The Frankie Lyle Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Texas Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy held a ceremony dedicating the grave markers honoring the memory of 11 soldiers of the 10th Regiment, Texas Infantry on Saturday, April 5 at the Patrick R. Cleburne Confederate Cemetery in Jonesboro. Ga. Bettye Baty placed the Texas Division wreath while a descendant of one of the Texas soldiers placed Texas soil and a Texas flag in front of the grave markers. Daughters from the Frankie Lyle Chapter placed a yellow rose on each Texas soldier’s grave.

Guest speakers were historians Ted Key and Mark Pollard and Georgia division president Martha Locke. Key spoke on “Why Jonesboro?” while Pollard spoke about “The 10th Texas” and Locke provided a Georgia tribute to the Texas soldiers.

Approximately 100 people attended including the United Daughters of the Confederacy historian General Sybil Willingham; division officers vice president Linda Kennedy, treasurer Phyllis Davis, registrar Alice Pounds, historian Carolyn Wilson, corresponding secretary Eugenia Cavender, parliamentarian Jane Durden and division pianist Mary Crawford; Texas division president Vickie Knuth; Texas division graves marker chairman Barbara Gilbert; Texas members Bettye Baty and Lisa Kight and descendant Keitha Estes, Georgia re-enactors, and retired Senator Terrell Starr. Ladies in traditional mourning attire were visible circulating among the guests.

Presentation of wreaths were made by UDC general; UDC. Texas Division; UDC Georgia Division; Frankie Lyle Chapter No. 2074, Atlanta Chapter No. 18, James S. Boynton Chapter No. 222, Patrick R. Cleburne Camp No. 1361, General Longstreet Camp. No. 1289, General LaFayette McLaws Camp No. 79, Coweta Guards/William Thomas Overby Camp No. 715 and Historical Jonesboro/Clayton County Inc.

During the ceremony special music was provided by Jeff Tatum and Fred Zimmerman.

After the dedication, a musket and canon salute was given by the Georgia re-enactors. Bagpiper Richard Smith ended the ceremony with a moving rendition of “Amazing Grace.”

A well attended reception was held following the dedication at Stately Oaks Plantation in the Old Bethel Schoolhouse. Ladies of the Frankie Lyle Chapter provided refreshments after which many of the out-of-town guests were given a tour of the Plantation house.

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