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by Pam Waters
Documenting the grave sites in Tattnall County was an arduous task, but one that Mose Coleman, Jr., and Emilie K. Hartz approached extremely well equipped.
In speaking to Glennville Rotarians last Wednesday, as the guests of Wayne Dasher, Mr. Coleman and Ms. Hartz shared that they personally visited every one of Tattnall County’s 92 cemeteries, which encompasses 17,000 markers/headstones.
“Toombs County’s cemeteries were the first catalogued in 1994, and it has since been updated in 2000,” said Coleman.
Coleman also recorded the markers/headstones in several other counties: Wheeler, Telfair, Treutlen, Evans, Candler, Emanuel, and Montgomery. Ms. Hartz has assisted him in recording several of these.
“We found that more births occurred in the months of March, September, and October than any other months and that this did not vary among the cemeteries,” said Coleman.
“Also, deaths of older folks occurred more frequently in January and December than in other months, and the month shown as to be the one with the lowest number of deaths was July,” he added.
Beards Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Tattnall County, with 1630 marked graves, followed by Glennville City Cemetery with 1617 and Reidsville City Cemetery with 1450.
Overall, 1673 different surnames were found among the graves in Tattnall, but this also included the spelling variations of the same name.
The surname of Collins was the one most recorded (504 graves), followed by Anderson (429), Kicklighter (378), Smith (310), Durrence (307), Lynn (275), Williams (229), and Tootle (206).
“We had our ‘tools’ with us when we were canvassing these cemeteries,” said Coleman, and he pointed out these included a GPS receiver, a data scope, map, chalk, brush (to clean the stone), bug spray, and stocking cap (in cold weather), and a form to record the information, which included date of birth and death, military service, and other pertinent inscriptions (children’s names).
“After we entered the information manually on the worksheet form, we recorded them into the computer, printed the information out, and then returned to the cemeteries for another verification of the information,” said Ms. Hartz.
The couple’s goal was always accuracy, and this was often complicated by the many markers that were either broken or worn and often only partially readable.
“The process per county takes about a year, working part time. We often found we were trespassing and entering wooded areas but found it all worth it,” said Coleman, adding that they also encountered a rattlesnake on one occasion.
Family-owned cemeteries were also included if Mr. Coleman and Ms. Hartz were aware of their existence.
“Some of the graves we realize have been plowed under, and this is sad treatment of these graves,” said Coleman.
The Cemeteries of Tattnall County, Georgia, is a 500-page compilation of these 17,000 headstones as of 2000-2001. The book’s organization makes it easy to locate the site of a grave of a loved one.
The table of contents has the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order with the graves listed in alphabetical order under each cemetery, or in alphabetical order by section.
By using the index, the reader can find the name of the deceased with a reference to page number and cemetery.
Although inscriptions of epitaphs were not recorded, Coleman said one was unforgettable from a cemetery in Cobbtown: “I told you I was sick.”
Coleman developed the software he uses and has tweaked it since his first release.
The Tattnall book is available for $35 and is available at The Glennville Sentinel office (912-654-2515), located at 105 W. Barnard Street in Glennville, or at The Drug Store in Reidsville. These books are an indispensable aid for those conducting genealogical research.
For those wishing to have a book mailed to them, Mose Coleman can be contacted at (912) 537-1455 or by e-mail at mosecoleman@hotmail.com.
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