By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.—Marty and Brent Brauer of Greenfield were busy all day Thursday continuing restoration work at the Paris City Cemetery, the city’s oldest cemetery.
The Brauers are restoring and replacing the pedestal stone for General William C. Carter and his wife Frances I Asher Carter. They are among the oldest stones in the cemetery, with General Carter being buried in 1873 and his wife buried in 1895.
The Brauers perform specialized work in making the repairs on the old gravestones. Paris City Cemetery is the last resting spot for most of the city’s earliest prominent citizens. Among the most famous citizens buried in the cemetery are the family of David Crockett. Former Tennessee James Porter and his family, as well as Philanthropist E.W. Grove and his family, also are among those buried at the cemetery.
Members of the Henry County Cemetery Committee, under supervision of Susan Stewart of Paris, volunteer their time cleaning stones. Stewart and Marty Brauer will be cleaning the Carter stone this weekend and Brent plans to place the pedestal back on its stand next week.
The Brauers and cemetery committee have restored several gravestones so far and the newly-cleaned stones stand out remarkably from the rest.
Stewart noted that donations for the project would mean that the committee could restore even more gravestones. She said is family members want the volunteers to work on specific headstones, they will.
The committee has held fundraisers, including a cemetery tour which drew hundreds of people, to finance the project.
Anyone wanting to donate may call the County Archives at 731 642 3638.
Paris City Cemetery is located at the dead end of Ruff Street near the First Baptist Church parking lot.
Photos by Shannon McFarlin.
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