I visited New Prospect Church Cemetery on Saturday. I knew that some Tuckers were buried there, because I had found headstone photos on Find-a-Grave for Churchwell Branch Tucker and his wife Rosamond. I also had found a listing last week for E. M. Ellis on the Murray County Cemeteries website; the dates were very close to my records for Elijah Marion Ellis, so I knew I had a match.
It’s a nice cemetery, built on a hill adjacent to the church, well-laid-out and small enough that I was able to look at every headstone in under an hour. The oldest graves are from the mid-1800’s; there were only one or two that were so weathered that I couldn’t read the inscriptions.
I’m sad to report that C. B. Tucker’s headstone has broken and fallen over since the photo was taken that is on Find-a-Grave. Fortunately, it fell face up, so it was easy to find. Rosamond’s headstone is still intact. Between them is the grave for Joseph, their son who died at birth.
I also found a headstone for John W. and Sarah J. Tucker, son and daughter-in-law of Churchwell and Rosamond.
I found E. M. Ellis’ headstone not far away from the Tuckers (he was their son-in-law); the stone faces the back of the cemetery, so it’s easy to miss. Based on the marker, he died in 1865, instead of 1863 as I had previously thought. I wonder if his death was related to the Civil War? It would be reasonable to assume that he was a soldier, except for the fact that he was blind; he lost his sight to typhoid fever several years before his death.
I find it puzzling that Elijah’s wife, Elizabeth (Tucker) Ellis, is not buried here. She is at Eton Cemetery, which may be my next visit.