Old Yellow River School House in Background

Yellow River Baptist Church was organized on August 25, 1871, with 15 charter members.  In 1948, the original building was replaced with a granite rock building..

The present building was erected forty years ago and is valued at $800.In 1960 a two-story educational building was added onto the back of the church.  In 1963 the church was remodeled and the sanctuary enlarged.  The present sanctuary was built in 1971 beside the older church building which has had a brick exterior added but is still in active use.

Photo of the original building from "Gwinnett County Churches" by James C. Flanigan, 1911, reprinted by the Gwinnett Historical Society, 1999.

 

FULL TOMBSTONE TRANSCRIPTION

YELLOW RIVER MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY
Five Forks Trickum Road,Lilburn, Cates District, Gwinnett County, Georgia

The cemetery is on land that was donated by the Nash family to the church for a church cemetery.  Also on this site is the old (over 100 years old) Yellow River School building.

 Although the land was donated to the church, a branch of the Nash family that lives close by tries to keep it up.  In spite of their concern and care, the cemetery is deteriorating at a very fast rate.  Many of the graves were simply marked with a fieldstone and those are being moved over time by grass mowers and other means.  As a result, there are a lot of unmarked graves.  One member of the family went to a local funeral home and was given some metal markers to mark those that could still be identified as a grave.  Of course, those have no names or dates.  Some of the graves are sinking.

Section I, Row 1

NASH (engraved on front and back)

(On left-hand side of the tombstone)

Willie Lee (Willie Curtis Lee)
b. Feb. 8, 1900
d. Sep. 8, 1995

 
Mother (foot marker) 

 
(On right-hand side of the tombstone)

Jewel T.
b. Oct. 16, 1890
d. Sep. 13, 1960

 
Father (foot marker)

LEE

H. Colbert
b. Sep. 25, 1885
d. Apr. 9, 1957

 
H.C.L. (foot marker)

 
(These three (3) graves were surrounded by a yellow brick wall.)

(Willie and Colbert were siblings of Annie Smith and children of Albert and Altha Lee.)

* * * * *

CATES (engraved on front & back)

(On left-hand side of the tombstone)

Ruth S. (Ruth Swanson Cates)
b. Nov. 9, 1913
d. Jan. 18, 1980

(marble foot marker w/no carving)

(On right-hand side of the tombstone)

Huben B.
b. Jul. 8, 1914
d. Jul. 4, 1980

 (marble foot marker w/no carving)

¤ Our Baby ¤

Infant Son of
Mr. & Mrs.
H.B. Cates
Feb. 22, 1942

 
(marble foot marker w/no carving)

 
¤ Our Baby ¤

G. Robert
Cates
b. Sep. 15, 1947
d. Dec. 30, 1947

 (marble foot marker w/no carving)

(The four (4) graves above were surrounded by a wall of gray marble slabs.)

* * * * *

CATES (engraved on front & back)

 
Pearl Lee
8/18/1888
3/26/1985                   

 Mother (foot marker)

 
Spence L.
10/16/1888
1/17/1981

 Father (foot marker)

Two (2) graves surrounded by a wall of marble slabs.

 * * * * *

Byron R. Jones
9/6/1910
7/21/1934

(Son of L.E. Jones.)

L.E. Jones
8/5/1881
9/15/1929

His toils are past,
his work is done.
He fought the fight,
the victory won.

JONES

(Mother engraved on top of the marker.  Asleep In Jesus engraved around the top front to the top side of the marker.)

Lela, Wife of
L.E. Jones
7/10/1884
12/29/1922
She was too good,
too gentle and fair,
to dwell in this
cold world of care.

JONES

 (A small marker with a lamb on top.  Part of the lambs head is broken off.)

Clarence Robert Jones
Born 1/15/1917
Died 8/23/1917

 A little time on earth he spent,
till God for him his angel sent.

(The four (4) graves above were surrounded by a wall of gray marble slabs.)

 
* * * * *

SECTION I, Row 2

Gussie A. Lunsford
b. 7/3/1902
d. 7/29/1948

(Daughter of Annie Viola Lee Lunsford Smith.)

G.A. Bowman, Jr.
Oct. 12, 1893
July 31, 1941
(Son-In-Law of Annie Viola Lee Lunsford Smith.)

Fred V. Smith
June 25, 1902
Sept. 6, 1944
(Husband of Annie Viola Lee Lunsford Smith.)

Annie V. Smith
Jan. 3, 1883
April 13, 1964

(Annie's first husband was Gustas Edgar Lunsford.  Annie was the daughter of Albert and Altha Lee.)

Winnie A. Lynn
Nov. 29, 1916
Sep. 28, 1956

(Daughter of Annie Viola Lee Lunsford Smith.)

 (The above five (5) graves surrounded by a concrete block wall.)

* * * * *

James Robert Edwards
b. 3/30/1865
d. 8/10/1925

 PAPA (foot marker)

 (The grave above was surrounded by wall of white marble slabs.)

* * * * *

 (One very old grave marked by a worn piece of marble with no name.)

 
* * * * *

 
Metal Marker

Rosie Lee Anglin
1876 - 1973
Tapp Funeral Home

 
Metal Marker

Colle Anglin
1893 - 1958

 
* * * * *

 
Thurman Jones
U.S. Army
World War II
b. 3/3/1900
d. 9/1/1969

 (Small marble slab foot marker with no engraving.)

 
* * * * *

 
(On left-hand side of the tombstone)

Sarah O. Jones
Born
Jan. 15, 1855
Died
Feb 11, 1919

 
(On right-hand side of the tombstone)

David V. Jones
Born
Feb 3, 1858
Died
Nov. 8, 1914

(Centered on the tombstone)

Their toils are past, their work is done.
They fought the fight, the victory won.

JONES

 
* * * * *

SECTION 1, Row 3

 Fannie A. Dill
b. Dec. 28, 1882
d. Jan. 25, 1976

 
H.C. Dill
b. 12/6/1886
d. 7/1/1922

 
H.C. Dill, Jr.
b. 4/10/1908
d. 5/6/1923

 
The (3) graves above are surrounded by a wall of gray granite slabs.

 
* * * * *

 
Small grave outlined with a red brick wall - no marker.

 
* * * * *

 
(On left-hand side of the tombstone)

I Love Jesus

Gordon Son of
J.H. & E.A. Hart
7/4/1919
9/18/1921

(On right-hand side of the tombstone)

Audra Dau of
J.H. & E.A. Hart
Dec. 11, 1916
Mar. 25, 1917
Asleep in Jesus
blessed thought

 
* * * * *

 
Grave marked with field stone - no name.

 
* * * * *

Grave marked with metal marker - no name.

 
One of these graves may be the unmarked grave of Alma Hart Tumlin known to be buried here.

* * * * *

 
SECTION I, Row 4

NASH

 
Joel Harold Nash
10/11/1961
5/18/1998
Son of Harold & Viola
Husband of Anastasia Petkas
Father of David, Jettie, Jacob and Jodi

One (1) grave in a large plot surrounded by wall of gray marble slabs.

* * * * *

 
Arlene Nash Kennedy

b. 11/9/1919
 

NASH

 
(On left-hand side of the tombstone)

James Olin
2/8/1893
11/8/1966

 Father (foot marker)   

(On right-hand side of the tombstone)

Jettie Lee
9/12/1895
5/26/1979

Mother (foot marker)

Two (2) graves and one (1) live marker surrounded by a wall of gray granite slabs.

 Jettie was the daughter of Albert and Altha Lee and sister of Annie V. Smith.

* * * * *

Small grave marked by a fieldstone.

* * * * *

Long grave marked by a fieldstone.

* * * * *

Frank E. Johnson
Born
August/8/1868
Died
July 17, 1900

Unreadable
Saying

Frank's first wife Tommy and Baby's grave is nearby.  (Possibly the small and long graves that are listed above that were only marked with a fieldstone.)

Unmarked grave at foot of Frank's grave is that of Henry Whitley married to Willie Richardson.

* * * * *

Mrs. V.E. Johnson

5/28/1839

11/22/1905

Unreadable

Saying

JOHNSON

Husband's name was Virgil E. Johnson.

* * * * *

SECTION I, Row 5

HOWARD

(On left-hand side of the tombstone)

Ellis Walker

Nov. 4, 1921

(On right-hand side of the tombstone)

Muriel Nash

Nov. 11, 1923

Jan. 29, 1984

Wife  (foot marker)

And just at the moment someone at my side says: "There.  She's gone."

There are other voices to take up the glad shout - - - - "Here she comes!!"

Large lot surrounded in wall of gray granite slabs.

* * * * *

Large lot surrounded by an old concrete block wall.  No markers.

* * * * *

SECTION II

SECTION II is a large open area.  There are some graves marked with metal funeral home markers with no names or dates.  There also some graves marked with fieldstones, but mostly there are un-marked graves.  Some of the graves are sinking, also.

SECTION III

SECTION III was harder to list by rows, as these graves were not laid out as orderly as those in SECTION I.

SECTION III, Row 1

Unmarked

* * * * *

(On left-hand side of the tombstone)

MOTHER

Lilian L. Simpson

June 3, 1911

(On right-hand side of the tombstone)

FATHER

E. Arthur Simpson
B. July 17, 1913  D. Nov. 24, 1967

Two (2) graves surrounded by a brick wall.

* * * * *

SECTION III, Row 2

Jasper Eugene Shumaker, Sr.
SSC7 U.S. Army
Vietnam
B. Aug. 1, 1934  D. Feb. 17, 1996

* * * * *

SECTION III, Row 3

Infant Son of Mr. And Mrs. T.W. Lee
Born and Died March 11, 1901

* * * * *

Gladdis V.
Dau. Of Mr. & Mrs. T.W. Lee
B. July 27, 1902  D. Feb. 13, 1905

GVL (foot stone)

* * * * *

Alma Ruth Shumake
1893 - 1951

George W. S_u_ake
1881 - 1903

Unmarked grave

Above three (3) graves surrounded by a brick wall.

* * * * *

Sherrie Ann Edwards
B. Dec. 11, 1954  D. March 22, 1955

Bobbie Lee Edwards
B. Sept. 12, 1939  D. Feb. 23, 1978

William Junior Edwards  Father
B. May 2, 1933  D. May 25, 1998

 W.J.E.  (foot stone)

 Also known as Guy Edwards.

Above three (3) graves surrounded by marble wall.

 * * * * *

 
Larry S. Fetherolf
Georgia
PFC Co. A  22 INF  4.INF DIV
Vietnam  BSM-PH
B. Sept. 15, 1947   D. Feb. 16, 1967

* * * * *

 SECTION III, Row 4

 
Katie Elmer
Dau. Of  E.P. & F.B. Johnson
B. April 25, 1901  D. July 7, 1905

 
JOHNSON

 
Russell Jones
B. Aug. 4, 1877  D. Oct. 8, 1910

 (foot stone broken, unable to read)

JONES

Above two (2) graves within a brick wall.

* * * * *

HOLT (Also engraved on back of head stone.)

(On left-hand side of the tombstone)

Eva H.
1924 - 1984

(On right-hand side of the tombstone)

Robert L.
1918 - 1973

Robert Lee Holt  (foot stone)
Georgia
S Sgt  CO 2  475 Infantry
WWII
B. Oct. 4, 1918
D. Jan. 12, 1973

 
* * * * *

 
HOLT (Also engraved on back of head stone.)

 
(On left-hand side of the tombstone)

Ada J.
B. Sept. 6, 1885
D. Nov. 17, 1978        

 Mother (foot stone)    

 
(On right-hand side of the tombstone)

Rev. James W.
B. Dec. 17, 1884
D. Nov. 19, 1962

Father (foot stone)

 
* * * * *

Baby

* * * * *

Baby

* * * * *

 
Baby

* * * * *

Jack L. Holt
B. Feb. 12, 1913
D. Mar. 18, 1989

SGT US Army WWII (foot stone)

* * * * *

Raymond E. Deal
B. Jan. 17, 1920 (Should be Jan. 17, 1970.  Correction sent by Randy Rowe, Cousin of baby Raymond)
D. July 4, 1970

 
Baby  (foot stone)

(Son of Rondell D. and Betty L. Deal)

* * * * *

 
Joyce Jean Deal
B. Feb. 11, 1943
D. Feb. 11, 1943

 
Baby  (foot stone)

(Twin sister of Royce Dean Deal, daughter of Coy E. and Bertie Mae Deal.

* * * * *

DEAL Engraved on back of stone.

 
Father

Coy Epter Deal (Should be Coy Epther Deal. Correction submitted by Randy Rowe, Grandson)
B. Apr. 7, 1898
D. Dec. 22, 1968

WW I  (foot stone)

 
Three (3) graves above within a fence.

 
* * * * *

 
HART

(On left-hand side of the tombstone)

Son               

William P.
B. Sept. 23, 1921
D. Jan. 27, 1974       

 
(On right-hand side of the tombstone)

Mother

Odessa M.
B. July 6, 1889
D. Apr. 14, 1954

 
* * * * *

 
Tonya Serena Comer
B. Aug. 17, 1968
D. Aug. 17, 1968

Three (3) graves within a cement block wall.

* * * * *

SECTION III, Row 5

 
(On left-hand side of the tombstone)

Linnie Lee
B. July 6, 1880
D. Apr. 19, 1903

(On right-hand side of the tombstone)

David E. Lee
B. Feb. 7, 1890
D. Mar. 2, 1896

Two graves within a cement block wall.

* * * * *

 E.W. Lee
B. Sept. 2, 1851
D. Oct. 7, 1895

 
* * * * *

Ola Lee
B. July 14, 1893  D. June 11, 1894
Oldest grave in cemetery.

* * * * *

 
Ola Brownlee
B. Jan. 19, 1887
D. Aug. 28, 1949

 
O.B. (foot stone)

 
* * * * *

 
Queenie Atkinson
B. May 25, 1907
D. Oct. 7, 1957

 
* * * * *

 
SECTION III, Row 6

Mildred Daisy Lee
B. Sept. 18, 1932
D. Apr. 4, 1933
DTR. Of Early and Daisy Lee

Robert Early Lee
B. Nov. 24, 1928
D. July 10, 1929
Son of Early and Daisy Lee

 
Above two (2) graves within a cement block wall.

* * * * *

These pages are no longer linked from the Church's main page, but are still "live"
History of the Yellow River Baptist Church
Cemetery Maps - Old and New Sections
Grave Site Index