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Work Continues To Uncover History Of Old Muscogee Cemetery
June 11, 2016
Flanked by his daughter and grandson, Walter McQueen of Cantonment became emotional when they walked down a newly blazed trail leading him to a freshly cleared patch in the woods and saw the headstones of Muscogee residents dating back to the late 1800s.
The 68-year-old had been trying, since he was a teenager, to find the black section of the Old Muscogee cemetery, which had disappeared behind vines, brush and trees and swallowed up by leaf debris decades ago.
In May, Gulf Power Environmental Affairs and Plant Smith employee teamed up with the Northwest Florida Water Management District staff to begin clearing the vegetation to provide families access. (Read previous story, click here.)
“This is amazing to me because I tell you my granddad Elias McQueen is here,” McQueen said. “My grandmother told me he died in 1946, a year before I was born. And I have an uncle, Jim McQueen, here who died of polio at 16 years old. That’s what’s amazing to me about this area.”
McQueen couldn’t find his own family members’ gravesites. He believes the sites are nearer to the River Annex Road under an oak tree, in an area that has yet to be cleared. But he’s nevertheless grateful to be able to stand in a portion of the historic site that was once a part of a thriving timber town that no longer exists. What once was Muscogee is now part of Cantonment.
“Words cannot explain what I feel in my heart,” he said. “I have always thought, ‘When are we going to be able to find these graves?’ This brings back so much of our history. Naturally, families want to know where their family members are buried. This gives us so much closure.”
McQueen wants to help with future efforts to restore the cemetery and plans to locate the families of the people in the graves that have been found.
McQueen’s grandson, Kaleb Gulley, 19, who just graduated from high school, has had a fascination about the town his grandfather always told him about and was thrilled when he read a news story about the cleanup effort.
He was also clearly excited to finally be walking through the cemetery as he searched for possible signs of his great-grandfather’s grave.
“When I was riding on the school bus, I’d look directly out here and think, ‘Wow there’s a cemetery there,’” Gulley said. “There is so much history in Muscogee, and I like to hear about the lumber mills and post office and the people who used to live here. I’m enjoying this moment.”
Gulley is also looking forward to passing on to his children, someday, his grandfather’s stories about the ghost town and show them the cemetery.
Rebekah McQueen-Morris, 32, said there used to be an African-American Holiness church across the dirt road from the cemetery. “The members were buried here in the segregated section,” she said.
To be sure, the site is a reminder of the days of segregation. It also provides a snapshot of the people who supported the timber industry, served in the military and, as McQueen-Morris pointed out, had acquired some financial means based on some of the ornate monuments and marble headstones they left behind.
“I grew up in Cantonment, and it’s a blessing that we have another piece of the puzzle to our history,” she said.
“A lot of times we try to research and learn things about our ancestors but we don’t have the resources, or something like this to occur to help us find out about our history,” she said. “Once we find out about our history, where we come from, we find out who we are.”
Comments
13 Responses to “Work Continues To Uncover History Of Old Muscogee Cemetery”
my father who would be 102 years old if alive use to stop by willy mcqueens place alot. i was young but they sure seemed to be good friends. dad took me to the church that mr, willy attended or maybe it was just a funeral close by. it had a dirt floor. that was a first for me.
May I add Mr. McQueen I meant to say join or start a historical society.
Mr. McQueen. I have visited this cemetery many times. I have an interest in either joining or starting a Cantonment/muscogee historical society. Please contact me @850-393-9263. I look forward to hearing from you!
Mary, the cemetery is open to the public but I’d advise wearing boots and pants because there’s still some tree stumps and vines. It’s not marked so you have to follow a cleared trail that’s to the immediate left of the cemetery road.
Mr McQueen, I’m so happy for your and your family. God Bless in your efforts to get the cemetery cleaned up. There is a cemetery close to Atlanta that has relatives of my husband buried there. This old cemetery dates back to the 1800 and some of my husband’s relatives came from Prussia { which is no longer known by that name). So we can imagine how you must feel. It’s nice to know something about one’s roots. Congrats!
For clearing an area like that, Crossbow and Roundup mixed together and sprayed will kill woody vines, brush grass and even small trees. The Crossbow takes abou two weeks to work but you can then go in with Lopers and hand trimmers and be able to see and be safer. I am glad to see the older Black families were successful and hard working in the area and they will continue to take pride in themselves.
HEY.MR.WALTER. HOPE YOU ARE STILL ENJOYING THAT RETIREMENT PILLOW I GAVE YOU..PLAN TO SEE YOU AT BARRINEAU PARK COMMUNITY CENTER IN AUGUST..CRAIG SAID YOUR FAMILY RENTED IT.
It’s great for the families of new found graves but this is going to start more mischief at the cemetery because we have dealt with that for a very long time. Be considerate of the old graves that are there and not use for midnight party central and lighting candles on graves on full moons. The area is patroled by citizens and reports will be made to ESCO. Respect or do not go.
Kaleb Gully, if you will contact me at helenallen528@yahoo.com I will furnish you a link to look up your relatives buried there. I know the McQueen family and I think Mattie McQueen was a midwife when I was born in 1940. I am so happy the cemetery is being cleared.
I too find this to be a very fascinating story! Good luck to the McQueen family with their search.
I have lived on Muscogee Rd all of my life and knew nothing of this cemetery but would love to visit. Is it closed off to the Public while they are clearing and cleaning up? Also I have known Walter McQueen since I was knee high to a grasshopper, he’s is the nicest man you could ever meet.
This is fascinating. I love old cemetaries.
is it closed off to public while they are clearing…???????