Clark Cemetery And Three Notable Residents

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On October 15, 2025, the Huntingdon TN Historical Society had their monthly meeting. Clark Cemetery, located on Carter Lane in Huntingdon, TN was the subject matter. Above is the video of the presentation.

The cemetery was named after Colonel John Clark, who was the son of Samuel and Rachel Clark of North Carolina. Colonel John Clark’s wife, Rebecca Covington, was the daughter of John and Mary Covington of Maryland. Colonel Clark served in the War of 1812 and, after the war, moved to Huntingdon, Tennessee. Colonel John Clark provided this cemetery as a burying ground for his descendants. It was maintained as a private cemetery until Admiral A.C. McNeill, a descendant, allowed others to be buried in the cemetery. The cemetery is jointly maintained by the Town of Huntingdon and by the Wright Family Trust Fund. Neill Alison Wright and his wife so loved the Town of Huntingdon that they developed the Wright Family Trust to donate to the cemetery and also to the surrounding area. Neill A. Wright is believed to be the last desdendant of the Clark family.

Pictured above is Colonel John Clark who was born in 1773 and died in 1850.

The first resident of Clark Cemetery to address the crowd was Walter Grizzard. Captain Grizzard commanded the company that was involved with General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s raids into West Tennessee. Captain Grizzard was also involved in the Battle of Parkers Crossroads. His friend and cohort was Major James B. Algee.

Pictured above, Major James B. Algee. Born in 1828 and died in 1863 in Hickman, Kentucky.

Major James B. Algee and Captain Grizzard had traveled together while on furlough. They had traveled to visit their families in West Tennessee. After the furlough, and on their way back to their duties in the Civil War, they were both captured. Major James B. Algee was sick at the time. Major Algee was taken to a prison that was located in Kentucky, which is where he died. He is buried somewhere outside the prison on a hill. However, there is a tombstone located in Clark Cemetery for him.

The account of the capture of Captain Grizzard and Major Algee was written by Captain Grizzard after the war around 1913. The account is captured at jstor.org/stable/42621073, for those who are interested in reading the account.

Walter B. Grizzard was born in 1833 in Huntingdon, TN and died in 1918 in Huntingdon, TN.

Walter Boggan Grizzard.

The next resident of Clark Cemetery to present to the group present was Rebecca Covington Clark, of the North Carolina Covington’s. Rebecca Covington was born in 1757 and died in 1848. Colonel John Kelly Clark was her husband. John and Rebecca Clark lived in North Carolina for a number of years after they were married. They moved from North Carolina to West Tennessee and settled in the area that was to become Huntingdon. John and Rebecca had two daughters. Colonel John Clark fought in the war of 1812 and he also served in the state legislature. In 1837, John Clark built a home for his daughter Julia and her husband, James. That home is now the oldest home in Huntingdon and is known as the Portis home.

Tombstone for John and Rebecca Clark in the Clark Cemetery.

The final visitor to the meeting on October 15th was Dr. J. W. McCall, born in August of 1832. Dr. J.W. McCall was the ninth of ten children. His parents were Andrew and Jane Todd McCall. He was raised on a farm and attended the early schools in Carroll County. His brother, Dr. Henry McCall, had a practice in Clarksburg, Tennessee. J. W. McCall began his study of medicine in his brother’s Clarksburg office. Dr. McCall went to the University of Nashville and graduated in 1857. Dr. J. W. McCall attended Columbia University and also Tulane in Louisiana. In 1862, he became the assistant surgeon in the United States Army for the Seventh Tennessee Calvary. In 1858, he married Victoria Wilson, who was from Henderson County. They had four children: Lenora, Emma, James, and Fannie. The son, James Henry, became a doctor as well and graduated from Vanderbilt in 1896. James Henry, like his father, also went into the military. Lenora Josephine married Governor Hawkins son. Fannie married a Johnson and moved to Utah.

Above, the tombstone for Dr. J.W. McCall in the Clark Cemetery.

Image of James Henry McCall, Dr. J.W. McCall’s son.

Tombstone for Dr. James Henry McCall.

Many thanks to these wonderful members of our community who role played the historical characters on this day. Dr. Lee Carter as Dr. J.W. McCall. Melissa Powell as Rebecca Covington Clark. And last, but not least, Mr. Johnny McClure as Captain Grizzard. Thank you all very much.

The 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment

The 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that served the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the 2nd West Tennessee Cavalry. It was assembled on August 28, 1862 for a three year stint under the command of Colonel Isaac Roberts Hawkins.

Above, picture of Colonel Isaac Roberts Hawkins.

The regiment was involved in the Battle of Salem Cemetery, otherwise known as the Battle of Jackson.

The battle engaged over 1,000 soldiers in a two hour battle. The Union soldiers did manage to repel a Confederate attack, however, the Confederate attack was a diversion. While some Confederate soldiers were fighting in the battle, Nathan Bedford Forrest and the rest of his men destroyed a section of the railroad during the battle.

Above, railroad in Jackson, Tennessee prior to the 1862 battle.

The 7th Regiment was also involved in the skirmish at Jack’s Creek, all all day battle.

Another small confrontation that the 7th Regiment was involved in was the skirmish at Montezuma, Tennessee on September 16, 1863. This was part of a larger Federal expedition to Toone’s Station.

In February of 1864, the regiment was involved in a skirmish at Dukedom, Tennessee. One reason Dukedom was important was because Dukedom was located close to a stagecoach route. This skirmish shows the ongoing presence of Union and Confederate troops during the Civil War in West Tennessee.

On March 24, 1864, the 7th Regiment was attacked in Union City by a Confederate Calvary under General Nathan Bedford Forrest. At the end of the battle, 481 Union Soldiers were captured along with 300 horses, arms, and supplies.

Above, General Nathan Bedford Forrest

The 7th Regiment lost 337 men during their service. During the battle in Union City, Colonel Isaac Roberts Hawkins was also captured. He was later exchanged in August of 1864 and he then resumed his duties in the Union Army until the end of the Civil War. The 7th Regiment was disassembled on August 9, 1865.

Above, images of Tennesseans in the Civil War.

Above, image of Civil War battle in Tennessee.

Above, Civil War items found in Tennessee.

Mr. Jerry McDaniel gave this presentation to the Huntingdon TN Historical Society in January of 2024.

Other resources for this material included online sources:

Wikipedia, National Park Service, Find A Grave, nps.gov, HMdb.org, and the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association.

The Huntingdon TN Historical Society meets every 3rd Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. in the conference room of City Hall, Huntingdon, TN. Please come join us.

A Short History of McKenzie, Tennessee

Above is an early picture of downtown McKenzie.

The area of McKenzie was originally inhabited by Chickasaw Indians. In 1865, the land was surveyed and platted on land that belonged to James Monroe McKenzie. The town of McKenzie was incorporated in 1869 and was known as McKenzie Station, as it was established at the intersection of two railroads: the Nashville and Northwestern Railroad and the Louisville and Memphis Railroad.

Above, James Monroe McKenzie.

It was in 1818 that Andrew Jackson and Isaac Shelby had negotiated a purchase of land from the Chickasaw Indian Nation. The land purchased was in Western Kentucky and Tennessee. The Tennessee portion became West Tennessee. This purchase promoted American settlements and expansion.

Carroll County was established in 1821. James Monroe McKenzie bought his 212 acres of land in 1837. McKenzie was incorporated in 1869. In 1887, Grover Cleveland visited the area while campaigning. Local lore is that he almost stayed overnight in the McKenzie Hotel, pictured below.

Many famous people have stopped in McKenzie, one of the most noteworthy was Elvis Presley. Elvis had stopped to eat at a local diner. Carl Perkins, another famous musician, also visited McKenzie.

McKenzie has produced many creative and hardworking people. Two will be mentioned here: Tom Winsett, who was a baseball player and was pictured on Life Magazine in 1938; Harris T. Collier, who was a head coach at Tulane in 1899 and he was a head coach for Georgia Tech in 1900.

Annie Cole Hawkins, who lived in McKenzie during the Civil War, chronicled the everyday events in War Leaflets, which can be found on the internet.

Mr. Jack Holland did present the history of McKenzie to the Huntingdon TN Historical Society on July 16, 2025. A video of this presentation can be found at the Facebook page of the Huntingdon TN Historical Society.

https://www.facebook.com/61550545093433/videos/753880610481685