Slay tombstones in the New Hazlehurst Cemetery

New Hazlehurst Cemetery (old section)

Hazlehurst Cemetery is located in the town of Hazlehurst in Copiah County, Mississippi.  It is one of the older cemeteries in the county. It can be reached from Interstate Highway 55 by taking exit 61 and going east for 0.7 miles.  Then turn right on old highway 51 and go south through town.  After you pass the Courthouse in the center of town go 0.3 miles and turn right on Fair Street.  Go one block, and the cemetery is on the left.  The oldest recorded grave is 1858.  The new section of Hazlehurst cemetery is across the street from the old section.

Slay Beryl D.  November 3, 1904 March 3, 1969 Husband of Ruth T. Slay 

Slay Cora Sexton  August 4, 1881 September 14, 1944 Wife of Maurice L. Slay 

Slay Diane D.  May 29, 1950 November 3, 1999 Wife of Ronnie E. Slay 

Slay George Dewey  November 21, 1898 June 20, 1975 Husband of Maggie Stuart Slay 

Slay Harold A.  April 15, 1907 August 3, 1994 Husband of Nell Myers Slay 

Slay Harold Alexander  April 15, 1907 August 3, 1994 

Slay Hulon N.  July 17, 1896 November 15, 1945 

Slay James Milton  May 26, 1871 December 18, 1918 Son of Erasmus & Catherine Slay 

Slay Jessie L.  December 29, 1911 June 12, 1991 

Slay Maggie Stuart  May 2, 1914 February 13, 1988 Wife of George Dewey Slay 

Slay Marguerite Love  July 8, 1913 August 3, 1960 Wife of Robert D. Slay 

Slay Mary Kate Sexton December 9, 1886 December 5, 1933 

Slay Mary Love  April 22, 1886 December 5, 1933 Wife of Oscar J. Slay 

Slay Maurice L.  May 27, 1870 December 25, 1923 Husband of Cora Sexton Slay 

Slay Nell Myers  May 12, 1913 July 18, 1980 Wife of Harold A. Slay 

Slay Oscar J.  April 30, 1886 December 5, 1933 Husband of Mary Love Slay 

Slay Robert D.   Husband of Marguerite Love Slay 

Slay Robert Wesley  June 19, 1921 January 31, 1927 

Slay Ronnie E.  May 25, 1947  Husband of Diane D. Slay 

Slay Rosa  1876 1937 Wife of Sandy Slay 

Slay Ruth T.  September 6, 1920  Wife of Beryl D. Slay 

Slay Sandy  1864 1922 Husband of Rosa Slay 

Slay William Selman  August 15, 1952 August 19, 1952

Related surnames buried in Hopewell Cemetery

Hopewell Cemetery

Hopewell Cemetery - on the extreme eastern side of Copiah County, Mississippi

SLAY JENNIE CORNELIA MAR 19 1909 FEB 6 1924

SLAY A. C. "LONNIE" JUL 11 1870 JUN 18 1952

SLAY A. CLIFFTON "CLIFF" DEC 26 1904

SLAY ALICE OCT 23 1882 NOV 22 1914 MOTHER W/O A. C.

SLAY DORA J. 1875 1917

SLAY ELLA C. SEP 14 1811 NOV 10 1811 D/O A. D. & V. L. SLAY

SLAY ETHEL ROSE JUL 31 1906 Married A. C. Dec 15 1929

SLAY GERTUDE JUNE 24 18?? JUNE 24 18??.

SLAY J. C. APR 3 1894 DEC 26 1920 FATHER

SLAY JEANETTE (TOOSIE) SEP 18 1911 APR 3 1988 W/O WILLIAM

SLAY JENNIFER RENEE JUL 3 1975 JUL 5 1975

SLAY JOHN C. 1867 1927

SLAY LENORA SEP 8 1863 NOV 2 1870 D/O N. & M. SLAY

SLAY MARY C. FEB 14 1813 SEP 30 1814 D/O N. & M. SLAY

SLAY MR. ALONZA C. JUNE 18 1952 AGED 81 YEARS

SLAY THOMAS J. SR. SEPT 17 1847 APR 1 1885

SLAY WILLIAM HOMER SEP 25 1906 JAN 7 1982

SOJOURNER ALBERT CLIFTON MAR 13 1885 APR 29 1936

SOJOURNER B. H. OCT 6 1829 AUG 26 1900

SOJOURNER FRAKLIN WILLIAMS MAR 21 1904

SOJOURNER HOLLIE F. JR. JAN 21 1932 SEP 11 1995

SOJOURNER HOLLIE FRIDAY SR. OCT 1 1895 DEC 22 1974

SOJOURNER HOMER D. JAN 17 1897 MAY 22 1942

SOJOURNER JOHN C. MAR 4 1858 DEC 15 1863 S/O M. U. & A. E. (Unreadable 1998)

SOJOURNER LEVISA AUG 8 1791 JAN 8 1866 MOTHER W/O REDRICK

SOJOURNER M. U. JAN 29 1833 JUNE 2 1913

SOJOURNER MARTIN C. 1868 1945

SOJOURNER MARY E. 1872 1954 MOTHER W/O MARTIN

SOJOURNER NORMAN PARKER JAN 12 1936 SEP 24 1974

SOJOURNER OSA V. AUG 14 1896 AUG 6 1906

SOJOURNER REDERICK FEB 1 1795 AUG 20 1868 FATHER

WEATHERSBY ANNIE RENO MAR 14 1890 APR 19 1948 Mother, W/O James Isom W.

WEATHERSBY GILLIAN 1870 1927

WEATHERSBY JAMES ISOM FEB 16 1882 JUNE 10 1950 FATHER

WEATHERSBY LILLIAN MURRAY 1870 1944

WEATHERSBY LOUIS I. APR 7 1914 AUG 9 1990

 (photo/Find a Grave)

The return of an honored sword

Benjamin David Hennington, my 1st cousin three times removed, has always been a fascinating individual to research. He was the son of Rev. Henry Hennington and Susannah Nesom of Copiah County, Mississippi.

When the Civil War broke out, he was 18 years old, and was soon off to Corinth, Mississippi to enlist in the 16th Mississippi, Co. C, along with other friends and cousins. His regiment served in many of the major battles, and was with Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. Some of the battles included Cold Harbor, Antietam, and he was wounded twice. At the battle of Chancellorsville, it was noted in a biography, that he was with "Stonewall" Jackson when he was wounded.

At Gettysburg, Benjamin served with the 16th under Posey's Brigade, Anderson's Division, A.P. Hill's Corp. in action near the Bliss Farm on July 2.
At the Battle of the Wilderness , as 2nd Lt, his sword was captured in battle, as described below in the New Orleans Times Picayune.

Benjamin returned to his beloved Mississippi, and married Miss Mary Narcissus Catchings, daughter of John Noel Catching and Emma Angeline Smith. He received his medical degree in 1866 from Tulane University in New Orleans.

The rest of his life, he and Mary remained in Lawrence County and lived in Tryus. Their children were; Frank Wilmot, Emma Frances, Annie, Henry Livingston, Lamar Lucius, Rosa Love, Beatrice and Benjamin David Jr. Not only was he a beloved and respected physician of the county, he served as a postmaster and storekeeper, and is credited with the name "Tryus." On May 16, 1925 he died after a period of declining health, and is buried in the Bahala Chapel Cemetery, located in a secluded area near Bahala Creek between Sontag and Oma.

Many of us have wondered about the significance of his photo holding the sword, and assumed it was his from the Civil War. Obviously, the sword meant a great deal to him.

I will be returning to Mississippi this spring, and will visit his graveside. I plan to bring flowers and a photo copy of his beloved 16th Mississippi flag.

Thank you cousin Benjamin for your service and sacrifice for so many.

Special thanks to Jeff Giambrone for the newspaper article, and solving the question about Benjamin's beloved sword.