You ever been to Forsyth City Cemetery? It ain’t your ordinary resting place. Let me tell y’all, what started as a humble church burial ground grew into a whoppin’ 26 acres of history! Buried there are Civil War soldiers, important figures in Georgia’s history…and more than a few remarkable tales. In fact, I’m fixin’ to share a couple that might just send shivers up your spine! Get ready to hear some tales from Forsyth’s Beyond.
A Midnight Ride from Forsyth’s Beyond
Legend has it, Dr. Asa V. Mann loved his horse so much that he wanted to rest for eternity right alongside it. Now, I don’t know about y’all but being buried next to a horse wouldn’t be my first wish. But it seems the good doctor wanted the convenience of havin’ his horse nearby for a ride now and then. They say when the moon is full and the clock strikes midnight, you can hear a faint gallopin’ of that very horse’s hooves across the starry night sky. Spooky!
The Hostess with the Mostess
If you wander a little further, you’ll find the grave of Aggie Newton. Now, Miss Aggie was quite the character. I knew her to be a natural hostess. She lived over 65 years at the corner of Agnes and East Main Streets. She also studied in Paris, foraged mushrooms out in the Monroe County woods, taught Sunday school and had a refined taste for American art. I don’t know whether to admire her ingenuity or call her a tad eccentric. When Miss Aggie would go off to enjoy the Florida sun in winter, she told us she had put rattlesnakes out in her house! I never knew whether what she told us was true—you weren’t about to see me poking my nose in to check!—but I suppose it doesn’t matter, either way she never did have a break-in. And I‘ll tell ya, there wasn’t one of us eager to set foot on that porch even now, 30 years after her passing. That’s one way to ensure no one disturbs your eternal peace!
One Foot in the Grave
Poor Miss Elsie. Y’all, if my son ever pulls a stunt like Elsie Norsworthy…well let’s just say a mother’s love only goes so far. I never knew Miss Elsie, but we ALL heard the tale growin’ up of how her son bought her a casket long before her death in ‘64. He kept it in the family hall and had her rest a little in it every night! Supposedly he just wanted to ensure his momma would be comfortable in the afterlife, but I don’t know… I’m just superstitious enough not to tempt the Grim Reaper! What do y’all think, thoughtful gestures of a loving son or downright creepy?
Friendship Never Ends
You might need a handkerchief for this next story, dear friends. I know I never can get through the tellin’ without sheddin’ a tear. ‘Tis why I’ve saved it for last!
The grave I’m talking about is unmarked and not in the cemetery at all. For this story, I’m takin’ you off to the old stone depot in downtown Forsyth. This is where a loyal dog named Sam was laid to rest nearby. Sam was whip-smart and loyal to his core. He lived in the days of the Civil War, belongin’ to a boy named Aaron. Aaron and Sam were the best of friends, and Sam would follow him everywhere. But one day Aaron received the opportunity to travel north by train to help his brother in the war, a place Sam couldn’t follow him. Though he tied Sam to a tree at his folk’s home so he could leave without Sam followin’, Sam was made of sterner stuff. About halfway to the depot, Sam caught up with his friend, who had no time to double back. In town, Sam was given into the care of Aaron’s friend Fred who was at the depot to check the post.
The Tale Continues from Forsyth’s Beyond…
Fred tried to take Sam home, but Sam would have none of it, and followed him back to town each time. Sam began a routine of greetin’ the train whenever it would come in, lookin’ for his best friend Aaron. When Forsyth turned into Confederate hospital camps, with wounded being delivered by train, Sam became a beloved and welcome sight. When the war was over, Aaron first stepped off the train to a welcoming Sam. Only the Sam he saw turned out to be a ghostly figure, there one minute, and gone the next. Fred explained to Aaron how only a few weeks before, Union soldiers were in town lootin’ when Sam heard a train and ran to greet it while barking. The Union soldiers (having learned what Sam was about) raced to follow and capture the incomin’ train. Unfortunately for them, the train bore news of the war’s end. And sadly for Sam, their horses trampled the poor loyal dog before he could welcome his friend home. A kindly old man, one of the wounded whom Sam had befriended, buried Sam in a spot next to the old stone depot.
They say you can still catch sight of Sam at times, even hear his faint bark on the wind as a train whistles through town. Though the train doesn’t stop anymore, Sam and his everlasting friendship live on in his descendants. The ol’ boy left behind a litter of puppies for his best friend Aaron and new friend Fred to raise.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these tales from Forsyth’s Beyond. Make sure to take a look at the other stories I’ve shared and stop by the historical society the next time you visit to ask about their cemetery tours!
‘Til Next Time,
Your Storyteller
