Historic Raleigh Cemetery needs help!

In 1825, Memphis lost its place as the seat of Shelby County to its northeastern neighbor, Raleigh. The two towns would remain rivals until Memphis’ growth boom of the 1840’s and Raleigh’s eventual incorporation into the city of Memphis during its post-World War II expansion. One historic part of Raleigh is a cemetery on Old Raleigh Lagrange and East Street which dates back to the nineteenth century. The Raleigh cemetery is a part of Memphis heritage which now needs maintenance to be preserved.

The cemetery is hidden but larger than it first appears. It is seven acres located on Old Raleigh Lagrange, just across from Walls Automotive. It is difficult to tell how big the cemetery is upon first entrance because so much of it is covered in weeds and underbrush. Only a small section of the entire cemetery is currently cleared and able to be walked through. It is situated in a beautiful wooded area, which unfortunately makes its maintenance more difficult than modern cemeteries which are cleared of trees.
 
It has a rich history stretching from the mid-nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth. It was originally part of the Raleigh Cumberland Church, which was the first Cumberland Presbyterian Church in the area. The earliest burial dates back to 1841. The people buried there range over all socioeconomic and cultural groups. Memphis’ second mayor, Isaac Rawlings, is buried there. He did not want to be buried in the rough river town. Philantrhopist Wade Bolton’s children are also buried there. There are also African Americans buried there, some of whom were probably former slaves. During the yellow fever epidemics of the 1870’s, as some Memphians fled the city, some made their way to Raleigh and were buried in the cemetery as well.  

The cemetery has been maintained by various groups over the years. It was originally maintained by the Raleigh Cumberland Church. After it left, the city of Memphis maintained it. In 1986, the property was deeded to the Raleigh Heritage Foundation, headed by former state representative Tim Joyce. With the help of Boy Scout troops, Joyce and the RHF have maintained the grounds since then, but its membership has dwindled as its members have aged and not been replaced by new ones.  

There is currently a need for maintenance of the cemetery. It is no small task to maintain the seven acres of hilly wooded grounds, but it needs to be done. City Councilman E.C. Jones, who represents the district, has stated that he would like to make the cemetery presentable so that it can be viewed. He maintains it himself along with other volunteers such as Joe Houlihan of Houlihan’s Tree Service, John Walls of Walls Automotive and nearby residents Tony Humphrey and Phillip Mann. However, more help and resources are needed. Monetary donations are welcome to offset the cost of maintenance.  Anyone interested in donating time or money to the cemetery’s upkeep may contact E.C. Jones at his office (901-576-6784) or home (901-358-2918). 

Raleigh may have been Memphis’ rival at one time but it is now part of the city and it needs our help. It may not be an easy task, but making this historic cemetery presentable and keeping it preserved would be a rewarding one.