Mizpah Cemetery, Chattanooga, Tennessee - Worldwide Cemeteries on Waymarking.com

Established in 1866 by the Hebrew Benevolent Association, Mizpah Congregation Cemetery became the first Jewish cemetery in Chattanooga, serving the congregation whose name it bears. The cemetery is located on East Third Street across from the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences and is adjacent to the Citizen’s and Confederate Cemetery. The cemeteries are separated by a small stone wall and fence. The Mizpah cemetery is a part of a much larger block of connected burial grounds which include the Mizpah cemetery, The Confederate cemetery, the Citizens’’ cemetery, an old Potters field cemetery and a tract known as the Paupers’ graveyard. (1) The Mizpah cemetery has also been referred to as the “Ochs Memorial Cemetery.”

Immediately after the Mizpah Congregation Cemetery was established a movement was started to move 60 Jewish Civil War soldiers from the National Cemetery in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to the new Jewish Cemetery (2). Later the scope of the effort expanded to include any soldier of the Jewish faith. In November 1867, the Tennessee State Legislature approved the establishment a corporation named the “Jewish Soldiers’ Monument Association” with Morris Bradt as President (3), other officers were Adoloph Tchoppek; C.B. Feibleman; Henry Deutch; and S. Colberg. The association was formed to “gather up all of the unclaimed Hebrews who fell during the late war and bury them in the Chattanooga Jewish cemetery.” (4)

On November 14th 1867, the Jewish Soldiers’ Monument Association published a “Special Call” in many of the nations newspapers stating that they were ready to exhume the bodies of all soldiers, Union and Confederate, of the Jewish faith and rebury them in the Jewish cemetery in Chattanooga according to Jewish burial rites. The association also stated that they would erect a “Suitable Monument” in honor and to the memory of our fallen soldiers. (4).

On December 1st, 1867, The Association published a request for funding and included a description of the plans for the cemetery improvements, the soldiers’ graves, and monument. The cemetery plan is described as follows: “It covers two acres of ground, beginning as you can see from the plan [in the possession of the publisher,] in a triangular shape, but we made it square by the line of front fence, leaving a reserve enclosed by three feet high railing, in front; the main fence is a very fine piece of work, with a large gate 10x10 feet, with an arch, and two small gates, one on each side, all made of Cedar wood. A gravel drive is made from the front through the main arch to the Sextons house, and then running up a high grade faced on each side by a rock bordering, until you reach the main Cemetery. – Our ground has a downward grade from the front, covering about three-fourths of an acre, and then takes a sudden rise forming an elevation of eight feet, which we are bring to a dead level, by running a rock wall clear across the entire lot, with a drain and culvert at the base of the same. Our main Cemetery ground, as you can see from the ground plan, is laid out in small and large family lots, and a drive or walk left between them.”
“In the center and on the highest point, we have located the Soldiers’ Monument which is shaded by four weeping willows. You also notice four separate approaches and a circle walk around the monument. – The whole ground will be surrounded by a choice selection of shade trees, and ornamented in the best style, and I think you will agree with me, that when completed, it will be a model piece of work.”(5)

The estimated cost for the work, including the grading, rock work, the iron railing and the Monument were placed at nearly $8,000.00 [or $138,600.00 in 2020 dollars (6)] and did not include any expenses related to exhuming and burying any soldiers in the cemetery. (5)

By May 1868, the Jewish Soldiers Monument Association was deep in debt, out of money and had only purchased rocks for a soldier’s monument. The fencing had been installed but had not been paid for (7) and no soldiers had been reinterred as originally planned. In the end this effort failed, and no soldiers were moved to the cemetery and the promised monument was never built.

On January 6th, 1916, the Hebrew Ladies’ Aid Society met to discuss and review plans to build a chapel to be used for burial services. The proposal was tabled as members of the organization could not agree on funding. (8)

In April 1916, the Mizpah congregation asked the county to deed the old Paupers Graveyard cemetery on Collins street adjoining the Jewish cemetery. The Paupers graveyard cemetery had been used by the city to bury the remains of the unclaimed and indigent dead and included the dead from the 1878 yellow fever epidemic as well as smallpox and cholera plagues that came to the city. The Paupers graveyard cemetery was too full to allow for any more graves. (1) The terms of the proposal prevented the congregation from using the cemetery grounds for burials but were to use them to erect a chapel for use in connection with the cemetery. If the land were ever used for another purpose, the property would revert to the city. (9) The city was unsure if it had the legal right to deed the property and a committee was formed to explore the legal aspects of the proposed transfer. The outcome of that committee investigation is not known at this time (June 2020).

Throughout the years the cemetery has been well cared for and many Jewish and Military groups held public events and fundraisers to develop funding for the maintenance or improvement of the cemetery grounds. After the death of publishing giant Adolph Ochs in April 1935, the cemetery received stock valued at $10,000 for the maintenance fund of the cemetery. (10) The cemetery has been the recipient of other bequeaths from prominent citizens for the care and maintenance of the cemetery.

Several Improvement Projects were initiated for the cemetery. They include the following:

On April 25th, 1881, construction of a dividing fence began that was put in place between the Confederate and Jewish cemeteries. Theses cemeteries are adjacent to each other but separated by a fence/wall. (11)

In April 1885, an Iron fence was erected around the cemetery and other improvements made to beautify the grounds. (12)

March 1887 saw the completion of the construction of a fountain placed in the center of the cemetery grounds. (13)

In April 1889 more than $1,000.00 was raised to improve and beautify the cemetery. A stone wall was to be built for $500.00 and the remaining funds were to be used to beautify the grounds with new shrubbery, walks and drives. (14) However, in May 1889 the city threatened the wall building project by passing an ordinance to widen Carlin street and force the cemetery to stop the construction of the perimeter wall and move any bodies buried on the land condemned for that street expansion. However, the project to widen Carlin street was reconsidered and rejected shortly after it was proposed. (15)

In 1907 a stone wall dividing the Confederate cemetery from the Jewish cemetery and potters’ field was built by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Chapter No.81. (16)

The Hebrew Ladies’ Aid Society spent $2,000 in 1908, to install permanent walks and driveways in the cemetery. (17)

In May 1912, an order was placed for 150 tons of fine granite to be used to build a mausoleum for the Ochs family within the cemetery. (18)

By 1910 there were an estimated that there were 200 graves and it was considered one of the best kept burial spots. (19)

Though small, Mizpah Cemetery is home to some of Chattanooga ’s finest and most beautiful cemetery art, including a monument honoring Chattanooga Times and New York Times publisher, Adolph Ochs. The first burial in the cemetery was Adolph Deutsch (1834-1866) in 1867. (20) Notable burials include: Joseph Wassman (1835-1909), a former mayor of Chattanooga. Julius Ochs and Bertha Levy Ochs (1833-1908), parents of publisher Adolph Ochs; Herrman Cohn (1853-1930), leader of the Mizpah congregation. Morris Bradt (1831-1875) Is also buried in the cemetery
Compiled and written by: Mark D. Persons, Salt Lake City, Utah.


Sources Used:
(1) “The Chattanooga News” newspaper, Published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Wednesday, August 16th, 1911. Vol. XXXI., No. 191, Page 2.
(2) “Cincinnati Daily Enquirer” newspaper, Published in Cincinnati, Ohio, Thursday, October 3rd 1867. Vol. XXXL., No. 267, Page 2.
(3) Acts of the State of Tennessee Passed at the General Assembly. United States, F.M. Paul, printer to the State, 1868. Volume 35.
(4) The “Pittsburg Daily Gazette,” Published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, November 27th 1867, Volume LXXXII, Number 275, First Edition, Page 2.
(5) Letter from Morris Bradt published in “The Israelite,” Newspaper from Cincinnati, Ohio, December 13th, 1867, Volume 14, Number 23, Page 5.
(6) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, 1867-2000 buying power calculation.
(7) Letter from Morris Bradt, published in “The Israelite,” Newspaper from Cincinnati, Ohio, May 22nd, 1868, Volume 14, Number 46, Page 2.
(8) “The Chattanooga Daily Times” newspaper, Published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Friday, January 7th, 1916, Vol., XXXXVII, No., 24., Page 6
(9) “Chattanooga Daily Times” newspaper, Published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Thursday, April 6th, 1916, Volume XXXXVII., No. 114, Page 10.
(10) “The Chattanooga News” newspaper, Published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Wednesday, April 17th, 1935. Vol. XLVII., No. 249, Page 5.
(11) “The Chattanooga Daily Times” newspaper, published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sunday, April 24th 1881, Page 3.
(12) “The Chattanooga Daily Times” newspaper, published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Friday, April 3rd 1885, Page 6.
(13) “The Daily Commercial” newspaper, published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Thursday, March 10th 1887, Volume III., No. 170, Page 4.
(14) “The Chattanooga Daily Times” newspaper, published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Thursday, April 18th 1889, Page 4.
(15) “The Chattanooga Daily Times” newspaper, published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Wednesday, May 8th 1889, Page 4.
(16) “The Chattanooga Star” newspaper, Published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Tuesday, February 11th 1908, Vol., II, No. 15., Page 6.
(17) “The Daily Times” newspaper, published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Wednesday, May 13th 1908, Page 6.
(18) “The Chattanooga News” newspaper, Published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Tuesday Evening, May 7th, 1912. Vol. XXIV., No. 108., Page 10.
(19) “The Chattanooga Daily Times” newspaper, published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sunday, July 10th 1910, Page 12.
(20) “Jewish Community of Chattanooga” written by: Joy Effron Abelson Adams, published by: Arcadia Publishing, 1999, Page 12. ISBN 0738501204, 9780738501208

City, Town, or Parish / State / Country: Chattanooga, Tennessee Cemetery Status: Active Approximate number of graves: Not listed Cemetery Website: Not listed

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