In case you missed my previous post, I have started work on the French Family Burial Plot at Bethesda Cemetery in Senatobia, Mississippi. As usual, I have probably taken on more than I can ever finish, but I enjoy the transformations way too much. I found something pretty neat while beginning the work on the coping surrounding this area. In the picture below, you will notice my tools in front of the entrance to the French lot. Between the two pointy markers is a threshold which I did not think much of because grass was there and it was insignificant to me until… I felt something hard underneath my feet. I started carefully moving the grass around this area.
It took me having to come back another day with a big shovel and more garden tools to unveil this marker. I wondered if there was anyway to raise it up so I had to do some more digging with the help of my husband I was able to get it out of the ground.
Once we got it up, I knew I would have to dig out a hole to set it properly. The hope is that I could prevent it from sinking in the future. I went to digging again to make the hole and found that it was originally set on top of bricks.
I ended up retrieving 12 bricks that were buried underneath the marker.
I dug out a pretty deep hole to fill with sand and gravel concrete mix. I decided to use some of the bricks for nostalgia sake. Next, I placed the marker back and filled in with the gravel concrete mix.
It needs a little cleaning, but pretty proud of how well it turned out considering it was quite heavy and slightly messy work. I have since discovered that several family lots have a marker in the threshold when it is surrounded by coping, but all of them are covered in grass. However, most of them just have the family’s last name. I like that Dr. French put “Dr. French” on his family lot!
Who was Dr. French and why such an elaborate marker in the threshold of all these monuments and enormous obelisk? As I mentioned in the previous post, William A. French, his parents, and two children settled in the Senatobia area of what was then Desoto County around 1856.
William Arnold French was born November 15, 1829 in South Carolina. He was the only child of George and Polly Ann Arnold French. He married Judith Ann Raiford French in 1849. Judith was born October 29, 1827 and passed away on December 18, 1855 in South Carolina where she is buried along with the couple’s infant son. William and Judith had three children, William Arnold Raiford French born 1850 in South Carolina and died 1932 in Texas; daughter, Mary Thompson born May 3, 1853 in South Carolina and died April 21, 1860 in Senatobia where she is buried in this family lot; and an infant son born 1852 and died February 27, 1852. I cannot find the actual documentation, but I can site several sources that indicate that W.A. French married Eliza Ann McGee in 1860 either in South Carolina or Mississippi. Eliza Ann McGee was born in South Carolina on January 5, 1839 and died on May 15, 1912 in Senatobia, MS. Together, William and Eliza had 13 children.
Dr. French was a medical doctor who became pretty well-known during the 1878 Yellow Fever Epidemic. He worked tirelessly during this horrific time. He received a gold medal for his work during the epidemic. The 1878 Yellow Fever Epidemic is quite fascinating. I have watched a few videos on YouTube about the lack of information or knowledge as to the cause and treatment of the disease. The interesting aspect of this time is what they believed caused it. Most believed it was literally in the air and quarantine was the answer. Of course, we now know Yellow Fever is contracted from a mosquito. Dr. French stayed in Senatobia when so many had left the area to avoid the fever. He addressed the Anderson Relief Association in the following link: https://digitalcollections.rice.edu/documents/mirador/334466 If you have a chance, it is interesting reading of Dr. French’s own perspective during this time.
In addition to being a medical doctor, Dr. French was a business man who partnered with his father and others in a few ventures including the George French & Company which ran as a drug store and dry goods store. Later, he opened up the French Hotel in downtown Senatobia, MS. If you are from Mississippi, you may have heard of the French Hotel in Senatobia. It was listed a few years ago as one of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History’s Ten Most Endangered Places in Mississippi. When the hotel was built by Dr. French is debatable. There are different theories documented in the book compiled by Gail Shepard Tomilson and published by the Tate County Genealogical & Historical Society called The French Family, Their Property & Hotel. It is a great source on the French family and the Hotel. The French Hotel is a beautiful landmark in our town and the more I read about it, the more interested I have become. I wish I had tons of money so that I could restore everything old.
Obituary for William Arnold French
Tate Democrat Thursday, December 24, 1903
Died on Sunday, December 20th after a long illness.
Since our last issue one of our oldest and most respected citizens has been laid to rest in the person of Dr. W.A. French. He died on Sunday, December 20, after a long and painful illness. His health began to fail about a year ago and since he has gradually been growing worse. The last days of his illness he was unconscious and no hope was held for his recovery, though everything known to medical science was done to better his condition. He was one of our oldest citizens; having lived here near a half century and practiced medicine in this and adjoining counties. He was always considerate of the poor and spent much time administering to their suffering, for which he received no compensation. During the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1878, he was one of the few who cast his life upon the altar and stayed here nursing the unfortunate and protecting property of his fellow citizens who departed to parts where safety was assured from the dreaded disease that spared but few. His remains were interred in the city cemetery Monday morning in the presence of a large audience of relatives and friends. Rev. L.C. G. Gates conducted the funeral services, which were impressive, especially to the lifelong friends who were present. He leaves a wife, daughter, and four sons and many to mourn his loss, to whom the Democrat extends sincere sympathy.
According to the http://www.frenchfamilyassoc.com/FFA/CHARTS/Chart136/ Dr. French’s favorite prescription for most any illness was “a few drops of turpentine on a little sugar, followed by a generous doss of castor oil”. I don’t know about you, but thankful for modern medicine. I cannot imagine – turpentine, sugar and castor oil…….
Also, over the last few months, I have been working on the monument for Dr. French. This is what it looked like when I first saw it before we cut the trees down.
And, after the trees were gone, but you can not even read it.
I got to work on it with the D2 and it finally looked pretty good even though it was uneven.
With some sand and concrete mix, I was able to straighten it out and hopefully it will not sink again.
I hope you have enjoyed Part 2 of this French Family project. There is much more to come. Thank you for reading! Please remember to subscribe so you won’t miss an article and feel free to share on social media.
Your work is a blessing to the community and for all interested in history a wonderful discovery!