Oodles of Disappointment

Virus be damned! Mrs. B'rer bailed out of the warren and scampered into the hinterland recently. The weather was simply too gorgeous to all it to be wasted. We declared it a 'medically necessary' excursion - we all need sunlight to make Vitamin D!

Many times in our excursions back and forth to old B'rer's ancestral grounds we had noticed a sign for a 'Smith Cemetery Rd". This time we determined to check it out and see what was to be seen.

Our hopes rose when we transitioned from asphalt to a gravel road. All the best stuff has directions that include "turn off the paved road". Mrs. B'rer immediately started calling out "Crack House" in a throwback reference to that extremely risky excursion to one of her ancestor's resting place.

I had to point out to her that we were nowhere near Crack House territory. That was clear based on the quality of the homes and the presence of actual new construction.

We then turned a corner and I had to reconsider my argument. Oy! Move over Fred Sandford. There is some serious junk going on here!

We located the cemetery and were pleased to see a well maintained, attractive family cemetery. Even more interesting is that it is clearly active. The latest burial being January 2020. That is most unusual in such situations.

Many stones were clearly later placements for older graves, and many had no dates for the lifespans of those they note.

But one was of particular interest.

The location, name (this surname is the only one in the cemetery), the minimal but provoking inscription, the age, and the fact that the exact style marker is used for others who passed in the early 1900s all conspire to fuel old B'rer's imagination.

Could this be the grave of a former slave who, after emancipation, remained with the family of - if not her actual - former master?  These are cases you hear of, or read about, but never actually encounter.

Details are noted so that I can do the research and learn the history.

(Intermission: Let's all go to the lobby and get ourselves a snack)

A few days and a LOT of research later, I have my answer. Sort of.

There is absolutely noting 100% solid on her on-line. What there is indicates that she was probably born in the early 1800s and died around 1900, was married and had children and grandchildren. And being white was not a slave (though even that is not a guarantee - white slaves were exceedingly rare but did exist).

I shall probably never know how a Twitty came to be in a Smith family cemetery.

Looks like I shall have to learn to live with being disappointed.