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New Canaan Methodist Church Cemetery, Lamar County, Alabama

Number 104 on the 2002 Cemetery Map of Lamar County.

The cemetery is located about 100 yards north of Liberty Church Road, 1.3 miles east of Highway 17 and 1.7 miles west of Old Liberty Church of Christ. There is a sign at the site identifying the cemetery as "Old New Cannon Cemetery," but it was established as the graveyard for the Canaan Methodist Episcopal Church, South, founded about 1870 after a split between the congregations that theretofore had shared what had been the interdenominational Liberty Church. The original Canaan Church building was replaced about 1888, after which the Church became known as New Canaan. Its congregation disbanded about 1939, but the building continued in use for annual "homecomings" and other events until it was dismantled in 1992.

This survey was recorded by Flora Bryant McCool, Avon Rushing, and Paul Hays on August 30, 2005. Further information, including the abbreviated history above and the list of unmarked graves which appears following the last row, was derived from William H. McAdams’ 1994 book, The Extant Records and a History of New Canaan Methodist Episcopal Church (revised 2005) (and is used herein with his permission). Many of the graves are identifiable only by fieldstones with no inscriptions. Those listed here in the 12 identifiable rows were the only ones with legible tombstones in 2005. Graves are listed by row as nearly as possible, beginning with the row nearest the road. Inscriptions are displayed in boldface type; comments and annotations by the surveyors and Mr. McAdams are in (parentheses).

Row 1

Porter, Fenton L., son of L. R. & S. E: Dec. 3, 1885 – Dec. 20,1900 (son of Sarah Elizabeth Smith & Leander R. Porter)

Porter, Lovie, daughter of L. R. & S. E: Nov. 29, 1900 – Sep. 25, 1904 (dau. of Sarah Elizabeth Smith & Leander R. Porter)

Porter, L. R.: 1861 – 1932 (Leander R. Porter, probably son of Mary A. Porter, & brother of T. C. Howard, below; double marker with Sarah Elizabeth)

Porter, Sarah Elizabeth, wife of L. R.: Sep. 14, 1860 – July 12, 1918 (Sarah Elizabeth Smith; double marker with L. R.)

Grave with illegible broken headstone

Grave marked only by a rock

Howard, T. C., wife of S. L.: Jan. 13, 1866 – ? (probably Talitha Cumi Porter, probably dau. of Mary A. Porter & sister of L. R. Porter, above; 2^nd wife of Silas Lindsay Howard [in 1980 Nancy & William H. McAdams recorded her date of death as Aug. 23, 1904])

Howard, Silas Lindsay: Oct 1857 – Dec. 4, 1930 (son of Thomas G. Howard & his 2nd wife, Mary Weathers [she is listed below as probably buried at New Canaan]; husb. of 1. Martha Cash [buried in Row 5], 2. Talitha Cumi Porter, 3. Lula Brown, 4. Jessie Duckworth)

Row 2

Godfrey, Annie Margaret, daughter of W. H. & T. L.: Mar. 30, 1925 – June 13, 1926 (dau. of Trannie L. ______ & Willis H. Godfrey [both bur. at Millport City Cemetery])

Five graves marked only by rocks

Grave with illegible broken headstone

Estes, Marvin A., son of A. A.: Aug. 19, 1906 – Nov. 17, 1906 (son of Emma Cash & Albert Athen Estes)

Row 3

Cash, Rosa Marie: Dec. 19, 1885 – Oct. 10, 1903 (daughter of Virenia Clementine Smith & Bluford F. Cash; new stone)

Cash, B. F.: Feb. 15, 1859 – Oct. 16, 1903 (Bluford F. Cash, son of Mary ______ & Moses Newton Cash; double marker with Virenia C.)

Cash, Virenia C. Smith, wife of B. F.: Feb. 28, 1861 – Apr. 14, 1933 (Virenia Clementine Smith, dau. of Martha Ann Weathers & William Henry Smith; double marker with B. F.)

Row 4

Godfrey, Mamie, daughter of R. W. & B. F.: Feb. 1, 1910 – May 6, 1911 (dau. of Biddie F. Cash & R. Walter Godfrey)

Four graves marked only by rocks

W. (Stone with no other inscription)

One grave marked with a rock

W. (Another stone with no other inscription)

Brandon, Orpha B. Weathers: Jan. 16, 1879 – Aug. 21, 1950 (Orpha Bell "Orphy" Weathers, dau. of Benjamin F. Weathers & his 1^st wife, Mary Angeline McDaniel; 3^rd[?] wife of James M. "Cocoa" Brandon)

Row 5

1884 – June 6, 1896 (Handwritten dates on bricks; no name)

O. W. B. (footstone, presumably belonging to the grave of Orpha B. Weathers Brandon, above)

One grave marked only with a rock

Howard, M. G., wife of S. L.: Aug. 17, 1854 – Apr. 2, 1890 (Martha Cash, dau. of Mary ______ & Moses Newton Cash; 1st wife of Silas Lindsay Howard)

Weathers, Anna Lea, daughter of F. A. & V. B.: Sep. 21, 1907 – June 2, 1908 (dau. of Virginia Bell "Jennie" Godfrey & Finch Alonzo Weathers [both bur. at Millport City Cemetery])

Row 6

Godfrey, Minnie W.: Dec. 24, 1879 – Dec. 28, 1946 (Minnie L. Weathers, dau. of Nancy Elizabeth Howard & John A. Weathers; wife of John W. Godfrey)

Weathers, Nancy: Feb. 15, 1852 – Feb. 16, 1926 (Nancy Elizabeth Howard, dau. of Thomas G. Howard & his 1^st wife, Sarah L. Beasley; wife of John A. Weathers)

Godfrey, John W.: Nov. 17, 1868 – Mar. 11, 1906 (son of Mary C. Humber & Oliver P. Godfrey; husb. of Minnie L. Weathers)

Weathers, Gardner S., son of J. A. & N. E.: Jan. 4, 1884 – June 5, 1894 (son of John A. Weathers & Nancy Elizabeth Howard)

Marble stone (name eroded off)

Grave marked with a rock

Weathers, Elizabeth, daughter of W. J. & A. M.: Sep. 19, 1889 – Sep. 12, 1892

Weathers, America M., wife of W. J.: Sep. 8, 1865 – Nov. 21, 1893 (wife of William J. Weathers, son of Martha Ann ______ & Micajah C. "Cager" Weathers)

Woods, Martha E., wife of R. M.: June 2, 1864 – Jan. 5, 1893 (Martha E. Weathers, dau. of Jesse Weathers Jr. & his 2nd wife, Lucy Cash; probably 1^st wife of Robert M. Woods, son of Jesse B. Woods)

Weathers, Martha Ann, wife of M. C.: Sep. 9, 1844 – Sep. 30, 1897 (wife of Micajah "Michael Cage" Weathers, son of Jesse Weathers & his 1^st wife, Susan ______)

Row 7

Godfrey, Ollie E: Feb. 16, 1875 – May 2, 1924 (son of Mary C. Humber & Oliver P. Godfrey)

Godfrey, Rev. O. P.: Dec. 27, 1846 – Mar. 16, 1920 (Oliver P. Godfrey, son of Elizabeth ______ & Aaron Godfrey; husb. of Mary C. Humber)

Godfrey, Mary C., wife of Elder O. P.: Jan. 22, 1849 – Mar. 26, 1913 (Mary C. Humber, dau. of Synthia Jane ______ & Robert H. Humber; wife of Oliver P. Godfrey)

Wethers, Martha A.: Nov. 23, 1818 – May 28, 1895 Married to Wm. H. Smith, Mar. 6, 1836

(new footstone spells her maiden name Weathers; Martha Ann Weathers, dau. of Jesse Weathers & his unknown 1^st wife, wife of William Henry Smith)

Smith, William Henry "Honest Billy": May 1, 1813 – Aug. 17, 1892 (new footstone; William Henry Smith, son of Esther Russell & John Smith; husb. of Martha Ann Weathers)

Row 8

Cash, Martha Jane: Jan. 7, 1842 – Aug. 5, 1904 (? – stone broken at year of death)

Three graves marked with rocks

Cash, Francis M.: Apr. 18, 1835 – May 19, 1891 (son of Stephen Cash; husb. of Martha Jane ______)

One grave marked with a rock

Row 9

Godfrey, Hubert: 1898 – 1900 (double marker with Amanda)

Godfrey, Amanda: 1862 – 1900 (Imanda C. Smith, born Dec. 1862, dau. of Martha Cash & Francis W. Smith; 1^st wife of Rufus A. Godfrey [bur. w/ 2^nd wife, Laura ______, at Meadow Branch]?; double marker with Hubert)

Row 10

Smith, Eva Louise, daughter of J. R. & Viola: July 2, 1909 – Aug. 20, 1910

Several spaces with no markers

Cash, Zeal: 1901 – 1903 (son of Virenia Clementine Smith & Bluford F. Cash)

Weathers, Mary A., wife of F. M.: Mar. 12, 1829 – Apr. 22, 1900 (double marker with F. M.)

Weathers, F. M.: Co. K/36 AL Inf/CSA (no other information on marker; Francis Marion Weathers, b. May 1830, son of Charlotte ______ & Jesse Weathers; double marker with Mary A.)

Row 11

Smith, Francis K.: Jan. 11, 1914 – Nov. 17, 1916 (dau. of Allie Daisy Collins & Thomas Oscar Smith)

Smith, Jessie May: Oct. 28, 1902 – Sep. 26, 1911 (dau. of Allie Daisy Collins & Thomas Oscar Smith)

Smith, Ottis Bankhead: Oct. 7, 1904 – June 10, 1905 (son of Allie Daisy Collins & Thomas Oscar Smith)

Smith, Allie Daisy "Mother": May 3, 1876 – Oct. 5, 1922 (Allie Daisy Collins, dau. of Louisa G. _____ & Jasper Moses Collins; wife of Thomas Oscar Smith)

Smith, Thomas Oscar "Father": Nov. 18, 1871 – Jan. 23, 1936 (son of William Parker Smith & his 1^st wife, Sarah Mordecai; husb. of Allie Daisy Collins)

Smith, Francis I.: Feb. 3, 1862 – July 5, 1903 (stone broken; Frances Cash, dau. of Louisa Jane Loftis & Henry Cash; wife of 1. Jeremiah Forbus Collins, 2. William Parker Smith)

Smith, William P., PVT/Co. K/ 26 AL Inf./CSA: May 17, 1844 – Mar. 13, 1921 (William Parker Smith, son of Martha Ann Weathers & William Henry Smith; husb. of 1. Sarah Mordecai, 2) Eva Hollands, 3. Frances E. (Cash) Collins)

Row 12

McAdams, M. Isabella: Feb. 6, 1858 – June 28, 1940 (Margaret Isabella Smith, dau. of Martha Ann Weathers & William Henry Smith; wife of Samuel Wesley McAdams)

McAdams, Samuel W.: May 27, 1862 – July 10, 1903 (Samuel Wesley McAdams, son of Cynthia Ann Shelton & Wesley James McAdams)

The following graves were not in evidence at the time of this survey in August 2005. They were either recorded in 1980 by Nancy and William H. McAdams, deduced by Mr. McAdams from old church records, or reported to him in interviews with church "old-timers." All are listed in his book The Extant Records and a History of New Canaan Methodist Episcopal Church, and are included here with his permission.

Godfrey, Johnie Carrie: Sep. 12, 1901 – Jan. 26, 1903 (presumably dau. of Minnie Weathers & John W. Godfrey; marker found in 1980 but lost by 2005)

Howard, Mary (Mary Weathers, c. 1817 – June 21, 1889, dau. of Jesse Weathers & his unknown 1^st wife; wife of 1. Randall G. Smith, 2. Thomas G. Howard; prob. buried at New Canaan – listed in church Death Register)

Lemons, Frank M. (died abt. 1881; 1^st husb. of Mary Elizabeth Smith; unmarked grave)

McAdams children (five children of Rosa Ragains & James Henry Shelton McAdams, bur. on the northwest side of cemetery in unmarked graves)

McAdams, Helen (Oct. 17, 1916 – Aug. 9, 1917, dau. of Mollie Godfrey & Louis Francis McAdams; bur. at New Canaan with no marker, next to her grandparents, Samuel & Isabella McAdams)

McDaniel, infant (son of Margaret Isabella Weathers & William Belton McDaniel; grave marked by concrete slab with no inscription)

McDaniel, Margaret Isabella (Margaret Isabella Weathers, Nov. 12, 1870 – c. 1907, dau. of Lucy Cash & Jesse Weathers; wife of William Belton McDaniel; unmarked grave)

Smith, Mary Elizabeth (Dec. 17, 1848 – Jan. 1886, dau. of Martha Weathers & William Henry Smith; wife of 1. Frank M. Lemons, 2. S. A. "Barry" Shackleford; unmarked grave)

Traywick, Henry Etter: April 20, 1894 – June 6, 1894 (son of Nancy J. Weathers & William J. Traywick; marker found in 1980 but lost by 2005)

Traywick, Madison: April 1898 – June 1906 (son of Nancy J. Weathers & William J. Traywick; marker found in 1980 but lost by 2005)

Weathers, Benjamin F. (Benjamin Franklin Weathers, March 16, 1852 – aft. 1900, son of Susan ______ & Jesse Weathers; husb. of Mary Angeline McDaniel; unmarked grave)

Weathers, J. A.: April ??, 1849 – Oct. 17, 1980 (son of Susan ______ & Jesse Weathers, husb. of 1. unknown, 2. Nancy Elizabeth Howard; marker found in 1980 but lost by 2005)

Weathers, Jesse Jr. (Feb. 26, 1814 – July 8, 1883, son of Jesse Weathers & his unknown 1^st wife; husb. of 1. Susan ______, 2. Lucy Cash, 3. Sarah ______; prob. buried at New Canaan – listed in church Death Register)

Weathers, Lillie Mae (Feb. 2, 1901 – c. 1903, dau. of Harriett C, Duckworth & Benjamin Franklin Weathers; unmarked grave)

Weathers, Lucy (Lucy Cash, Jan. 5, 1834 – Aug. 24, 1877, dau. of Stephen Cash; 2^nd wife of Jesse Weathers Jr.; prob. buried at New Canaan – listed in church Death Register)

Weathers, Luther (May 12, 1889 – July 15, 1889, son of Mary Angeline McDaniel & Benjamin F. Weathers; unmarked grave)

Weathers, Mary Angeline (Mary Angeline McDaniel, abt. 1849 – bef. Nov. 1895, dau. of Elvira Weathers & Bradford T. McDaniel; wife of Benjamin F. Weathers; unmarked grave)

Weathers, Susan Ilia (b. June 25, 1884, dau. of Mary Angeline McDaniel & Benjamin F. Weathers; unmarked grave)

Weathers, Thomas A. (Dec. 29, 1863 – aft. 1920, son of Martha Ann ______ & Micajah J. [Michael C.] Weathers; unmarked grave)

Weathers, Viney (b. Aug. 18, 1871, dau. of Mary Angeline McDaniel & Benjamin F. Weathers; unmarked grave)

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