Dorothy Brush "Random Thoughts" Published Aug. 7, 2002

The search for Jackie Hall pays off

Persistence does pay. This column has been waiting to be written for a solid year. On Sunday, Aug. 5, 2001, I read a story in the Chattanooga paper about the sad state of an African-American cemetery there. The article quoted Jackie Hall of Crossville, "When you have graves that are open, graves that have fallen, they have no dignity." She was there to find the grave of a family slave who had served in the Confederate Army so she could place a memorial with that information.

Thus began my long fruitless search for Jackie Hall and after a year I turned to you readers. Within two days I had answers, including a call from Jackie herself.

My persistence paled as Jackie told her story. She was raised by Claytie, her grandmother in Tullahoma. All during her childhood she heard stories about her great-great-grandfather Willy Hickerson, who owned slaves. The family thought of the slaves as friends. Over and over she heard about Clay, who was born on July 4, 1844. As was the custom he took the family name of Hickerson.

Clay was 21 when he joined the Confederate Army. At the Battle of Murfreesboro he was captured and held prisoner in Nashville from September 1861 to 1863. When he was released, the Union soldiers wanted him to go north with them but he said, "I want to go home to my master. I'm a free man, not a slave."

Clay did return home and he wrote that he was glad to see his master and Mr. Hickerson was glad to see him. Clay emphasized, "I did not work while I was there." Even though Clay wanted to stay, Hickerson explained, "You cannot stay here because the Union will destroy everything I have if they come back."

Jackie carried those memories into her adult life and she and her husband became active in the

Sons of the Confederacy. More than three years ago she began her search for family papers and letters as well as studying genealogy. She wanted to learn more about Clay Hickerson after he moved to Chattanooga. He never received a war pension because the rules stated the black soldier must have served the entire time. A number of letters from citizens who knew him had been written to Washington in support of a pension all to no avail. Clay attended the first Confederate reunion and visited other veterans in Nashville.

Jackie had a growing collection of letters and research which all went up in smoke when the Halls' home was destroyed by fire. Not easily discouraged, Jackie's search continued . She accompanied her husband to Chattanooga where he had a meeting, and she went in search of Clay's grave. She made a phone call to the library explaining her mission and they gave her the name of Fred Thirkill, a black fifth-grade school teacher who had been working to restore a black cemetery.

Mr. Thirkill was an excellent guide and took her around the city to many places important in the long history of the blacks, including the museum and projects. They also went to the funeral home looking for records but a fire had destroyed that information. With that background the next day they went to the 22-acre, privately owned cemetery on Missionary Ridge. Jackie said they could not drive close because it was such a shambles, so they had to walk.

The property was owned by an elderly black lady who had just died. Although Mr. Thirkill had begged permission to clean it up she refused. The fate of Pleasant Garden Cemetery is now in the hands of the heir. When asked if he had visited the graveyard the answer was no, and Jackie told him he had better make a visit to see the horrible mess. Mr. Thirkill whose great grandfather is buried there has consulted an attorney. He hopes a plan might be worked out to put the cemetery in a public trust.

Jackie has not heard anything, but she offered to get a group together to help if a clean-up can be arranged. I have no doubt her persistence will win.

· · ·
Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday.