffin9370]

One would think since there is a subdivision right next to the cemetery, that the association would take it upon themselves to clean up the cemetery as a community service, how hard would it be, a couple times a year. I swear some people are so selfish. Great adventure guys. Awesome find.🔍🔦🚙

[@giniwalters8401]

Great explore of that old graveyard, Robert!!! I really enjoyed it!!! I love how you try to read a lot of the head stones!!! Thank you for sharing and all that you do to document the forgotten graveyards!!! Take care, stay safe & God bless you & your friend!!!

[@HeyLisaKay]

I don’t like the fact that all this development is right on top of this cemetery. Hopefully they never actually build over it. If I lived there I’d be out there cleaning it up tho.

[@AdventuresIntoHistory]

Yeah me either...

[@howardwest1347]

Why didn’t the church come back and fix the headstones? These are the churches members and maybe the founders!!!!

[@LifeMostSouthern]

I found an article written about that tornado 🌪 by a meteorologist who said that today we would rate it an EF4. The Fujita Scale was not introduced until 1971 and they did go back into recorded tornadoes since records have been kept or written about in newspapers and rated them but they only went back to 1880. That was a major weather event throughout the entire state. It was literally a tornado outbreak. EF4 is the highest rated tornado we’ve ever had in Georgia and there have only been a handful of those. The tornado that hit my road in 2009 was an EF2 which is pretty average. Alabama on the other hand has had an F5 once I believe. F5 is unsurvivable if you take a direct hit and are not under ground.

[@suziboggus5206]

I would love being out there with you!! First, I love the "backwoods" of Georgia! I was born in Dexter, Georgia (1950) and loved walking through the woods, listening to the pine straw, leaves, and twigs snapping under my feet!

[@MrCRDOC]

It would be nice to see some historical writings or possibly even pictures of what happened the day of the tornado. A lot of graveyards can look like this just from vandals and falling apart over the years. Thank you for sharing this history it’s amazing!

[@alanatolstad4824]

In my location, one of the original Spanish Missions was destroyed by earthquake in 1812. The Padres moved it to a safer location farther north, where it was restored in the 30's by the CCC. There are very few remnants of the original site, some of which is now incorporated in the houses built there. The historical society has placed informational signage for tourists to see and read about, and one can still touch one of the surviving walls of the chapel. At some point in the past, folks just considered old to be old, and moved on.

[@TheKanucasaku]

This channel has inspired me to go out into my local area to find and film old, forgotten cemeteries

[@suziboggus5206]

I would LOVE to be able to go out in the deep woods and find old cemeteries! I would make sure I had rakes, shovels, and anything to clean them off (like you do) and hope people would take some pride in their Georgia history! It breaks my heart that people had rather destroy than preserve our history!!

[@steveclark4291]

Thank you for a sad story of what nature can do to things ! I pray that whoever is building houses around there are careful not to accidentally dig up graves while building those houses ! Take care , stay safe and healthy with whatever you maybe doing next ! Doing well here in Kansas .

[@robertforrest7956]

I Agree Robert, it would be nice to see a certain amount set aside from development for cemetery repair and up keep, especially for the old historical ones. Keep on Rocking it Guy's!!! It would also be nice for historical markers telling a brief history of the area and its people. Thanks Robert & Dan....👍👍

[@MrMilwaukee]

Thank you Robert and Dan. We love all the local historians. Another great video!

[@bevanstacykearse9099]

It's a sad fact that historical places and resting places are being taken over but thanks to you guys bringing this to notice there is hope

[@patmccamy4126]

I find your videos really fascinating!!!! I'm from New Hampshire and I know the history goes way back in New England but I like it when you hit the really old stuff!!! Good job!!!! Pat

[@dewey4533]

Robert, thank you so much for the history you share with us. You never cease to amaze.

[@barbarakeys6681]

Thank you for sharing all this history. I love your videos but love them even more when you add the history of the area and the people buried there. it makes them more real.

[@ianconnolly891]

Anyone watching this thinking Poltergeist?

[@Tubby31310]

Yes near those new houses. Scary

[@marypace1008]

I absolutely love traveling with you via your video blogs. I know that I'm not going to make it down to Georgia in this lifetime but it's nice to be going along with you from the wonderful state of Indiana! Thank you for everything you do

[@richardmetts56]

Love the channel ! It’s great to see someone taking the time to document and preserve the local history. Sad that not much is done to keep these sites maintained. Dan is a great asset to the channel by telling about the history. I could listen to his stories all day.

[@giniwalters8401]

Great explore of that old graveyard, Robert!!! I love that you try to read a lot of the head stones!!! Thank you for sharing and for all you do to document the forgotten graveyards!!! I love your videos!!! Take care, stay safe and God bless you and Dan!!!

[@marygarner5249]

So SAD but l do love your videos so much thank you Robert and all your friends who help lurn a lot from your videos

[@gayleloy7111]

Another amazing video. Love from Australia. Stay safe. Love you both. Xx

[@user-mr4hc8vo3y]

Thank you for all the history you uncover

[@tigerfan8244]

Very sad, but also very interesting. You have the best channel!

[@jeffersonkee6440]

Thanks for this very important work that you guys are doing. Maybe the church was rebuilt at a different site or the families moved away.

[@raynonabohrer5624]

Great video. You do beautiful work with history . God bless you all.

[@ellencox9650]

Love the history you share with us!xx

[@susanbrookman2133]

Hauntingly beautiful.❤

[@lydafrazier7764]

You gentlemen are awesome 😊 to make a difference in our dearly departed. Love all of you Wonderful historical places ❤️❤️❤️

[@lindalagarce8996]

Love, love your channel!

[@AdventuresIntoHistory]

Thank you

[@monicashapiro5755]

i love you videos. My great grandmas family were brownings so I went on Ancestry and discovered J.D.Browning and Laura Virginia are my 4th cousins 4x removed. Oh Boy! It is strange ,though to see relatives of mine on the video. Keep up the good work. Monica

[@thanksmr.obvious6427]

I love of this type of content nice video with a sad story

[@sherronbell4961]

Just an amazing cemetery and video

[@jeffjohnson4015]

This was very interesting video to learn about the past, finding a grave from 1700's is amazing. I can't wait until chapter 2 with more information on these wonderful people that were here before us.

[@ricknelson576]

Great video as always, Your part of the planet y,all have the concerns of hurricanes"scary" We here on the West Coast have earthquakes.But thank God last BIG ONE was 320 years ago, 1700. a 9.0. I look forward to part 2. Thanks for video.Be safe.

[@janas7088]

My husband found a grave yard in one of our county parks. No one knew it was there. They now have a walkway going to it.

[@user-randi1987]

So sad that these graves weren't restored after the tornados. Looks like it was very nice at one time. Good video. Thank you, Gentlemen

[@badmom2goody29]

As a child upto my adult years I have always been into rambling thru woods. I enjoy the feel of being with nature. I collect old bottles, rocks, whatever catchecs my eye.I wonder how many Graves I have trod over in ignorance. Does the church have noresponsibility for the graves? Or the members of the church.

[@ivanabaleta9026]

Hallo Robert for all you doing i love all your videos much love from Croatia

[@texas6060]

Robert it is so sad to see what Mother Nature Destroyed. I hope that someone some day soon will come out an clean up the Cemetery. Maybe people from the New houses will care enough to do the cleaning. Doubtful but a thought. Thank you 2 so so much for caring enough to bring the attention to another piece of History. At least you have preserved another slice of History to some of us.

[@loditx7706]

How absolutely fascinating and sad. That house at the start is so bleak. So few windows, the few of them are tiny and plain, not much architectural interest and detail. And then the poor remnants of that large burying ground, patiently waiting to be remembered. And now more of us will, because of you. When my children were small I would take them to old cemetaries on Sunday afternoons and we would roam and read many, many grave stones and wonder. Granite and marble last, (although maybe not through a direct tornado hit) but sandstone or limestone are easily worn away. Perhaps for some weathered ones where you could feel the inscriptions you could try rubbings. I've never attempted that and can't imagine how successful y'all might be. Wonderful story and investigation, thank you. 😇 I just remembered something I read once and told my son in law to comfort him when his Daddy died, "Speak my name and I live." So now Laura Browning lives after so many years lost in the trees, and everyone else you mentioned. I am especially struck by the 18 year old boy, born in 1870 and died in 1888. It would be wonderful if anything about him and his family could be discovered, especially his cause of death. Could have been a disease or infection that might be minor now. It seems that burying ground remained in use after the tornado, despite the destruction; probably large family plots and when family members subsequently died they were brought back, to lay with their kin. Perhaps the ones unmarked now are those whose family had already died out, or moved on and forgotten the burying ground in the woods. I like to wonder about things like that. My mother's parents grew up on farms in Tennessee and I grew up knowing that all those farm locations are now underwater, thanks to the TVA; but the graveyards had been moved to higher grounds and long before I was born my mother and my aunt had traveled back and found the new graveyard where their kin lay. Another memory she told me of her childhood was of a horse named Coalie, because he was black. I only mention that fragment so that briefly, Coalie could live again.

[@SueGirling68]

Hi Robert, I know you're not a big believer in ghosts etc but a voice was caught on the video at 14:48 very strange. Such a shame the graveyard was never repaired and set straight after the tornado came through. Thank you for sharing, much love. xx💖

[@sharonbartlett4307]

So very sad that so many headstones where destroyed. I thought I saw more headstones inside the fence by the pile of headstones.

[@MNWILD43]

That's something that I've never even thought about, a tornado destroying a graveyard.

[@brendakrieger7000]

Thank you for sharing

[@alularussell778]

It's fine and admirable work you're doing. I can't help but notice what I suspect as a snake stick in hand. Good idea I'm thinking there.

[@daveperryman291]

Thanks Robert.

[@lydafrazier7764]

It's wonderful Dave knows alot of history 👍. Write it all down put it in a book. 🤓

[@jeannettetyler9038]

I enjoy your adventures so much but it makes me sad to see how destroyed they are

[@sandraplonka5225]

This is so sad, but at least you are recording it. There is a very old family cemetery is in my daughter’s sub. The Castleberry’s I’m sure they owned all the land around there at one time. I took pictures.

[@1Grandma62]

So sad that this Cemetery was left like this at the storm and people building homes around it

[@lpalacios1]

They kept using the cemetery long after the tornado but never fixed the stones.

[@marthakierstead3415]

Amazing the power of nature to produce such a powerful tornado . Amazed at the destruction left in its path

[@gwenmoody8323]

Hugs from Oklahoma

[@teresacorrigan3076]

If ever you come to London Ontario 🇨🇦check out the brick street cemetery.

[@steveclark4291]

The movie " POLTERGEIST " came to my mind when seeing how close the houses are to the cemetery !

[@jjhyde5179]

I was wondering if he sticks in he ground could be field stones?

[@rte64rte]

Sad that after the storm that they didn't try to mark them again.

[@lindsaymacpherson8782]

Great bit of history but sad that it was so damaged hopefully they not build over it over time

[@shantimindproductions5585]

On the headstones that you can't read, do you ever do rubbings?

[@davidalexander8305]

🇺🇲🦅🇺🇲♥️ play the video was always keep them coming

[@loekiemixi1]

Aww so sad to see them destroid like that! Do tornado's still occur over there?

[@clintdavis9511]

Yes they do.

[@deanamccallum8505]

Is this in Talbot county? I been working on ancestry trees for my family. Bickley family on my grandmothers side to Georgia.

[@djbarker79]

Harris

[@corinnerenshaw3621]

I have never head of cemeteries being ditroyed by torado's. So sad. I bet it happens more often than we know ! Thanks for tour.sad story.

[@41sandybeach]

We had a tornado last summer and it did a lot of damage to a cemetery here.

[@williamkeith8944]

Look up "1875 Georgia Tornado" in a search engine and all sorts of info pops up. Old newspaper accounts are fascinating, there were several clusters of tornados that occurred in March, 1875.

[@belleange590]

1700's that is incredible.

[@Spirit-8]

All that history all those people's resting places just forgotten and left to fall apart, should never happen, such a shame.

[@fifibrown13]

have yall e ver used chalk to rub over the writing? it washes off

[@kathyflorcruz552]

Kinda goes without saying that when I see what used to be a huge cemetery that's now encroached by houses - I think of Poltergeist - the movie. I wonder how many other people think the same thing.

[@darrinwi]

What city and state is this in ?

[@djbarker79]

Near Ellerslie, GA

[@hankfacer7098]

Good & G'day to Dan

[@jjohnson71958]

i wait for part 2 of this graveyard

[@hotintxs]

What county?

[@djbarker79]

Harris

[@Will-Parr]

Old cemeteries each tell their own yet similar story.

[@ErwinTipton]

That is scary , I heard faint voices in the back round . And it's real sad those people died before their time .

[@KaleidoSTARPH]

you mean this? 14:45 😱

[@ErwinTipton]

@@KaleidoSTARPH yes .

[@mcwatersd]

Sad that an act of nature wiped out a community like that both the living and the dead. Since that church was moved to a new community would it be possible they would have records at least of who is buried there. If they did maybe the developer could be persuaded to put up a monument with the names or at least one remembering them. You may even be able to persuade them to xray the land and mark with simple crosses the burial sites. Keep Safe ❤ Keep Well❤

[@beverlystufflebeam5731]

I understand there was great distraction from the tornado and death. But you’d think they would have tried to reassemble those stones they could.

[@brendadees40]

John Daniel Browning. Laura Booth Browning

[@christineconroy6409]

I wonder if the people who bought those homes know about the cemeteries so close by

[@musiknbooks]

Does anyone notice that the women's maiden names are very seldom mentioned? They are simply remembered as "wife of......" This is very sad to me....

[@patricialenaburg6553]

That's why it's so hard to find her side of the family, if you are doing a family tree on her side. If you are lucky, they had a Bible the names were written in them, or family would pass it down through the years.

[@monicashapiro5755]

It was the time I guess. I did discover that Laura Virginia is "Booth"

[@musiknbooks]

@@patricialenaburg6553 Absolutely....married women were simply Mrs. so and so....everywhere. Just like their previous life was discarded. And yes, until I started tracing my roots, I never realized how prevalent....

[@musiknbooks]

@@monicashapiro5755 Thank you....then you can keep searching once you know her maiden name. I was stuck on one of my ancestors when she married my ggg grandfather. On the license the bride was identified as Mrs. JR Barnes.....(her previous husband had passed away)....now how in the world are you gonna trace that....it takes a lot of digging....

[@patricialenaburg6553]

@@musiknbooks You would not believe what I ran into trying to find facts on my 4th Grt. Grandmother. The story is to long, but it turned out she was my Grandmother first, and later she was my step Grandmother also, no intermarriage involved. LOL

[@wvlite7691]

I wonder if Reed Timmers great great grandfather chased the storm on his horse.

[@lessismore6062]

Very sad!

[@margaretgarls153]

Did the Baptist Curch have church records or were they lost in the tornado. My great grandmother's church records were saved and you can find records of the members, which might help you to reconstruct the church members buried before 1875.

[@melodycruz4765]

I 100% wish i could do this i know lot cemeteries here has lot history

[@WhatLOLs]

Hahah what?

[@desertlillie9659]

What’s stopping you?

[@melodycruz4765]

@@desertlillie9659 umm money to get the camera etc

[@desertlillie9659]

@@melodycruz4765 Yeah that would be a problem. If you have a smart phone, start there. Peruse the locally cemeteries. I guess that getting started with all the equipment would be a problem. Well, I’m hoping that your dreams come true. May God bless you.

[@melodycruz4765]

@@desertlillie9659 thank u so much and that is a good idea

[@donnaj69]

To bad cant clean it up and find the ones there and mark those graves.😥

[@darrinwi]

Hey guys! I have become a huge fan of KZbinrs . This channel snd others . As you know this content is free to us and our way to showing appreciation and support is by hitting the like 👍 button and subscribing!

[@laurabrooks7655]

Wikipedia said the tornado occurred on March 20, 1875 and was an F4.

[@kathiesanders5198]

Orr park montevallo ala

[@cemeterrihaynes4435]

The Glaze Cemetery.

[@KaleidoSTARPH]

Wanna know something spooky on this vid? . . . . . . . . . . . I heard an old man muffled voice that saids "HELP ME" on 14:43

[@AdventuresIntoHistory]

That was pointed out to me earlier today..... I gotta listen with headphones 😳 Definitely didn’t hear that out there

[@karendworschack756]

I heard it too!😳

[@danielscuiry2847]

I know of an actual case in which a church cemetery was scheduled to be leveled by the city until they discovered some Native Americans were buried there. All bets were off on any land development. It was then turned into a park with a placard of all the names of those buried there. It takes only one Indian grave to make it an Indian burial ground protected by treaties with the native tribes.

[@georgesawtooth2214]

Do you know what the ultimate fate of these old cemeteries will be that are being encroached upon by modern society? Are there laws on the books that prevent the destruction of these sacred places?

[@Comanche_moon]

Evp at 14:47

[@marywilliams341]

I think it is terrible that they are uncared for. Does the church still own the cemetery or who.

[@kathygaber3801]

Seems so wrong to build so close to a cemetery, ifI lived near there I would feel like I should look after the graves.