Old Chestnut community contains one of the most unique graves in all of Monroe County, Alabama

Grave of Jacob 'Jake' Rikard at Chestnut.

Monroe County’s old Chestnut community is located on State Highway 265, between Beatrice and the Wilcox County line. According to “Place Names in Alabama” by Virginia O. Foscue, this community takes its name from a large chestnut tree that once provided shade at the crossroads where this settlement sprang up in the early 1800s. Few people live in Chestnut today, but this community was once so heavily populated that it had its own post office from 1886 to 1967.

I found myself traveling through Chestnut the other day and took a few minutes to visit the old Chestnut Cemetery, which contains one of the most unique graves in all of Monroe County. Just eyeballing it, I’d say this sizeable cemetery contains about 250 graves, many of which are well over a century old. The oldest marked grave that I was able to find was the grave of young Sara J. Liddell, who was either three or four years old when she died in 1815.

Not far from her grave, you will also find the final resting place of Jacob “Jake” Rikard, who has one of the most distinctive graves in the entire county. Rikard, the longtime proprietor of the well-known Rikard’s Mill in the 1800s, has a headstone that’s carved in the shape of a large millstone. The inscription on his headstone reads, “Blacksmith, Locksmith, Millwright, built and operated Rikard’s Mill on Flat Creek, 1845-1880.”

Rikard’s Mill, which is now part of the Monroe County Heritage Museums, is located a short distance through the woods from Jake Rikard’s final resting place. One cold October night years ago, I spent an entire night with several colleagues inside Rikard’s Mill, hunting for evidence of the ghosts said to haunt the restored mill. It was on that night that I first heard the eerie tale of a ghostly woman who can sometimes be seen floating down Flat Creek in her own coffin.

But that is a story for another day.

After a good look around the cemetery, I drove the short distance down to the Saint Matthew Baptist Church. According to this church’s cornerstone, Saint Matthew Baptist Church was organized in 1875 by the Rev. Isom Bennett. The church was rebuilt in 1970 by the Rev. W.E. Brown.

As I stood there in the churchyard, I was reminded of tales that I have heard about a lone Rebel soldier who was buried in the yard of an old homeplace not far from this church. The soldier is said to have been T.J. Sadler, who served in the 13^th Alabama Infantry during the War Between the States. While I have never laid eyes on his grave, I’ve been told that it is near one of the largest oak trees to be found in Monroe County.

Eventually, I climbed back in my truck and pointed it back towards Monroeville. As I drove along, I could not help but think about all that I had seen and heard regarding Chestnut’s place in local history. No doubt there is much more to be learned about this once-thriving community.

In the end, let me hear from you if you know anything more about the early history of Chestnut. I’m especially interested in any old ghost stories, local legends or tall tales from this part of the county. Also, let me hear from you if you know of any old Indian village or mound sites in this area, so that this information doesn’t get lost to history like so much that has already slipped away like so much water down Flat Creek.