This cemetery is located in Waynesville,
Brantley County, Georgia on Mumford Road [county road 158]. When traveling
west on Hwy. 82, go 1.2 miles past Old Post Road and C.R. 158 will be on
your right. About two tenths of a mile on your left is the cemetery
directly across from the Mumford House. There are 10 graves marked with
stones in this cemetery.
According to the Brantley County, GA
website, in describing his venture into the Mumford estate, area writer,
Carr McLemore, wrote in the Jesup Press-Sentinel, November 29, 1980, the
following: "...farther along, where the vines grow dense, trees grow tall
and moss hangs low, one may search for... the stately Mumford house." Upon
his discovery of the Hazlehurst Cemetery, just across the road from the
Mumford house, he writes "one goes through a veritable jungle in search
for an old family cemetery...now for the researcher, the question arises:
who really lies here? Oh, the names are there, but who were John M.
Hazlehurst, Jane Johnston Hazlehurst, Mary Jane Hazlehurst and Layton
(spelled Leighton) Hazlehurst?" This question is deemed one of the
Mysteries of Brantley County.
In Georgia's Land of the Golden Isles,
Burnette Van Story writes that "In 1843 Mary Jane McNish was married (at
John Couper's Cannon's Point Plantation on St. Simons Island) to Leighton
Wilson Hazlehurst, the son of Robert and Elizabeth Wilson Hazlehurst whose
families were among the earliest settlers of Glynn County". Also that "Ann
Johnston McNish spent the war years with Mary Jane (her daughter) and her
family at their summer home in Wayne County, where she died in 1869". Ms.
Van Story goes on to recount that the Johnstons were related to the
Coupers and when Ann and her sister, Elizabeth, were orphaned at an early
age they were taken in and raised at the Couper home. John Couper's son,
James Hamilton Couper also built a summer home (now called "The Lodge")
less than a quarter of a mile from the Hazlehurst Cemetery.
Many years ago, according to St. Mark's
Episcopal Church records, there was an Episcopal Church standing here,
most likely started by the Hazlehurst family, as they were founders of St.
Mark's here in Brunswick. This may explain why the cemetery was
started at this location, plus the fact that they may have had a home in
the area. Not only did they live in what at the time was known as
Wayne County, you could also find the Hazlehurst family in Camden County
as well.
1st Row:
#1
IN LOVING
MEMORY OF JOHN McNISH
HAZLEHURST
BORN
APR. 21, 1847
DIED
JULY 1, 1884
2nd Row:
#2 JANE E. JOHNSTON
Born
Dec’r 5, 1787
Died
Dec’r 5, 1877
(footstone J.E.J.)
#3
OUR LITTLE JANE
Born Oct. 26th
Died Nov. 3d 1853
(footstone J)
#4 TO MY MOTHER
who departed
in her Eighty fourth year
For so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Through her long life she ever
Manifested the loveliest social
virtues, the most eminent
christian graces, and has left
a shining example of pure
and undefiled religion.
Having fought the good fight
and kept the faith she rests
(broken)
do follow her.
“Her children arise up and call
her blessed” and shall be
in everlasting remembrance.
(footstone)
#5 MARY JANE
wife of
L.W. HAZLEHURST
Born
Feb’y 14, 1822.
Died
April 17, 1878
(footstone M.J.H.)
#7
IN
Memory of FANNIE L. HAZLEHURST WIFE OF
ROBERT HAZLEHURST
Sept. 1st 1867
Aged 53 Years
And 10 months
(footstone)
#8
TO DARLING TIVI
Died
11th August 1856
Aged
2years 8 days.
R. & .F.H.
(footstone D.T.)
#9 EMILY
Wife of
P. Alston Hazlehurst.
Born Nov. 28, 1853.
Died Nov. 10, 1877
“Blessed are the dead who die in the
LORD.”
(footstone E.H.)
#10 P. ALSTON HAZLEHURST
Born Nov. 18, 1846
Died Nov. 13, 1877.
“Asleep in Jesus blessed sleep.”
T.H. Artope,
Macon, Ga.
(footstone P.A.H.)
***Note: There is a pillar that is laying down within the cemetery with
no inscription on any side of its sides.
It is unknown by me where exactly in
the cemetery the stone stood, nor whose grave it may have marked.
