Tag: genealogy
-
A Tribute to George W. Corley
Ria has collected significant historical items from Alexandria, DeKalb, and Tennessee, emphasizing the value of ordinary moments over celebrity. This story of George W. Corley highlights his life’s changes, community service, and resilience through hardship, illustrating his legacy of integrity and joy, encouraging reflection on how to navigate life’s challenges.
-
Lifting the First Stones, Lifting Their Names at Seay Chapel’s Black Cemetery
Three slightly obsessed souls, a homemade tripod, and a hill of almost-forgotten burials: at Seay Chapel we scrub stone, lift names, and fight gravity, proving a small crew with a crazy dedication to the dead can still change how a community remembers its own before they vanish beneath silence.
-
William Bell Bates – Alexandria’s ties to the Allison Murder’s – Part 1
While on the run, he stole a mule and rode it to Gallatin. He sold it shortly thereafter. Boarding a train, he traveled to Louisville, Kentucky. From there, he boarded a boat and traveled to Covington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio. He eventually made his way to Indianapolis, Indiana where he stayed for a while.
-
The Livingston Tubb House & Gilleylen Letter
Livy Simpson’s shared family memories include historical documents and images about significant Alexandria figures. The collection features items related to Col. James Tubb’s Smith Fork house, a 1964 description from an interview, family photographs, and Gilleylen letters detailing H. S. Gilleylen’s experiences in Alexandria in 1868. Additional content covers the homes of H. Lester Simpson…
-
The Unmarked Legacy of Malachi and Julia Berry: Love, Service, and Struggle in Post-Slavery Tennessee
Buried in the quiet soil of Seay Chapel Cemetery lies the nearly forgotten legacy of Malachi and Julia Berry—an enslaved man who may have fought for freedom in the Civil War and the wife who spent decades battling for his recognition. Their story weaves through war, injustice, and resilience, revealing a powerful glimpse into the…
-
Where did the Big Pine Tree at 103 West Main Street come from?
Ever wonder where the towering pine tree at 103 West Main Street came from? It’s more than just a tree—it’s a living legacy rooted in Civil War history, a cabinet maker’s hands, and four generations of Alexandria storytellers. From battlefield to backyard, from John Fielding Luckey to a teacher named Miss Hassie, follow the trail…
-
Remembering Alexandria’s Civil War Past: A Tale of Two Colonels
Divided by war, united in memory—Alexandria’s Civil War story lives on through Confederate and Union leaders buried side by side, freed communities rising in Cedar Hill, and a young W.E.B. Du Bois teaching nearby.
-
The Beginnings of Alexandria, Tennessee
Alexandria, founded in 1806 by Daniel Alexander in Tennessee, became part of DeKalb County in 1837. Early records indicate a thriving community, eventually growing to 380 residents by 1854. Despite challenges like floods and a devastating fire in 1906, Alexandria’s historical legacy continues through its architecture and notable residents.
-
What is in a name? Stories beneath the stones…
The Seay Chapel Cemetery, once a gathering place for worship and remembrance, is now a resting place for potentially 500 African American individuals. Some lived their entire life in slavery, others were born into slavery and found freedom in their lifetimes. Others were born free, but lived in a world that did not always treat…
-
Welcome to the Alexandria Historic Cemeteries District: A Journey Through History, Heritage, and Hope
Tucked away in the quiet heart of Alexandria, Tennessee lies a sacred collection of spaces where history breathes beneath the trees, and stories live on in weathered stones and quiet paths. The Alexandria Historic Cemeteries District is more than a preservation project — it’s a community-led commitment to restoring dignity, celebrating heritage, and honoring the…
Alexandria Historic Cemeteries District 