November 11, 2000

Gravesite of Dave Hixon

10^th Tennessee Cavalry USA

Civil War

I had been corresponding with another researcher for a while when he sent me directions to the cemetery where Dave Hixon and his wife Louisa Miller are buried. They weren’t exact directions, but I thought they would be close enough to get me there.

It started out a beautiful, crisp, sunny, blue-sky day, and I started out to Ider, Alabama (aka Sand Mountain) in search of Dave’s gravesite. Taking I-75N to Chattanooga to I-24 to Nashville to I-59S to Alabama. The directions I had received did not start until I had gotten off the Interstate and that corner of Alabama was not clear on my map of Alabama, so I decided to stop at the Alabama Welcome Center, knowing they would supply me with a better free map of Alabama and possible tell me which exit I needed to get off. I entered the welcome center and was greeted by a senior citizen smiling, and she greeted me with, "Can I help you?" I explained my situation, and she said I was already in Dekalb, Co. and I needed to take the next exit. She said that she lived nearby and asked what was I looking for, so she might be able to give me exact directions to my destination. After telling her my story she wasn’t sure where the Smith Chapel Cemetery was, but she asked who was buried there. I told her the short version of the, Hixon Genealogy Story, and she asked about Rossville because she grew up in Walker Co., GA, and would come to Rossville and shop for dresses during the 50’s & early 60’s. I told her about Hixon’s Men Store and Dad. It turns out, she had known Dad from that period. She then started telling me that "The Sons of the Confederacy" had special plaques for Confederate veterans, and I should consider one for Dave’s gravesite. When I told her that GG Grandfather Dave fought for the Union, she looked very surprised and embarrassed at the faux pas. I thanked her for the directions and map, and continued on my trip.

I got off on the next exit and started following what directions I had from my e-mail and drove into Ider, Al. I knew something was not right, because I should have passed the church on my way into town, and I had not seen any church. Ider, Al is on top of Sand Mtn.; and there is nothing there except the bare essentials. Outside of town is this huge new funeral home. This is the biggest structure in town. I decided to pull up to the huge deserted parking lot and go inside to ask directions. When I went in, I did not see anybody living or dead. I called out several times and nobody answered. So, I started walking down the long hallways passing a bunch of viewing areas and finally someone appeared. I asked her about Smith Chapel Cem. ; she did not know where it was, but her co-worker might. She disappeared behind some employee only doors only to emerge with this man who was 6’ 8", skinny, sunken-eyed, older gentleman; who asked me for the name of the Cemetery. I explained my dilemma and he was very gracious and kind and very willing to help. He knew exactly where it was and was very patient in explaining to me where it was located. I asked if the church was still being used, and he said,"only on Decoration Day". He asked me, who was the person I was looking for, and I said Dave Hixon; he said, "He’s there".

With renewed confidence and directions, I thanked the gentleman and shook his hand. He wished me luck and told me some mtn. wisdom, and said he had to finish the body he had been working on.

Within 15 minutes and 3 turns later, I was driving on a dirt road in the middle of Sand Mtn., when I arrived at Smith Chapel and Cemetery. Nobody living was there.

The cemetery is about 150 years old; well maintained; with about 2-4 acres; that had about 100+ graves. I took photos of the area and church, but I had know idea where to start or what the headstone looked like. So, I started on one end and started to read headstones. This went on for about 1.5 hrs, and I was getting very frustrated having come so close and not finding Dave and Louisa. It wasn’t until my 3^rd walk through of the cemetery that I found Dave and Louisa.

The grave of Dave Hixon has a footstone. Both headstones are stable and have not been broken, chipped, or vandalized. They are beginning to be hard to read due to age. Each grave had a small bundle of red artificial flowers at the base of the headstone. I set our arrangement by Dave’s headstone. Next time I will bring 2 arrangements. The Headstones are different in shape and design.

I stuck around for about 2 hours checking out the area and photographing the church. A Red Tail Hawk kept a close eye on me the whole time I was there. I must have been in his hunting territory.

The small white church had a new green tin roof. The church was locked, but through the windows, I could see that it had Pine wood floors, Pine wood walls, and Pine wood cathedral ceiling about 10 feet high; 1 small fireplace and no electricity. Behind the church were 2 out-houses with fresh toilet paper.

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