Middle Tennessee's Tent Graves | Polk Bilbrey Cemetery | Overton County, Tennessee | Cemeteries

 

Polk Bilbrey Cemetery Sign taken by Jennie Moore, 2017

    In 2017, my mom and I traveled to Overton County, Tennessee on a quest of genealogy. We have deep ancestral roots in the area, prompting us to make the six-hour journey from southeast Missouri. One of the stops we made upon arrival was the Polk Bilbrey Cemetery, one of the most fascinating cemeteries I've ever visited. This was my first time seeing tent graves, which immediately grabbed my attention. American and Confederate flags decorated the graves, marking the resting places of many soldiers from both the Civil and Revolutionary wars. 

Tent Graves in Polk Bilbrey Cemetery taken by Jennie Moore, 2017

    So, what are tent graves? Primarily a trait of middle Tennessee, tent graves, also sometimes called "comb graves" first appeared here in the early 1800s. They consist of a tent-like shape formed by stone slabs over the burial. These graves can also be found in other southern states, but it is Tennessee where the phenomenon is most prevalent. Why exactly these graves came to be is debated, theories range from simply deterring digging animals to perhaps a spiritual significance. Regardless of why, these graves became ingrained in the culture of middle Tennessee.

Polk Bilbrey Cemetery taken by Jennie Moore, 2017

    Polk Bilbrey Cemetery sits off a lone gravel road outside of Livingston, Tennessee. As I walked the grounds, I felt a sense of deep wonder and curiosity. I have walked many cemeteries, but none like this one. I was so grateful to have seen these mysterious tent graves with my own eyes. They are truly one of the United States' most interesting pieces of cemetery history. 

Isham Bilbrey Grave taken by Jennie Moore, 2017

    Although not a tent grave, a burial that grabbed my attention was that of Revolutionary War soldier Isham Hansford Bilbrey, namesake of the cemetery. Bilbrey was born in 1765 in North Carolina to Thomas and Sarah (Smith) Bilbrey. He married Ruth Sellers in 1788, and they went on to have thirteen children. Isham served in the Continental Line in North Carolina during the Revolutionary War, surviving his service and passing away at age 81-82 in Overton County, Tennessee. He has the second earliest documented birth year in the cemetery.

    Thank you all for joining me on another journey. I hope you enjoyed this stop and leaned something new, I certainly did. Polk Bilbrey is one of the most interesting cemeteries I've had the pleasure of visiting, and I hope to encounter more tent graves in the future. If you have ever visited tent graves, or any unique graves for that matter, I'd love to hear about your visit in the comments. Until next time, take care friends.