This graveyard was the public burying ground from about 1812 until about 1852, though there were a few burials there as late as 1873. About 1865 the place became a wilderness of weeds and so remained until forty years later, when the council undertook to care for it to some extent, by having the dead trees and rank weeds cut down. In the spring of 1908, a committee consisting of the mayor and two councilmen was appointed to take up the work of improving and beautifying the graveyard. All of the timber, excepting a few trees left for shade, was cut down, and briars, brambles and bushes were kept down during the summer, and the old place was put in a better condition than it had been for fifty years. The solid board fence was taken down and a wire fence put in its place.

Desiring to make the work of improvement as much a popular movement as possible, the council committee appointed an auxiliary committee of ladies, most of whom were descendants of original settlers of Hopkinsville.

In 1907 MAYOR CHARLES M. MEACHAM compiled a list of 165 persons buried in the old cemetery from 1812 - 1858.

Only one body was buried there later than 1858, that of DR. A. WEBBER, who was buried Dec 23, 1873. In addition to the compiled list, probably 20 others who were buried in the graveyard are known, their headstones having been entirely destroyed. All told about 185 names were compiled and there are probably 50 more unmarked graves of unknown persons.

Very few of the headstones remain as they were originally. Many of them were native limestone slabs. Some had crumbled away, some had been broken, some had fallen flat and some that remained standing had all lettering obliterated by the action of the elements. One headstone was almost surrounded by the trunk of a great elm tree three feet in diameter, that had grown up in the grave.

The committee agreed that the name "Pioneer Graveyard" would be an appropriate one and it was so named.

It was planned to erect a suitable monument to the pioneers, placing all known names upon it in enduring form. The cemetery was laid out for walks, and young trees were planted and were soon growing nicely. The ground was cleared of broken headstones, only such as remained in good shape have been left. The plans were never fully carried out. MAYOR MEACHAM retired from office in 1914 and his successor, MAYOR FRANK K. YOST, had concrete walks laid and some other improvements made.

A place was marked off, enclosed by walks, for the proposed monument, to cover the graves of BARTHOLOMEW T. WOOD, who gave the ground in 1812, and his wife, MRS. MARTHA WOOD. He died in 1827 and she died in 1846. The tombstones were down and broken. The grounds have since been kept in order, but the monument has never been erected and it remains for the present generation to complete the work as outlined 20 years ago. The Council Committee who began the work in 1920 was composed of CHARLES M. MEACHAM, the mayor, and Councilmen JOHN B. GALBREATH and GEORGE E. RANDLE.

the Ladies Auxiliary Committee was composed of MRS. ALEX G. WARFIELD, MRS. HENRY D. WALLACE, MISS JULIA ARNOLD, MISS ELLEN YOUNG, MISS KATIE MC DANIEL, MISS LUCY WHITLOCK, MRS. GREEN HENRY RUSSELL, MRS S. A. EDMUNDS, MRS. HAMPTON FOX, MRS. MARY B. CAMPBELL. Most of them were still living in 1929.

MRS. WARFIELD is a great granddaughter of BARTHOLOMEW T. WOOD, the first settler of Hopkinsville. MISS ARNOLD is a granddaughter of DR. A. WEBBER, whose body was the last buried in the graveyard. All of the ladies are descendants of early settlers, excepting MRS. CAMPBELL, who was the widow of HON. JOHN P. CAMPBELL, who was congressman from the district in 1856-7, and a representative of one of the first families.
 

ADULTS - 42 MEN - 46 WOMAN Mrs. Margaret Allen, wife Samuel Allen, 1815-1834; Mrs. Sarah Allen, wife Samuel Allen, 1811-1836; Mrs. Elizabeth Allen, wife of Henry Allen, 1782-1836; Mrs. Mary Bell, died 1825; Mrs. Mary Bouldin, died 1818; J. W. 131air, died 1817; Mrs. Selena C. Bailey, 1771-1851; Aaron Boyd, 1801-1850; Mrs. Louisa C. Curd, died 1839; Mrs. Love D. Campbell wife of Alex Campbell, died 1834; Mrs. Eleanor G. Crow, 18f2-1829; P. L. Cathey, 1830-1853; Ephraim Cock, 1753-1839; Wm. W. Cullman, 1793-1840; Francis M. Dallam, 1755-1823; Benjamin Eggleton, died 1819; Mrs. Elizabeth R. Elgin, wife W. M. Elgin, 1809-1834; Jonathan English, 1796-1832; Jeremiah Foster, 1791-1823; Samuel Finley, 17951836; Hugh L. Foster, 1819-1848; Mary Gordon, 1761-1831; John Guynn, 1793-1817; - Gibson, aged 66; John H. Gooch, 1718-1850- Samuel Harrison, 1765-1837; Mrs. Nancy Harrison, 1768-1833; Miss Ruth Hopkins, 1772-1834; Thomas Hopkins, 1773-1834; Mrs. Jane Hopkins, wife Thomas Hopkins, 1800-1830; Mrs. Mary Jane Hall, wife A. M. C. Hall, 1806-1830; Daniel Hogan, died 1850; Catherine Higgins, 17551812; Mrs. Eliza V. Gano Henry, wife Daniel Henry, 1803-1821; Robert Pryor Henry,, M. C., 1788-1826; Nevil Hopson, 1783-1835; Mrs. Susan Hopson, wife Nevil Hopson, 1787-1850; Mrs. Mary Johnson, 1773-1814; Mrs. Sarah Jones, 1805-1833; Anna Weir Kelly, daughter R. H. Kelly, died 1832; Harriet Kelly, 1789-1831; Mrs. Susan Kinkead, N80-1858; Mrs. Virginia Kinkead, 1817-1838; Mrs. Martha Ann Lambert, wife G. W. Lambert, 1818-1844; David Lotspeich, 1790-1832; Alexander McCulloch, 1777-1829; John McGarvie, 1789-1833; Francis G. Moore, 18131853; Mrs. Jane Moore, wife John Moore, 1767-1825; Andrew Moore, son of John, 1799-1825; Mrs. Sarah C. McLaughlin, wife Jas. H., 1758-1825; Mrs. Amanda Leavy Morehead, wife Gov. Chas. S., 1804-1829; Wm. Nichol, 1769-1829; Benj. W. Patton; Mrs. Margaret St. Patton, wife Benj. W., died 1823; Mrs. Ann Patton, wife Wm. Patton, 1796-1824; Jas. M. Pursley, 1813-1849; John Pursley, 1774-1827; Miss Jane W. Price, 1779-1833; Joseph M. Price, 1800-1839; Mrs. Ann Price, wife Wm., 1807-1832; John H. Rice, 1808-1835; Melinda M. Rice, 1774-1832; James M. Rice (son Rev. David), 1768-1832; James S. Steele, 1808-1847; Dr. Moses Steele, 1778-1817; Mrs. Susan Steele, 1784-1840; Edward R. Slaughter, 1803-1839; Mrs. Mary Smith, wife Dr. W. T. Smith, 17941844; Dr. Samuel Stuart, 1817-1852; John B. Stuart, 1809-1846; Wm. R. Tadlock, 1815-1838; Dr. Augustine Webber, 1790-1873; Mrs. Nancy Webber, wife Dr. A. W., 1794-1840; Mrs. Ann Webber, wife Philip W., died 1822; Mary Wood, 1899-1844; Mrs. Lucinda Wood, wife Jas. S., 1801-1821; Mrs. Nancy Wood, wife Jno. H., 1791-1798; Mrs. Ann E. Wood, wife Jno. H., 1801-1838; Bartholomew T. Wood, died 1827; Mrs. Martha Wood, wife of Bartholomew T. Wood, died 1846; Susannah Wade, 1797-1830; Mrs. Adah Wilcockson, wife John, 1789-1824; Mrs. Juliet Western, wife of Wm. W., 1807-1848; Elizabeth Western, 1779-1832; Benjamin York, 1800-1825; Mrs. Melinda York, wife Benj. York, 1805-1825. YOUNG BOYS Wm. M. Clark, 1801-1819; Archibald Gordon, 1804-1820; John Long, 1802-1813; James T. Moore, 1834-1845; A. G. Overshiner, 1815-1836; James Park, 1803,1822; Henry M. Wood, 1813-1833-, C. M. Wood, 18131823; James Wilson, 1814-1831; Wm. Washington Webster, 1825-1833. YOUNG GIRLS Elizabeth Breathitt, 1804-1827; Virginia Harrison, 1807-1825; Frances L. Gibson, 1825-1844; Henrietta McDaniel, 1806-1823; Elizabeth H. Messick, 1835-1852; Loetitia J. Price, 1818-1834. CHILDREN Henry Allen; Infant Allen; Peyton Short Breathitt, 1823; Infant Breathitt, 1817; Louisa E. Bradley, 1834-1836; Robert S. Bradley, 18361836; Infant Crow, 1829; Magnus S. Carnahan; Mary Carnahan, 18341838; Mary E. Cock, 1846; George Cock, 1835-1840; Dunavan child, 1847; Wm. Itnox Finley, 1827-1833; Sarah Jane Webber, 1826-1827-, Mary Watts, 1819; Emily Watts, 1825; Maria 1. M. G. Wood, 1817-1822; Alexander H. Wood, 1843; Nancy Wood, 1834; Sarah Wilcockson; Joseph T. Wilcockson; Albert G. Worsham, 1834-1835; Western, 1830. Three in Blair lot, three in Lambert lot, two in Foster lot, and one each in the Clark, Bouldin, Higgins, Moore, Steele, Short, Watts and Wood lots. One footstone marked only "F. E.    *- A History of Christian County - 1930