Mattox Cemetery - Sevierville, Tennesee USA - Worldwide Cemeteries on Waymarking.com

First about being buried inside the Park. For those who were born inside the park (like my Mother) she can be buried in some of the older cemeteries where her ancestors are buried (like Greenbrier). These older cemeteries are off limits otherwise. But, for some of the more modern cemeteries (Elkmont), then you only need to be direct kin of someone born inside the park. Other family cemeteries (Price, Rector, etc.) can still be used by anyone from those families or with those families permission.

Others have asked me about slave graveyards on the Tennessee side. Very few mountain folks had any slaves and most are buried outside the park. There was a few slave graves in Gatlinburg (near today's post office) that were paved over along with an old white family graveyard (not naming them) where that family had moved to Missouri in the early 1840's and never returned. All the stones were broken and just a few signs of a graveyard....but it was there. The story goes that they removed the graves....but the fact is there was nothing to be moved as the old pine boxes and bodies had turned to dust. So, they took a few feet of dirt from the spot and moved it over to White Oak Flats and spread it around.



Yes, some of the Walker sisters buried at this cemetery along with some very old first settlers including William Maddox. William (1780-1868 and also my 5th Great on my Father's side) is a key figure in the early history of Sevier County. He's good friends with John Sevier and Willie Blount (Blount Massion in Knoxville) along with the White's of White Fort in K-town. It's not there now, but he had one very fine home in the valley below today's cemetery near the creek. This house was torn down in the 1960's.

From the book, "The Historic Architecture of Sevier County, Tennessee" we find pictures of his old place. The photos came from the Tennessee Historical Commission. I had some others as well that were in my grandmother's stuff.

If you look closely along the left side of the front porch is a winder staircase that lead up to the second floor. This was very rare for any house during this time period. This house was built in 1829 and is a vernacular dwelling which had a stone in the chimney with the initials, "VM 1829". The V was really a W (William) which had just about worn out with time. It's also possible that is was a V for William's father is Valentine (old spelling Valontine) or William's son Valentine named of course after his grandfather. William was the first postmaster for Wear's Valley. Oh, by the way, Wear's Valley wasn't Wear's Valley until 1870. It use to be Wear's Cove.

Also, you can tell from this photo that the front porch had side enclosed walls, which represents the early homes of Boston in the 1600's. This house also had a detached kitchen building and refined elements of wainscotting and wrought iron strap hinges were documented with the main level of this house. Wiliam owned much of the Cove in the early years.

William was married in Bedford County, Virginia and later married (Sarah Headrick....Headrick's Chapel family nearby) and had 8 children total. His daugher Tillitha (1808-1854) married John Sevier Trotter (who built the mill in Pigeon-Forge). Oh, most folks don't know that John father also build a large mill in Hawkins County (no longer there). The Maddox cemetery is a very old cemetery and has a great view of the cove. Maddox grandfather was a Shrewsbury of Kentucky, which leads him back to British Royalty and early 1600's in Boston. All of William's uncles were key figures in our Nation's history. They were all Generals and Coloniels who fought side by side with Washington.

Now, for a little history lesson....remember at one time this was the State of North Carolina and I finish this post with William's father first coming to Tennessee. The State of North Carolina (Grant No. 300):

To all whom these Presents shall come.....Greeting:
Know ye, that we, for and in consideration of the sum of fifty shillings for every hundred acres hereby granted, paid into our Treasury, by Valentine Matticks.
Have given and granted, and by these presents do give and grant unto the said Valentine Matticks a tract of land containing 300 acres, lying and being in our County of Hawkins on William Doak Creek beginning at a post oak corner to widow Stuart then West 150 poles to a stake then South 10 West 160 poles to a pine then East 280 poles to a stake then a direct line to the beginning as by the plat hereunto annexed doth appear; together with all Woods, Waters, Mines, Minerals, hereditaments and appurtenances to the said land belonging or appertaining: To holdto the said V. Matticks his heirs and assigns forever. Yielding and paying to us such sums of money, yearly, or otherwise as our General Assembly from time to time may direct. Provided always; That if the said V. Matticks shall cause this grant to be registered in the Register's Office of our said County of Hawkins within the time limited by law, otherwise the same shall be void and of no effect.
In Testimony Whereof, we have caused these, our letters to be made patent and our Great Seal to be hereunto affixed. Witness, Richard Dobbs Spaight
Esquire, our Governor, Captain General and Commander-in-Chief at Newbern this 14th day of January, in the 17th year of our Independence and in the year of our Lord 1793.
By his Excellency's Command.

This cemetery is special in more ways than one for the history and the folks who are buried here.

Not much info on its activities today, but is a very active cemetery with well over 6000 interments. Situated on a hillside. The famous Walker sisters are some that are buried here. Phot0 attached

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

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