Wednesday, July 10, 2013

'John Green Cemetery' marker tells of early Conecuh County leader

This week’s featured historical marker is the “JOHN GREEN CEMETERY” marker that was erected on June 29 by members of the John Green Cemetery Preservation Association.

As the name of this marker implies, it is located at the John Green Cemetery in Burnt Corn, Ala. Burnt Corn lies in both Conecuh and Monroe counties, but this cemetery is located well within Conecuh County, about 16 miles northeast of Evergreen.

The marker has text on both sides, but both sides are identical. What follows is the complete text from the marker.

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“JOHN GREEN CEMETERY, CONECUH COUNTY: War of 1812 veteran John Green (1790-1882) settled in Burnt Corn in 1816. He held many public offices, established the first school, and represented Conecuh County in the state legislature in 1824 and 1829. He was the Conecuh delegate to the 1861 (Secession) Convention of the People of Alabama and the 1875 Constitutional Convention. ‘He is allowed to be, even by those who oppose his sentiments, a man of unimpeachable character, a worthy citizen, and a kind obliging neighbor’ (The Southern Evangelist, 1835). ‘It may be truly said that he had but few if any enemies, and no man who ever lived, so far as he was known, had more friends’ (Mobile Register, 1882). LISTED IN THE ALABAMA HISTORIC CEMETERY REGISTER IN 2010, MARKER ERECTED IN 2013 BY THE JOHN GREEN CEMETERY PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION.”

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Green, who was born in South Carolina in March 1790 and died at the age of 92 in Conecuh County in July 1882, served in the First Regiment of the Georgia Volunteers during the War of 1812. During his life, he worked as an attorney, a farmer and educator. He also served as a state legislator as indicated on the marker.

The John Green Cemetery, which has recently undergone restoration due to damage from Hurricane Ivan and logging operations, is located off of Conecuh County Road 15, about one mile from that highway’s intersection with County Road 5. The cemetery contains about 20 graves, and the oldest grave in the cemetery dates back to Oct. 17, 1817. The cemetery also contains the graves of Civil War service members.

The new marker in honor of John Green is just one of many historical markers in Conecuh County. Others include the marker at the Alabama Baptist Children’s Home site on Main Street in Evergreen, the Ernest Stanley Crawford, M.D. marker on Front Street in downtown Evergreen, the “Emerald City” marker in front of the Old Depot in downtown Evergreen, the marker in front of the Evergreen Baptist Church on Park Street in Evergreen and the Rev. Hillary James Hawkins, D.D. marker on County Road 97 at Lime Hill. Others include the Anderson Stallworth Family marker at Nichburg, the James Salter Monument at Pine Orchard and a number of Old Federal Road markers at Pine Orchard, Bermuda and at the John Peobles Toll Bridge.

In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about another historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me to feature, let me know in the comments section below.

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