The Sink Cemetery and the former site of the Sink Presbyterian Church are 3-4 miles northeast of Tellico Plains, Monroe County, Tennessee. Local folks simply call the cemetery "Sank." The back of the cemetery, not visible from the road, dips or sinks into a basin, hence the name "Sink" or "Sinkhole." Basins or hollows are typical features of the area's karst topography.

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church established a congregation at this location, probably about 1830 and named it Sink. Alexander Shaddon and Dora Shaddon were pioneers and prominent in planting Sink Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Around 1910 it was changed from a Cumberland Presbyterian to a Presbyterian Church. The land for both the cemetery and the church was given by a Mr. Smith but the deed was lost and in 1930 the church paid Sam Patterson $300.00 for the church and cemetery land which comprises approximately 5 acres. The cemetery occupies about 4 3/4 acres and is still in use. The lower side has some unmarked Negro graves.

The oldest inscription is that of Harvey M. Weldin who died Nov. 24, 1838. It is probable that the first burial was still earlier. There is a marker at the grave of Jacob Franklin Peck placed by Alexander Doran Chapter U. S. D. 1812, Cleveland Tennessee, indicating that Peck was a soldier of the War of 1812. Maj. Robert T. Ghormley, buried here, was a Civil War Soldier on the authority of Guss Hunt, who also says that William S. Wear, interred in Sink Cemetery, was a World War Soldier.

In the Sink Presbyterian Church Cemetery there are approximately 60 field stone markers; 2 markers. unreadable; 77 inscriptions and approximately 200 unmarked graves. There is no way even to estimate the unmarked graves as most of the ground is smooth and people disagree as to the number of burials here. Some say the old part of the cemetery is full of graves and if so there are 500 or more unmarked graves, some say the old part does not contain many graves.

Sink Cemetery may be reached from Madisonville by taking New Highway 68 to Tellico Plains. Turn left onto Cherohala Skyway/Unicoi Tpke (Hwy 165). Then take an immediate left onto Bank St. Go .6 mi. Turn right onto Fairview Rd. and keep left traveling 2.3 miles. Turn left onto Old Sink Church Rd. Go one-third miles and Sink Cemetery is on the left.