HISTORY OF POLSTON CEMETERY
Aka Old Stephen Goodman Cemetey
Kessinger, Hart County, Kentucky

In the earlier days of 1800 and 1900, this Cemetery was known as the STEPHEN GOODMAN FAMILY CEMETERY; but in recent years it has become known as the POLSTON FAMILY CEMETERY.  There are 49 or 50 known graves in this cemetery. While some are marked with only a fieldstone, others are well marked with tombstones. 

There are four families buried in this cemetery.  They are PHILPOTT, LATHERY (Often pronounced in early days as “LAWHAIR”), GOODMAN, and POLSTON / POSTON. 

The PHILPOTT graves are located to the left just as you enter the gate. 

The LATHERY graves are located straight back from the entrance gate in the lower part of the cemetery. 

Then, up the hill is located the GOODMAN Row of graves. 

Next, you will see the row of Andrew POLSTON’s family--his wife, son, two daughters, and four other graves known by me only as "Polston". All of Andrew POLSTON’s family is buried in this Cemetery with the exception of one son, William Preston POLSTON, who is buried in Rest Haven Cemetery, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. I believe that Rebecca Polston Seaton, sister to Andrew M. Polston, is buried in one of these unknown Polston graves.  And perhaps Hannah Seaton Lothery, d/o Rebecca Polston Seaton, is buried in the Lothery Row due to Hannah's daughter, Eliza Thomas "Lizie" Lothery Jaggers, being buried here according to Eliza's death certificate.  However, I have no proof that Rebecca Polston Seaton & Hannah Seaton Lothery are buried here.

The next row is Stephen Douglas POSTON with wife, some of his children, and great grandson Edward Eugene Ruark. 

Then, there is the row of graves of George James McClellan POLSTON with his wife and children. 

The grave over by itself in the very back row is that believed to be James David POLSTON, a Civil War Veteran and a brother of Andrew POLSTON. A military tombstone was erected at the site for James David POSLTON in 2002. 

At the far end of the Goodman Row, are two graves--one with a head stone of Harriet MATHEWS and the other is known only as a baby of Harriet MATHEWS.  The MATHEWS were in-laws of Bonnay Anna Edwards Mathews, who was a sister to Martha Jane Edwards Poston (wife of Stephen Douglas Poston).

The GOODMAN, POLSTON, POSTON Families were once believed to be one family and the PHILPOTT and LATHERY were once believed to have been another family as I had been told by older family members that after Grandpap ANDREW M. POLSTON died, his good friend and neighbor by the name of Lewis PHILPOTT (father of Rob Lewis Philpott) wanted to be buried near Grandpap Andrew M. POLSTON; and then other PHILPOTT and LATHERY family members were buried in this cemetery.  Recent research in 2003 by obtaining some death certificates has revealed a connection of the LATHERY Family to the POLSTON Family.

Grandpap Andrew M. POLSTON had a sister named Rebecca POLSTON who married John A. SEATON.  Rebecca Polston Seaton & John A. Seaton had seven children that I know about.  One of their daughters was named Hannah "Bittie" Seaton who married William "Bill" Lothery (1834-1921) and had 9 children.  I obtained the death certificate of Eliza Thomas 'Lizie' Lothery Jaggers 1883-1946 (Eliza was d/o Hannah "Bittie" Seaton  and William "Bill" Lothery and Eliza was granddaughter of Rebecca Polston Seaton & John A Seaton) which states she was buried in the Polston Family Cemetery, Kessinger, KY.  Eliza Thomas "Lizie" Lothery Jaggers' husband's (Martin VanBuren Jaggers 1879-1923) death certificate also states he (Martin VanBuren Jaggers) is buried in the Polston Family Cemetery, Kessinger, Hart Co., KY.   So, with Eliza Thomas "Lizie" LOTHERY-JAGGERS being buried in this cemetery and she being a granddaughter of Rebecca POLSTON-SEATON leads me to believe perhaps Rebecca POLSTON-Seaton may be buried in one of the unmarked POLSTON graves.  Also, perhaps Hannah "Bittie" SEATON-LOTHERY (m/o Eliza Thomas "Lizie" LOTHERY-JAGGERS) may be buried in one of the unmarked LOTHERY graves.

POLSTON and POSTON are the same family.  Andrew M. POLSTON and Elizabeth GOODMAN POLSTON had six children.  Five of their children went by the surname of POLSTON but Stephen Douglas POSTON left the “L” out of his name.  However, Stephen Douglas POSTON’s tombstone has “POLSTON” with the “L” in his name.  When his daughter, Ollie May POSTON PRESLEY, had his tombstone engraved, she also had several other POLSTON tombstones engraved.  She gave the person who was to do the engraving the name Stephen Douglas POSTON (without the “L”); but the person engraving the stone thought Ollie had made an error and he put his name as POLSTON with the "L" on the tombstone.  Ollie May POSTON PRESLEY said, “He’ll never know the difference” and left the tombstone with the name POLSTON.   Well! His death certificate has Stephen Douglas POLSTON (with the “L”) as he died while staying with a niece, Clara POLSTON YAGER; and Clara turned his name in as POLSTON with the "L".  However, his death certificate states Mrs. Curtis Price (which is Dora Poston Price and was daughter of Stephen Douglas Position.) was the informant for the information on the death certificate.  Perhaps Dora POSTON PRICE turned the name in as POLSTON or the person writing the information on the death certificate spelled his name like the spelling of his father, Andrew Polston.