Trees & Landscaping - Magnolia Cemetery

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Magnolia Cemetery

Welcome to Magnolia Cemetery, Augusta, Georgia. The cemetery is one of the more unique and interesting burial places of the South. The following information was compiled from the records of Magnolia Cemetery in the hopes that it would provide visitors with a sense of the history that we have at Magnolia Cemetery. If you stroll down our walkways you will find some of the most unusual and beautiful tombstones to be found in any cemetery in the world. If at anytime during your visit the staff at Magnolia Cemetery can be of any assistance to you, please do not hesitate to ask.

The land where Magnolia Cemetery is located was at one time part of a plantation with the first official burial in August of 1818. Academy of Richmond County owned the first two blocks and they sold it to the City Council of Augusta for $800.00 in 1817. Monies donated by Mrs. Louise de L’Aigle Reese built the present office building in the memory of her mother, Mrs. Mary Clarke de L’Aigle.

The cemetery contains over 60 acres. In the cemetery, you will find five (5) Jewish cemeteries and one (1) Greek cemetery. There is also a Masonic Lodge section and several church sections located in this one cemetery.

.Hartford Montgomery (Oldest Marked Grave)

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The oldest known marked grave is the grave of J. Hartford Montgomery, who died on December 24, 1800, at the age of 43. It is located near the north wall and the west wall of the cemetery.

John Marshall (1st Sexton of Magnolia Cemetery)

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John Marshall - Book A, Page 62; Buried 1-22-1833; Native of England; Died of Consumption; 50 yrs. old; Here ends the records of John Marshall, Sexton who died January 22nd, 1883 after having served in the office from 1st September 1817. Lewis Kenzie commenced his duties January 22nd 1833; Per St. Pauls Episcopal (transcribed by the Augusta Genealogical Society) Church's funeral records: 22 Jan. 1833 John Marshall {City Sexton}; Born 9-14-1778.

John Martin

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One of the interesting graves in the cemetery is located North of 1st Street, approximately midway of the block. It is the grave of John Martin, a soldier of the American Revolution, who died on February 14, 1843, at the age of 105 years. He had served in the Cherokee War of 1755 and was wounded in the head by a tomahawk. He served through the whole of the Revolutionary War with honor. The Ladies of Augusta erected a monument at the head of the grave as a tribute of respect. The revolutionary cannon, that he supposedly brought back from the war serves as a marker at the foot of his grave. The cannon stands upright.

War Between The States

Confderate Dead Picture 1 . . .

There is also a Confederate Section, where there are approximately 337 soldiers buried. It is located on Fourth Street near the East Wall. We also have a section southeast of the Speaker’s stand on Fifth Street, where some Federal Civil War troops are buried. They were prisoners of War and died here. There is also a memorial for the seven (7) Confederate Generals, that are buried in Magnolia Cemetery. They are located precisely South of the Speaker’s Stand.

An interesting note about the cemetery is that during the Civil War, the East Wall was fortified to help defend the city of Augusta.

Confederate Generals

There are seven (7) Confederate Generals buried in Magnolia Cemetery. They are listed along with any information that we have about them:

Alexander, Edward Porter (Brig. General)

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Book D, Page 172, Died 4-28-1910 in Savannah, Ga., 75 yrs. old; Widower of Betty Mason Alexander; Graduate of West Point into Corps of Engineers, USA Chief of Artillery Longstreet’s Corps ANV; His seventy-five guns raked the Federal line on Cemetery Ridge in preparation for Pickett’s famous assault at Gettysburg; Severely wounded at Petersburg, he rejoined his command in time to make the last march to Appomattox; After the war he had a distinguished career as professor of engineering, railroad president, and author; Buried Alexander Section #A113-137, North side of 7th St. & 5th Section East of West Wall Avenue.

Bryan, Goode (General)

C66, Died 8-18-1885, 74 yrs. old; Resident of Augusta for 13 yrs.; Widower; West Point Graduate 1834; Member of Ga. Secession Convention from Lee County; Entered Confederate service in 1861 and was promoted to brigadier general in August 1863’ poor health forced him to resign in September, 1864; Buried on the Bryan Section #E137-F138 Southside of 8th St. & 5th Sec. East of West Wall Ave.

Girardy, Victor Jean Batiste (Brig. General)

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A459, Buried 8-17-1864; Killed in action by the enemy near Richmond, VA.; 26 yrs. old; Serving the confederacy on General Wright’s staff, he was repeatedly commended for his skill, bravery, and efficiency, so outstanding was his performance at the battle of Crater that he was promoted from Captain to Brigadier General, this was the only instance in the Confederate army of such a promotion, killed 13 days after promotion; Buried on V.J.B. Girardy Section #34-2nd Section South of 2nd St. and West of 3rd walk W. of deL’Aigle Avenue.

Jackson, John King (Brig. General)

A587 Buried 3-1-1866; 38 yrs. Old; Life resident of Augusta; Attorney-at-Law; Wife: Mrs. Louise Virginia Hardwick Jackson; He took part in the campaigns at Shiloh, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, and Atlanta; Also participated in the defense of Savannah; After the war he resumed his law practice and while on a trip to Milledgeville, contracted pneumonia and died; Buried on J.K. Jackson Sec. #A54 North side of 5th St., 3rd sec. East of West Wall; Brig. General C.S.A., fought in battles of Santa Rosa, Shiloh, Corinth, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga, Atlanta, and the siege of Savannah, Ga.

Smith, William Duncan (General)

A363, Buried 10-6-1862, Native of Richmond Co., Ga.; General C.S.A.; Died of Lung Hemorrhage at age 36 yrs. old; West Point Graduate 1846; Brigadier general in the Confederacy Army from 3-7-1862; Exhibited considerable ability as both a desk commander and in the field; Contracted Yellow Fever and died in Charleston, SC; Buried on Smith Section #22, 2nd Sec. South of 2nd St. at West Side of deL’Aigle Avenue.

Stovall, Marcellus A. (General)

D3, Died 8-6-1865; 77 yrs. old; Native of Hancock Co.; Retired; Married; Augusta resident most of his life; Died of Valvular Heart Disease; Fought gallantly in the Atlanta campaign; Accompanied General Hood into Tennessee & with the remnant of the army, joined General Johnson in the Carolinas; After the war he engaged in the cotton brokerage and the manufacture of fertilizers, organizing and operating the Georgia Chemical Works; Buried on M. A. Stovall Section #B106-B130, 2nd Sec. North of 6th St. between 2nd & 3rd walks East of West Wall Avenue.

Wright, Ambrose Ranson (Major General)

B222, He resumed his law practice after the war; Purchased “ The Augusta Chronicle and Sentinel” in 1866; 1871 was defeated for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate; Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives the following year but died prior to taking his seat; Tombstone reads: “To the memory of Ambrose Ranson Wright, Major General C.S.A. and member elect of the Forty-Second Congress,”; Native of Jefferson Co., Ga.; Born 4-6-1826; Died in Augusta 12-21-1872; Buried on R.H. Wright Section #C303 #rd Sec. North of 7th St. 4th walk West of deL’Aigle Avenue.

A Suicide's Curse

Barron Picture 1 . Barron Picture 2 . Barron Picture 3

Augusta had it’s gambling in the olden days as well as it’s superstitions, and the Savannah River still played it’s part in the history of the city, where in the murky depth lies the only key to a gambler’s grave in Magnolia Cemetery.

You have taken everything I have. When you die, may you not have even a grave to shelter you!”

This dying curse, pronounced by a losing gambler and suicide upon Augusta’s most picturesque figure of the post-war period, caused Wylly Barron to revise the rules of his gambling place, inspired him to numerous charities, and resulted in his construction in 1870, 24 years before his death, a granite Mausoleum in Magnolia Cemetery. So superstitious was the gambler concerning the ups and downs of a bettors fortune, that he made a will directing that his body should be placed in the vault, the door sealed and the key thrown into the Savannah River.

Wylly Barron made a rule, self-enforced, that no man could gamble in his place in the Atkinson Hotel on Ellis Street (Carmicheal’s Range), whose position in life caused him to handle money or whose salary was insufficient to permit gambling. Minors were also barred from playing. Barron would spot a new customer and engage him in conversation.
“What is your business, young man?”

“ I am a cashier in the bank.”

“Then you cannot play here. If you win, you will be tempted to gamble again. If you lose, you may steal from the bank to replace it. You are welcome to all the entertainment in the house, but you cannot play.”

If the guest protested, he was ejected.

Six feet tall, slender and dark, Barron carried himself like a prince. His attire was fashionable and extreme, and the sparkling gems with which he bedecked himself made him a flashing figure at watering places and race courses throughout the South. Among the “thousand virtues linked to one crime” was an all-enforcing charity. No disabled comrade, no suffering widow appealed to the generous gambler in vain. His benefactions were secretly bestowed, even while his profession was blatantly displayed.
According to cemetery records, Barron died at the venerable age of 88 years. It is said that he had lost considerable property and that there was not enough money to buy the prescribed metal coffin. The remains were bricked over inside the vault, the keyhole sealed, the key thrown away, and today there is no known key to either fence or vault. The epitaph reads: “Farewell vain work, I know enough of thee, And now am careless what thou sayest of me, Thy smiles I could not, nor thy frowns I fear, My cares are past, my head lies quiet here. What faults you knew of me, take care to shun, And look at home---, enough there’s to be done.”

Oldest Tree in the state of Georgia.

The Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) tree located at the dead-end of 3rd Street is said to be classed as the oldest in the state of Georgia.

Other Notable Grave

There are several Governors of Georgia, Mayors of Augusta and Poets buried at Magnolia Cemetery. Some of these interesting people buried in Magnolia are:

John Shelton Davidson

Book C, Page 166, Born 6-17-1846; Died 3-11-1894; He was President Pro-tem of Ga. Senate from 1884-1885 and President of the Senate from 1885-1887; he also was a member of the Richmond Co. Board of Education from 1873 and President of the same from July, 1878, until his death.

Charles Dawson Tilly

B331, Native of Ireland; Born in 1845; Died in Augusta in 1875. He was killed in the last duel fought at Sand Bar Ferry. His portrait is hanging in the lobby of the office. He is buried in the South West corner of the deL’Aigle Section on 7th Street.

William White Holt

A375, Born 7-4-1788; Died 1-11-1863; he was a commissioned officer in the War of 1812; he was the Mayor of Augusta, legislator, and a judge of the State Supreme Court.

General George W. Evans

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B365, Born in Augusta in 1804, he was buried on May 24, 1877 at the age of 72 years, 6 mos., & 24 days. He was a former mayor of Augusta. The town of Evans Ga. was named in his honor. The town was listed as Evens by the post office from 1882 to December 1, 1926. The federal post office amended the error thus restoring the proper name to the community.

James Ryder Randall

D145, Born in Baltimore, Maryland on 1-1-1839, died in Augusta on 1-15-1908. He was the author of “Maryland, My Maryland”.

Paul Hamilton Hayne

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C77, Born in South Carolina, died in Grovetown, Ga. on July 6, 1886 at age 56 years. He was considered one of the best Southern poets of the 19th century; his efforts were admired and appreciated in Europe and the United States.

General Thomas Glascock

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A102, Born 10-21-1790, Died 5-19-1841; he was for many years a member of the Legislature of Georgia; at one time he was the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and twice elected to Congress; he served in the War with England of 1812; his rank was Brig. General; he served in the Seminole War of 1817 under General Jackson. He died in DeKalb County in a fall from a horse. He is listed in our burial record books twice on separate occasions.