Mount Olivet Cemetery is a cemetery located in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

. It is located approximately two miles East of

downtown Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and t ...

, and adjacent to the

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Calvary Cemetery. It is open to the public during daylight hours.

History

Antebellum era

The Mount Olivet Cemetery was established by

Adrian Van Sinderen Lindsley Adrian Van Sinderen Lindsley (1814–1885) was an American lawyer, businessman and politician from Tennessee. Early life Adrian Van Sinderen Lindsley was born in 1814 in New Jersey.Andrew Johnson, ''The Papers: 1822-1851'', Knoxville, Tennes ...

and John Buddeke in 1856. It was modelled after the

Mount Auburn Cemetery Mount Auburn Cemetery is the first rural cemetery, rural, or garden, cemetery in the United States, located on the line between Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, Watertown in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middl ...

. In the 1870s, a chapel designed in the

Gothic Revival architectural style Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

by Hugh Cathcart Thompson was built as an office. The Southern aristocracy was buried in a separate section from common folks. These included

planters Planters Nut & Chocolate Company is an American snack food company now owned by Hormel Foods. Planters is best known for its processed nuts and for the Mr. Peanut icon that symbolizes them. Mr. Peanut was created by grade schooler Antonio Gentil ...

as well as former

governors of Tennessee The term of the governor of Tennessee is limited by the state constitution. The first constitution, enacted in 1796, set a term of two years for the governor and provided that no person could serve as governor for more than 6 years in any 8-year ...

U.S. Senators The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

, and U.S. Congressional Representatives. In the

antebellum era In the history of the Southern United States, the Antebellum Period (from la, ante bellum, lit= before the war) spanned the end of the War of 1812 to the start of the American Civil War in 1861. The Antebellum South was characterized by the ...

, slaves were often buried near their owners. Confederate Circle at Mount Olivet Cemetery Nashville TN 2013-07-20 001

Visitors to Nashville were buried alongside paupers.

Confederate circle

After the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, "the Ladies Memorial Society of Nashville with surviving Confederate veterans such as William B. Bate, Daniel Carter, General Benjamin Cheatham, and Thomas Harding purchased 26,588 square feet in the center of Mount Olivet and established Confederate Circle" for the interment of

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

dead. It was used for the interment of Confederate soldiers who had died on nearby battlegrounds and as a memorial to their sacrifice. Women organized such memorial associations and raised money for interment of Confederate soldiers in major cities across the South and areas where there were concentrations of bodies. The memorial association arranged for burials of about 1,500 soldiers at Confederate Circle. They also built an obelisk. ConfederateObeliskNashville

World War I and beyond

A plaque in memory of Nashvillians who died in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

was dedicated by General

Hugh Mott Hugh Barbee Mott (August 14, 1920 – June 24, 2005) was a soldier in the US Army. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions as part of the 9th Engineer Battalion in the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge on March 7, 19 ...

in 1924. The cemetery was purchased by Stewart Enterprises in 1994. On January 25, 2015, the chapel, by then listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

, burned.

Notable burials

Adelicia Acklen Adelicia Hayes Franklin Acklen Cheatham (March 15, 1817 – May 4, 1887), best known as Adelicia Acklen, became the wealthiest woman in Tennessee and a plantation owner in her own right after the 1846 death of her first husband, Isaac Frankli ...

, plantation and slave owner. * Emma Louise Ashford, American

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

, and music editor *

Oswald Avery Oswald Theodore Avery Jr. (October 21, 1877 – February 20, 1955) was a Canadian-American physician and medical researcher. The major part of his career was spent at the Rockefeller Hospital in New York City. Avery was one of the first molecula ...

, acclaimed scientist whose experiments proved that DNA is the substance that carried genes. *

John Meredith Bass John Meredith Bass (January 19, 1804– March 14, 1878) was an American banker, planter and Whig politician. He served as the Mayor of Nashville, Tennessee from 1833 to 1834, and again in 1869. Early life John Meredith Bass was born on Ja ...

, Mayor of Nashville from 1833–34, and in 1869. *

William B. Bate William Brimage Bate (October 7, 1826March 9, 1905) was a planter and slaveholder, Confederate officer, and politician in Tennessee. After the Reconstruction era, he served as the 23rd governor of Tennessee from 1883 to 1887. He was elected to th ...

, Governor of Tennessee (1883–87),

general. * Fannie Battle, Confederate spy and social reformer * John Bell, United States Senator and presidential candidate *

Aaron V. Brown Aaron Venable Brown (August 15, 1795 – March 8, 1859) was an American politician. He served as the 11th Governor of Tennessee from 1845 to 1847, and as United States Postmaster General from 1857 until his death in 1859. He also served three te ...

, Governor of Tennessee (1845–47),

United States Postmaster General The United States Postmaster General (PMG) is the chief executive officer of the United States Postal Service (USPS). The PMG is responsible for managing and directing the day-to-day operations of the agency. The PMG is selected and appointed by ...

from 1857–59 * James Stephens Brown, Mayor of Nashville from 1908–09 *

Lytle Brown Lytle Brown (November 22, 1872 – May 3, 1951) was a U.S. Army officer who fought in the Spanish–American War and participated in the Mexican Expedition of 1916. Brown served as Chief of Engineers from 1929 to 1933. Early life Born November ...

, major general in the U.S. Army * George P. Buell,

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

general * Joseph Wellington Byrns, United States Congressman and

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...

John Catron John Catron (January 7, 1786 – May 30, 1865) was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1837 to 1865, during the Taney Court. Early and family life Little is known of Catro ...

U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

Justice. * Benjamin F. ("Frank") Cheatham,

general during the American Civil War. * Mark R. Cockrill (1788–1872), cattleman, planter, and "Wool King of the World". * Clarence Kelley Colley (1869–1956), architect. * Washington Bogart Cooper (1802–1888), painter. * Elizabeth Litchfield Cunnyngham (1831-1911), missionary and church worker * George A. Dickel (1818–1894), liquor dealer and wholesaler * Anne Dallas Dudley (1876–1955), women's suffrage activist. *

Guilford Dudley Lord Guildford Dudley (also spelt Guilford) ( 1535 – 12 February 1554) was an English nobleman who was married to Lady Jane Grey. King Edward VI had declared her his heir, and she occupied the English throne from 10 July until 19 Ju ...

, U.S. ambassador to Denmark under the Nixon and Ford presidential administrations. * George Dury (18171894), portrait painter *

Edward H. East Edward Hazzard East (October 1, 1830 – November 12, 1904) was an American attorney, judge, and politician. He served as Tennessee Secretary of State, Secretary of State for the state of Tennessee from 1862 to 1865, having been appointed by ...

(1830–1904),

Tennessee Secretary of State The Tennessee Secretary of State is an office created by the Tennessee State Constitution. The Secretary of State is responsible for many of the administrative aspects of the operation of state government of Tennessee. The current Secretary of ...

, briefly served as the state's "acting governor" in 1865 *

Joseph Thorpe Elliston Joseph Thorpe Elliston (1779 - November 10, 1856) was an American silversmith, planter and politician. He served as the fourth mayor of Nashville, Tennessee from 1814 to 1817. He owned land in mid-town Nashville, on parts of modern-day Centennial ...

(1779–1856), silversmith, owner of the Burlington plantation, fourth mayor of Nashville, 1814–17 * Sarah Polk Fall (1847–1924) Nashville socialite and unofficially adopted daughter of former first Lady Sarah Polk * Jesse Babcock Ferguson, onetime minister of the Nashville Church of Christ, later associated with

Spiritualism Spiritualism is the metaphysical school of thought opposing physicalism and also is the category of all spiritual beliefs/views (in monism and Mind-body dualism, dualism) from ancient to modern. In the long nineteenth century, Spiritualism (w ...

and

Universalism Universalism is the philosophical and theological concept that some ideas have universal application or applicability. A belief in one fundamental truth is another important tenet in universalism. The living truth is seen as more far-reaching th ...

* Thomas Frist, co-founder of

Hospital Corporation of America HCA Healthcare is an American for-profit operator of health care facilities that was founded in 1968. It is based in Nashville, Tennessee, and, as of May 2020, owns and operates 186 hospitals and approximately 2,000 sites of care, including sur ...

and father of the former

majority leader In U.S. politics (as well as in some other countries utilizing the presidential system), the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.

of the

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

Bill Frist William Harrison Frist (born February 22, 1952) is an American physician, businessman, and politician who served as a United States Senator from Tennessee from 1995 to 2007. A member of the Republican Party, he also served as Senate Majority Lea ...

* Francis Furman (1816–1899), Nashville businessman during the

Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...

. His tomb, designed by sculptor

Johannes Gelert Johannes Sophus Gelert (1852-1923) was a Danes, Danish-born sculptor, who came to the United States in 1887 and during a span of more than thirty years produced numerous works of civic art in the Midwestern United States, Midwest and on the East ...

(1852–1923), is the largest one in Mount Olivet Cemetery. * Sidney Clarence Garrison (1885–1945), second President of Peabody College (now part of

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...

), 1938–45 * Meredith Poindexter Gentry, United States Congressman * Carl Giers, early photographer *

Alvan Cullem Gillem Alvan Cullem Gillem (July 29, 1830 – December 2, 1875) was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Although Southern-born, he remained loyal to the Federal government and fought in several battles in the Western Theater befor ...

, Civil War Union general and post-bellum Indian fighter * Caroline Meriwether Goodlett, co-founder of the

United Daughters of the Confederacy The United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) is an American neo-Confederate hereditary association for female descendants of Confederate Civil War soldiers engaging in the commemoration of these ancestors, the funding of monuments to them, ...

Vern Gosdin Vernon Gosdin (August 5, 1934 – April 28, 2009) was an American country music singer. He had 19 top-10 solo hits on the country music charts from 1977 through 1990. Three of these hits went to Number One: " I Can Tell By the Way You Dance (You ...

1934–2009 country music legend * William Crane Gray, (1835–1919), First Episcopal Bishop of the Missionary Jurisdiction of Southern Florida *

Felix Grundy Felix Grundy (September 11, 1777 – December 19, 1840) was an American politician who served as a congressman and senator from Tennessee as well as the 13th attorney General of the United States. Biography Early life Born in Berkeley Cou ...

(1775–1840),

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

from Tennessee and 13th Attorney General of the United States. * George Blackmore Guild (1834–1917), Mayor of Nashville 1891–95. * Robert Kennon Hargrove (1829–1905), a

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South * Henry C. Hibbs (1882–1949), architect. * E. Bronson Ingram, founder of Ingram Industries Inc., parent company of

Ingram Barge Company {{Unreferenced, date=October 2019 The Ingram Barge Company is a barge company based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. According to the company website, Ingram operates nearly 4,000 barges with a fleet of over 80 linehaul vessels and over 30 t ...

; Ingram Book Company, the nation's largest book distributor; Ingram Micro; and other major companies *

Howell Edmunds Jackson Howell Edmunds Jackson (April 8, 1832 – August 8, 1895) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1893 until his death in 1895. His brief tenure on the ...

, United States Senator and Supreme Court Justice *

William Hicks Jackson William Hicks "Red" Jackson (October 1, 1835 – March 30, 1903) was a career United States Army officer who graduated from West Point. After serving briefly in the Southwest and resigning when the American Civil War broke out, he served in th ...

, Confederate general during the American Civil War * Thomas A. Kercheval,

Tennessee State Senator The Tennessee Senate is the upper house of the U.S. state of Tennessee , Tennessee's state legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly. The Tennessee Senate has the power to pass resolutions concerning essentially any ...

and

Mayor of Nashville The Mayor of Nashville is the chief executive of Nashville Tennessee's government. The current mayor is John Cooper, a member of the Democratic party. Each mayor serves a term of four years, with a limit of two terms, unless this is interrupt ...

* Eugene C. Lewis, engineer, chairman of the

Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway was a railway company that operated in the U.S. states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. It began as the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, chartered in Nashville on December 11, 1845, ...

, civic leader. * David Lipscomb, founder of Nashville Bible School (now

Lipscomb University Lipscomb University is a private university in Nashville, Tennessee. It is affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The campus is located in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville, between Belmont Boulevard to the west and Granny White Pike o ...

). * William Litterer (1834–1917), Mayor of Nashville, 1890–91. *

George Maney Brigadier-General George Earl Maney (August 24, 1826 – February 9, 1901) was an American soldier, politician, railroad executive and diplomat. He was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and a postbellum ...

, Confederate Civil War general and U.S. Ambassador to Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay *

Jack C. Massey Jack Carroll Massey (June 15, 1904 – February 15, 1990) was an American venture capitalist and entrepreneur who owned Kentucky Fried Chicken, co-founded the Hospital Corporation of America, and owned one of the largest franchisees of Wendy's.Gle ...

, co-founder of

and owner of Kentucky Fried Chicken. *

Hill McAlister Harry Hill McAlister (July 15, 1875 – October 30, 1959) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 37th governor of Tennessee from 1933 to 1937. He also served as Nashville's city attorney in the early 1900s, and as Tennessee's st ...

, Governor of Tennessee from 1933–37 *

Randal William McGavock Randal William McGavock (1826–1863) was an American lawyer, Democratic politician, Southern planter, and colonel in the Confederate States Army. He then went on a twenty-month tour of Europe, Asia and Africa. He wrote articles about his exper ...

(1826–1863), Mayor of Nashville, 1858–59 and Confederate Lt. Colonel who was killed in the

Battle of Raymond The Battle of Raymond was fought on May 12, 1863, near Raymond, Mississippi, during the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. Initial Union (American Civil War), Union attempts to capture the strategically important Mississippi River cit ...

. * Eliza Jane McKissack (1828–1900), founding head of music in 1890 to the forerunner of the

University of North Texas College of Music The University of North Texas College of Music, based in Denton, is a comprehensive music school among the largest enrollment of any music institution accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. It developed the first jazz studies ...

Benton McMillin Benton McMillin (September 11, 1845 – January 8, 1933) was an American politician and diplomat. He served as the 27th governor of Tennessee from 1899 to 1903, and represented Tennessee's 4th district in the United States House of Representati ...

, Governor of Tennessee (1899–1903) *

Kindred Jenkins Morris Kindred Jenkins Morris (1819-1884) was an American Democratic politician. He served as the Mayor of Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689 ...

(1819–1884), Mayor of Nashville, 1869–71. * Thomas Owen Morris (1845–1924), Mayor of Nashville, 1906–08. * John W. Morton, Confederate veteran, founder of the Nashville chapter of the Ku Klux Klan,

, 1901–09. * William Nichol (1800–1878), Mayor of Nashville, 1835–37. *

John Overton John Overton may refer to: People * John Overton (printseller) (1640–1713), seller of prints and maps who succeeded Peter Stent *John Overton (priest) (1763–1838), English clergyman * John Overton (judge) (1766–1833), judge at the Superior Co ...

, friend of

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

and one of the founders of

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

. *

Andrew Price (politician) Andrew Price (April 2, 1854 – February 5, 1909) was an American lawyer and politician who served four terms as a U.S. Representative from Louisiana from 1889 to 1897. Biography Born on Chatsworth plantation, near Franklin, St. Mary Parish ...

(1854–1909), Louisiana Congressman * Bruce Ryburn Payne (1874–1937), founding president of Peabody College (now part of Vanderbilt University), 1911–37. * Colonel Buckner H. Payne (1799–1889), clergyman, publisher, merchant and racist pamphleteer. * Fountain E. Pitts (1808–1874), Methodist minister, Confederate chaplain and colonel, first pastor of the West End United Methodist Church in Nashville. * James E. Rains, American Civil War general killed in the 1862 Battle of Murfreesboro * Oliver P. Rood, American Civil War soldier, Medal of Honor recipient * Fred Rose, music publishing executive * Thomas "Tom" Ryman (1841–1904) Nashville riverboat captain and founder of the

Ryman Auditorium Ryman Auditorium (also known as Grand Ole Opry House and Union Gospel Tabernacle) is a 2,362-seat live-performance venue located at 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North, in Nashville, Tennessee. It is best known as the home of the ''Grand Ole Opry'' fr ...

* William Percy Sharpe (1871–1942), Mayor of Nashville, 1922–24 * John Hugh Smith (1819–1870), Mayor of Nashville three times during the 19th century * Donald W. Southgate (1887–1953), architect * Edward Bushrod Stahlman (1843–1930), German-born railroad executive, publisher of the ''

Nashville Banner The ''Nashville Banner'' is a defunct daily newspaper of Nashville, Tennessee, United States, which published from April 10, 1876 until February 20, 1998. The ''Banner'' was published each Monday through Friday afternoon (as well as Saturdays unti ...

'' and builder of

The Stahlman The Stahlman is a historic building in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. It was completed in 1907 for Major Edward Bushrod Stahlman. History It was built by Major Edward Bushrod Stahlman. When the Stahlman building opened in 1907, it housed the Fourth ...

. *

Ernest Stoneman Ernest Van "Pop" Stoneman (May 25, 1893 – June 14, 1968) was an American musician, ranked among the prominent recording artists of country music's first commercial decade. Biography Born in a log cabin in Monarat (Iron Ridge), Carroll Count ...

, country music performer *

Wilbur Fisk Tillett Wilbur Fisk Tillett (1854–1936) was an American Methodist clergyman and educator. Early life Wilbur Fisk Tillett was born August 25, 1854, in Henderson, North Carolina, which at that time was in Granville County (later Vance). He was named for ...

(1854–1936), Methodist clergyman and educator; dean of Vanderbilt's theology school *

Anthony Wayne Van Leer Anthony Wayne Van Leer (March 3, 1783 – July 9, 1863) was an American ironmaster and owner of the Cumberland Furnace in Dickson County, Tennessee. He was a member of the influential Van Leer family, the son of Samuel Van Leer, captain in the Co ...

(1783-1864), ironmaster * George D. Waller (1883–1969), architect. *

David K. Wilson David K. Wilson (1919–2007) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He was the Chairman of the Cherokee Equity Corporation, a privately held insurance corporation, as well as Genesco (), a publicly traded footwear corporation. Additionall ...

(1919–2007), businessman and philanthropist; major donor to

and the Republican Party * Del Wood (1920–1989), country musician, member of the Grand Ole Opry

References

External links

Civil War Trails
* * {{Authority control Cemeteries in Nashville, Tennessee Cemeteries in Tennessee Protestant Reformed cemeteries Confederate States of America cemeteries Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in Tennessee National Register of Historic Places in Nashville, Tennessee 1856 establishments in Tennessee