1813- Henry Lonas Cemetery

Also known as the Lonas Family Cemetery, or the Lonas and Crawford Cemetery.

Location: 2756 Fillmore Avenue, West Hills neighborhood, Knoxville

The Lonas Family Cemetery was established in 1813 by Henry Lonas (1765-1848), who was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. A page on the City of Knoxville website says that there are 180 burials here. There is more information about the cemetery here, on an old website for the Knox County, Tennessee Genealogy and History Website (part of the TNGenWeb Project).

There is a sign at the cemetery that reads: "Henry Lonas Cemetery- Henry Lonas (born Sept. 4, 1765; died July 27, 1848) established this cemetery in 1813... He was owner of a large tract of land nearby and a patriot of the American Revolution. He was husband of Sebella Helsley and later Elizabeth Yoast, both buried here... in his will he described this plot as being planted with apple trees... Buried here also are family members who fought in the War of 1812. In grateful memory of Henry Lonas, this marker was erected by many of his descendants."

The website FindAGrave.com has a page for this cemetery. It lists 193 burials here, more than the 180 cited by the City of Knoxville. The person with the earliest birth date listed on the page is Francis Yost, born 1756 and died June 7, 1834. The oldest burial listed on this page is Sebilla Helsley, Henry Lonas' wife, who was born around 1767 and died on October 10, 1813. She may have been the first person buried there.

It appears that the oldest grave markers are the smaller-sized rough stones on the west side of the cemetery; see the fifth and sixth pictures below. They look like they are unmarked.