Old Cemetery Moved

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Johnson County, Arkansas, United States

Zebulon Jetton Grave Moved From Original Burial Place To South Bend Cemetery The Graphic ~ May 31, 1962

Historic Old Jetton grave moved to South Bend Cemetery

The final scene in an historical incident that took place 97 years ago was enacted in South Bend near Knoxville a couple of weeks ago.

As several members of the Jetton family stood by, two government men carefull removed from a crude grave in the bottoms all that remained of thier great grandfather, Zeblon Jetton. The old man, 85 at the time, was buried where he fell when he was shot by Federal soldiers on January 29, 1865. The relics, which included a small piece of skull, a few bones, some buttons and hte fatal bullet, were transferred to a new grave in the South Bend Cemetery.

The transfer was made because the area in which the original grave was located will be under water when the Dardanelle Lake is form.

Four great grandchildren of the murdered man were among those present. There were R. J. Jetton and Mrs W. L. (Ruth Jetton) Geran of Knoxville, Mrs. Georgia Jetton Dillon of Lamar, and her sister, Mrs. Lucy Duff, who now lives in Utal but who was visiting in Lamar at the time. Robert Jetton of Clarksville, another great grandson, was unable to get to knoxville.

According to accounts handed down in the family, old Mr. Jetton, Daniel Farmer, and Farmer's 15 year old son were shot down ruthlessly as they endeavered to hide out from Yankee Jayhawkers.

As R. J. Jetton tells it, his great grandfather brought his family from Missouri to Clarksville and settled out on the Old Wire Road shortly before the tragedy occurred.

"Great grandfather had two sons, Robert and Tom, serving in the Confederate Army at the time. When the Jayhawlers came into the area, Mr. Jetton and Mr. Farmer decided to scout around in the Knoxville section, hoping to stay out of the way of the marauders, but were unsuccessful."

R. J. says he can recall his father, R. D. Jetton, recounting how, when the Jayhawkers threatened to kill the defenseless old man, Mr. Jetton said: "Go ahfead. You won't beat me out of many days."

Mrs. Dillon can remember her grandmother telling about the burial, "When word of what happened got back to Clarksville," she saysm "her great grandmother hitched up a team of oxen to a wagon and went to South Bend. They took Mr. Farmer and the boy back to Clarksville, but decided to wrap old Mr. Jetton in a handmade quilt and lay him to rest where he fell."

Later the family put up a gravestone bearing this inscription: "Innocently murdered by his political enemies for claining his southern principles." The stone was moved to South Bend Cemetery last week.

And account of the incident was written by W. S. Jett was published some years ago and Mrs. Geran still treasures the clipping.

The Jett account brings several more people into the incident. The author refers to his mother, Mrs. W. S. King, Mrs. John Gillian, Miss Charity Wold, and Miss Emily Jetton, old Mr. Jetton's daughter, saying they all assissted in the burial.

Mrs. Dan Farmer, a daughter in law of Dan Farmer, Miss Fanny Blaylock, Miss Lou Blackard, Miss Kit Blackard, Sid Wallace, John Blaylock and Tom Blackard, he wrote, brought the slain Farmers back home.