Old Bethany Cemetery, Vienna, Alabama

Title

Subject

Cemeteries

Description

Photographs of the historic marker at the cemetery as well as some grave markers. The Old Bethany Cemetery is located south of Aliceville in Pickens County in the area known as Vienna. It is next to the Old Bethany Primitive Baptist Church which is close to the intersection of Highway 14 and Vienna Road.

The cemetery contains approximately 200 graves with the first known interment being that of Jane Mixon who died in 1837 at 65 years of age. One of the most famous of the graves is that of James McCrory (1758-1840) who served as a guard for General George Washington at Valley Forge. There are also graves of Confederate Southern Cross of Honor recipients. The Peebles plot is known for several large monuments. Another famous burial was for James H. Corder who died in 2003 at the age of 88. He was the first Black Commissioner of Pickens County and conducted the first civil rights march in Pickens County. He was given the SCLC Dreamers Award in 1989 and the Citizen of the Year Award in 1987.

The text of the historical marker follows:

Old Bethany Cemetery

Near Vienna

Pickens County, Alabama

Established in the 1830s, this cemetery is the final resting place of generations of residents of the former town of Vienna. Among those buried here are Revolutionary soldier James McCrory, a body guard of Gen. George Washington at Valley Forge, PA; several Confederate soldiers and the drowning victims of the “Eliza Battle” riverboat accident on the Tombigbee River in 1856. The Peebles plot contains three large ornate monuments that were made in Louisville, KY and shipped to New Orleans, LA in May 1885 where they were purchased by family members and shipped to Vienna.
(Continued on the other side)
W.B. Peebles and other descendants of other persons buried here maintained the cemetery for many years. In the mid-1980s, Vienna native Mary Emory Pebbles Hildreth established a perpetual care fund, which since has been enhanced by persons interested in the cemetery’s maintenance and preservation.

Listed in the Alabama Historic Cemetery Register

Marker erected 2008

By Friends of the Old Bethany Cemetery - Vienna

The text of James McCrory's marker:
In
Memory of
James McCrory

who departed this life November 24th, 1840
aged 82 years 6 months 9 days
The deceased was a Soldier of the Revolution and was at the battle of Germantown, Brandywine and Guilford Court House.
he was one of Washington's Life Guards at Valley Forge and served his country faithfully during the war.

Peace be to the Soldier's dust

Creator

Betty Slowe

Source

Betty Slowe

Date

September 2020

Contributor

Elizabeth Bradt (Description)

Type

Photograph

Identifier

2574

Coverage

Pickens County (AL)