The Wingards: Elmdale (1)

Elmdale was the Moore-Wingard plantation in northwest Pike County and southern Montgomery County. It was sold off to a paper company in the middle of the last century. The old plantation land can be seen along the southern end of Moore Road below highway 94 and all along Wingard Road. The Moore-Wingard Cemetery is a few hundred yards off the southern side of Wingard Road about 100 yards before you reach the point where Wingard Road takes a hard right to the washed out bridge that leads to Moore Road.

The photographs below were taken during a visit in July 2007. Since then, work parties have cleaned the family cemetery.

For the handful of folks who are interested in finding the cemetery: When you start down Wingard Road toward the cemetery, you’ll pass an alligator farm on your left. No need to worry, even though an alligator or two occasionally escapes. You’re far more likely to be bit by a tick or mosquito. So bring plenty of bug spray. And beware of poison oak, which appears to be the dominant plant life in the area.

The next three pictures are the grave site of my great-grandfather George Franklin Wingard (1860-1949) and his second wife Carrie Lou Moore Wingard (1870-1955). Carrie Lou’s father was Thomas Marquis de Lafayette Moore, Sr. My dad tells me that that the great revolutionary leader Marquis de Lafayette may have spent the night at Elmdale during his return to America in later life.

In the picture above, two markers are just to the right of the Wingard tombstone. These are the graves of Carrie Lou Wingard’s parents (additional information below).

George Franklin Wingard had 16 children. Three were by his first wife, Lennah Emma Curry (1862-1889), who is buried over in Pisgah. I’ll post  pictures from Pisgah later. The three children were:

Clyde Irene Emma Wingard Menefee (1885-1918)

Eugene Franklin “Buck” Wingard (1886-1966)

Claude Curry Wingard (1889-1979)

The thirteen children of George Franklin and Carrie Lou were:

George Thomas Wingard, Sr. (1892-1946), who is my grandfather.

William Miles Wingard (1894-1947)

Samuel Andrew Wingard (1895-1980). Sam taught at Virginia Tech and Auburn, and was an internationally recognized plant pathologist.

Mary Lou Wingard (1897-1923)

Magnolia Wingard (1898-1979). Magnolia married C.C. King, who was principal at the Centerpoint School and lived with the Wingards for a time. Sadly, their son George King was killed in the 1944 D-Day invasion.

Mittie Mae Wingard (1900-1922)

James Coleman Wingard (1902-1984). One of Coleman’s daughters, Malinda Wingard Sellers, took Lynne and me out to the cemetery, along with her husband Moses. Malinda’s sister Eloise lived on Monte Sano for many years. Their brother Marquis, is a Methodist minister serving in south Alabama.

Jack Smilie Wingard (1905-1938). Jack suffered terribly from arthritis, and was an invalid for many years prior to his death. He’s buried at Pisgah.

Murry Buster Wingard (1907-1976)

Norman Morris Wingard (1911-1989)

Three Wingards died as infants and are buried at Elmdale.

Mittie Mae’s tombstone:

The three infant Wingards rest here.

Buried next to George Franklin and Carrie Lou Wingard are her parents, Thomas Marquis de Lafayette Moore Sr. (1832-1889) and Arminta Elizabeth Cone Moore (1836-1891).

Mr. Moore’s marker indicates that he was “a Minister of the christian Church.” A Primitive Baptist, I believe.

Many thanks to my hosts during my 2007 to Elmdale, my cousins Moses and Malinda Sellers. My photographer for the day was the indefatigable and lovely Lynne Wingard.