MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — A headstone that was found in Murfreesboro after a driver collided with it has been claimed by the deceased's family.
The headstone of Rufus M. Baxter was struck on Broad Street. The driver who hit the headstone first took it to the Stones River National Battlefield, which has the only cemetery near Broad Street.
When it was discovered that the headstone does not belong at the Stones River Cemetery, Murfreesboro Police Department took it for safe keeping in their property room, hoping a family member would claim it.
Within a day of Murfreesboro police's post on social media about the headstone, it was claimed. His great-great-granddaughter picked up the grave marker Tuesday afternoon.
Baxter is buried at the Milton Cemetery, miles away from where it was found on Broad Street.
According to a fan of local history in the area, Bill Jakes, Baxter was born in 1868 and died in 1939.
UPDATE: A great-great granddaughter of Rufus M. Baxter has pickup his grave marker. He is buried at the Milton Cemetery miles away from where it was found on Broad Street. According to local fan of History Bill Jakes @mborobill, Baxter was born in 1868 and died in 1939. https://t.co/5dRUtjmMNb pic.twitter.com/aGeXcMsPhA
— Murfreesboro TN Police Department (@MboroPoliceDept) August 6, 2019
