Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
We’ve returned to Bonetown Cemetery in Ellerslie, Georgia to uncover even more history hidden beneath the surface. This time, we have an official count of the graves found with ground-penetrating radar. With the leaves cleared away, the unmarked graves and their indentions are now visible like never before.
Dan Akin and I are joined again by John Posey, who has begun marking these once-forgotten graves with wooden crosses, ensuring they are no longer lost to time. But one grave holds an especially incredible story.
Willis Jenkins was born into slavery in 1845. In 1865, as the Civil War came to an end, he made a life-changing decision—he joined the Union Army. As a member of the 138th US Colored Infantry (USCI), Willis Jenkins fought for freedom in a war that once enslaved him. After mustering out, he returned to Harris County, Georgia, where he lived the rest of his life. His final resting place is now here, in this historic cemetery.
This is one of the most powerful and emotional stories we've uncovered. The graves in this cemetery may have been hidden, but the people buried here deserve to be remembered.
If you love forgotten history, hidden cemeteries, and incredible true stories, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more.
#LostHistory #SlaveToSoldier #HiddenCemetery #CivilWarHistory #UnionArmy #HistoricGraves #AfricanAmericanHistory #ForgottenHeroes #138thUSCI #CemeteryExploration
We’ve returned to Bonetown Cemetery in Ellerslie, Georgia to uncover even more history hidden beneath the surface. This time, we have an official count of the graves found with ground-penetrating radar. With the leaves cleared away, the unmarked graves and their indentions are now visible like never before.
Dan Akin and I are joined again by John Posey, who has begun marking these once-forgotten graves with wooden crosses, ensuring they are no longer lost to time. But one grave holds an especially incredible story.
Willis Jenkins was born into slavery in 1845. In 1865, as the Civil War came to an end, he made a life-changing decision—he joined the Union Army. As a member of the 138th US Colored Infantry (USCI), Willis Jenkins fought for freedom in a war that once enslaved him. After mustering out, he returned to Harris County, Georgia, where he lived the rest of his life. His final resting place is now here, in this historic cemetery.
This is one of the most powerful and emotional stories we've uncovered. The graves in this cemetery may have been hidden, but the people buried here deserve to be remembered.
If you love forgotten history, hidden cemeteries, and incredible true stories, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more.
#LostHistory #SlaveToSoldier #HiddenCemetery #CivilWarHistory #UnionArmy #HistoricGraves #AfricanAmericanHistory #ForgottenHeroes #138thUSCI #CemeteryExploration
