Bell Fountain Cemetery

Surveyed by Leila B. LaGrone, July 1969
Transcribed & Submitted by Marylee Knight

Directions: From Carthage, go eastbound on U.S. Highway 79 N for 14 miles to the point where there is a yellow blinking light at the intersection with FM 31. Turn left on to FM 31 and go northbound only 0.2 miles to the point where FM 1794 intersects on the left. Turn left on to FM 1794 and proceed westbound for 3.5 miles to the point where Panola County Road 3081 intersects on the left. Turn on to CR 3081, passing by Wayside Church on the left and go a total of 557 feet to the point where CR 3082 intersects on the left. Turn on to CR 3082 and continue the 803 feet to where the road ends at the cemetery.

In her survey notes made in 1969, Mrs. LaGrone stated that rows of graves had disappeared from this cemetery because the tombstones were stolen and the wooden markers had decayed. She noted that Bell-Fountain Cemetery is a five-acre plot enclosed with a fence and that "Bell-Fountain Baptist Church used to stand where a tabernacle has been built in recent years. Rev. Jerry R. Alexander was the last preacher to preach in that church. It was at this church that he was licensed to preach on Saturday before the 4th Sunday in June 1877, with E.B. Eakin and Richard Ingram as Presbyters."

Mrs. LaGrone also stated "A Negro slave cemetery was beside this one. Wayside Negro Church is about 500 yards west; it is the Negro equivalent to Bell-Fountain. Four and one-half acres were given to that congregation."

She noted that the area had once been a thriving community and were served by the Kemlock Post Office. Credit was also given to the late John Dry who had assisted in making identification of many who were buried here. There are, reportedly some of the Wooten family buried here but no marked graves were found.

*Per Edna, Amanda Briggs was born in 1837 not 1877.

Name
Birth
Death
Parents
Spouse
Children
Comments

Alexander, Alice A.
Apr 3 1886
Oct 10 1906
~
B.B. Alexander
~
~

Alexander, Cora Simmons
Apr 22 1849
Nov 23 1873
Dr. ? Simmons
J.R. Alexander
~
~

Alexander, Unknown
-
-
J.R. and Fannie Alexander
~
~
daughter of J.R.'s third wife

Alfred, John
May 3 1854
Mar 24 1887
~
~
~
~

Breedlove, Charles R.
1844
1902
~
~
~
~

Breedlove, Mary E.
1850
1911
~
~
~
~

Briggs, Amanda
1837*
1902
~
~
~
~

Cobb, Ambers
-
-
~
~
~
~

Cobb, Joe
-
-
~
~
~
~

Cobb, Lemmon
-
-
~
~
~
~

Elliott, Annie
-
1974?
~
~
~
~

Elliott, Arizona
1882
1892
~
~
~
~

Elliott, C.H.
Jul 14 1846
Oct 20 1900
~
Ida & Georgia
~
~

Elliott, Carel
1888
1888
~
~
~
~

Elliott, Charley B.
1876
1880
~
~
~
~

Elliott, Charlie H.
Feb 25 1905
Apr 16 1905
~
~
~
~

Elliott, E.W.
1865
1923
~
~
~
"Mason"

Elliott, Edgar Franklin
1881
1902
C.H. & Ida Elliott
~
~
~

Elliott, Georgia
1868
1895
~
C.H. Elliott
~
~

Elliott, Ida
1853
1887
~
C.H. Elliott
~
~

Elliott, J.M.
1852
1906
~
~
~
~

Elliott, J.T.
1861
1911
~
~
~
~

Elliott, J. T. Jr.
1888
1909
~
~
~
~

Elliott, Levinia A.
1826
1879
~
~
~
~

Elliott, Lissie
1870
1880
~
~
~
~

Elliott, Little Bid
1889
1891
~
~
~
~

Elliott, Mary J.
1862
1938
~
~
~
~

Elliott, Nobel Clare
1893
1895
J.T. & M.L. Elliott
~
~
~

Elliott, William C.
1873
1881
~
~
~
~

Elliott, Zachary Darnell
1897
1901
W.B. & F.M. Elliott
~
~
~

Greer, W.H.
Sep 18 1848
Mar 25 1904
~
~
~
~

Higgins, Wallace
1881
1882
D.S. & C.L. Higgins
~
~
~

Hill, C.N.
-
Apr 29 1894
~
~
~
"Our Mother" - "Age 65"

Hill, Fannie E.
Jun 10 1855
Nov 3 1898
~
W.A. Hill
~
~

Hill, Frances
Dec 20 1812
Jan 31 1895
~
Wylie Hill
~
~

Hill, Grover A.
May 6 1885
Feb 15 1906
W.A. & F.E. Hill
~
~
~

Hill, Henry H.
Jan 14 1844
Aug 14 1865
~
~
~
~

Hill, John P.
Apr 13 1845
Aug 7 1865
~
~
~
~

Hill, Murrah P.
1860
1882
A.W. & C.N. Hill
~
~
~

Hill, Obedience
Sep 1783
Aug 21 1873
~
~
~
"Age 90 years"

Hill, Wiley
Apr 7 1809
Dec 9 1889
~
~
~
"Mason"

Hill, Wiley A.
May 27 1846
Jun 20 1912
~
~
~
~

Hill, Woods
1885
1885
N.T. & M.J. Hill
~
~
~

Hough, Beulah
1839
1850
S.B. & V.A. Hough
~
~
~

Ingram, Jim
-
-
~
~
~
~

Ingram, Unknown
-
-
~
~
~
~

Ingram, Unknown
-
-
~
~
~
~

Ivy, Jeremiah
1794
1887
~
~
~
Died at age 93

Ivy, Mrs. Jeremiah
-
-
~
~
~
Martha (Hudson) Johns Ivy

Jeter, Adah
1887
1888
G.S. & C.N. Jeter
~
~
~

Johns, Charlie
-
-
~
~
~
~

Johns, Theron May
1898
1899
~
~
~
Sister of Mrs. Verna Marr

Johns, Thomas Pascal
1854
1887
~
~
~
Brother of Mrs. Verna Marr

Johns, Unknown
-
-
~
Martha (Hudson) Johns Ivy
~
~

Johns, Willis Moody
1888
1890
~
~
~
~

Killion, David C.
Mar 22 1845
Oct 25 1868
~
~
~
~

Lyon, J.D.
Mar 20 1804
May 4 1876
~
~
~
"Mason"

Lyon, Sarah Hill
Nov 4 1807
Nov 17 1899
~
J.D. Lyon
~
"Age 92 yrs, 13 days"

Lyon, W.C.
Feb 6 1825
Feb 3 1874
~
~
~
"Mason"

Merriman, Unknown
-
-
~
Dr. ? Simmons and ? Merriman
Cora (Simmons) Alexander
Founder of Simmons Medicine Co.

Mondon, Laura
1863
1868
~
~
~
~

Reese, Allie W.
1880
1901
~
~
~
~

Turk, Lucy V.
1850
1900
~
Dr. T.L. Turk
~
~

Turk, Dr. T. L.
Jan 27 1846
Dec 22 1902
~
~
~
~