photo 5 Back to Ditty Cem. Index |
This is the gravestone of Francis Fergus. The inscription is
clear. This marker is on the best condition of any of the 5 seen at this small
cemetery. It is the "newest" since it was placed here to honor Francis's
service in the Revolutionary War by the Sparta, TN, DAR in October 1941 (according to
Fergus Family History by Morris Freeman Fergus and John Franklin Fergus). This is
the gravestone pictures in that book on the forth page of chapter 11. It appears to
be a standard U.S. Military Cemetery marker as I have seen others almost identical to this
one. See the sketch of the Francis Fergus
grave marker included with these materials. |
photo 4 Back to Ditty Cem. Index |
This is the gravestone of Jincy Ditty, born Feb. 11, 1789, died Oct. 14,
1855. It has deteriorated to the extent that it has to be held standing with the
aid of a steel fence post. The top section of the stone is wired to the post to hold
it in place using barbed wire. The top section with the inscription is 8"
square and 1'-8" high. See the sketch of
the Jincy Ditty grave marker included with these materials for what it originally was
intended to be. |
photo 8 Back to Ditty Cem. Index  |
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This is the gravestone of Martha (Farley) Ferges, born Mar. 26, 1833 to
Elizabeth and Jesse Farley, also buried in this cemetery. Martha Lynn Farley married
William M. Fergus in 1854 in Putnam Co, TN. She died at 35 years of age on Christmas Day,
December 25, 1868. You can feel the grief as you read the inscription, "Sleep mother
sleep, till judgement day, and we’ll meet you there". This stone is black granite. Perhaps it was the engraver who made an error with the "e" instead of a "u". There is one other marked grave here, but with a broken stone. I did not take a picture of it, because it appeared to me that the inscription was turned inward when the two pieces of the stone were wrapped and bound solidly together with barbed wire. The name may be there but I don’t know who it is. I speculate that it is the grave of Abraham Ditty, as the FFH states that "Jincy Fergus Ditty and Abraham Ditty were buried in the Ditty Cemetery, which is a few miles from Sparta, Tennessee." It is either his or he is here somewhere and unmarked. This was primarily a Ditty Family Cemetery. I am a little perplexed that only such a few markers remain, and speculate that there are quite a few graves here that are unmarked. Gravestones like those found for Jincy and Elizabeth and Martha had to be relatively quite expensive in the mid 1800's. Francis’ will written in 1837 stated that he was a resident of White County. It was probated in White County (county seat Sparta). Putnam County was created in 1854 from White County. The location of this cemetery is now in Putnam County (county seat Cookville). By my reckoning, this crossroads is about 6.5 miles from the center of Cookville. In my opinion, in 20 years or less, this cemetery will be lost to history considering the condition of the stones, the use of the land, and its lack of security and maintenance. If you want to see it, get there quickly. |
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Francis Fergus Heritage Cemetery Fence Project - fencing completed 2002 |
Back to Ditty Cem. Index |
Francis Fergus Heritage Cemetery Fence Project - fencing completed 2002 |
Back to Ditty Cem. Index |
Francis Fergus Heritage Cemetery Fence Project - fencing completed 2002 |
Back to Ditty Cem. Index |
Francis Fergus Heritage Cemetery Fence Project - fencing completed 2002 |
Back to Ditty Cem. Index |
Francis Fergus Heritage Cemetery Fence Project - fencing completed 2002 |
Back to Ditty Cem. Index |
Francis Fergus Heritage Cemetery Fence Project - fencing completed 2002 |
Drawings and Photos by Richard Fergus July 1999,
descendant of Francis Fergus