A gravestone or headstone is a sign of respect and affection, and often serves as a way for us to remember someone we’ve lost. The information on headstones can tell us a great deal, which makes it all the more disheartening to see so many unmarked graves in cemeteries. When there is no marker, we must turn to historical documents and family records to learn who is buried there. The following stories, drawn from the files of The Troy Messenger, document the burials of several individuals in Beulah Cemetery.

In the February 22, 1883, Troy Messenger, F. J. Cowart reported the first interment in Beulah Cemetery was the remains of an old lady who, while traveling, stopped at the house of Jesse Pugh. She was suddenly taken ill and died within a few days, and was buried in Beulah Cemetery.

The next burials were those of two strangers who had purchased lands some six or seven miles below Centerville and were murdered by unknown parties.

Then, on November 4, 1880, the Troy Messenger reported that a showman died on Sunday and was buried on Monday night. It was suspected that the man had yellow fever. Since the circus had to leave, they buried their comrade at the old cemetery. It was later certified by Dr. J. M. Collier that the man’s name was Richard Lapton of Coup’s Circus and that his cause of death was jaundice.