In July I spent several days in Washington County researching and visiting some cemeteries. I especially wanted to find the McAdams graves at Fairview where my McAdams 3rd great-grandparents and Isabella Bryson McAdams Hale, my 4th great-grandmother, are buried.
Our family's McAdams Family Record includes a note at the end indicating ten members of the family are there.
Memorandum made by Thomas McAdams in 1913:
Graves:
Hugh Morrison McAdams, William P. McA, Isabella Hale, Hugh McA, (S. B. Sr son), Ann S. McA, Chalmer S. McA, Cynthia S McA, Thomas C. McA, Ralph E. H. McA, Charlie's baby (Martha).
The above are the McAdams' graves as they come in the cemtery at Fairview, Washington County.I assumed it would be relatively (pun intended) simple to find the row of McAdams graves. Indeed, it wasn't all that difficult. Fairview is a small cemetery about four miles northwest of Jonesborough. But most of the gravestones have vanished. Only the markers for my McAdams grandparents and that of their infant granddaughter remain. Without their grandson Thomas McAdams' 1913 note I would have had no idea who else was buried there.
Detail of Cynthia S. McAdams Marker In Loving Memory of Cynthia s. McAdams Born April 30, 1817 Died Oct. 20, 1874 |
Thomas C. McAdams marker In Loving Memory of Thomas C. McAdams Born Dec. 5, 1806 Died Jan. 1, 1881 |
The markers were almost impossible to read, but I was able to make out the names and dates for Thomas and Cynthia. The baby's marker at the end of the row was more difficult, and I did not get a good picture of it, but the first letter of the name is "M" and the last name is McAdams.
The other McAdams family members, with information from the family record, buried here are (from right to left in the above photo or south to north at the cemetery)
- Martha McAdams, infant daughter of Charles A.H. McAdams and Alice Nave McAdams and granddaughter of Thomas C. McAdams. Marker standing.
- Ralph Emerson H. McAdams, 16 Jun 1881- 15 Jan 1882, infant son of Robert Newton McAdams and Maggie Good McAdams and grandson of Thomas C. McAdams.
- Thomas C. McAdams. Marker standing.
- Cynthia S. McAdams. Marker standing.
- Chalmers Stephenson McAdams, 16 Feb 1853 - 14 Dec 1873, son of Thomas C. McAdams.
- Ann Shaw (Duncan) McAdams, 6 Feb 1813 - 7 Jul 1861, sister-in-law of Thomas C. McAdams.
- Hugh S. McAdams, dates unknown, son of Ann Shaw McAdams and nephew of Thomas C. McAdams.
- Isabella Bryson McAdams Hale, 14 Sept 1776 - 1 Jun 1855, mother of Thomas C. McAdams.
- William Plummer McAdams, 14 Mar 1843 - 18 Apr 1844, son of Thomas C. McAdams.
- Hugh Morrison McAdams, 30 Nov. 1838 - 14 Jul 1840, son of Thomas C. McAdams.