Friday, January 21, 2022

Cemetery Spotlight - Hatchett Cemetery in Zion, Henderson County, Kentucky






This cemetery is located after you go through Zion, on the right side of the road (if you're heading towards Hebbardsville), behind a house, just before you get to Stone McClellan Rd, which is also on the right side of the road.

I took these photographs in November of 2014. I do believe it was sometime during fall of 2015 maybe when someone finally cleaned the cemetery up. If I can ever get back out to this cemetery - I'd love to prod for lost/broken stones as I didn't know about that technique, yet, when I originally visited the cemetery in 2014.



The oldest burial we found that day was for Benjamin Farmer Hatchett. Born 1815 and died 1846. Benjamin was the son of William Abraham Hatchett and Elizabeth Frances Farmer, also buried in the cemetery. He was the husband of Elizabeth Duncan Robertson.

I'll go out on a limb and say that most likely, the cemetery is on land that belonged to William and Elizabeth (Farmer) Hatchett. I looked at the 1880 Land Atlas for Henderson County and don't see the cemetery listed but, there's some land in the vicinity of the cemetery that does indeed belong to Hatchett's. One name -- "Mrs. E.D. Hatchett," could potentially be Elizabeth Duncan Hatchett, widow of Benjamin. 

The newest burial we found was for Eula May Moss Hatchett. Born 1863. Died 1940. Her tombstone is pictured, knocked over, at the top of this post. Her death certificate confirms the burial in Hatchett although no death date appears on the tombstone. 

Eula was the daughter of Reuben Eaton Moss and Virginia Ann Hazelwood. She was the wife of Fielding Lewis Hatchett, who she shares a tombstone with. He died in 1893. 

It seems like after Eula's death that the cemetery fell out of use. More than likely this is because more and more were able to afford being buried in city cemeteries like Fernwood or their church graveyard - like Cash Creek Baptist Church or Bethel Baptist Church, etc. 

Yes, many tombstones were knocked over, broken, covered by brush, etc. I am hoping whoever cleaned up the cemetery is keeping the tombstones in better shape now and has perhaps found some we didn't see on our trip in November 2014.

There are at least 34 burials in this cemetery. We found all but six tombstones that day... but I'm sure those stones are probably there - just broken and beneath several inches of dirt. 

Do you have any stories involving this cemetery? Family buried here? Tell me about them! I'd love to hear. :)

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