Where is Timothy Demonbreun, Sr.?

 

Where is Timothy Demonbreun, Sr. buried? The question has been asked by descendants, by history buffs, and in news articles. Demonbreun was an explorer who traveled through the Cumberland Country hunting and trapping as he went back and forth from the Illinois Territory to Natchez. He would often camp in the area of the French Lick in Nashville and had a presence here long before the first permanent settlers. About 1790 he made Nashville his permanent home. It was that year when he bought a lot at the intersection of Broad Street and College Street (now 4th Avenue No.). Here he built his home, which doubled as a tavern for travelers and locals.

 According to Charles A. Marlin, sexton and superintendent of the Nashville City Cemetery 1914-1915, Demonbreun was buried at Nashville City Cemetery. Marlin told a newspaper reporter that he checked the cemetery records and found that Demonbreun was buried in section 28. After he left the sexton position he continued to search for the exact location of Demonbreun’s grave. About 1918, Marlin was informed by a Demonbreun descendant the remains of Timothy Demonbreun had been removed to a Demonbreun burial place in Cheatham County and his search ended. Marlin knew Timothy was listed in the Nashville City Cemetery internment books, so he had the answer. Even if a descendant went digging in his grave many years later, most of Timothy would have been left just where his remains had been since his death. Timothy Demonbreun is buried in the Nashville City Cemetery. 

Nashville_Banner_Wed__Feb_6__1918_

Timothy Demonbreun had two families. His lawful wife was Theresa Gibault and she bore five known children during their marriage; Agnes married 1. Mr. Chenier. 2. Mr. Doza; Timothy b. 1770 (presumed to have died as young);  Julienne (Julia) b. 1785,; Jacques Timothy, Jr. b. 1787 and Marie Louise b. 1790 (presumed to have died young). The listed children were born and baptized in Kaskaskia.

While Timothy’s wife was giving birth to and raising her children in Kaskaskia, Timothy was fathering a second family in Nashville. There are many myths about this second family with varying dates of birth, etc. Listed are the names of the children of Elizabeth Bennett Hinsler Durat and Demonbreun, Sr.; Felix, Polly, William, and John Batteaste/Baptiste Demonbreun

The rumor of Demonbreun’s being moved is believed by many of his descendants. So much so, that about 1980 these descendants erected a gravestone in Cheatham County near Elizabeth's grave. 

The following are the known facts. Timothy died at his home at 3^rd and Broad in October of 1826. The nearest and newest public cemetery was the Nashville City Cemetery a few blocks south on 4^th Avenue. It was here that he was buried soon after his death.

Denise Boose 2018 - https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=117817

When Timothy, Sr. died, he had a grown son Timothy Jr. living in Nashville. Timothy, Sr. also had one of the children of Elizabeth living in the area. John Batteaste/Baptiste Demonbreun was living out at the farm of his mother and stepfather in Cheatham County. John B. had been using the surname Durat until about the time Timothy, Sr. died. It is stated in his pension file for the War of 1812 that he did not know that Demonbreun was his father and that he was raised by Joseph Durat. It is possible he did not know his true identity until the will of Timothy Demonbreun, Sr. was filed. It is also stated that he was born a few months before his mother married Durat. The marriage occurred in March of 1793.

According to some descendants, soon after Elizabeth Bennett Hinslar Durat died in 1856, her son John B. Demonbreun went to the city cemetery. With shovel in hand, he dug up the grave of his father, took the remains, and buried them at the side of his mother. Timothy, Sr. had been buried thirty years before. The first question that came to me, was there anything left to dig up? The next thought was would Timothy’s lawful children or city officials, allow anyone to come and disinter Timothy, Sr.’s remains? And what happened to the remains of Elizabeth's husband Joseph Duroque/Durat if Timothy was buried at her side? Elizabeth and Joseph were the parents of several children, who still lived in the vicinity. Would they not have objected to Demonbreun being buried with their mother and father? Or is this just another tale that is a part of the many myths that surround Timothy and his family?

I am convinced from the newspaper article and other clues that Timothy was buried in the Nashville City Cemetery. Though there is no marker to show the place, somewhere in the old section 28, he or at least a part of him must still be there. This is the first of a series of planned articles about Timothy Demonbreun, Sr. to be published on the Nashville History blog.