Rev. William Crutcher of early New Market, Al

One of the earliest know Cumberland Presbyterian Campgrounds is that of Mount Paran at New Market, Alabama.. added to the Alabama Register of Historic Places in 1989... given as a six acre campground and cemetery by Revolutionary War Veteran Samuel Davis by his will in 1842.. this historic old cemetery has more than 400 gravesites..including one of the largest intact "slave" cemeteries in Alabama.. numerous old famlies of North Alabama are represented here..including as many as twenty Confederate soldiers... War of 1812 Veterans and other Revolutionary War Veterans.. Due to the illegal destruction of the ancient old cedar trees by an illegal timberman in 1966, many of the old boxtombs and ancient old stones were destroyed... A division in the Cumberland Prebysterian Church in 1906 resulted in unclear ownership of the six acre site...until 1988 when session records were located...

A group of descendants organized a nonprofit corporation in 1989...Mount Paran Campground Cemetery Inc.. to maintain the historical recognition, restoration and preservation of the old cemetery and campground.. The campground was a favored campsite for early Cherokees of the area...and used as a muster ground during the early Mississippi Territorial Days of Alabama.. Capt. John Williams was the muster Captain.. Andrew Jackson is said to have spent much time at the old campground...during the early days of the Creek War..

Efforts are underway to have this historic old cemetery placed on the National Register of Historic Places.. As the old town of New Market was established early as 1806..this old cemetery and campground is Madison County's most historic spot...worthy of preservation... Work is also being planned to preserve the "large slave cemetery" located on the northern boundry... perhaps one of the largest intact remaining cemeteries..work to document the history of these early Black families and their descendants is also underway... Help is needed... volunteers are needed... Vol II of Cemeteries of Madison County Alabama lists many of the old gravesites... For more info contact Debbie at [email protected]


Isaac Cook, James Cook and Anna Cook buried at Mount Paran.. Isaac Cook chartered the Masonic Lodge at New Market, Alabama in 1839


Rev. William Crutcher of old New Market is also buried at Mount Paran Cemetery.. his descendants married into the family of Charles Word..also buried at Mount Paran... Bruce Crutcher fell at the Battle of Nashville...