Wildlife Photograph

From the Ground Up: The History of Stanton Cemetery

Monday August 21, 2006
From the Ground up is a monthly article that gets "right to the root" of Ijams Nature Center.

    The Tharp Trace Trail meanders along the ridge above Mead’s Quarry.  The trail passes by an old cemetery sheltered by large oak trees.  The cemetery pre-dates the marble quarrying by twenty years.                                                       
     Mr. Dempsey Johnson set aside a plot of his land for a family cemetery in the late 1860’s.  The original Johnson family plot was surrounded by an iron fence.  A few of the marble post remained until some thoughtless vandals uprooted them and carried them away.                                  
     Many of the graves are marked with field stone slabs.  I was told that graves traditionally face east, toward the direction of the rising sun.  The graves of  Mr. and Mrs. Dempsy Johnson are unusual in that they are laid to rest head to head.  She faces east and he faces west.                                                                               
    In later years, the cemetery became a community cemetery and was named the Stanton Cemetery.  The funeral processions reached the cemetery by an old dirt road across from what is now the Ijams entrance.                                               
    Ijams Nature Center began maintaining the cemetery grounds in 2001.  With the help of local Boy Scout troops, we removed many fallen pine trees and cleared brush from around the plots.  The scouts installed a bench and sign for visitors.                                                   The cemetery was documented by Robert McGinnis of Knox County and the information is available at the McClung Historical collection, located at 601 South Gay Street in downtown Knoxville or by calling (865) 215-8805.                 
    The cemetery reference code is S-391.

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