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Farming For A Better Future, page 280
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Cedars Plantation* and Garrett Cemetery
The Cedars was a large plantation west of Belle Mina. Located along present-day Garrett Road, the plantation was owned by Peter Francisco Garret. His father, Edmond Garrett, had purchased 360 acres in the vicinity of Belle Mina in 1832 and 1835. A native of Virginia, Peter had moved to Limestone County by 1850 and built a house on this land. According to the census records, he did not own as many slaves as his nearest neighbors. He owned 19 slaves in 1850 and 34 slaves in 1860. However, the Garrett family married into the Bibb family, tying them to the largest property owners in the Belle Mina community. The Cedars Plantation house stands today. Built in 1859, it was most likely the last large plantation home built in Limestone County before the Civil War.
(Below) Excerpt of the 1850 U.S. Agricultural Census Showing Property Owned by Edmond and Peter Garrett in Limestone County (Above) 1938 USGS Topographic Map Showing the Garrett Cemetery
(Below) Excerpt of the 1920 U.S. Census Showing Household Headed by Henry Garrett (Bottom) Excerpt of the 1940 U.S. Census Showing Household Headed by Ed Edwards
Located in a field south of Garrett Road is the Garrett Cemetery. Containing at least 94 graves, the earliest known interment is that of Sylvia Garrett (d. 1903). This African American cemetery includes local landowners and farmers Ed Edwards (Above) (18791960) and Henry H. Garrett (1855-1931). As well as several World War I veterans: Private James Davis (1896-1953), Private Greer Garrett (1892-1959), Private First Class and Purple Heart recipient Will Garrett (1891-1923), Private McWilliams “Mack” Grizzard (1892-1973), and Corporal Gus Hicks (18911966). World War II veteran Corporal Joe H. Malone (1918-1960) is also interred in this burial ground.
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Center Star Church* and Cemetery, and Living Water School*
The Center Star Church and Cemetery were located south of Mooresville along the edge of Piney Creek. Although the cemetery is known to date to the midnineteenth century, the dates of the church are less certain. The TVA surveyed the cemetery in the early 1930s, but neither the church nor the cemetery is
(Above) 1950 USGS Topographic Map of Center Star Cemetery, Decatur, Alabama Quadrangle
labeled in the 1936 USGS/TVA topographic map. They are called out on the 1950 topographic map. The church was apparently gone by 1975 but only the cemetery remains.
The Center Star Cemetery was one of many surveyed by the TVA in the 1930s. According to TVA notes, the cemetery contained about 1,500 burials and had been used since the time of the Civil War. However, when - (4808)