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The East Tennessee
Preservation Alliance (ETPA) was founded in 2009 to serve the 16-county
East Tennessee region. ETPA is made up of representatives from all 16
counties and works to help further historic preservation in the region
through educational events, technical assistance, and by assisting
existing organizations.
Ethiel
Garlington, Director of Preservation Field Services/ Knox Heritage
presented the first annual East Tennessee Preservation Awards at
Historic Rugby. Accepted the award presented to the Union County
Cemeteries Association on behalf of Ellen Perry, President was UCCA and
ETPA Board member Robert B. Ellison.
The UCCA’s has been fortunate to have
exceptional leadership. Those who have served as presidents of the
association are Robert B. Ellison; Linda Coppock; Leon Graves and Ellen
Perry.
Presently UCCA Volunteers are in the process
of photographing markers and transcribing the gravestone information
that appear in each cemetery.
These cemeteries are then posted on “Find a
Grave” which includes a photo of the cemetery sign, grave markers and an
overview of the cemetery.
Through the UCCA Website a lists of
cemeteries is linked to “Find a Grave”; this information is then easily
accessible worldwide.
The UCCA has members from all across the
country who are interested in the preservation of the graves of their
ancestors and loved ones, as well as our county leaders.
Some of UCCA’s History and ETPA’s award
recognitions are as follows:
Almost 10 years
ago, Bonnie Peters Union County Historian asked the County Executive to
appoint an exploratory committee to undertake the formation of a Union
County Cemetery Association with missions:
To actively seek ways to preserve these
historic cemeteries sites and to make recommendations to the County
Executive on a variety of preservation, restoration, maintenance, and
perpetual care needs.
UCCA was led by Organizing President Robert
B. Ellison, whose first step was to locate, identify, record
information, place signage to preserve these locations & burial sites
for future generations.
Initially, UCCA members and volunteers
revisited and catalogued 331 cemeteries including (GPS) readings. Of
these cemeteries 129 were located since the previous edition of
FOOTPRINTS.
This new cemetery information was typed,
proof read and readied for publishing.
The Union County Historical Society then
published the third edition of FOOTPRINTS, Union County, Tennessee
Cemeteries, 2000 Update.
UCCA members have spent many hours working on
the clearing of endangered cemeteries throughout Union County. The UCCA
worked with the State Forestry Division and Joe Elkins, who put
cemeteries in the Chuck Swan WMA on a map.
Cemetery
locations have also been placed on Union County Tax Maps & Union County
Street Maps for future use, due to information submitted by UCCA.
The UCCA has aggressively worked toward
obtaining signs for as many Union County cemeteries as possible.
Grass and shrubs do not stop growing. Persons
who have maintained a cemetery for years, without monetary or physical
assistance, can no longer continue due to health, financial reasons or
death. Many thanks go out to those unrecognized volunteers.
Please don’t take it for granted that
“someone/they” will keep your ancestors cemetery maintained. Who? better
than YOU to take on that responsible.
Many goals have been met, but maintenance to
guard against elements of nature and man are ongoing struggles that will
be a never-ending constant threat of distruction of the resting places
of our loved ones.
Please mail any donations to UCCA P.O. Box
1315 Maynardville, TN 37807. |
