Follow
In Wilkinson County, Georgia there are two Graveyards / Cemeteries for the white "DUPREE FAMILY" members and the black slaves and their descendants in the back of the white DUPREE FAMILY Graveyard / Cemeteries.
The 1st "Dupree" Graveyard / Cemetery is for Thomas Dupree, II and Cynthia McDonald Dupree and their descendants & Black Slaves and their descendants. The white Dupree descendants are in front and the black slaves and their descendants are in the back of the Graveyard / Cemetery. Which is located about 3/10's of a mile East of the intersection of Harry Green Rd. and Ga. 112 Rd. in Wilkinson Co., Ga. It is on the North Side of Ga. 112 Road. About 4.3 miles from US 441 on GA 112. On Right side of road. A small fence has been put up around the marker for Thomas & Cynthia Dupree. The wooden and stone markers for the others that are buried here are long gone and would be outside of this fence.
I can remember from the late 1947's through the mid 1950's going to this graveyard/cemetery and seeing some rotting / rotted wooden markers, rocks / field stones that were used as markers. {The wooden and stone markers have been gone for over 60 years.}
The following family members have told me about this cemetery. My Grandfather, Ira Edgar Pierce {1862-1952} was married {29 December 1892} to Valeria Jane Stanley {1868-1923} a sister of Lillian Augusta Stanley {1872-1961} that married {13 December 1892} Ira's brother, Nathan Allen Pierce {1869-1948}. Valeria & Lillian are Granddaughters of Thomas Dupree II {1784-1816} & Cynthia McDonald Dupree {1786-1852}. Mrs. Lillian Augusta Stanley Pierce & Nathan Allen Pierce are the parents of Mrs. Wilma Hazel Pierce Dixon {1913-2003}. My father, Ret. W.O. Gerald Dupree Pierce, U.S.M.C. {1912-1995}, is a 2nd Great-Grandson of Thomas and Cynthia Dupree. My Great uncle Andrew Jackson "Jack" Pierce and my grandfather Ira are brothers.
Cousins Wilma Dixon, George Eldon Cauley, Lila Mae Spears Cauley, Vodice Irene Fordham Thompson, Ira Edgar Pierce and my Dad talked about this cemetery and the Pierce Family Cemetery. How many were buried in and outside of it. Whites inside and blacks outside. They told me there were about 10 or 12 other whites buried here plus 4 to 6 black slaves and there descendants, but I have been told by other kin as they were also told by older kin that the total (White & Black) buried here was close to twenty graves. They remembered going to the cemetery in the 1870's and up into the 1940's. Seeing all the wooden and stone markers and cleaning up the cemetery.
The 2nd. Dupree Family Graveyard/Cemetery is Elder/Rev. Thomas Washington Dupree and his wife Olive Fordham Dupree's Family Graveyard / Cemetery. It is in Wilkinson County, North of Nickelsville, Ga. across US 441 from Horace Sanders house & is on the East side of US 441 about 2/10's of a mile from US 441.
In Elder/Rev. Thomas Washington Dupree's Last Will And Testament dated July 26, 1884. States in the First part,
"I desire that my body shall be buried in my family grave lot at home."
At one time there was a fence around this Graveyard / Cemetery. Before it was removed I found and counted nineteen graves for slaves and their descendants outside and in back of the fence in 1993. When the fence was demolished they were destroyed.
There have been a number of Headstones removed {STOLEN} from this cemetery, The Pierce Family cemetery and other cemeteries in Laurens and Wilkinson counties. My G-Aunt Mrs. Esther Lenora Pierce [Stanley, Helton, Pierce] Bovee. Was of the ones that ones that had her headstone/marker stolen. Aunt Esther Lenora Pierce Bovee, was born 31 August 1873 & died 15 May 1934, was married four times and was buried by the Elders/Revs. John & Thomas W. Dupree.
Thomas was the one that started this Family Graveyard / Cemetery. [The Family Graveyard {Cemetery} was on his land close to his home.] The Old Home Place is no longer there. For many years after his death and even today a lot of people still call it the Dupree Cemetery or the Dupree Family Cemetery. The news papers still wrote and referred to the cemetery as the Dupree Cemetery long after Thomas & Olive Dupree and many others including Reuben Nash were buried in it. The News Papers had Reuben Nash as being buried in the Dupree Family Cemetery.
Miranda Jane "Jennie" Dupree, born 17 March 1843 and died 28 July 1930. Was the 3rd. girl of 6 girls & 3 boys. Daughter of Rev. Thomas Washington Dupree and Olive Fordham Dupree: Jennie was married 3 times:
1st. Thomas Sanford McCarty: Born: __________:
Died: 19 February 1854:
2nd: Green R. Smith: Born: 25 August 1826:
Died: 15 April 1868:
3rd: Reuban C. Nash: Born: 27 August 1858:
Died: 11 January 1927:
Note:
To Keep from having two Thomas Dupree or Dupree Family Cemeteries, Joseph T. Maddox named one "Dupree Cemetery" and the other one "Nash Cemetery". You will see this in his Book "Gravestone Inscriptions and Lineages, Wilkinson County, Georgia." [This was to keep from having the two Dupree Cemeteries / Graveyards having the same name within five miles of each other. The Thomas Dupree Cemetery [Thomas Dupree, II & Cynthia McDonald Dupree Cemetery and Elder/Rev. Thomas W. Dupree & Olive Fordham Dupree Cemetery or The Dupree Family Cemeteries.}
Thomas W. Dupree Died 24 August 1885 & Olive Fordham Dupree died 22 December 1889. Reuban C. Nash born 27 August 1868 and died 11 January 1927. Married after 1868, Miranda Jane "Jennie" Dupree, born 17 March 1843 and died 28 July 1930:
There never was a Nash Cemetery in Wilkinson County, Georgia. Mr. Maddox was the one that changed the cemetery name from, "Dupree Family Cemetery" to the Nash Cemetery".
Most of the family still call it the Dupree Family Cemetery.