Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In this episode of Adventures Into History, we travel into the Wiregrass country of Georgia - to Turner County - where the cotton fields hold the stories of some of the area's earliest settlers.
I’m joined by Mark and Denise Lumpkin, who are working tirelessly to restore the long-neglected Clements Family Cemetery, where Mark's ancestors rest. This once-overgrown burial ground connects generations - from early pioneers and even to those tied to the capture of Jefferson Davis.
But this story goes far beyond broken stones.
Through rare historic photos of Turner County and an archival 1977 interview with members of the R. W. Clements family — including “Cinnie” Wynn Clements and her son Ruben Walton Clements Jr. - we hear the actual voices of the past, recalling rural life and legacy in rural Georgia. These rare recordings, paired with photos of the old Clements home built in the early 1800s, bring this forgotten history vividly to life.
Our journey continues as we brave Georgia’s infamous gnats and sticker weeds to locate the Ross Family Cemetery, where more of Mark’s ancestors rest - uncovering more forgotten graves, overgrown with time.
From the hardships of early settlers to modern preservation efforts, this episode bridges centuries, proving that history is not gone, only waiting to be rediscovered.
All historical photos and audio recordings are in the public domain or used under fair use from the Library of Congress.
In this episode of Adventures Into History, we travel into the Wiregrass country of Georgia - to Turner County - where the cotton fields hold the stories of some of the area's earliest settlers.
I’m joined by Mark and Denise Lumpkin, who are working tirelessly to restore the long-neglected Clements Family Cemetery, where Mark's ancestors rest. This once-overgrown burial ground connects generations - from early pioneers and even to those tied to the capture of Jefferson Davis.
But this story goes far beyond broken stones.
Through rare historic photos of Turner County and an archival 1977 interview with members of the R. W. Clements family — including “Cinnie” Wynn Clements and her son Ruben Walton Clements Jr. - we hear the actual voices of the past, recalling rural life and legacy in rural Georgia. These rare recordings, paired with photos of the old Clements home built in the early 1800s, bring this forgotten history vividly to life.
Our journey continues as we brave Georgia’s infamous gnats and sticker weeds to locate the Ross Family Cemetery, where more of Mark’s ancestors rest - uncovering more forgotten graves, overgrown with time.
From the hardships of early settlers to modern preservation efforts, this episode bridges centuries, proving that history is not gone, only waiting to be rediscovered.
All historical photos and audio recordings are in the public domain or used under fair use from the Library of Congress.
