THOMPSON-COLLINSWORTH-DAVIS CEMETERY
AN-42: NASHVILLE, DAVIDSON COUNTY, TN. Mt. View Parkway
This cemetery was surveyed in the Davidson County Cemetery Survey project on April 1, 2000. Only one tombstone for Effie B. Davis could be located in the densely overgrown graveyard. Soon after the visit to record the tombstones, Survey Volunteers saw that a “For Sale” sign had been placed on the property. An urgent call was made to Nick Fielder, the State Archaeologist. After his inspection of the cemetery, Mr. Fielder reported that this burial ground would be identified on the Metro Planning Commission Parcel ID system with “Cemetery” status and thus protected.
In February 2005, Roy S. Newsom, descendant of those buried in this cemetery, contacted the Davidson County Cemetery Survey. Mr. Newsom asked if there could be additional examination of the cemetery because his research indicated that there were many graves there, probably of his family members. On March 3, 2005, Mr. Newsom, Jim Collinsworth, another descendant, Fletch & Bill Coke, Cemetery Survey volunteers, Dan Allen and Dr. Carroll Van West of the MTSU Center for Historic Preservation, met at the cemetery. Preliminary inspection of the grounds revealed the possibility of a large number of unmarked graves. Mr. Newsom volunteered to have the cemetery cleared of its overgrowth so that mapping could be conducted on the site. After the clearing was finished, surface examination and mapping of the cemetery by Dan Allen, archaeologist from MTSU, took place during April 2005. Twenty-five graves were located. There were two (2) marked graves for Effie B. Davis and Sarah Whittmore and twenty-three (23) unmarked graves.
DAVIS, EFFIE B. Born: 1871 Died: 1872
Front Inscription: EFFIE B./ DAUGHTER OF JNO. T. & MARY G./ DAVIS/ BORN/ SEP. 28, 1871/ DIED/ MAY 9, 1872/ THOUGH GONE FROM US AWHILE/ OUR SWEET ANGEL CHILD/ TO THAT BLISSFUL CLIME ABOVE/ WHERE WE”LL MEET IN PERFECT LOVE
Footstone: Yes Footstone Inscription: EBD
WHITTMORE, SARAH
[Name carved on fieldstone]
23 UNMARKED GRAVES
[Identified by surface examination & mapping. Dan Allen April 2005]
Family History. Provided by Roy Newsom and Jim Collinsworth. 2005/2006
Effie B. Davis was the daughter of John Thompson Collinsworth Davis (1840-1913) and his wife Mary Garrett Binns Davis. They had been married on March 17, 1869. There was one other child by this marriage whose name was Johnnie Garrett Davis.
Change of name of cemetery from Effie B. Davis Cemetery to Thompson-Collinsworth-Davis Cemetery. In a report, dated March 4, 2005, to the Davidson County Cemetery Survey project, Roy Newsom, family historian, outlined the reasons for this change.
From Roy Newsom.
The following people were probably buried in this cemetery because the family had lived in the house across the road from the family cemetery for many generations, from circa 1795 to 1900.
John Thompson (ca. 1765-1791) received 640 acres as assignees of a Revolutionary War soldier on November 14, 1789. He was slain by Indians while working in his corn field on June 2, 1791. Property was given to his sister Alice Thompson Collinsworth.
Alice Thompson (1761-1828) married Edmund Collinsworth (ca. 1760 – 1816) on December 14, 1795. He served with George Washington at Valley Forge during the Revolution and with Andrew Jackson during the War of 1812. After the death of her husband, Alice Thompson Collinsworth continued to live on the place. During her lifetime, she gave the property to her daughter Parmelia Ann.
Parmelia Ann Collinsworth Davis (1807 – 1879) lived on this property with her husband Loyd Davis (ca. 1791- ca. 1847) and their family.
Laura Ann Davis, daughter of Parmelia Ann, married Thomas Jefferson Hill. She was given some of the property. Laura Ann was buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.
John Thompson Collinsworth Davis (1840 – 1913), son of Parmelia Ann Collinsworth Davis, married Mary Garrett Binns in 1869. Ten years later, he was given the land which was adjacent to the family cemetery. His daughter Effie B. Davis had been buried in the family cemetery in 1872. The graveyard was “reserved” by deed in 1879.
Davidson County Deed. Registered April 5, 1879. Book 62. Page 209.
We, the undersigned Wm. Davis, Jno. C. Davis, Geo. W. Davis, Thos. & Laura A. Hill, husband and wife, Geo. D. Hamlett and Eliza Hamlett, husband and wife, and Alice E. Kramer, do respectfully state to your honor that we are the sole heirs and representatives of P. A. Davis, dec’d.,* late of your county, leaving to us a tract of land in the said county, is exhibited in the annexed plot… the said tract of land was the same on which our mother P. A. Davis lived and died possessed of.. We further agree that each one be hereby invested in free simple with possession of the land thus allotted, except the graveyard in No. 2 to be forever reserved as a burying ground to anyone of the descendants of P. A. Davis, dec’d …”
* Parmelia Ann Davis
RESEARCH REPORT: FEBRUARY 8, 2008