David Jernigan Family Cemetery
David Jernigan was one of the earliest and most prominent of
Fayette County's settlers. He participated in the County's first
court session in 1824 and was instrumental in its formation. In
the mid-1820's Jernigan and William Owen established the first
water powered grist mill in the County.
Located on property entered by David Jernigan in 1823, this
cemetery served as the site of his burial in 1842. His is the
only gravestone present. The origin and use of the cemetery is
uncertain, however, it appears likely that it served as the
family burial plot of the Jernigan family. This assumption is
supported by its location on Jernigan's property and the absence
of documentation supporting community or church involvement. The
presence of approximately 15 grave depressions suggests that the
cemetery may have served more than the immediate Jernigan family
and raises the possibility of use by neighboring families or by
the slave population present on Jernigan's plantation.
The cemetery, which is found in a heavily wooded area
overlooking the headwaters of the North Fork of the Wolf River,
is covered in a thick blanket of Vinca Minor. Designated state
historic site number 40FY362 by the Tennessee Division of
Archaeology, the cemetery is located at U.T.M. coordinate
E297520 N3891608 which is on the USGS Hickory Valley, TN 7.5'
quadrangle map.
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In memory of David Jernigan who departed this life April the 1st 1842 in the 53 year of his age He was born in Wayne Co. N.C. & raised in TNN |