Tag Archives: Eldren Bailey

Zion Hill Baptist Church-Haralson County, Georgia

I was unable to find any history on the church. Based on FindAGrave, the oldest recorded burial is 1900. The church has burials in three distinct locations. The older sections were further from the church.

This marker for Grace Holcomb, 1909-1962, was my favorite find of the day. The top detail reminds me of a crown. The careful lettering and leaf etching illustrate how careful the artist was in making this. According to findagrave, there is another marker like this, but I was not successful in finding it.

On occasion, I will find Eldren Bailey markers where his markers are incorporated into other materials. Rufus and Cassie Rowe lived outside of Bremen. Rufus worked for the railroad. According to Ancestry, they had at least ten children.

Their Eldren Baikey markers were encased in concrete decorated in shells. Seashells are a common Christian symbol used in cemeteries, especially in the South, to represent a crossing over or spiritual journey. It also is believed that enslaved people utilized shells to represent that the sea brought them to this land, but the sea would also take them back to Africa.

There were also other Eldren Bailey markers in the cemetery.

Lawrence Holcomb, d. 1970
Mrs. Claudie Spear, 1909-1973

Below are a few different views of the cemetery.

Cobb Cemetery-Macon County, Alabama

I am unable to locate any information beyond what is shared on Findagrave. This cemetery once served the Shiloh AME Church in Macon County.

I love this vernacular marker. The use of concrete and stones with the hand stamping of the angel and the star. This is the marker for George Baker who passed in 1935.

This is the marker for Julia Woodall, 1858-1933. The handwriting and the star are very similar to George Baker’s, so my assumption is that this was done by the same person.

The name had fallen off the silver nameplate that you can see at the top of the photo. I am assuming this was a flower pot used to mark a grave.

There was no visible name, but the length of the spot made me think it might be the grave of a child.

This is an Eldren Bailey marker for Clemmie Felton. The family used the services of Haugabrooks Funeral Home, which was based in Atlanta.

I am only sharing this because when I drove up the dirt road to this cemetery, I thought it was a person leaning against a tree, which scared me.

Shiloh Baptist Church Cemetery-Henderson, Georgia

The Shiloh Baptist Church cemetery is on the edge of the Henderson Community in Houston County. At one point, it was known as the Henderson Community Cemetery. The cemetery features some interesting markers and burial styles.

There were about a dozen plots utilizing the West African burial tradition of mounding. Based on the surrounding burials, I do not believe these were newer burials.
Mishom (?) Butts was buried with an Eldren Bailey marker.
Geppetto Montgomery, a concrete marker painted silver
There are no names on the ledger stones or the handmade marker.
Concrete marker painted with latex paint
This professionally made marker highlights that burials started during the Victorian years, and the age of the cemetery.