Grave of William Walker

Front: William "Singin' Billy" Walker (1809-1875) was the author of Southern Harmony, a collection of religious music employing shaped musical notes to aid those who could not read standard musical notation. He later published the more elaborate Christian Harmony and taught "singing schools" throughout the middle, southern and western states. He is buried in Magnolia Cemetery. Reverse: In 1838, Jesse Cleveland deeded 2 ½ acres of this land, including the village cemetery, to the town of Spartanburg for a graveyard. It was enlarged in 1868 by the purchase of 1 1/8 acres from Robert E. Cleveland. The earliest legible inscription is found on the marker to Robert Walker, who died in 1810. Many of Spartanburg's early civic, educational, and political leaders are buried here.