Descendants, historians restore, honor McKeithen Family Cemetery in Millbrook

From Larry Caver, President

Old Autauga Historical Society

On Saturday, September 6, 2025, several descendants of the McKeithen Family, members of the Old Autauga Historical Society (OAHS), Prattville Dragoons, and neighbors gathered at the Alexander McKeithen Family Cemetery on Hastings Hollow, in the Columns Subdivision in Millbrook, to unveil a roadside historic marker for the cemetery. 

The cemetery was the family burial grounds of the Alexander McKeithen (1800-1880) Family, who were early settlers of Old Autauga County.

Alexander’s father, Archibald McKeithen, settled in the area which became the village of Robinson Springs. Archibald McKeithen died March 3, 1847, leaving multiple parcels in Section 16 and Section 21, Township 18, Range 17. His son, Alexander McKeithen, inherited property in Section 21, and built his plantation home on the property that is now known as the Columns. Alexander also established his own family cemetery near his home. 

The oldest marked grave in the cemetery is for Alexander’s son, Thomas McKeithen, who was killed in action in 1862, during the Civil War. There may be older graves for infant children of Alexander and his wife, Elizabeth, but it has not yet been confirmed.

Alexander McKeithen married Mrs Callie Elizabeth Smith Foreman on January 2, 1834, in Autauga County. Their other children included: Dr Archibald Smith McKeithen, who was the surgeon for the Prattville Dragoons during the Civil War, and later a noted doctor in Prattville; James Daniel McKeithen (1852-1928), who is buried in the family cemetery; Mary P. McKeithen (1838-1882), wife of Alfred Y. Smith; and Kate McKeithen, wife of C.R. Williams, of Montgomery. 

Many of the guests today are descendants of the James Daniel McKeithen line. 

Alexander died in 1880. His wife, Elizabeth, died in 1889. Both were buried in the family cemetery. 

The old home place of Alexander McKeithen was later purchased by ALFA Properties and developed into a modern-era subdivision. The development included a separate lot for the cemetery with direct access on Hastings Hollow. The cemetery had suffered much damage from mother nature and long-term neglect. 

In 2024, ALFA Properties approached the OAHS about our organization repairing and preserving the cemetery. OAHS normally does not undertake projects in Elmore County. However, we determined that the family and cemetery dated to a time when it was apart of Old Autauga County. We felt is was a worthy project and that the cemetery was in dire need of preservation. OAHS spent 2024-2025 restoring the cemetery. The open graves were sealed with new slabs from Ingrams Monument in Wetumpka, and the broken markers were repaired and cleaned by OAHS volunteers and a few descendants of the McKeithen Family. The cemetery is now in maintenance mode and is an added jewel to the historic subdivision.

ALFA Properties paid for all the costs, and materials, including the new historic roadside marker that was unveiled today. The project is several years overdue, but regardless, ALFA has demonstrated exceptional concern in saving this historic cemetery. More building developments in Alabama should follow this example and do the right thing for building developments around old cemeteries. 

OAHS volunteers who worked on the project include: Lynn Burrell, Larry E. Caver, John and Mary Jane Dennis, Blake Dickinson, Gabe Smith, Katharine Jackson Nichols, Gerald Nichols, and others. We thank ALFA, the community at large, and residents of the Columns for their support of the project.