Local history buffs will enjoy two upcoming events: yellow fever cemetery tour and artifact show

Anna Jean Ikner with 'E Parker' grave in 2006.

Mrs. Charlotte Lambert, the President of the Mount Pleasant Historical Preservation Society, sent me a nice note the other day, telling me about an upcoming history tour that many readers will no doubt find interesting.

This coming Saturday at 1 p.m., members of the society will meet at the Mount Pleasant Methodist Church at Eliska. From there, they will move to the old Jenkins-Henderson Cemetery, which is commonly called the “yellow fever cemetery.” This cemetery, located on private property near Shomo Creek, southeast of Mt. Pleasant Landing, contains about 30 graves, including the graves of a mother and seven of her children that died from yellow fever.

Yellow fever was a common epidemic that was prevalent in the 19^th Century. This dreaded disease was spread by mosquitoes and from human to human. Symptoms included headaches, muscle aches, chills, fevers, fatigue and the yellowing of the eyes and skin. Death from liver or kidney failure usually occurred within seven to 10 days.

It has been years since I last visited the Jenkins-Henderson Cemetery. Way back in August of 2006, Anna Jean Ikner and the late George Laurie Jr., both of Uriah, guided me to this cemetery to show me the grave of “E. Parker, who died July 26th 1810, age 30 years.” It is believed that this grave is the oldest marked grave in all of Monroe County.

This old grave was located beneath a large tree that had been toppled by Hurricane Ivan. The marker also featured what appeared to be a verse from the Bible or a religious inscription, but it was largely illegible. At the time, Laurie, the cemetery’s volunteer caretaker, said that he knew of 31 marked graves in the cemetery, including one grave marked by an old metal wagon axle.

Another upcoming event that local history buffs will enjoy is the 2022 Chatom Alabama Indian Artifact & Collector Show. It’s set for Feb. 19 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Chatom Community Center, located at 222 Dixie Youth Drive in Chatom. Admission to this event is free.

I’ve been to this event several times with the wife and kids, and it’s always a lot of fun. If you have even the slightest interest in Native American history, arrowheads, spearpoints and other artifacts, I highly recommend that you check out this event. As in years past, exhibitors and collectors from across the Southeast will be on hand to display their impressive collections.

Many of these collectors can also tell you all about Indian artifacts and some of them will have items for sale. Many exhibits also feature old coins and currency as well as Native American crafts and jewelry. My advice is to get there early and to take your time looking closely at all of the displays.

More than a few people attend this event to renew their memberships to the Alabama Archeological Society and the Rebel State Archeological Society of Alabama. Membership in these groups will get you subscriptions to their annual publications and newsletters, which contain a wealth of archeological news from across Alabama and the Southeast.