Hall County’s unofficial law enforcement historian and a group of volunteers were out in the oppressive heat one day last week, erecting a new marker at the gravesite of a long-deceased Hall County sheriff.
They spent the day at Antioch Methodist Church Cemetery Tuesday installing a new headstone for Abraham “Abram” Chastain, Jr., who served as sheriff from 1832-1834.
“The original headstone bore his name but was barely legible, even after we cleaned it. We knew it would likely become completely illegible in the years to come,” Chad White, a retired Gainesville Police captain, wrote in a Facebook post.
“With that in mind, we purchased a new headstone with his full name and birth and death dates. The new headstone has been placed at the base of the original stone, preserving both his memory and the historical marker.
“We also want to thank Pastor Bill Martin and Antioch Methodist Church for allowing us to honor Sheriff Chastain’s service to our county and country.”
Chastain was born on April 28, 1793, in Greenville, S.C. He enlisted in Captain Turner’s Company from South Carolina during the War of 1812. Before being elected Sheriff, he served as a deputy under Sheriff Jacob Eberhart.
“One of the many tools we use for genealogy is maps,” White said. “In the 1860s, Sheriff Abraham owned and operated a grist mill in Hall County’s tenth district. Comparing maps from that era with modern ones can help identify the mill’s location. The mill was later inherited by his grandson, Sterling Chastain.”
In his last will, dated September 24, 1863, he wrote, “I desire that my soul may return to God who gave it and that my body shall be buried in a manner suitable to my condition in life.”
Sheriff Chastain passed away on October 23, 1863.
White has coordinated at least three such undertakings in the past.