The oldest cemetery in Madison County is disappearing in the woods and needs your help to preserve it

Great News!

Donald, the Heritage Room of the Huntsville Madison County Library has a collection of historical books published by the TVGS. There is also an index for the publications available as well. The Miller Family Bible was copyrighted 1725 in New York. The Bible records are included in one of the issues. Records for John and Polly Brown Miller,their descendants, servants, and other Miller family connections are recorded therein. John and Polly were married in 1804 in KY. They arrived in New Market and began to purchase land there in 1819. They and many of their descendants are buried at Mount Paran Campground Cemetery on Graveyard Hill at New Market. His brother Garland Burleigh Miller was an 1809 owner of some of the cemetery property. Thomas Miller settled at Hickory Flat/Plevna, AL. In 1817, Thomas platted lots for his settlement known as “Hillsborough”. By 1834, New Market, had become the local commercial center. Thomas Miller, his wife Anna, and most of their descendants are buried at the Miller Cemetery at what is know know as “Plevna”. John’s son, William Brown Miller married a Cherokee lady. She and her infant child are buried at Mount Paran. Wm Brown Miller became a founder of Dallas, TX. Google: Millermore Plantation, Dallas TX. Google: Joppa, TX, Quite a few of the black Miller families still reside there and have an annual Miller Family reunion. Sadly, Mount Paran Cemetery has a large number of unknown burials. An illegal timberman destroyed many of the historic markers in 1966. He was prosecuted and found liable. The destruction of the ancient cedar trees and to the final resting places of so many of our ancestors is unforgivable! He did meet an untimely death soon thereafter! In 1979, the Madison County Commission spent weeks removing the fallen trees and assisting with clean-up of the cemetery. Myself, and numerous other family members, historical groups, local community, churches, boy scouts, and the University of Alabama struggle to maintain the cemetery. The Madison County Commission and members of the New Market Volunteer Fire Department have contributed many hours to assist our efforts. We have a non-profit corporation established to oversee the cemetery. Maintaining the six acre site is an ongoing struggle. The Town of New Market is located on the National Register of Historical Sites. Unfortunately, the cemetery is located across Mountain Fork Creek (Davis Creek, 1817) on a high hill which is not included in the survey of the town site! Last year, I was informed, the cemetery is not on the National Register but needs a separate application! I believe it will take an Act of God, but hopefully the untiring efforts of Dr, John Kavach, the Madison County Commission, family members, historical groups, and the assistance of the University of Alabama in Huntsville success will eventually be forthcoming. If I could catch the wild herd of goats running around in Kennemer’s Cove, I would turn them loose in the cemetery!