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Thomas Edward Bridgman Cemetery
(Rose Bay-Hodges Fork Rd., Swan Quarter Twp.)


All photographs taken by Mary Baxter & W.T. "Tom" Bridgman in 2011

This private family cemetery was established by Thomas Bridgman, Jr. in his will as a quarter acre that is never to be sold.  C.D. Gibbs, grandson of John Langston Bridgman, took the Baxter's on a tour of this cemetery and told them that there are many unmarked graves of both white and black persons.  In addition to family members, some persons are buried here who could not afford to pay to be buried elsewhere.  The cemetery is terribly grown up with briers and poison ivy and the mosquitoes from the canal made photographing the headstones very difficult.  Not all tombstones found in a 1970 survey were found in 2011.

Name

Birth Date

Death Date

Epitaph

Notes

Bridgman, J.L. [John Langston] Nov. 9, 1841 Oct. 20, 1916   Father: Thomas Bridgman
Mother: Mary "Polly" _______
Spouse: Polly L. Cutrell
[double stone with Polly L. Bridgman]  [close-up photo]

John Langston was a Confederate Civil War soldier.  According to detailed records found on www.footnote.com, he was captured at Fort Anderson on 19 Feb 1865, imprisoned at Point Lookout, Maryland and released after taking an Oath of Allegiance on 24 Jun 1865.

Bridgman, Mary Elizabeth Tuten Aug. 13, 1882 Dec. 25, 1936 "Molly" - "Gone, but not forgotten." Father: Alfred Tuten (b. Dec 1828)
Mother: Annie Ward (c1845)
Spouse: Thomas Edward Bridgman
Bridgman, Polly L. Mar. 24, 1840 Sept. 10, 1911   Father: ______ Cutrell
Mother: _____________
Spouse: John Langston Bridgman
[double stone with J.L. Bridgman]  [close-up photo]
Bridgman, Thomas Edward Apr. 15, 1882 Aug. 13, 1950 "Tom" - "Gone, but not forgotten." Father: John Langston Bridgman
Mother: Polly L. Cutrell
Spouse: Mary Elizabeth Tuten
Cahoon, Ruby Bridgman Apr. 9, 1916 Nov. 27, 1974   Father: Thomas Edward Bridgman
Mother: Mary Elizabeth Tuten
Spouse: William Ellis Cahoon
[double stone with Willie Ellis Cahoon]
Cahoon, Willie Ellis Feb. 12, 1905 Nov. 17, 1965   Father: Charles Edward Cahoon
Mother: Thera Spencer
Spouse: Ruby Lee Bridgman
[double stone with Ruby Bridgman Cahoon]
Gibbs, Lyda [Mable] Bridgman Nov. 14, 1904 Aug. 11, 1993 "Gone, but not forgotten." Father: Thomas Edward Bridgman
Mother: Mary Elizabeth Tuten
Spouse: Carroll Oland Gibbs (Feb. 12, 1889 - Apr. 20, 1971)
Mason, Calvin Lawrence Jan. 27, 1845 Feb. 3, 1917   Headstone was in the cemetery in the 1970 survey but was not found in 2011.  Dates on his death certificate differ from the inscribed dates in 1970.
Mason, Fannie Esley Sept. 13, 1844 July 13, 1914   Headstone was in the cemetery in the 1970 survey but was not found in 2011.
Mason, Ojias Griffin Jan. 21, 1867 May 23, 1933   Headstone was in the cemetery in the 1970 survey but was not found in 2011.
[see his death certificate]
McLain, Josephine
Longshot of tombstone
May 26, 1877 Apr. 14, 1931 Mother - Wife of M.L. McLain
A precious one from us has gone, a voice we loved is still, a place is vacant in our home, that never can be filled.
Father: John Langston Bridgman
Mother: Polly L. Cutrell
Spouse 1: John M. Flowers on Sept. 29, 1895
Spouse 2: Morland Lindsay McLain on Sept. 19, 192?
Patrick, Betta Ann [Betsy] May, 20, 1867 Mar. 19, 1947   Headstone was in the cemetery in the 1970 survey but was not found in 2011.
[see her death certificate]
Spencer, Annie Liza Dec. 7, 1875 Sept. 5, 1935   Headstone was in the cemetery in the 1970 survey but was not found in 2011.
[see her death certificate]
Spencer, William Selby Nov. 15, 1873 July 15, 1933   Headstone was in the cemetery in the 1970 survey but was not found in 2011.
[see his death certificate]

© 2011 Kay Midgett Sheppard