Tales from beyond the grave

FLORENCE - The Florence City Cemetery, laid out when the city first was surveyed in 1818, offers countless lessons in Florence history. - Graves of early settlers, former governors, community leaders, Civil War soldiers and members of prominent families lie in the quiet and gently rolling acreage.

Those history lessons come to life Sunday when Heritage Preservation Inc., a local historical-preservation group, hosts its first Cemetery Stroll.

The stroll features local actors portraying about 12 people buried in the cemetery. The actors will be dressed in authentic costumes and will tell the stories of the historical characters they're representing.

Stroll organizers wanted to include familiar figures -- such as Gov. Edward A. O'Neal -- and-lesser-known residents such as Bessie Rapier Foster, one of Florence's first black businesswomen, and Samuel Weakley Lipscomb, the city's first chief of police. (Previously, that position had been a city marshal.)

Meticulous research

"And with some of the characters, such as outlaw Tom Clark, people may discover that what they thought they knew may not be what really happened," said Lee Freeman with HPI.

Freeman, head of Florence-Lauderdale Public Library's Local History and Genealogy Department, wrote the biographies of the historical characters portrayed in the stroll.

"We've done a meticulous amount of research, trying to be as true to history as possible," Freeman said. "One cast member actually has been in touch with the daughter of the character she's playing in order to get first-hand information. We want folks to learn some genuine history about these people and have a great time doing it."

HPI members also hope the stroll raises awareness about the historic city cemetery -- and money for its restoration.

Bob Torbett, an HPI member, works with the Alabama Historical Commission to locate, record and restore Lauderdale County-cemeteries.

"He already has completed lots of work in the Florence City Cemetery and has entered into a computer database more than 75,000 names from grave markers in Lauderdale County," said Billy Warren, HPI chairman. "HPI wanted to stage a fundraiser to help Bob-with his almost-monumental task, and a cemetery stroll seemed appropriate.

A similar event has been done successfully in other communities, so we believe that it can be just as successful in Florence."

Those attending the stroll will learn about some impressive and accomplished people who lived in Florence, Warren said.

'Indelible imprints'

"We also want visitors to see that our early citizens made indelible imprints on our beautiful town, which are still visible today," he added.

Some of the historical characters and the actors playing them are:

Co-leader of an outlaw gang "Mountain" Tom Clark -- Bill Foster, University of North Alabama professor emeritus who has studied Clark for years; Police Chief Samuel Weakley Lipscomb -- Jacob Grissom, Florence police officer and local performer; Alabama Gov. Edward A. O'Neal -- Wally Haeger, local performer;

Olivia Moore O'Neal, wife to one Alabama governor and mother to another -- Cindy Haeger; Professor Young A. Wallace, who taught the young W.C. Handy -- Derrick Robinson; lawyer and businessman James Irvine -- Rob Hunter, musician and local radio personality; Emily B. Irvine, wife of James Irvine -- Alicia Hunter; Bessie Rapier Foster -- Dolores Nash, author, historian, actress and playwright who knew Foster personally;

Florence Wagon Works founder Dr. Alfred D. Bellamy -- Keith Rhodes, local actor; early dry-goods merchant John Baptiste Sannoner, who also was the brother of the man credited with surveying and naming Florence -- William Freeman, actor and local historian;

War of 1812 veteran, first Florence mayor and founder of the Florence Masonic Lodge Alexander H. Wood Sr. -- Doug Harper; and postmaster and city engineer Maj. Albert Negley -- Bobby Bugg, local historian.

Cathy Wood Myers can be reached at 740-5733 or cathy.myers@timesdaily.com.