The building of Norris Dam in Claiborne County, Tennessee by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) displaced a greater number of families than any other TVA project. The land purchases displaced over 3000 families over the 153,000 acres in the Norris Basin. Most of the families were farmers and tenants of those farmers. Cemeteries that would end up underwater were moved with relatives of those buried in those cemeteries making the choice of who to move and where. The Lemarr Cemetery was one of those cemeteries.
The location of the cemetery was Powell River Mile above Blue Springs Hollow. For each grave moved the requestor had to pay $20. The original cemetery was on the property of John Taylor. The graves were moved to Lemarr Cemetery (R-59 on the TVA Map). The distance between the two was a 4.5 mile drive. Isaac Newton (I.N.) Lemarr requested that 14 graves be removed. These were members of his family.
Removals started on Monday 7 Jan 1935 and completed on Friday 11 Jan 1935; None were moved on Wednesday, 9 Jan 1935.
- 4 relocations on Monday
- 6 relocations on Tuesday
- 6 relocations on Thursday
- 3 relocations on Friday
Below is representative of what the Grave Removal Records looked like.
The tables below contain information about those who were removed and reinterred in the new cemetery. This first table contains the vital and relationship information for each individual.
| Grave | Name | Birth | Death | Cause | Nearest Relative | Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | John Bratcher | 1780 | 1866 | I.N. Lemarr | Great Nephew | |
| 3 | Temperance Davis | 1802 | 1882 | I.N. Lemarr | Grandson | |
| 1 | D.F. Lemarr | 1869 | 1899 | Typhoid Fever | Alice Hopper | Daughter |
| 28 | Effie LeMarr | 1911 | 1914 | Pneumonia | V. Lemarr | Father |
| 26 | Frances M. Lemarr | 1852 | 1896 | T.B. | I.N. Lemarr | Husband |
| 4 | Infant LeMarr | I.N. Lemarr | Brother | |||
| 6 | Infant Lemarr | I.N. Lemarr | Brother | |||
| 7 | Infant Lemarr | I.N. Lemarr | Brother | |||
| 8 | Infant Lemarr | I.N. Lemarr | Brother | |||
| 25 | Infant Lemarr | Stillborn | I.N. Lemarr | Father | ||
| 22 | Jas Madison Lemarr | 1831 | 1915 | I.N. Lemarr | Son | |
| 20 | John B. Lemarr | 1880 | 1883 | Croup | I.N. Lemarr | Father |
| 16 | Margaret Matilda Lemarr | 1877 | 1881 | Croup | I.N. Lemarr | Brother |
| 18 | Mary Obedience Lemarr | 1885 | 1887 | I.N. Lemarr | Father | |
| 27 | Minerva L. Lemarr | 1864 | 1908 | I.N. Lemarr | Husband | |
| 2 | Minnie V. Lemarr | Alice Hopper | Sister | |||
| 29 | Mrs. Rosa Lemarr | 1889 | 1915 | T.B. | V. Lemarr | Husband |
| 21 | Obedience Lemarr | 1830 | 1902 | Cancer | I.N. Lemarr | Son |
| 31 | Earl Young | 1913 | 1915 | Pneumonia | Sarah Young | Mother |
This table describes the tombstone and grave contents for each individual.
| Grave | Name | Tombstone and Inscription | Contents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | John Bratcher | Rough head and footstones with inscription J.B.W.B | Wood Container with bones and black dirt |
| 3 | Temperance Davis | Rough head stone with inscription May 6, 1882 | Wood Container with bones and black dirt |
| 1 | D.F. Lemarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container with complete skeleton and black dirt |
| 28 | Effie LeMarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container with skeleton and black dirt, 2 coffin handles, 1 doll head |
| 26 | Frances M. Lemarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container with skeleton and black dirt, shoes and coffin screws |
| 4 | Infant LeMarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container with black dirt only |
| 6 | Infant Lemarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container with few bones and black dirt |
| 7 | Infant Lemarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container |
| 8 | Infant Lemarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container |
| 25 | Infant Lemarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container with few bones and black dirt |
| 22 | Jas Madison Lemarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container with few bones and black dirt |
| 20 | John B. Lemarr | Rough head and footstones with inscription John B. Lemarr | Wood Container with few bones and black dirt, shoes |
| 16 | Margaret Matilda Lemarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container with few Bones and black dirt, shoes |
| 18 | Mary Obedience Lemarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container with few bones, hair and black dirt, shoes |
| 27 | Minerva L. Lemarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container with skeleton and black dirt, coffin screws, false teeth, shoes |
| 2 | Minnie V. Lemarr | Rough Head and footstones | Wood Container with few bones and black dirt |
| 29 | Mrs. Rosa Lemarr | Rough stones | Wood Container with skeleton and black dirt |
| 21 | Obedience Lemarr | Rough head and footstones | Wood Container with few bones and black dirt, 2 coffin handles |
| 31 | Earl Young | Rough Head and footstones with inscription Samuel Everet Earl Young | Wood Container with skeleton bones and black dirt, 2 shoes and 2 coffin handles |
This table showcases the timelines associated with the grave removal and reburial process for each individual.
| Grave | Name | Removal | Transported | Reburied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | John Bratcher | 8 Jan 1935 - 2:30 PM | 8 Jan 1935 - 2:40 PM (4.5 miles) | 8 Jan 1935 - 3:35 PM |
| 3 | Temperance Davis | 8 Jan 1935 - 12:05 PM | 8 Jan 1935 - 2:40 PM (4.5 miles) | 8 Jan 1935 - 3:50 PM |
| 1 | D.F. Lemarr | 11 Jan 1935 - 10:50 AM | 11 Jan 1935 - 11:55 AM (4.5 miles) | 11 Jan 1935 - 1:50 PM |
| 28 | Effie LeMarr | 10 Jan 1935 - 11:15 AM | 10 Jan 1935 - 2:00 PM (4.5 miles) | 10 Jan 1935 - 2:45 PM |
| 26 | Frances M. Lemarr | 7 Jan 1935 - 1:40 PM | 7 Jan 1935 - 2:20 PM (4.5 miles) | 7 Jan 1935 - 3:55 PM |
| 4 | Infant LeMarr | 8 Jan 1935 - 1:30 PM | 8 Jan 1935 - 2:40 PM (4.5 miles) | 8 Jan 1935 - 3:40 PM |
| 6 | Infant Lemarr | 10 Jan 1935 - 11:20 AM | 10 Jan 1935 - 2:00 PM (4.5 miles) | 10 Jan 1935 - 3:10 PM |
| 7 | Infant Lemarr | 10 Jan 1935 - 11:30 AM | 10 Jan 1935 - 2:00 PM (4.5 miles) | 10 Jan 1935 - 3:05 PM |
| 8 | Infant Lemarr | 10 Jan 1935 - 1:35 PM | 10 Jan 1935 - 2:00 PM (4.5 miles) | 10 Jan 1935 - 3:00 PM |
| 25 | Infant Lemarr | 8 Jan 1935 - 10:10 AM | 8 Jan 1935 - 2:40 PM | 8 Jan 1935 - 3:35 PM |
| 22 | Jas Madison Lemarr | 7 Jan 1935 - 12:25 PM | 7 Jan 1935 - 2:20 PM | 7 Jan 1935 - 3:45 PM |
| 20 | John B. Lemarr | 10 Jan 1935 - 11:10 AM | 10 Jan 1935 - 2:00 PM | 10 Jan 1935 - 2:55 PM |
| 16 | Margaret Matilda Lemarr | 8 Jan 1935 - 11:00 PM | 8 Jan 1935 - 2:40 PM | 8 Jan 1935 - 3:45 PM |
| 18 | Mary Obedience Lemarr | 8 Jan 1935 - 9:40 AM | 8 Jan 1935 - 2:40 PM | 8 Jan 1935 - 3:35 PM |
| 27 | Minerva L. Lemarr | 7 Jan 1935 - 1:50 PM | 7 Jan 1935 - 2:20 PM | 7 Jan 1935 - 3:50 PM |
| 2 | Minnie V. Lemarr | 11 Jan 1935 - 9:15 AM | 11 Jan 1935 - 11:55 AM | 11 Jan 1935 - 1:40 PM |
| 29 | Mrs. Rosa Lemarr | 10 Jan 1935 - 11:45 AM | 10 Jan 1935 - 2:00 PM | 10 Jan 1935 - 2:48 PM |
| 21 | Obedience Lemarr | 7 Jan 1935 - 12:50 PM | 7 Jan 1935 - 2:20 PM | 7 Jan 1935 - 3:40 PM |
| 31 | Earl Young | 11 Jan 1935 - 10:05 AM | 11 Jan 1935 - 11:55 AM | 11 Jan 1935 - 1:35 PM |