Blog
The trees of Elmwood
February 26th, 2010
Spring is coming. The weather may be cold outside but signs of spring are appearing daily at Elmwood. The daffodils have started to poke through the soil and in the next few weeks, the pink and white blooms of the Saucer Magnolias will dot the landscape. Spring is a beautiful time at Elmwood, thanks in part to the many different varieties of trees planted on the grounds.
The name Elmwood conjures up images of a park-like setting, sweeping vistas and majestic shade trees. The name was actually drawn from a hat, and while the cemetery stockholders were said to be pleased with the name, they quickly placed an order for some elm trees to be sent from New York to be planted among the existing trees. Samuel Phillips, who was superintendent from 1866-1878, is credited with choosing and planting many of the trees on the grounds. For many years, the trees were left to grow on their own, but in 1995, the Board of Trustees recognized the need to maintain the existing trees and expand the collection. Hundreds of trees were personally planted by Trustee Carlisle S. Page and in recognition of his efforts, the grounds were designated as an arboretum named in his honor.
Today, Elmwood is home to over 1500 trees and the collection is still growing. Through the Plant-a-Memory program, Elmwood encourages families to plant hardwood and ornamental trees in memory of their loved ones interred here. Our goal is to increase the variety of specimens on the property and apply for Level 3 Arboretum certification from the State of Tennessee.
There are plenty of ways you can help us preserve the trees at Elmwood. In April, the cemetery hosts the Arbor Day 5K which raises funds for tree maintenance. A tree is planted on the grounds each year in honor of the winner. If you are interested in learning more about the trees, we offer guided tours of the Arboretum twice a year. The next tour is in May, when the spring color display should be in full bloom. And if you just want to drive around the cemetery on your own, the grounds are open every day from 8:00 am-4:30 pm.
The Diversity of Elmwood
February 5th, 2010
Elmwood is the final resting place for more than 75,000 individuals comprised of many different faiths, races and creeds. In Elmwood, there are Chinese, German, Irish, Greek, and Mexican immigrants as well as Jewish, Catholic Protestant and Muslim. Without question, Elmwood Cemetery is one of the most diverse places in Memphis.
Elmwood has collected the stories of the people who are buried here for many years. Our mission is to share these stories so that we never forget those who went before us.
This past year, Andrew Douglas Mills was laid to rest at Elmwood. Andrew was a relative of Azul, the last wife of prominent Apache warrior Geronimo. As such, Andrew was recognized as a member of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma. According to tribal information, Azul was captured by Mexicans as a young girl and learned to speak fluent Spanish. She finally escaped and returned to her people. She married Geronimo at Fort Sill around 1907 and lived with him until he died in 1909, tending him in his last illness.
If you have any stories of those buried here that you would like to share, please email them to historian [at] elmwoodcemetery [dot] org. Photographs are welcome.
2009 Year End Campaign Donors
February 2nd, 2010
The following is a list of individuals who supported Elmwood in 2009. All Year End Campaign donations are applied to the care and maintenance of the cemetery grounds. We thank these friends of Elmwood for their generosity.
Dunbar Abston Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. B, Adams, Jr.
Lorin Allen, Jr.
Mary Alquist
Mr. & Mrs. T. Alston
Viola Amos
Minetry Apperson
Mr. & Mrs. G. Armistead
Jeanne Arthur
Mr. & Mrs. John Austin Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Ted Bailey
Dianne Baker
Christine Baker
Shirley Barber
Melissa Barlow
Rachel Barlow
Maria Barreras
Beatrice Bartle
Mr. & Mrs. E. Warner Bass
William Bauer
Anne Beaty
Helen Beedy
Georgia Bell
Meryl Benson
Ceylon & Lucy Blackwell
Hon. & Mrs. G. Blancett
Mary P. Boothe
Thomas Boschert
Helen Bowen
Brenda Boyd
George Brantley Jr.
Bert Brown
Elizabeth Brown
Frances Brown
LaVern Brown
Raymond Bryant
Edna Burnett
Jo Ann Burns
Joseph Burns
Lucretia Burns
Mayrene Buxton
Cabel Jones Jr.
Mrs. Paul Calame, Sr.
Mr. & Mrs. H. Calhoun
Mrs. Frank Campbell
Wilma Campbell
Rosie Canada
Dorothy Chiles
Charlotte Clark
June Clark
Lora Cobb
Mary Coe
Rosievell Cole
John & Betty Collins
Sarah Coleman
Van & Barbara Conaway
Martha Cone
Mr. & Mrs. J. Cothern
William Crawford
Mr. & Mrs. E. Crenshaw
Lucille Crouch
Rosa Dancy
Betty Darden
Mr. & Mrs. C. Davis
Mrs. Henry Davis
Mary de Gunzburg
Mr. & Mrs. G. Dendrinos
Helen Denman
Lewis Donelson
Jerry Douglass
Lorina Dudkin
Peggy Dufek
Mimi Duncan
Mr. & Mrs. W. Dyker
George Easley
Mrs. Robert Ehrhardt
Roy Eliff
Ronald Ester
Virginia Fagerberg
John Farris
Helen Faulk
Rev. & Mrs. W. Fears
Annette Floyd
Mamie Foster
Ernestine Fox
Rudell Forrest
Mr. & Mrs. J. Franklin Jr.
Doris Fulmer
Pete Futris, Jr.
Kathy Buckman Gibson
Camille Gotten
Mr. & Mrs. W. Goyer
Bill Graves
Mr. & Mrs. J. Gregory, IV
Elizabeth Grobmyer
Mr. & Mrs. Bob Halbach
Mrs. Dorothy Halliday
Mr. & Mrs. E. Halliday
Mrs. James Hammond
Omie Harding
Vivian H. Harris
Jean Gray Harvey
Will & Trish Hayley
Mr. & Mrs. Harry Hays
Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Hays III
Hettie Hayslip
Emily Haizlip
Mr. & Mrs. H. Haizlip III
Ann Hightower
George Hightower
Mr. & Mrs. Sam Hollis
Ann Hughes
Rosemary Hugo
Robert Jack, Jr.
Madeleine Jehl
Anita Jenkins
Mrs. William Johns, Sr.
Mr. & Mrs. Roy Johnson
Norma Johnston
Ella Jones
Richard Jones
Roland Jones
Sharon Kelso
Dorothy Kennon
Shirley Kerr
Mr. & Mrs. Lawson Kidd
Mr. & Mrs. L. Kummerer
Hon. Robert Lanier
Will Leatherman
Margaret Lee
Florence Leffler
Louise Leffler
Anita LeFlore
Thelma Lewis
Mrs. F. Liebkemann
Mr. & Mrs. Barry Lincoln
Prescott Little Jr.
Betty & Chris Luhrs
George Malone
Mr. & Mrs. C. Marks
Ellen Martin
Ned Maxwell
Scott May
Elizabeth McCallen
Barbara McGregor
Mr. & Mrs. R. McInnis
Kathleen McKenna
Caroline McKinney
Robert McKinney
Tina McWhorter
Robert Mercer
Rear Adm. & Mrs. J Miller
Mr. & Mrs. W. Milnor
Pat Moody
Mr. & Mrs. A. Morgan Jr.
Marion Morgan
Jane Moore
Madeleine Moore
Sean Morrissey
Jerome Morrison, Sr.
Ann Morton
Maria Munguia
Mr. & Mrs. J. Muller
Shirley Nelson
Betsy Nichols
Mr. & Mrs. M. Nichols
Mathew Nichols Jr.
Mrs. Peter Norfleet
Harriet Nolan
Raymond Norton
Kittie Nowlin
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Oates
Dr. Evelyn Ogle
Emmett O’Ryan
Jane Osborne
Mrs. John Overton
Mr. & Mrs. James Owen
Ann Page
Gloria Parker
William Parker
Frances Patterson
Vivian Pearson
Mr. & Mrs. James Perkins
Mrs. Harry Phillips, Sr.
Katharine Phillips
Mable Phillips
Sisty Phillips
Virginia Pickens
Mr. & Mrs. C. Pierce Jr.
Sandra Polk
Marc Pons
Mr. & Mrs. J.W. Porter
Merrie Prewett
Mr. & Mrs. Van Raby
Mary Reed
Claire Reid
James Register, Jr.
Jean Reynolds
Beatrice Rhine
Michael Richards
Mrs. Arthur Richert Jr.
Linda Ricketts
Kenneth Riggs
Billie Roberson
Gloria Roberts
Ruth Rook
Mr. & Mrs. R. Ryan
Margaret Salmon
Agnes Short
Mary Simpson
Katherine Skefos
Fred Smith
Hazel Smith
Mr. & Mrs. B. Snowden
Mr. & Mrs. Pete Soro
Vande Southerland
Robert Stalls
Cynthia St. Clair
Jean St. Clair
Elise Stratton
Dorothy Stoeser
Emma Stotts
Hon. & Mrs. R. Sugarmon
Tom Sutton
Annie Thomason
Charles Thompson
Henry Thompson
Mary Thompson
Valerie Thompson
Barbara Thurmond
Dr. Angela Terry
Mr. & Mrs. Carroll Todd
Betty Tong
Bettye Trammell
Mr. & Mrs. G. Trimbach
Mary Turner
Peter Turner
Rosa Valentine
Stuart Vance
Boyd Wade, Jr.
Dr. James Wade
Mable Wallace
Betty Watkins
High Webb
Mr. & Mrs. Wayne West
Frank Whatley
Lorraine White
Bennie Williams
Jacquelyn Williams
Katie Williams
Mary Williams
Mr. & Mrs. R. Williams
Ruby Williams
Thomas Williams
John Williamson
Dr. Miriam Willis
Margaret Wilson
Natalie Wilson
William Wilson
Mr. & Mrs. Buford Witt
Drs. C. & M. Woodall
Calvin Woodard
Lucy Woodson
Dorothy Wright
Luke Wright
Gloria Wyatt
Mrs. John Wyckoff II
Jacquelyn Yancey
Clara Yerger
Welcome to Elmwood's Blog!
December 7th, 2009
Hello to our families and friends. This is the first blog post to our redeveloped website.
The purpose of this blog is to keep you informed of what is happening at Elmwood with our historical and genealogy research, archival work, special events and tours.
We hope to utilize this blog to answer recurring questions, too, so don't be surprised if you email the staff a question and it ends up as the topic of a blog post!
Thank you for your interest in and support of Elmwood Cemetery.