Lynn Julian e-mail: [email protected] Documentation began May 2000 added to 
and updated information May 2003
 Big Springs Cemetery in Hardin County Kentucky,
on Big Springs Road (on Russell Shoat farm) on the edge of the city limits of 
Upton, KY (city limits sign is next to the road).


This is a partial listing; there are more people I didn’t have time to copy with 
the surnames; Jagoe, Jagger, Kincade, Sullivan, Watkins, Caswell, Skaggs, Smith, 
Flanders, Hightower. But the stones are being taken from the cemetery and many 
have disappeared from just 3 years ago (2000 to 2003), even some of the newer 
replacement stones, not just the older damaged ones. Deep holes are also being 
dug, diameter of 5 inches wide 1 foot deep. The cemetery is surrounded by a 5ft. 
high stone wall and has an iron walk through gate in the center of the wall on 
the West side and a larger drive gate at the far Northwest corner

Here is a nice photo:
Over look of Cemetery.
.
Keith-Thomas section

Frances Keith Drane, August 17, 1893 (to) July 5, 1962

Richard J. Keith, November 29, 1856 (to) Feb 3, 1906

Infant son of Richard J. & Malissa Keith, Feb 28, 1898

Mother, Malissa Keith-Thomas, June 30, 1862 (to) Dec 15, 1940

Clara Upton Keith, Apr 18, 1891 (to) July 27, 1942

Clyde C. Keith, Nov 21, 1881 (to) Oct. 27, 1926

J. Lynn son of Richard J. & Malissa Keith, Apr 7, 1902-July 9, 1902

Amy dau. of Richard J. & Malissa Keith, May 25, 1888- Feb 6, 1902

Burks section

J.A. Burks, Sept 17, 1853-Dec 23, 1931, Footstone says: Father/Mother

Narcissa O. His Wife, May 17, 1852-Dec 31, 1916

Clara Burks Caswell, Oct 4, 1880-Jan 1, 1960

Nora Bell Burks, March 24, 1879-May 8, 1963 (stone readable)

(Next stone broken off and missing name)

(Next stone broken into two pieces and down on the ground)
Blessed are the dead, they die in the LORD, Nancy wife of Wm. Pruitt, Born Nov 
5, 1829, Died Sept 30, 1884, “A faithful wife by our side, she filled our house 
with glee, But now our homes are disturned wide, And we far distant be.”

(Next stone has the carving of a sleeping lamb), Jacob son of M. & Lucy Pruitt, 
Born Feb 26, 1882, Died Feb 20, 1883, “Sleep on sweet babe, And take thy rest, 
God called thee home, When he thought best.”

(next stone has the carving of a sleeping lamb) Ida, Daughter of M. & Lucy 
Pruitt, Born Dec 16, 1880, Died Oct 2, 1883, “Sleep on sweet babe, And take thy 
rest, God called thee home, When he thought best.”

Blessed those who die in the Lord, James W. Pruitt, son of Wm. & Nancy Pruitt, 
Born Nov 7, 1860, Died (stone broken so can’t read it.)

(another stone broken dated “Sept 15” but can’t make out the rest)

(two hands; handshake) (stone is broken and down) Edwin P. son of J.M. & E.C. 
Barnett, Born Dec 10, 1856, Died Aug 31, 1882 “This lovely bud, called hence by, 
early doom, Just come to show, How sweetly flower in heaven may bloom.”

wife of J.M. Barnett, Oct 24, 1828, Aug 16, 1895, “Rest mother rest in quiet 
sleep, While Jesus in sorrow o’er thee weeps.”

Eudolpho E. son of C.L.Cosby, Born Dec 17, 1860, Died May 30, 1889

Infant Daughter of Chase M. & Mattie A. Pearl, Feb 8, 1879

Junius O. son of C. & Martha E. Cosby, Born Sept 2, 1839, Died Nov 26, 1874

L. Byron Bomar, Born Sept. 25, 1841, Died Jan 28, 1889 “Meet us in heaven, I 
will not target thee, the past and the future, Are blended together by love’s 
dearest lies. Not a link in the chain but I‘ll cherish and more. Till my spirit 
freed meets Thee, when this body dies.”

Aunt Lou, Lucy A. Bomar, July 8, 1843, May 4, 1925

(Hands clasped in handshake) Charles L. Cosby, Born Feb 22, 1807, Died Nov 17, 
1874 “I know thou hast another home, a home where all is fair, Nor could I wish 
Thee back again, But hope to meet Thee there.”

MOTHER (big stone face down)

(Broken Stone) James M. Barnett Dec. 27, 1817-Feb 4, 1875

(Broken Stone, carving has index finger pointing heavenward inscription “Going 
Home”) Waina V. daughter of J.M/ & E.O. Barnett, Born Nov 3, 1854, Died May 17, 
1888, “Tis sweet to gaze upon the sod, that wraps thy mouldering clay, to think 
thy rests with God.”

(Masonic symbol on top with “Holy Bible” written out on the carving of an open 
book, stone is broken) Moses Overstreet, June 4, 1815-July 28, 1879, “A faithful 
husband and father dear, In sweet Repose is sleeping here, His painful loss we 
deeply feel, But God can all our sorrows heal.”

(Masonic symbol and star) Cora Caswell, wife of Homer B. Burks, 1891-1925

Earl “Shack” Brashear, March 18, 1919-Oct 12, 1976, “Gone But Not Forgotten”

Kara Ellen, daughter of W.H. & B.J. Martin, died May 16, 1968, (this is the 
child of Shack Brashear (and Russell Brashear’s) sister Betty Jane Brashear & 
her husband W.H. Martin)

Sarah Ellen (Payton) Brashear, Oct 26, 1897-Aug 17, 1966 (2nd) wife of Lawrence 
Brashear (stone face down)
 (this is the mother of Russell Clifford , Earl Shacklette and Betty Jane Brashear)( stone is face down on the ground)

Lawrence Brashear, Dec 28, 1874-March 18, 1951 (this is the father of Otto, 
Russell Clifford and Betty Jane Brashear, The stone is face down on the ground 
but is not in any other way damaged) (Lawrence is one of the sons of Paralee 
Upton Brashear and F.N. Brashear and the grandson of G.W.Upton)

F.N. Brashear, 1840-1914 and his wife Paralee (Upton), 1847-1928 (stone is 
upright as of May 2003, and in excellent condition) (Paralee is the daughter of 
G.W. Upton)

SON, Infant son of N.C. & E. Larkin, born/died Oct 10, 1906

R. U. Brashear, 1883-1906, (stone in excellent condition) (this is Robert 
?Upton? Brashear son of F.N. & Paralee who was murdered as a young man, brother 
of Lawrence)

There is a grave here in this spot which has been broken off at the base, 
headstone is gone)

Charlie R. son of T.B. & Kate Upton, Aug 21, 1877- July 10, 1897 (Tall Celtic 
Cross adorned with carved flowers is old but is upright but is off the pedestal)

Wilburn son of T.B. & L.F., Dec. 1, 1870- March 14, 1872

 George W. Upton, 1873-1914 (this is a son of A.J. Upton and his wife Mary Tinker 
Upton)

Malvina C. Upton, Aug 17, 1881- March 5, 1949

Blanche Upton, Nov 25, 1870- Nov 14, 1954

Stella Upton Cash, Jan 25, 1875- Nov 6, 1966 (these were the three sisters who 
were cousins to Paralee and called her “Auntie Brite”. Stella paid for, in her 
will, stipulating the stone wall be built around the cemetery and for a paved 
road up to the cemetery, but the city used the road money for something else.) 

These are the daughters of Andrew Jackson Upton and Mary Tinker Upton)
William Homer Cash, Sept 23, 1875- Apr 6, 1917 (this is Stella’s husband)
(All four of the stones are upright, readable and in excellent condition)

Clara May Upton, wife of W.M. Ferguson, dau. of A.J. & M. T. Upton, Aug 18, 
1865- Feb 16, 1894 (Has the Lords’ Prayer on the lower portion of the stone)

Amelia L. Upton, wife of A.W. McCandless , Jan 30, 1868- June 22, 1893 “Another 
Link is broken, In our household band, But a chain is forming, In a better 
land.”

“OUR MOTHER”, Mary (Tinker) wife of A.J. Upton, Aug 8, 1835- Sept 16, 1912, “She 
stretcheth out her, hand to the poor, yea she, Reacheth forth her hand, To the 
needy Proverbs 31.20”. 

“OUR FATHER”, A. J. Upton, Born Nov 26, 1831, Died Oct 31, 1896, “Mark the 
perfect man and behold, the upright, for the end of that, man is peace Psalm 
cvi, 1.”

 (These four are very large stones of marble, they are in excellent 
condition) (A.J. Upton’s parents were William Upton and his wife Amelia 
Vertrees. William’s parents were Edward Upton (born in Tryon Co. KY 1775 and his 
wife Virginia Jane Trainer or Trammer. A. J. and G.W were full brothers)

Tontie, son of J.M. & Esler (Upton) King, Born June 10, 186(illegible? perhaps 
1865?), Died March 9, 1868, “Suffer little children come, unto me and forbid 
them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven”
 (this stone is very old and 
worn, Esler Dickey Upton was the daughter of G.W. Upton and his wife Elizabeth 
Flanders, Esler is the sister to Paralee Brite Upton and to Asbury Upton)

Lula Lee, daughter of A.J. & M.T. Upton, Born Dec 17, 1877, Died July 20, 1880, 
“Dearest Lula thou hast left us, Here thy loss we deeply feel, But it’s God That 
has bereft us, He can all our sorrows heal.” (This is another child of A.J. & 
Mary Tinker Upton)

Mariah wife of Robert B. Sullivan, Born Aug 2, 1838, Died Feb 4, 1863

Marcia (?) Sullivan, Born Nov 9, 1859, Died Feb 2, 1863

(the next group of stones are of babies who died in infancy, children of F.N. 
Brashear and his wife Paralee Brite Upton , these stones are still in the ground 
but are very old and the carving is becoming hard to read)

Ruby, dau. of F.N. & Paralee Brashear, Born July 1885, Died Sept 28, 1886 
Clarence, son of F.N. & Paralee Brashear, Born Apr 26, 1870, Died March 2, 1875
Adda dau. of F.N. & Paralee Brashear, Born Jan 25, 1872, Died Dec 23, 1873

(Very worn stone, but still standing) Asbury Upton, Apr 25, 1846- Feb 25, 1874, 
“Then pilgrim thy cares forego, All earth born cares are in vain, Man wants but 
little here below, Nor wants that little long” (This is the brother to Esler 
Dickey Upton King and Paralee Brite Upton Brashear, and the only son of George 
Washington Upton and his wife Elizabeth Flanders)

(This is a tall stone of marble which has fallen down, it marks the double grave 
of G.W. Upton and his wife Elizabeth Flanders. Her carving is on the side, his 
is on the front). (George Washington Upton is the son of the Edward Upton (born 
in 1775 in Tryon Co, NC) and his second wife Virginia Jane Trainer (Trammer). 
Elizabeth Flanders is the daughter of George W. Flanders and his wife Asaneth 
Skinner. George W. Flanders is the son of a Revolutionary War veteran who 
received a pension for his service).

George W. Upton, Born March 22, 1820, Died March 8, 1891, “Farewell my wife and 
children all, From you a husband and father, Christ doth call, Morn not for me, 
it is in vain, To call me back to your sight again, An honest man, the noblest 
work of God.”

Elizabeth (Flanders) Upton, Born Apr 4, 1817, Died May 15, 1899, “You are not 
dead to us, But as a bright star, unseen. , The hold what you are, over man, 
Though death intrudes in heaven.”

Edward Upton, May 4, 1775- Oct 21, 1852

Virginia (Janey) Trainer (or Trammer) Upton, (2nd) wife of Edward Upton, 
1791-June 1845
(The headstone was a replacement; not the original. It was large, about 4 to 5 
ft high, gray granite, it was there in 2001 and gone when I went back in 2003. 
There isn’t even a pedestal or any evidence left on the spot).

(Edward’s first wife was Margaret Rachael Black, a Highland Scot who was 6 ft 8 
in tall. This is the Edward who was born in Tryon Co NC as was his brother 
Daniel. Edward and Daniel (born in Tryon Co. in 1778) came to settle in Green 
Co. Ky. They also married sisters, Rachael Black married Edward and Mary Black 
married Daniel. The boys’ father was also named Edward Upton and he came from 
England, he was listed as doing “Patriotic Service” in the Revolutionary War. 
The Edward from England married about 3 times and had children by each wife but 
he always had his home in NC, in Tryon County, Rutherford Co, etc. He llived 
with his daughter Elizabeth Upton Brackette at the time of his death. She is 
buried in Dysertsville, NC. She accompanied him, along with his last wife and 
their young son to KY to see Edward and Daniel on last time before he died.)

This next stone is Daniel Upton the son of Edward Upton (born in Tryon Co, NC in 
1775 and his first wife Margaret Rachael Black)
Daniel Upton, Feb 7, 1798, Aug 23, 1870.
Sarah, wife of Daniel Upton, Dec 11, 1796-Oct 6, 1893

(These stones are very, very old and original but are showing a great deal of 
wear, but they are upright and of good size)
T.J. Upton, 1832-1919

Mary A., his wife, 1840-1925

“In Memory” (front of stone says) Henry T. Seco, born Sept 27, 1878, Died July 
9, 1908 (marker off of foundation, face up.)

Father, S. C. Jaggers, 1845-1921

Mother, Sarah E., his wife, 1846-1935

Charlie C. Jefferies, Born May 28, 1866, Died Nov 2, 1902, “You are not dead to 
us, But as a Bright Star, unseen threshold that you are ever near. Though death 
intrudes between.”

RUSH, Albert Rush Sept 10, 1840, May 15, 1934, Husband

Mary A., Dec. 19, 1848, Apr 27, 1934, Wife

(carving of two hands clasped in handshake) Elizabeth J. wife of Hardin Shively, 
Born May 22, 1825, Died Oct. 31, 1882

W.H. Shively, 1858-1923, Laura J. his wife 1864-(blank), “Asleep in Jesus.” 
(marker off of foundation)

Upton, Malvina C. , Aug 17, 1861-March 5, 1949

(5th row under cedar tree) Esler (Dickey Upton) King, Dec 7, 1849-Nov 30, 1913 
(This is the other daughter of G.W. Upton and his wife Elizabeth Flanders)

James M. King Aug 9, 1848-July 18, 1904 (this is Esler’s husband)
(Hand with index finger pointing heavenward) “Gone Home”

Green Upton, Born Jan 2, 1818, Died Aug 1, 1896 “Afflictions sore long, time I 
bore, Physicians, skill in pain, Till Christ was pleased to give me ease, and 
rid me of my Pain”

Arrozina (Rider) wife of Green Upton, 1821-1915, “Thy noble life is done, the 
battle fought the victory won.”

(both stone are quite old and both are lying on the ground under the cedar tree)

Soloy, son of T.J. & M. “?” Upton, May 4, 1863- Aug 7, 1864 (This child was 
named after William Upton’s & his wife’s Amelia (Vertrees) son Solon Finley 
Upton (born 1840 died March 21, 1862)

J.W. Flanders, Born March 8, 1855, Died March 9, 1893 (related to Elizabeth 
Flanders, wife of G.W.Upton )

ADDITIONS
 
Sarah Margaret Yates, June 27,1882 to Dec 13,1918
and 
Naome Yates,, BABY, Dec 12 1918 to Jan 12 1919