I love genealogists and genealogy groups -- so willing to help find an answer! I could not make out the Place of Burial (line 19) or the Undertaker (line 20) on the death certificate of my 2nd great-grandfather, Ned Washington, born abt 1825, so I asked for assistance from members of the Facebook groups Mississippi Genealogy Researchers, Mississippi Genealogy Network, and Mississippi Genealogy "Family Tree" and History Group. I thought Mississippi folk might be familiar with both or either of the places.
Facebook post to: Mississippi Genealogy Network
Date: April 11, 2022
Today I got my 2nd great-grandfather's death certificate in the mail. He died May 31, 1918 in Holmes County, Mississippi. He was buried June 1, 1918. I can't make out the cemetery or undertaker. Is anyone familiar with either? He was a Black man, so probably buried in a "Colored" cemetery.
- Barr-Gwin Co. Undertakers were in Lexington, Holmes Co. during that time period.
- Shady Grove Cemetery? There are many of them, but there is one small one in Goodman, Holmes Co, MS. https://www.findagrave.com/cem.../62701/shady-grove-cemetery
(My response): Thank you, looks promising since it is an African American cemetery
- I can't find any hits for East Shady Spruce (which this seems to be) however East Shady Grove had a school+church, and therefore probably a cemetery in that time period. There's a record approving for a grant to be sent to them to buy supplies and repair damages in 1919
(My response): Thank you. Where did you find that information?
- newspapers.com I found another article that might help
Most promising RESPONSE from Mississippi Genealogy "Family Tree" and History Group
- East Shady Grove, there is a african american section and a white section.
Email to: Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Subject: Undertaker and cemetery circa 1918
Date: April 12, 2022
Hello,
I recently received my 2nd great-grandfather's death certificate. He died May 31, 1918 in Lexington, Holmes, Mississippi. The undertaker listed is Barr-Gwin Co. and the cemetery is East Shady Grove. Ned Washington, age 98, was a Black man and given the time period I am wondering if the undertaker and cemetery only catered to "Colored". If you can find any history about either place, I would appreciate it. I'm always interested in more than names and dates of my Ancestors. My name is Sandra Williams Bush and email is sanwbush@gmail.com
RESPONSE April 13, 2022
Thank you for your query to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. We checked our holdings, but unfortunately we do not have any information on Barr-Gwin Funeral Home. We also checked our WPA Cemetery Guide for the cemeteries listed in Holmes County. There was not an "East Shady Grove Cemetery" listed, but there were three cemeteries listed under the name "Shady Grove." The first Shady Grove Cemetery was African American, located four miles northwest of Ebenezer, and was located in Section 18, Township 16, Range 2 East. The second Shady Grove had both white and African American burials, was also located four miles northwest of Ebenezer, and was located in Section 30, Township 14, Range 2 East. The third Shady Grove did not list whether it was white or African American, was located "near Goodman," and did not have the Section, township, and range listed.
J.G.
Taking another step, I searched the Library of Congress Chronicling America site and found some information about the Barr-Gwin Co.
.JPG) |
- The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.), 14 March 1919. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024271/1919-03-14/ed-1/seq-4/>
- The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.), 21 Nov. 1919. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024271/1919-11-21/ed-1/seq-1/>
However, Barr-Gwin seemed to have a hand in everything
Copyright © 2022 by Sandra Williams Bush, Ancestor Callings: Georgia and Mississippi Roots. All Rights Reserved.
