Home > United States of America > Kentucky > Jefferson County > Louisville > Berry Hill Cemetery

Berry Hill Cemetery

Memorials	:	1
Location	:	Louisville, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate	:	38.2943910, -85.6404680
Description	:	Robert Foster Johnson noted in his Wilderness Road Cemetery book, pub. 1981, that the property now belongs to Mrs. Jacqueline. It is about one mile north of Zachary Taylor Cemetery on hill overlooking Ohio River on spot 100 yds. behind the beautiful cabin home of Mrs. Kirchner. Approx. 25 graves. This is the original Bate Family plot. The owner says it was a land grant of several thousand acres, stretching all the way from Zorn Avenue and the Veteran's Hospital nearly to the mouth of Harrod's Creek. The mansion of around 100 rooms still stands. It is exactly 1/8 mile... Read More	Robert Foster Johnson noted in his Wilderness Road Cemetery book, pub. 1981, that the property now belongs to Mrs. Jacqueline. It is about one mile north of Zachary Taylor Cemetery on hill overlooking Ohio River on spot 100 yds. behind the beautiful cabin home of Mrs. Kirchner. Approx. 25 graves. This is the original Bate Family plot. The owner says it was a land grant of several thousand acres, stretching all the way from Zorn Avenue and the Veteran's Hospital nearly to the mouth of Harrod's Creek. The mansion of around 100 rooms still stands. It is exactly 1/8 mile north of US 42. Tucked away in the wealthy suburb of Glenview Hills is the Bate Family Burial Ground. It is strange to walk through this exclusive neighborhood and suddenly come upon a cemetery. It sits behind a large home at 5905 Cabin Way, but the cemetery is not part of that property. The cemetery was part of the former Bate estate, a sprawling mansion named “Berry Hill,” located at 5900 Burlington Avenue. In the historical context, it is understandable that the prominent Bate family, like many wealthy landowners, would have its own family burial ground on their property. In this way, the family could be kept together, and it was also a way to ensure that the graves would be maintained. Centuries later, however, the Bate family would be shocked at the condition of the once-revered resting place of their loved ones. This small cemetery is about a half mile from the old manse, an easy walk across what would then have been part of their acreage. About one block long, it is surrounded by a stone wall, with an iron fence around the top. The wall is intact and strong, but the gate is torn down. Large tree limbs have fallen down, almost covering the entryway. The grounds are not maintained at all. The grass is overgrown, and weeds are running rampant. There were no flowers growing, even on a beautiful May day. The trees provided a lovely canopy, though. The graveyard appears to have been in use from 1834 up to around 1898. There are about 30 people buried here. Four obelisk gravestones reach to the sky, the oldest being that shared by the patriarch, James Smalley Bate, who died in 1834 at age 58, and his wife, Lucy Moore Throckmorton Bate, who died in 1851 at the age of 73. The other obelisks are the graves of three of their children, Gerard Bond Bate, who died in 1870 in his 53rd year, Robert (1804-1878), and James (1801-1880). The tall obelisks are meant to be impressive, but it is the children’s graves that have the most impact. This family, though wealthy and powerful, saw its share of death, and its youngest members were not spared. The children’s graves are lined up in a row, some so small that they are almost hidden by the overgrown grass and weeds. How saddened I was to discover that Dabney Bate lived only seven days, from October 23-October 30, 1844. One gravestone is so old that the writing can no longer be read, followed by George, who also died in 1844, and another with only the base, the actual stone broken off, who died in 1854. Although there are many children’s graves, only one, Percy’s, had a lamb, which is a common symbol for a child’s gravestone. As was normal during this period, there are more of those who died young than of those who were longer-lived, the oldest of whom was John Throckmorton Bate, another of James and Lucy’s sons, who died at age 89 in 1898. Although most of the gravestones are the standard “tombstone” shape on a base, made of gray stone, a newer granite stone houses the family of John Throckmorton Bate (1809-1898). He is memorialized here with his son, Clarence (1836-1898), along with his wife, Octavia Zantzinger Bate (1838-1896), and their children, Seawell (1861-1862), Murray (1875-1881), and James (1879). This granite marker is actually shaped like a house. It is a square stone, on a base, with a roof-shaped top. This stone has raised lettering, and is the only stone with any design. Carved into the “roof” is a pattern of circles, with the initial B in the center. The obelisk of Gerard Bond Bate, the youngest son of James and Lucy, is made of brown granite. These stones appear more modern, and may have been added later, as noted by the material and workmanship. These are likely memorials, rather than actual gravestones, since John and his son’s family are all represented by one stone. Overgrown with grass and weeds, with fallen trees almost blocking the entryway, bugs flitting about, never sure where to plant my foot so as not to disturb some hidden mouse or snake, I nevertheless felt honor and respect for these people, who were obviously held in great esteem by their family. Although there is room for more graves, this cemetery has long been abandoned. The state of disrepair of the gravestones and the overgrown grass and weeds is disheartening. It is painfully obvious that no one visits here, and it is sad that nobody seems to care. Still, though, these old gravestones have character and, with the sun shining through the canopy of trees, birds chirping, this is a restful place. (Ellen White; May 2014)

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Berry Hill Cemetery?
Berry Hill Cemetery is located at 5907-R Burlington Avenue Louisville, Jefferson County ,Kentucky ,USA.
Berry Hill Cemetery cemetery's updated grave count on graveviews.com?
1 memorials
Where are the coordinates of the Berry Hill Cemetery?
Latitude: 38.2943910
Longitude: -85.6404680

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Berry Hill Cemetery

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