John Davis Amberson came to Alabama before he was ten years old. In Cherokee County, Alabama, in 1849 he married and lived there about nine years. Before the War Between the States, he traded his Cherokee County farm to Henry H. Mitchell, for Mitchell's Blount County, Alabama farm. They swaped farming tools, feed and some furniture to avoid as much hauling as possible. At that time, the roads were nothing more than trails through the country. John Davis Amberson served in The War Between the States. He was injured in battle and was discharged and came home. A shot in the hand, from which he lost three fingers, left him handicapped for life. The house on his Blount County farm was on the lower side of the road. Red Mountain was on the opposite side. One day, John said to Edna, "I'm tired of looking at that mountain all the time. I am going to build a house on the other side of the road". He did just that. After they moved into the new house, he could sit on the porch and look out across beatiful Murphree's Valley. In 1874, Euterpsy Murphree, died during an unusaul rainy season. They went to cemetery to bury her, but the grave was half full of water. They went up on higher ground and opened another grave but water ran in faster then they cound dip it out. Euterpsey's husband, Solomon Murphree sais, "Men, I can't put Euterpsy in that water". John Davis Amberson put his hand on Solomon's sholder and said, "Solomon, you don't have to put her in that water. I have a rocky hill over yonder, if you want to burry her there, there will never be any water in the graves. I will give four acres of land for a cemetery and a church, if the people want one there". Solomon took John bi the hand and said, "Thak Gad and thank you, Brother Amberson". They went over on the hill and opened a grave and buried her by the light of burning pine knots. That was the beginning of Lebanon Cemetery. This shows us something of the character of John Amberson. He was a public spirited man who believed in doing things. He did not hesitate. He said, "I will give four acres of land for a cemetery". In the deed, he stipulated it to be for use as a cemetery forever. This incident happeded in 1874. Twenty years before John's death. One day , in early 1894, John Davis amberson and some of his grandsons went up on Sand Mountain to his daughter, Nancy Morton's home. while they were there, snow began to fall. Thetrail was very slipery on the way down the mountain. The boys were slipping and sliding, having a lot od fun. John slipped and fell on a rock and broke his leg. The boys began to laugh at him. John said, "Don't laugh boys, I have broken my leg". This happened about a half mile from the Allgood home. Some of the Allgood's heard John's call. He told them to bring a mule up, since he hed brocken his leg. They carried him home and got a doctor, but complications set in which he counld not overcome. After fighting it off all Spring, death came in June 30, 1894.