The official burial grounds for the Healing Springs Baptist Church is located on a tract of land near the old Walker Crossing.  The Gardner Family history reveals that the name of the cemetery is Seventeen Pines even though early records do not indicate that this name was official.

At the location of the Healing Springs Baptist Church, there are only two graves.  1st grave is: Cora daughter of W. & M. E. Minus, Born November 1878 Died Sept. 22, 1882.   2nd Grave is:  Mrs. M.E. Minus, Born, May 3, 1842, and Died, June 17, 1882.  We are told that at the April 25, 1884 conference, they discussed forbidding any more burying on the church grounds on account of the injury it would do to the water (the springs).  On July 26, 1884, it was decided to bury  “no personal persons” (quote) on the original church tract of ground.  They voted to buy an acre to the rear of the church for a cemetery, but this was never done.

Mrs. Julia Carrol gave an acre of land on “the Carrol Place and adjoining the old Walker Buring Ground running west, to the Carolina Midland Railroad,” on January 11, 1896.  This is still known as the Healing Springs Cemetery and has been used until a very few years ago.  Mrs. Minnie Odom, 94 years of age, was the last person to be buried in Healing Springs Cemetery, in August 1969. The cemetery was never officially deeded to the church. Seventeen Pines Cemetery:  Healing Springs Baptist Church Burial Ground

Bertha Viola Whetstone Gardner, Wife of Benjamin Franklin Gardner;
Mother of Isaac Franklin Gardner; William Nathan Gardner; Fannie Lucia
Gardner, Templeton, Smith; Nellie Gardner Smoak, Sturkie; Alice Viola Gardner
Lewis
Born:  January 25, 1883
Died:   April 2, 1918

Minnie H. Odom
Born:  July 29, 1875
Died:  August 15, 1969

George T. Odom
Born:  April 1, 1872
Died:  September 13, 1932

Benjamin Fuller Gardner
Born:  October 14, 1847
Died:
December 28, 1906

Lucia Amanda Hair Gardner
Born:   Sept. 11, 1857
Died:    November 22, 1925

Rebecca E. Gardner
Born:  1836
Died:   1905  in her 69th year
 

Clifton Odell Gardner
Son of G.W. and Ada Gardner
Born:   January 18, 1915
Died:   October 2, 1915

Clarence Williams
Born:   November 1, 1895
Died:    December 10, 1938

The first grave listed of Bertha Viola Whetstone Gardner, does not have a
permanent marker at the site, only a small wooden cross.

Transcribed by: Franklin K. Gardner   Bertha Gardner Koon November 24, 1997