Transcribed November 27, 1999
By Robert Lee Watson, Delma O’Dean Watson-Borders, and Robert Stephen Watson

Alphabetical listing of persons buried in France Cemetery
KEY:  NAME (birth year – death year)(tombstone reference # )

ADAMS
 ELLER D.  ADAMS (1863 – 1947)(10d)
 FINAS ADAMS (1904 – 1905)(10a)
 HENRIETTA P. ADAMS (1853 – 1868)(9e)
 HENRY N. ADAMS (1866 – 1903)(9l)
 T.M. ADAMS (1826 – 1897)(10b)
 VICK H. ADAMS (1889 – 1891)(9f)
 WILLIAM T. ADAMS (1863 – 1930)(10d)

FRANCE
 FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS FRANCE (1827 – 1912)(7g)
 JAMES M. FRANCE (1840 – 1862)(8d)
 WILLIAM FRANCE (1802 – 1870)(9c)
 WILLIAM J. FRANCE (1872 – 1874)(9d)
 WILLIAM H. FRANCE (1836 – 1836)(8a)(first identified burial in France Cemetery)

GLENN
 AILEEN GLENN (1900 – 1900)(5a)
 GUSSIE D. GLENN (1879 – 1897)(6d)
HOLLIS GLENN (1899 – 1900)(7b)
INFANT DAUGHTER GLENN (1897 – 1897)(6g)
 INFANT DAUGHTER GLENN (1889 – 1889)(7d)
JAMES D. GLENN (1874 – 1938)(4d)
JOE J. GLENN (1868 – 1906)(6e)
JOHN M. GLENN (1862 – 1865)(8b)
LITTLE BOY GLENN (1894 – 1895)(7c)
ROBERT L. GLENN (1865 – 1899)(6d)
ROSA M. GLENN (1871 – 1918)(6a)
TEXIE GLENN (1869 – 1909)(6f)
THEODOCIA GLENN (1857 – 1859)(8c)
WILLIAM FINLEY GLENN (1859-1911)(7e)

HARRIS
 HAYES RICHARD HARRIS (1897-1988)(2a)
 JAMES M. HARRIS (1871-1938)(2b)
 MARY J. HARRIS (1870 – 1936)(2c)
 S.M. HARRIS (1886 – 1965)(4a)
 MINOR HARRIS (1899 – 1950)(4b)
 LESTER C. HARRIS (died 1940)(4c)

JOHNSON
 ELIZABETH J. JOHNSON (1833 – 1903)(9r)
G.W. JOHNSON (1827 – 1909)(6k)
GEORGE JOHNSON (1856 – 1856)(7j)
JOSEPH JOHNSON (1856 - ????)(7j)
MINNIE E. JOHNSON (1885 – 1889)(6n)
N.S. JOHNSON (1831 – 1897)(9q)
SAMUEL JOHNSON (1880 – 1880)(6m)
 VIRGINIA JOHNSON (1836 – 1877)(6l)

KENNER
 CECIL KENNER (no dates)(1c)

KINNER
 BLANCH E. KINNER (1906 – 1935)(2d)

PIDCOCK
 DAVID L. PIDCOCK  (1859 – 1859)(8i)
 JOSEPH U. PIDCOCK  (1850 – 1850)(8i)
JAMES H. PIDCOCK  (1864 – 1866)(9g)
JEFFERSON B. PIDCOCK (1868 – 1869)(9i)
HORATIO PIDCOCK  (1826 – 1899)(8g)
MARTHA L. PIDCOCK  (1866 – 1868)(9h)
MARTHA S. PIDCOCK  (1829 – 1878)(8h)
SARAH A. F. PIDCOCK  (1851 – 1884)(8f)

SEARS
 SARAH SEARS (1843 – 1913)(2e)

UNKNOWN (22 identifiable graves are marked with uncut fieldstones bearing no names)

WATSON
D.S WATSON (1831 – 1921)(3b)
HICKMAN WATSON (no dates)(1c)
INFANT DAUGHTER WATSON (1874 – 1874)(9j)
INFANT SON WATSON (1856 – 1856)(7k)
JEFFERSON B. WATSON (1835 – 1918)(5b)
JOHN WATSON (1797 – 1871)(7m)(oldest identified person buried in France Cemetery)
LONNIE M. WATSON (1896-1959)(1a)
MARGARET E. WATSON (1841 – 1906)(5c)
MARTHA A. WATSON (1805 – 1873)(7n)
MINNIE WATSON (no dates)(1c)
MINNIE D. WATSON (1899-1973)(1b)
MINNIE V. WATSON (1865 – 1865)(7l)
P.J. WATSON (1840 – 1912)(3b)
W.L. WATSON (1849 – 1911)(7o)

WOLF
 MARY WOLF (1827 – 1882)(9k)
 Tombstone Inscriptions from France Cemetery

FIRST ROW  (rows run from south to north, beginning on the western side of the cemetery)

LONNIE M. WATSON
KENTUCKY
PVT US ARMY
WORLD WAR I
JULY 16, 1896  MARCH 23, 1959
(1a:  stone military marker with Christian religious emblem)

MINNIE D. WATSON
1899-1973
(1b:  Latham Funeral Home Marker)

MINNIE WATSON
HICKMAN WATSON
CECIL KENNER
(1c:  3 names on one stone market, no dates)

SECOND ROW

HAYES RICHARD HARRIS
DEC 22, 1897   APR 1, 1988
(2a:  stone marker)

JAMES M. HARRIS
FEB 2, 1871    DEC 18, 1938
(2b:  stone marker)

MARY J. HARRIS
FEB 24, 1870    JAN 29, 1936
(2c:  stone marker)

BLANCH E. KINNER
AUG 8, 1906    JUNE 28, 1935
(2d:  stone marker)

SARAH SEARS
1843 -  1913
(2e:  stone marker)

THIRD ROW

UNKNOWN
(3a:  Grave marked with uncut fieldstone.  This might be a foot-stone for James M. Harris)

FATHER    MOTHER
D.S. WATSON  P.J. WATSON
1831-1921 1840-1912
(3b:  both names on one stone marker)

UNKNOWN
(3c: Grave marked with uncut fieldstone.)

FOURTH ROW

S.M. HARRIS
MAR 20, 1886    SEPT 3, 1965
(4a:  stone marker)

MINOR HARRIS
1899 – 1950
(4b:  stone marker)

LESTER C. HARRIS
KENTUCKY
PVT 10 4 SN TN
29 DIV
OCTOBER 9, 1940
(4c:  stone military marker with Christian religious emblem)

JAMES D. GLENN
JUNE 26, 1874
FEB 19, 1938
(4d:  stone marker with foot-stone marked J.G.)

FIFTH ROW

AILEEN
DAUGHTER OF J.D. & MOLLIE GLENN
BORN SEP 9, 1900
DIED NOV 9, 1900
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
(5a:  stone marker with foot-stone marked A.G.)

JEFFERSON B. WATSON
JUN 28, 1835
JAN 31, 1918
HERE LIES ONE WHO IN HIS LIFE WAS A KIND FATHER AND A TRUE HUSBAND
 (5b:  stone marker)

MARGARET E.
WIFE OF J.B. WATSON
AT REST
MAY 26, 1841
MAY 25, 1906
WATSON
MOTHER THOU HAS FROM US FLOWN
TO THE REGIONS FAR ABOVE
WE TO THEE ERECT THIS STONE
CONSECRATED BY OUR LOVE
(5c:  stone marker with inscription on back)

UNMARKED
(5d: concrete marker with foot-stone of fieldstone)

UNKNOWN
(5e:  grave marked with uncut fieldstone) (with foot-stone of fieldstone)

LARGE OAK TREE

UNKNOWN
(5f: grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

LARGE OAK TREE
 

SIXTH ROW

MISS ROSA M. GLENN
JUNE 12, 1871
APRIL 11, 1918
(6a:  stone marker)

UNKNOWN
(6b: grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

UNKNOWN
(6c: grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

ROBERT L.   GUSSIE D.
SON OF    DAUGHTER OF
J.W. & S.M. GLENN  J.W. & S.M. GLENN
BORN    BORN
FEB 8, 1865   AUG 18, 1879
DIED    DIED
NOV 9, 1899   OCT 31, 1897
(6d:  the two entries above are on opposite sides of the same marker)
(foot-stone says RLG)  (foot-stone says GDG)

JOE J. GLENN
BORN DEC 18, 1868
DIED JAN 14, 1906
(6e:  stone marker with foot-stone marked J.J.G.)

TEXIE GLENN
1869 -  1909
(6f:  stone marker with unmarked fieldstone for foot-stone)

INFANT
DAUGHTER OF JOE J. AND TEXIE GLENN
BORN & DIED MAR 10, 1897
(6g:  stone marker)

UNKNOWN
(6h: grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

UNKNOWN
(6i:  grave marked with uncut fieldstone) (with foot-stone of fieldstone)

CEDAR TREE

UNKNOWN
(6j: grave marked with uncut fieldstone) (with foot-stone of fieldstone)

G.W.  JOHNSON
BORN SEPT 20, 1827
DIED MAR 22, 1909
DEAREST FATHER THOU HAST LEFT US
HERE THY LOSS WE DEEPLY FEEL
BUT TIS GOD THAT HATH BEREFT US
HE CAS (sic) ALL OUR SORROWS HEAL
JOHNSON
(6k: stone marker with foot-stone marked GWJ)

VIRGINIA
WIFE OF G.W. JOHNSON
BORN JUNE 29, 1836
DIED NOV 1, 1877
AFFLICTION FOR LONG TIME I HAVE
PHYSICIANS SKILL IN VAIN
TILL CHRIST WAS PLEASED TO GIVE ME LAST
AND RID ME OF MY PAIN
(6l: stone marker)

SAMUEL
SON OF G.W. & M.M. JOHNSON
BORN JAN 13, 1880
DIED JAN 13, 1880
SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME AND FORBID THEM NOT
FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
(6m: stone marker)

MINNIE E.
DAU. OF G.W. AND MM JOHNSON
BORN MAR 9, 1885
DIED NOV 19, 1889
BEAUTIFUL BUT LOVELY
SHE WAS BUT GIVEN A FAIR BUD TO EARTH
TO BLOSSOM IN HEAVEN
(6n: stone marker)

SEVENTH ROW

UNKNOWN
(7a: grave marked with uncut fieldstone) (with foot-stone of fieldstone)

HOLLIS
INFANT SON OF W.F. AND M.L. GLENN
JULY 17, 1899
JULY 22, 1900
(7b: stone marker)

LITTLE BOY
SON OF W.F. AND M.L. GLENN
BORN AUG 8, 1894
DIED DEC 6, 1895
OUR DARLING BABY
GOD TOOK HIM HOME
WHERE THERE’S NO SORROW
NO DARK PATHS TO ROAM.
(7c: stone marker)

INFANT
DAU OF W.F. & M.L. GLENN
BORN AND DIED OCT 16, 1889
SLEEP ON SWEET BABY
AND TAKE THY REST
GOD CALLED THEE HOME
HE THOUGHT IT BEST
(7d: stone marker)

WILLIAM FINLEY GLENN
DEC 15, 1859
OCT 21, 1911
(7e: stone marker with foot-stone of fieldstone)

UNKNOWN
(7f: grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS FRANCE
1827 -  FEB 19, 1912
(7g: stone marker)

UNKNOWN
(7h: grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

UNKNOWN
(7i:  grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

LARGE OAK TREE

GEORGE  JOSEPH
SONS OF G.W. & V. JOHNSON
BORN AUG 29, 1856 BORN AUG 29, 1856
DIED SEP 20, 1856 DIED SEP 2(missing piece)
SLEEP ON SWEET CHILD AND TAKE YOUR REST.
GOD CALLED YOU HOME.  HE THOUGHT IT BEST.
(7j:  This stone marker for twins is cracked with a small piece missing.  There is a single foot-stone with the initials JKJ/GLJ.)

INFANT
SON OF D.S. & P.J. WATSON
BORN & DIED NOV 5, 1856
IT WAS AN ANGEL THAT VISITED THE GREEN EARTH AND TOOK THE FLOWERS
(7k: stone marker)

MINNIE V
DAU OF D.S. & P.J. WATSON
BORN JUL 27, 1865
DIED NOV 27, 1865
BUDDED ON EARTH TO BLOOM IN HEAVEN
(7l: stone marker)

FAREWELL
JOHN WATSON
BORN FEB 15, 1797
DIED NOV 3, 1871
OUR FATHER AND MOTHER ARE GONE
THEY LAY BENEATH THE SOD
DEAR PARENTS THO WE MISS YOU MUCH
WE KNOW YOU REST WITH GOD
(7m: stone marker with foot-stone marked JW)

FAREWELL
MARTHA A.
WIFE OF JOHN WATSON
BORN FEB 10, 1805
DIED AUG 6, 1873
THE LORD GAVE AND THE LORD TAKETH AWAY
BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD
(7n: stone marker with foot-stone marked MAW)

FATHER
W.L. WATSON
BORN APRILO 6, 1849
DIED MAY 3, 1911
(7o: stone marker with foot-stone marked WLW)

EIGHTH ROW

IN MEMORY OF
WILLIAM H. FRANCE
BORN FEB 10, 1836
DEPARTED THIS LIFE
MAR 19, 1836
(8a: stone marker with foot-stone made of fieldstone)

JOHN M.
SON OF J.W. & S.M. GLENN
BORN APR 8, 1862
DIED NOV 1, 1865
(8b: stone marker)

THEADOCIA
DAU OF J.W. & S.M. GLENN
BORN MAR 18, 1857
DIED JUN 21, 1859
(8c: stone marker)

JAMES M. FRANCE
BORN FEB 25, 1840
DIED SEP 3, 1862
(8d: stone marker)

UNKNOWN
(8e: grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

SARAH A.F.
WIFE OF HORATIO PIDCOCK
BORN MAR 8, 1851
DIED MAR 30, 1884
FAREWELL TILL WE SHALL MEET AGAIN
(8f: stone marker – lower parts of inscription could not be read)

HORATIO PIDCOCK
BORN DEC 24, 1826
DIED JUL 12, 1899
(8g: stone marker)

MARTHA S.
WIFE OF H. PIDCOCK
BORN NOV 29, 1829
DIED MAY 29, 1878
FAITHFUL WIFE AND MOTHER DEAR
IN SWEET REPOSE IS SLEEPING HERE
HER PAINFUL LOSS WE DEEPLY FEEL
BUT GOD CAN ALL HER SORROWS HEAL
(8h: stone marker)

DAVID L.   JOSEPH U.
BORN AUG 19, 1859  BORN FEB 17, 1850
DIED SEP 20, 1859  DIED OCT 17, 1850
SONS OF H. & M.S. PIDCOCK
SLEEP ON SWEET BABES AND TAKE YOUR REST
GOD CALLED YOU HOME WHEN HE THOUGHT BEST
(8i: stone double-marker with two names side-by-side on front.   –  double foot-stone has initials JUP/DLP)
 

NINTH ROW

UNKNOWN
(9a: grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

UNKNOWN
(9b: grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

FAREWELL
WILLIAM FRANCE
BORN MAY 26, 1802
DIED MAR 16, 1870
BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD
THEY REST FROM THEIR LABOURS
AND SUCH WORKS DO FOLLOW THEM
REVELATIONS 14 CHAPTER 13 VERSE 89
(9c: stone marker)

WILLIAM J.
SON OF B.?. AND R.J. FRANCE
BORN APRIL 25, 1872
DIED JULY 10, 1874
NOT LOST BLEST THOUGHT BUT GONE BEFORE
WHERE WE SHALL MEET TO PART NO MORE
(9d: stone marker)

HENRIETTA P.
DAUGHTER OF A.M. & T.M. ADAMS
BORN AUG 25, 1853
DIED FEB 18, 1868
(9e: stone marker)

VICK H.
SON OF R.B. AND M.E. ADAMS
BORN JULY 19, 1889
DIED JUNE 7, 1891
(9f: stone marker)

JAMES H. PIDCOCK
BORN FEB 21, 1864
DIED JUE 26, 1866
(9g: stone marker with foot-stone)

MARTHA L. PIDCOCK
BORN FEB 7, 1866
DIED JAN 9, 1868
(9h: stone marker with foot-stone)

JEFFERSON B. PIDCOCK
BORN MARCH 13, 1868
DIED JULY 12, 1869
(9i: stone marker with foot-stone)

INFANT
DAU OF D.S. AND P.J. WATSON
BORN JULY 14, 1874
DIED JULY 21, 1874
THOU ART GONE LITTLE INFANT
SWEET CHILD OF OUR LOVE
FROM EARTH’S CAIRY (sic) STRAND
TO BRIGHT MANSIONS ABOVE.
(9j: stone marker)

MARY A. WOLF
BORN MAR 29, 1827
DIED AUG 29, 1882
WHY SHOULD WE WEEP FOR HER, WAS SHE NOT READY
OIL IN HER LAMP AND HER BRIDAL ROBES ON
WAITING IN FAITH WITH A HOPE FIRM AND STEADY
THE GOOD SHEPHERD’S CALL AND THE PLAUDITS WELL DONE.
(9k: stone marker with foot-stone)

HENRY N. ADAMS
BORN MAR. 14, 1866
DIED MAY 31, 1903
(9l: stone marker – could not read inscription)

UNKNOWN
(9m: grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

UNKNOWN
(9n:  grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

UNKNOWN
(9o:  grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

UNKNOWN
(9p: grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

N.S. JOHNSON
AUG 25, 1831
NOV 23, 1897
(9q: stone marker)

ELIZABETH J.
WIFE OF N.S. JOHNSON
APR 7, 1833
AUG 6, 1903
(9r: stone marker)

TENTH ROW

FINAS
SON OF
R.B. & M.E. ADAMS
JUN 27, 1904
MAR 11, 1905
SLEEP ON SWEET BABE AND TAKE THY REST.
GOD CALLED THEE HOME.  HE THOUGHT IT BEST.
ADAMS
(10a: stone marker with foot-stone)

HOPE
T.M. ADAMS
BORN SEPT 2, 1826
DIED JAN 11, 1897
(10b: stone marker with foot-stone with initials TMA)

UNKNOWN
(10c: grave marked with uncut fieldstone)

ADAMS
WILLIAM T.  ELLER D.
1863 – 1930  1863 – 1947
(10d: stone double marker with two names)
 
 

Transcriber’s Notes:

France Cemetery in 1999 is in remarkably good condition, considering that it is maintained only sporadically by descendants of people who are buried there.

A total of 88 graves were identified, with 22 being marked by uncut fieldstones (all of which appear to be sandstone from the nearby creek or fields).  There are probably many additional unmarked graves in France Cemetery that have no stones or stones that have sunk or disintegrated.   There are many spaces between identifiable graves where others may be buried.

Most of the people buried in France Cemetery are related to one another.  Although this transcription makes no attempt to show the locations of individual graves relative to one another, the actual gravesites generally appear to be grouped by families.  The graves of John Watson and Martha Anderson Watson, including three of their sons and two of their daughters (Mary Wolf and Elizabeth Johnson) and their families, are grouped together at the northern end of the cemetery.  The France family members are buried at the southern end of the cemetery.  The Glenns, Pidcocks, Harrises and others are grouped in between.

The families buried in France Cemetery all had members that lived near the cemetery.  At least some of them received their mail through the Wilhemina, Todd County, Kentucky post office.

The earliest known burials with inscriptions are those of children.  Over one-third (23 out of 66) of the identified burials in France Cemetery are children under the age of five years.  A significant number of these deaths occurred at or near birth.  Another significant number of infant deaths appears to have occurred at around the time of weaning.  There is no apparent evidence of influenza or epidemic based on a cursory analysis of the dates of death.

The location of the cemetery is on a wooded knoll overlooking Whippoorwill Creek, off of Kentucky State Highway 181, about ¾ mile southeast of where the highway crosses over Whippoorwill Creek.  There are no roads or driveways within 1/3 mile of the cemetery.  Access is only through private land and generally requires four wheel drive vehicles and/or firm ground.

Steve Watson
November 28, 1999