In 2006, I wrote about the quiet desecration of the Lampley & Oliphant Cemetery—an ancestral burial ground tucked into private property on Crow Cut Road in Fairview, Tennessee. At the time, headstones had been removed, access was restricted, and the resting place of generations was at risk of being forgotten.
Nearly two decades later, the story has evolved—but the reverence remains.
Recently, I was contacted by Mary Jeanette Pendergrass Foust, a 90-year-old descendant searching for the cemetery where her great-great-grandparents were laid to rest. She and her son had visited the area, only to find the site missing—no visible markers, no clear path, no trace of the sacred ground she remembered.
I reached out to Stacey Givens, whose dedication to historical truth and community care has never wavered. Stacey immediately recognized the situation and, through her connections, obtained the full court documents detailing the cemetery’s legal relocation. She forwarded them to us without hesitation.
Here are the records she uncovered.
The Backstory
The Lampley-Oliphant Cemetery, used between 1900 and 1950, was located on private residential land. In 2015, the property owner petitioned the court to relocate the remains due to access and land use conflicts. Seven confirmed burials were respectfully exhumed and reinterred at the Joe and Sac Lampley Cemetery in Bon Aqua, Tennessee—just a few miles away.
Cultural Resource Analysts and Dickson Funeral Home oversaw the process with care. Camille Allen, a descendant, was present throughout. Headstones were either relocated or replaced, and a commemorative plaque now marks the new site. Yet, as of today, only four stones and the plaque are visible online—leaving some family members wondering where their ancestors rest.
A Tribute to the Seekers
To Jeanette, to Camille, to every descendant who has searched for a name, a stone, a story—this post is for you.
To Stacey Givens, whose vigilance and compassion ensured that truth was not buried—thank you.
To the Lampley and Oliphant ancestors, whose lives shaped the soil beneath us—may your memory be honored, your names spoken, and your resting place held in light.
A memorial can be found at Find-A-Grave website here
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106264341/collins_lafayette-lampley/photo
In the 2006 article, I provide links to the profile of the ancestors in the Heycuz Family Tree.
