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Summary History of [Eastern Cemetery] By: Philip J. DiBlasi, Staff
Archaeologist. University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292 EASTERN
CEMETERY Eastern Cemetery is located at 641
Baxter Avenue. Eastern Cemetery Corporation was incorporated by an act of the
Kentucky General Assembly on 4 March 1854 "for the use and benefit of the
Fourth Street Methodist Episcopal Church". However, deeds indicate that
the property was obtained (original 15-acre tract) in April 1843. Records (in
the form of contemporaneous daily logs) indicate that burials were conducted on
the tract in 1843. Numerous stories exist that burials were conducted on the
property as early as 1835, but these burials can't be documented, since there
are no records that date to this period. Additional property was acquired by
Brook Street & Walnut Street Methodist Episcopal Churches South in 1865
(5.5 acres), 1868 (7.44 acres), and in 1872 (series of lots). The property is
presently 30+/- acres. Fourth Street Methodist Episcopal
Church South became Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church and is now known as
Trinity Temple United Methodist Church (537 S 3rd Street). Brook
Street Methodist Episcopal Church South became Walnut Street Methodist Church
and is now known as Christ United Methodist Church (4614 Brownsboro Road). The
original Board of Directors, seated in 1854, consisted of: John
Hawkins, Haiden Curd, Jeremiah Brown, Coleman Daniel, Samuel Osburn
and Jacob Smith. Eastern Cemetery Corporation opened
the first crematorium in the City of Louisville (possibly the State of
Kentucky) in the early 1930s. The crematorium occupied the structure (now
apartments) that fronts on Baxter Avenue. This building once served as offices,
chapel and crematorium. In September 1957, the present offices, chapel, crematorium
and columbarium were completed at a cost of $79,737. The list of individuals who are
buried in Eastern Cemetery reads like a Who's Who of Louisville's society both
Black and white. Methodist Bishop Henry BidlemanBascom (d. 1850) as well
as the Spradlings and Henry Kerby (d. 1848) are buried there.
Individuals from all levels of society are buried in Eastern Cemetery. The Old
Slave Ground was reserved for enslaved individuals whose owners lived in the
urban center and had no family cemetery to bury their dead. Numerous fraternal
societies have lots and clusters of lots. The Odd Fellows, the Masons, the
United Brothers and Sisters of Friendship are just a few organizations that
occupy lots in Eastern. Records at Eastern Cemetery indicate
that the reuse of graves began as early as 1858. The early records note
"OG" in many of the daily logs of burials. In several places in the
records – "Old Grave" is written out. Records indicate family owned
lots that were filled completely or partially with burials were purchased by
Eastern Cemetery from their owners and subsequently sold as unused lots. Maps for Eastern Cemetery consist of
four versions (1880, 1907, 1962 and circa 1984 – or "modern").
Comparison of these various versions indicates entire sections were renamed and
reburied. In some cases, sections were renamed as many as three and four times
(i.e., Old Slave Ground, became Cheap Willow, then became Public Section 2,
then became Cave Hill Corner, and finally became Sections 11 & 14). Records
indicate that the renaming of sections was not the only time a section was
reburied. In fact, records clearly indicate that some sections (i.e., Public
Section 2) were reburied two times while known by one name. Archaeological
investigations of at-need graves by this author indicate that in every section
sampled there was almost a 100% probability that the at-need grave was
occupied, by at least one prior burial.  Grayson County History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |