May 1, 2022, Greg Tucker, Rutherford County Historian
The 150-year-old Evergreen Cemetery in Murfreesboro is no longer owned and operated by the City. As of April 1, 2022, the real and personal property of the cemetery transferred to a non-profit corporation. The transfer will not cause any change in personnel or operations, but will focus attention on much-needed building projects.
“Even our name is unchanged,” notes Betty Brewer, the cemetery’s Executive Administrator. “We should all be confident and proud of our cemetery’s history, current status and future.”
In 1872 Murfreesboro purchased 20 acres from the Maney family for a new city-owned cemetery. Originally named Oaklands Cemetery, the name was changed to Evergreen Cemetery when the first cemetery trustees were appointed in 1873.
The city ordinance establishing the new cemetery also directed that “no additional burials will be had in the old city cemetery” and requested that “all of the dead be transferred from the old cemetery to the new one.” The rationale was that “by force of circumstances the old cemetery will be neglected and unprotected whilst the new one, under a thoroughly organized Board of Trustees, with powers and means to protect it, will be preserved and protected.”
Despite the city’s intent and encouragement, relatively few graves were moved from the old to the new cemetery. As predicted, the old cemetery with its many marked and unmarked graves was soon neglected.
On February 1, 1890, the officers of the Palmer Bivouac, United Confederate Veterans, voted to accept an offer from the Trustees of Evergreen Cemetery. Through its president, former Confederate major James D. Richardson, the cemetery “tendered” to the Bivouac“ a sufficient quantity of ground…to reinter the remains of Confederate soldiers now lying in the Confederate Cemetery.” (See Minutes, J. Palmer Bivouac No. 10 CV (February 1, 1890). This “kind offer” was accepted “with the thanks of the Bivouac.”
Although the record does not explain the reason for moving the bodies and abandoning the Confederate Cemetery, it appears that the aging local veterans recognized that the resources and commitment to future maintenance and preservation of the original cemetery were uncertain. The city-owned Evergreen Cemetery, organized and endowed for “perpetual care,” was an attractive alternative.
May 1, 2022, Greg Tucker, Rutherford County Historian
The 150-year-old Evergreen Cemetery in Murfreesboro is no longer owned and operated by the City. As of April 1, 2022, the real and personal property of the cemetery transferred to a non-profit corporation. The transfer will not cause any change in personnel or operations, but will focus attention on much-needed building projects.
“Even our name is unchanged,” notes Betty Brewer, the cemetery’s Executive Administrator. “We should all be confident and proud of our cemetery’s history, current status and future.”
In 1872 Murfreesboro purchased 20 acres from the Maney family for a new city-owned cemetery. Originally named Oaklands Cemetery, the name was changed to Evergreen Cemetery when the first cemetery trustees were appointed in 1873.
The city ordinance establishing the new cemetery also directed that “no additional burials will be had in the old city cemetery” and requested that “all of the dead be transferred from the old cemetery to the new one.” The rationale was that “by force of circumstances the old cemetery will be neglected and unprotected whilst the new one, under a thoroughly organized Board of Trustees, with powers and means to protect it, will be preserved and protected.”
Despite the city’s intent and encouragement, relatively few graves were moved from the old to the new cemetery. As predicted, the old cemetery with its many marked and unmarked graves was soon neglected.
On February 1, 1890, the officers of the Palmer Bivouac, United Confederate Veterans, voted to accept an offer from the Trustees of Evergreen Cemetery. Through its president, former Confederate major James D. Richardson, the cemetery “tendered” to the Bivouac“ a sufficient quantity of ground…to reinter the remains of Confederate soldiers now lying in the Confederate Cemetery.” (See Minutes, J. Palmer Bivouac No. 10 CV (February 1, 1890). This “kind offer” was accepted “with the thanks of the Bivouac.”
Although the record does not explain the reason for moving the bodies and abandoning the Confederate Cemetery, it appears that the aging local veterans recognized that the resources and commitment to future maintenance and preservation of the original cemetery were uncertain. The city-owned Evergreen Cemetery, organized and endowed for “perpetual care,” was an attractive alternative.
Evergreen Cemetery Chronology*
May 1872—City of Murfreesboro purchases 20 acres from Dr. James Maney for $5000. Property includes the Maney plantation cemetery, fronts to the west on Johnson Street, to the south by Murfreesboro & Liberty Pike, and wraps around the Henry brickyard and home at the intersection of the Street and Pike.
June 1872—City ordinance appoints E. D. Reed, W. R. Butler, Jesse A. Collins, L. M. Maney, H. H. Williams, John Patterson, Robert T. Tompkins, Thomas Robertson and James D. Richardson as cemetery commissioners and authorizes use of 20 acres as a cemetery to be known as “Oaklands Cemetery.”
April 1873—City ordinance recognizes new name determined by cemetery commissioners—“Evergreen Cemetery.”
1873—First burials are made in Evergreen Cemetery. Some of the bodies in the first City Cemetery are exhumed and reinterred in the new cemetery.
February 1890—Evergreen commissioners and local Confederate veterans organization agree that “a sufficient quantity of ground” at Evergreen will be made available “to reinter the remains of Confederate soldiers now lying in the Confederate Cemetery.” (Transfer of remains through volunteer efforts continued over the next several years.)
1907—Elaborate tomb and remains of Union University founder Joseph H. Eaton, and his wife Esther, are moved to Evergreen from the former University campus on East Main Street.
April 1909—Cemetery commissioners (James D. Richardson, H. H. Williams, J. B. Murfree, C. B. Huggins, Richard Beard, W. B. Earthman, N. C. Maney, A. M. Overall, N. C. Collier), purchase the Henry & Mathews brickyard (approximately 3 acres) for $2500.
July 1922—Cemetery commissioners (C. H. Byrn, W. B. Earthman, Richard Beard, W. E. Hudson, N. C. Maney, H. H. Williams, J. W. Huggins, F. L. Ransom, George W. Howse) purchase the “Henry residence” (approximately 2.7 acres) for $4700.
November 1936—Dean N. C. Beasley (State Teachers College) and Sara W. Beasley sell 64 acres to the City of Murfreesboro for addition to Evergreen Cemetery (east tract).
March 31, 2022—Assets of Evergreen Cemetery transferred by City of Murfreesboro to Evergreen Cemetery, Inc., a Tennessee non-profit corporation (IRS 501c[13]).