Stories of the South - Gibbs Cemetery Buena Vista, MS
Gibbs Cemetery is an old, old cemetery close to Buena Vista, MS which is east of Houston, MS. Gibbs was founded as a family cemetery by my mother's side of the family.
The story in the family goes Joseph Johns, who was the first Johns to come to Mississippi, married a Gibbs girl. When she passed away her father donated the land for the cemetery with the stipulation it had to be named after her. (Mom if I'm wrong, correct me on this.)
There's no sign on the road for the cemetery, a black gate marks the entry, and if you don't know where it is I don't know if you would find it or not. The cemetery sits back in the woods and the trees and the land are slowly taking it back. But that's been happening for a 100 years or so, no need to worry.
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| A row of family markers |
My great grandparents are buried there as are their children who died as infants. Granny and Grandpa Johns had 11 children I believe but only 7 made it to adulthood. Farmers in the 1930's did the best they could but healthcare in Mississippi was very rudimentary. Several of their grown children are buried there as well.
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| Granny and Grandpa (Susie and Arthur) Johns |
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| Fannie Lee Johns (Grandpa Johns sister) my great aunt is named after her |
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| Great-Great Uncle Joseph Johns |
Also buried there are my great-great grandparents, and my great-great grandfather's brother and sisters. It's crazy to have such a
concentration of relatives all buried in the same area.
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| Great-Great Aunt Paulina (My grandmother Pauline was named after her.) |
Many of the graves are from before the Civil War, and there are several Civil War veterans there too. There are also newer graves and it is still in use to this day. I wish I had a date it was established but I have no idea. My best guess would be 1840’s to 1850’s.
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| More Family |
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ReplyDeleteMy son and I actually found Gibbs Cemetery yesterday. Some silk flowers tied to the front gate gave it away as being a cemetery, and the green sign is visible from the road if you are at the right angle. We were looking for Level H. & Jerusha B. Ashby's graves, but did not find them. Many of the oldest gravestones are broken and illegible. Your pic above of the old vine is right in the middle of the Ashby section. We were picking wood ticks off ourselves all the way home to Texas...
ReplyDeleteto whom wrote the entry above, Level H is my GGG grandfather. I hope that you get this message. I really could you help here. i'm going out on a limb and sticking my neck out posting my email, but it is that important wayne.ashby.usarmy@gmail.com please do reach out. i'm looking forward to chatting to you my distant family.
DeleteLH had a son, Ambrose, who had a son, my great grandfather john Andrew ashby, whose son was my grandpa Edward ashby.
Wayne Ashby.
My Great, Great Uncle John Ray (1827-1889) is buried there. He was a founder of the nearby Macedonia Church. My grandmother, Maude Duncan Ray, often spoke of the Johns and Cridles.
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