Confederate Memorial Day Commemoration
April 19, 2025
Thomson Memorial Cemetery
April 19, 2025
Thomson Memorial Cemetery
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See the
May 2025 Dispatch on this website for more information and photos. Look under Dispatch / January - June 2025. |
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Thomson City Council Honors
Thomson Memorial Cemetery Volunteers: TMC Committee and Thomson Guards, SCV, Nov. 14, 2024 See article posted on this website under Dispatch / July - Dec. 2024 / Dec. issue |
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Thomson Memorial Cemetery Restoration Celebration
Saturday, September 21, 2024
THOMSON, Ga. (WJBF) -- Reported by Isabella Moody
News -- Thomson Memorial Cemetery celebrating its restoration with a special self-guided walking tour:
www.wjbf.com/news/thomson-memorial-cemetery-celebrating
-its-restoration-with-a-special-self-guided-walking-tour/
Posted: Sep 21, 2024 / 04:54 PM EDT
Updated: Sep 22, 2024 / 03:45 PM EDT
News -- Thomson Memorial Cemetery celebrating its restoration with a special self-guided walking tour:
www.wjbf.com/news/thomson-memorial-cemetery-celebrating
-its-restoration-with-a-special-self-guided-walking-tour/
Posted: Sep 21, 2024 / 04:54 PM EDT
Updated: Sep 22, 2024 / 03:45 PM EDT
Transcript of Interviews with Tom Holley, David Moore and Epp Wilson:
Thomson Memorial Cemetery held its Restoration Celebration to learn, protect, and honor its history, heritage, and ancestors.
With help from the Thomson Guards, Camp 91, and Sons of Confederate Veterans, the Thomson Memorial Cemetery was cleaned up. Now, the community can enjoy it.
“We’ve tried to make it a community project that the community could, in fact, be proud of, and it’s pretty evident this morning that they are proud of it,” said Thomas Holley, Commander, Thomson Guards of Sons of Confederate Veterans.
After the ceremony, attendees could go on a self-walking guided tour through the cemetery and hear stories from 13 docents, 9 of whom were descendants of people buried at the site.
“We don’t know our history. We don’t know where we are going. I’m a big believer in that. So, our history and our heritage is here,” said David Moore, Chairman of Thomson Memorial Cemetery. “We learn it, we respect it, we honor it, we protect it because this is where we all come from. These are our roots.”
An 8th-generation McDuffie County resident was a docent for his great-great-grandfather’s resting place and told the story about his family. He tells me he likes hearing from other families throughout the sites and getting to know more about the town he grew up in.
“They say that you can tell a lot about a town, about the people in the town by how they take care of their cemeteries, and there’s a lot of pride in Thomson and you know,” said Epp Wilson, Thomson Resident. “I never wanted to live anywhere else and felt best. I’ve lived here all my life, and I’m 67, and I hope I got a lot more good years here. Folks ask why I didn’t leave; say why I wouldn’t want to.”
If you want to help the cemetery maintain its grounds, you can donate to 104 Cobb Street, Thomson, Ga. 30834.
Thomson Memorial Cemetery held its Restoration Celebration to learn, protect, and honor its history, heritage, and ancestors.
With help from the Thomson Guards, Camp 91, and Sons of Confederate Veterans, the Thomson Memorial Cemetery was cleaned up. Now, the community can enjoy it.
“We’ve tried to make it a community project that the community could, in fact, be proud of, and it’s pretty evident this morning that they are proud of it,” said Thomas Holley, Commander, Thomson Guards of Sons of Confederate Veterans.
After the ceremony, attendees could go on a self-walking guided tour through the cemetery and hear stories from 13 docents, 9 of whom were descendants of people buried at the site.
“We don’t know our history. We don’t know where we are going. I’m a big believer in that. So, our history and our heritage is here,” said David Moore, Chairman of Thomson Memorial Cemetery. “We learn it, we respect it, we honor it, we protect it because this is where we all come from. These are our roots.”
An 8th-generation McDuffie County resident was a docent for his great-great-grandfather’s resting place and told the story about his family. He tells me he likes hearing from other families throughout the sites and getting to know more about the town he grew up in.
“They say that you can tell a lot about a town, about the people in the town by how they take care of their cemeteries, and there’s a lot of pride in Thomson and you know,” said Epp Wilson, Thomson Resident. “I never wanted to live anywhere else and felt best. I’ve lived here all my life, and I’m 67, and I hope I got a lot more good years here. Folks ask why I didn’t leave; say why I wouldn’t want to.”
If you want to help the cemetery maintain its grounds, you can donate to 104 Cobb Street, Thomson, Ga. 30834.
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Thomson Memorial Cemetery Restoration Celebration
To a gathering of almost 100 guests, David Moore presents information on the history,
the restoration process and the funding needs of the of the cemetery.
For continued maintenance, donations and bequeaths are needed for this historical site.
thomsonmemorialcemetery.com.
To a gathering of almost 100 guests, David Moore presents information on the history,
the restoration process and the funding needs of the of the cemetery.
For continued maintenance, donations and bequeaths are needed for this historical site.
thomsonmemorialcemetery.com.
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- Karen Holley (right) served as a docent representing Capt. Thomas James Hamilton of Thomson’s Civil War company, the Hamilton Rangers, and his wife Martha Ann Evans Hamilton, who is responsible for
Not pictured:
- Lewis Smith represented Willie Wave Smith, United States Navy, who was buried at sea but has a headstone in TMC.
- Tom Holley represented Captain William Johnston, Thomson Guards, CSA, whose house is still standing at 110 East Hall Street in Thomson.
Confederate Memorial Day Commemoration
See May 2024 Dispatch for complete article and photos.
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Two Walls Rebuilt in the Thomson Memorial Cemetery
See the February and May Dispatch 2024 for complete articles and photos.
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With joint efforts from the Thomson Memorial Cemetery Committee and the Thomson Guards, large volunteer trees with damaging root systems have been removed, crumbling walls were dismantled, bricks were cleaned for reuse and new substantial walls have been rebuilt to withstand future environmental challenges. Thank you to Epp Wilson's fence crew and Compatriots Ron Awe, David Moore and Tom Holley for this work. Thank you to the community for its continued financial support.
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Stanford Brothers Cemetery
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In November 2023, Camp 91 Thomson Guards received permission from the landowner to restore a wilderness cemetery located on the original land grant of the historic Wrightsboro Quaker community near Thomson, Georgia. The forest on this property was logged this past fall and the grounds were a mess. There are two UDC marked Confederate soldier’s graves and eight other depressions we believe are graves. One has a brick surface and wall while three others have large rocks as supposed headstones. The first order of business was to cut seven very large trees growing within the confines of the graves. The stumps have been sprayed with Arsenal. This complete, camp members removed dead logs, limbs, briers and vines before raking leaf mulch off the entire area. It was also necessary to trim several nearby magnolia and oak trees. The stones have been washed along with crosses of honor and Confederate flags. Additionally, Compatriot Barrett Smith has signed the paperwork to be the Georgia Guardian for this cemetery. Six members worked the project including David Butler, Jimmy Crawley and Tom Holley. However, special mention should be made of three compatriots who worked tirelessly on this project. Thank you Sammy McCorkle, David Moore and Barrett Smith. Great work fulfilling the “Charge.” Research results are available on the two soldiers. They were sons of David Porter Stanford and Martha Hill Steed Stanford. The younger brother was born 12 February 1843. He was William Onlett Stanford who became a private in Company F, Thomson Guards,10th GA Infantry Volunteers, Semmes’ Brigade, McLaws’ Division, Longstreet’s Corps, ANV. He died 9 February 1862, of Typhoid Fever while at home on sick furlough. 5th Sergeant Jerome J. Stanford was in Captain Allen’s Company A, 12th Georgia Battalion Light Artillery. He was born in 1834, and died 27 June 1862, while at home in Columbia County (now McDuffie) on sick furlough. |
William O. Stanford
Jerome J. Stanford
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Article published in the March 2024 Dispatch.