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Examining the Burial Site of Colonel Stephen Jackson
by May MacCallum

 



MAY FAMILY GRAVEYARD

Over the years, conflicting and confusing information has been published, especially by those who do not live in the area, concerning the May Family Graveyard, Elizabeth Baptist Church Cemetery, and the burial place of Stephen Jackson (1808-1887).  This article with photographs of ELIZABETH BAPTIST CHURCH is intended to help the viewer understand the circumstances and set the record straight.  Stephen Jackson (1808-1887), signer of the Ordinance of Succession for South Carolina, was buried in the May Family Graveyard, on Mayesville Road near his home, as was the custom of those times.  Stephen's wife, Roxanna Timmons, who died much later, was NOT buried in the May Family Graveyard.  Please note the location photograph and the drawing for the arrangement of the graves (image A bottom of page) provided by Hugh Albert Jackson, a direct descendant of Stephen Jackson.  A cedar pole marked the grave of Stephen Jackson.  However, there were traditional markers as well as fieldstones or rocks in the May Family Graveyard.  Huge trees shaded the graves.  The family land was eventually sold, but with a secure understanding that the graveyard would be preserved.  Unfortunately, as the need for more pasture grew, all surface evidence of the graveyard was intentionally bulldozed.  The photographs of the broken stone markers shown here (image B bottom of page), and the legal actions of Hugh Albert Jackson resulted in a memorial marker being placed at Elizabeth Baptist Church approximately 3 miles away. 



ELIZABETH BAPTIST CHURCH

Elizabeth Baptist Church is located off of State Road 109 on Mayesville Road, near Mt. Croghan in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.  Just left of the church is the grave marker for Roxanna Timmons Jackson, the wife of Stephen Jackson (1808-1887).  Stephen's name is also on his wife's marker although he is NOT buried there. 

There is a clear notation on her marker that Stephen Jackson, her husband, is buried in the Mayesville Cemetery.  The Mayesville Cemetery is actually the MAY FAMILY GRAVEYARD approximately 3 miles away from the church. Please note the photograph of Roxanna Timmons Jackson's grave marker at Elizabeth Baptist Church.

On the opposite side of Elizabeth Baptist Church is the memorial marker placed by Hugh Albert Jackson in 1987 for those buried in the former MAY FAMILY GRAVEYARD.  The inscription is as follows: "This monument erected to the memory of the above and others. Their remains are buried in the former MAY FAMILY GRAVEYARD approximately 3 miles Northeast on Jackson Road."  Please note the photograph of the memorial marker clearly showing it at Elizabeth Baptist Church. 

Note also the single photograph of the same memorial marker. 

The grave markers of the MAY FAMILY GRAVEYARD were intentionally destroyed.  The memorial marker, pictured here, was placed here at Elizabeth Baptist Church in a more visual location, even though the burials listed on the marker remain at the destroyed MAY FAMILY GRAVEYARD site!

Image A: Arrangement of the burials at the Former May Graveyard by Albert Jackson
Image B: Broken markers recovered by Albert Jackson from destroyed graveyard:

Click here to read Col. Stephen's obituary: http://www.jacksonfamilygenealogy.com/pages/obitColStephenJackson.htm

Click here for Col. Stephen's ancestors and descendants:  http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Stephen_Jackson_%2811%29  This record is off-site; use your brower back button to return to this site.

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Copyright 2011 by May MacCallum, all rights reserved.  You are welcome to use any of this information for your personal use, but it may not be copied, uploaded on any web site, or used for commercial use in any form.  This page was last updated
20  September, 2011.