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An Important Discovery & A New Mission

In September 2011, at Camp Wheeler’s monthly membership meeting, Mr. Len Strozier of Omega Mapping Services was the guest speaker. He gave a very interesting presentation on his services, particularly with ground penetrating radar and how he uses it to survey grave sites where he constantly discovers unmarked graves that have not been documented. Prior to the membership meeting, Mr. Strozier met with our Commander, Joe Underwood at the Middlebrooks Family Cemetery for a short actual demonstration of his equipment and abilities. While it was expected for Mr. Strozier to potentially discover an unmarked grave, the camp was not prepared for what he actually found.

Inside the stone boundaries of the gravesite, Mr. Strozier discovered several unmarked graves and at least one "site of interest" where some unknown item is buried. While this indeed is a very important find, we were totally surprised to discover that a large number of burials had taken place just outside the stone boundary of the cemetery. How many un-marked graves are there you may ask? It could be a huge number, potentially some where between 50 and 100, or even more! 

Who could all these people be? To be honest, we will never know for certain exactly who these folks were. As Mr. Strozier explained it to us, unlike how Hollywood depicts it in the movies and TV, after 50 to 75 years most bodies that are buried (even in coffins) decompose and return back to the soil. After 100 years or so, even the largest bones are almost totally decomposed. Should a bone or two still remain it would be virtually impossible to extract DNA from which to make any form of identification. 

All we can go by are whatever burial records are available as well as what were the burial traditions of the period. Unfortunately, there are no burial records for the Middlebrooks Family Cemetery. While this is total speculation, our best guess is that the unmarked graves within the cemetery boundaries are most likely close friends and neighbors of the Middlebrooks or possibly highly thought of and beloved Slaves that were the property of the Middlebrooks family (most likely household servants). 

While it is possible that some of the people buried outside the stone boundary are impoverished neighbors of the Middlebrooks, it is more likely these people were Slaves owned by the Middlebrooks or others in the immediate area. From the quick demonstration scan Mr. Strozier performed, we know that they are laid out in structured rows and it would appear that there are a number of rows that have been laid out. 

While it is the mission of Sons of Confederate Veterans to watch over the graves of Confederate Veterans, and these are clearly not, we feel that with being charged as caretakers of the Middlebrooks Family Cemetery, we need to do what we can to identify the number of men, women, and most likely children that are buried here in unmarked graves. In order to do that, we need Mr. Strozier to perform a complete formal survey of the cemetery and surrounding area. 

Once the survey is complete, Mr. Strozier will report back to us with firm numbers, a map of the cemetery area, along with GPS mapped coordinates of each grave. This information will be passed on to Newton County, where the cemetery is, so this information will become publicly available. Imagine yourself being the ancestor of a Slave that lived and died in that area. This could be the missing link for a number of people to potentially locate the resting place of their ancestors. Because of Slaves being generally illiterate even after emancipation, most of their ancestry was told via oral tradition. It was common to tell the younger generations what families, farms, and plantations their ancestors were owned by as well as where that was. There are so many unmarked graves it is not implausible to think that there are people out there that potentially have ancestors buried here. 

Mr. Strozier has submitted a proposal to perform a formal survey of the cemetery and surrounding area for approximately $1,800. Camp Wheeler has voted in favor of taking on a project to raise this amount of money along with additional work at the grave sites in order for Mr. Strozier to perform the survey. Once the survey has been performed and we know more specifics, we will then make further plans from that information.

We Need Your Assistance!

As you know, we are a rather small local organization of under 40 members and because of that, our self-funding capabilities are extremely limited. We are gladly accepting donations to help with this project. If you can donate money of any amount, we do truly appreciate it.

To make a donation to this very worthwhile project, please make your check to:

Please mail your donation to:

Please make sure to include your mailing address so we can send you a thank you letter and receipt. With htat reciept, your donation is fully tax deductable. 

November 8, 2011 Update

To date we have donations and pledges that amount to approximately $585. This is about 30% of our goal!

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On June 4, 2011 Camp Wheeler celebrated its work on the cemetery with a memorial ceremony that was attended by the Middlebrooks descendents, Debbie Autry and Shirley Middlebrooks. Shirley is the oldest surviving Middlebrooks at the tender age of 88.

The following photographs of the memorial service were taken by Camp Wheeler Historian Dan Bass.

An Oration Honoring Confederate Soldiers

2nd Sgt. Zere P. Middlebrooks & Private James Christian

ZERE PENDERGRASS MIDDLEBROOKS
Feb 7, 1843 – July 3, 1862

Zere Pendergrass Middlebrooks was born in Newton County, Georgia on February 7, 1834 to Zere Middlebrooks and Sophia Weston Shell Middlebrooks. Both of Zere's parents are buried here in Middlebrooks Cemetery.

Zere Pendergrass Middlebrooks was born the tenth of ten children and married Penelope J Walker in 1857.

Zere enlisted early in the war. He enlisted at age 28 at Covington, GA for a three years, or the duration of the war, in Captain Mercer's company on March 4, 1862. He received a fifty dollar bounty. Zere was evidently held in high regard in the community because he was elected or appointed as 2nd Sergeant in Captain Mercer's company on or about March 20, 1862.

Captain Mercer's company became Company E of the 42nd Regiment, Georgia Infantry and was also known as the “Harper Guards”. The 42nd soon reported to Camp McDonald, located at Big Shanty (Kennesaw), and received five weeks of training and was officially mustered into the Confederate Army on April 11, 1862. Unfortunately, Zere soon became ill with the measles and was left to convalese at home in Newton County on April 15, 1862 on indefinite sick furlough.

Zere evidently recovered to some extent because he was next known to be at Loudon, Tennessee. He perhaps participated in the June 1862 battles that took place around Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. It was known that “Unionists” had been plotting to burn the railroad bridges from Knoxville to Nashville. Elements of the Georgia 42nd were detailed to guard the railroad bridges on the Tennessee River from Knoxville to Chattanooga. On July 3rd, 1862, Zere died of “Congestive Chills” at Loudon, Tennessee while assigned the task of guarding the railroad bridge.

Although Zere's service was relatively short: only 4 months, the fact remains that he gave his life in his service to the Confederacy. Disease caused more deaths than musket balls during this deadly war. His widow Penelope received $93.56 for accumulated pay that included $25.00 reimbursement for clothing and $68.56 for his pay based on his rate of pay of $17.00 per month. Zere was survived by his wife Penelope and children Sallie Emma Middlebrooks and Pendergrass Elijah Middlebrooks. Sallie and Pendergrass were ages 4 and 2 respectively when Zere died..

Zere's wife Penelope never remarried and is buried next to Zere. Also buried here is their infant son George F. Middlebrooks who died April 4, 1862 at the age of 9 months; 3 months before his father’s death. One can only imagine the torment that Penelope endured in losing a son and then a husband in a three month period. Penelope later applied for and received a Confederate widow's pension from the state of Georgia.

The Federal Census reports that Penelope was living in the family household with her children Sallie and Pendergrass in 1870. Ten years later, in 1880, Penelope was still living there with her son Pendergrass, who by then was 19 years old. Since the 1890 census were destroyed by fire in 1921, the next census report in 1900 reported that Penelope was living in Texas with a family member. By the time the 1910 census was performed, Penelope had returned to Rockdale County and was living by herself. The 1920 census was the last census report that included any mention of Penelope. She was still in Rockdale County but was now living with her son Pendergrass, now age 59, along with his wife and her grandson William, who was 26 years of age.

JAMES D. CHRISTIAN
Dec. 2, 1819 – Jun. 1864.

James D. Christian was born December 2, 1819 in Georgia. His parents were Isaac Christian of Virginia and Mildred “Milly” White of Georgia. James married Mary Middlebrooks, a sister of Zere Pendergrass Middlebrooks, about 1828. According to the 1860 census and family researchers, James and Mary were blessed with nine children. The census also indicated that the James and Mary Christian family lived next door to the Zere Middlebrooks family.

James is listed as J. Christian/Cristian in Company A, 2nd Battalion Inf (State Guards) as stated on his headstone. This unit was organized in August 1863 for local defense. James enlisted as a private in this unit on August 1, 1863 for a period of six months by Captain McCall. Unit muster rolls indicate he was present through the rest of 1863 but Confederate records on this soldier after that date no longer exist.

The members of this battalion were employees of the Atlanta Arsenal. They had the understanding that they would be available for conscription if need be. The arsenal was set up at the racetrack outside of the city's western limits. It produced percussion caps as well as artillery and small-arms ammunition.  In 1863 to 1864 the Atlanta Arsenal employed nearly 5,500 men and women.  Because of the advancement of Union troops and the impending attack on Atlanta, the arsenal's machinery was moved to Macon and Augusta about the end of June 1864.

According to family historians, James died in June 1864. The circumstances surrounding his death were not recorded in any surviving records. Family genealogists state that he died of Smallpox in June 1864. According to some other researchers, James died of Measles.

After James’ death, his widow, Mary, was left with nine children. She eventually married Milton Waldrop in 1868. Mary Middlebrooks Christian Waldrop died on May 11, 1895 and is buried in the Middlebrooks Cemetery.