Daughters Of Mt. Zion Cemetery, Rapides Parish Louisiana
Submitted by Jane Parker McManus 

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DAUGHTERS OF ZION BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY
Rapides Parish

Take LA Hwy. 1 from the US Hwy. 167 bridge in downtown Alexandria toward Echo
for approximately 13.3 miles.  Turn left onto Dewitt Road, and this small
African-American Church and cemetery is a short distance from the corner on
the left side.  It can be seen from the main highway where there is also a
sign.  There are graves on both sides of the church, and inscriptions were
recorded as approached by Jane Parker McManus & Mary Parker Partain, October
28, 1996, and submitted by Jane P. McManus  

A dedication cornerstone on the front of the church building reads:  
Daughters of Zion Baptist Church - Poland Louisiana.  Built June 1905 -  Rev.
Carl Watson; Rebuilt 1943 -  Rev. W. M. Skipper; Rebuilt 1970 -  Rev. W. C.
Thomas.

Deacons:  S. Mitchell, I. Henderson, R. Howard, H. Shotlow, E. Piper, M. V.
Taylor; Deaconesses:  R. Slaughter, I. Mitchell, I. Henderson, E. Howard, L.
Ford,  R. Shotlow, E. Johnson, I. Piper, L. Milton; Secretary:  A. Howard;
Trustees:  S. Milton, A. Howard

Founding Officers:  1905 -  M. Watson, J. Henderson, N. Coleman, E. Carpenter,
I. Johnson, R. Watson, L. Reed;  1943 -  W. Carpenter, J. Fells, O. Hall, E.
Edwards, D. Allen, B. Hargrove, H. Butler

Officers 1970 - 1983:  W. White, G. Fields, R. Ford, M. Provost, D. Yancy, P.
Howard

Laid November 27, 1983;  M. W. Universal Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. State of
Louisiana; 
H. Edmond M. W. G. M. 

Right Side of Church:

Flowers, Mary J. - 11 Feb 1860/11 Nov 1946  [broken slab & stone]
[unreadable broken slab & broken stone - no information]
Watson, Humphrey - 3 Jul 1888/23 Nov 1945, TX Cpl. 165 Dep. Brig. WW1
Watson, Mary? - [concrete cross under water in front of brick vault - no
information]

[3 unmarked burials - no information]

Hemdson, James - died 1932
     [Double slab - 2 broken concrete crosses, information on one side]

Hend? - [unreadable concrete cross - no information]
[unmarked vault in right rear corner of cemetery - no information]

Slaughter, Upton - 11 Aug 1888/26 Oct 1962  [sunken slab near right corner]
Taylor, Annie - 20 Jul 1952/9 Apr 1968  [broken slab, handlettered concrete
cross]

Left side of Church:
Piper, Irene - 5 Apr 1925/23 Dec 1993 
Piper, Michael DeWayne - 11 Mar 1962/18 Jun 1990  
     [Above 2 vaults are identical]
Carpenter, Margaret F. - 17 Jan 1951/24 Jun 1981  
Carpenter, Will - 1889/1972, US Army WW1

Carpenter, Hubert Moore - 5 Nov 1939/6 Jul 1964
Carpenter, Willie Mae Thomas - 27 May 1924/9 Feb 1964
Carpenter, Emmy - 19 Dec 1904/18 Dec 1963
     [Large sunken slab with triple stone]

[concrete adult slab & concrete infant slab - no information]
[large concrete vault - no information]

Bowie, Mollie - 23 Oct 1879/25 Sep 1973  
Bowie, Elick - ?15 May? 1922/22 May 1975  [two handlettered stones, no vaults]

[2 unmarked brick vaults - no information]
Dotson, Jimmy Lynn - 15 Jul 1953/12 Apr 1974  [brick vault with concrete
cross]

[sunken unmarked concrete vault - no information]
Dotson, J. W. - [slab - no dates]

[2 unmarked concrete vaults - no information]
[unreadable] - died 1931, age 67  [sunken slab & broken marker]
Butler, Hilry - 15 Dec 1898/5 Jan 1947   Grandfather  
Robinson, Pamela Joyce - 8 Sep 1963/8 Sep 1963   Granddaughter
     [Above 2 burials in white concrete vault with single stone]
Williams, Duell - 14 Nov 1881/1935  [slab with metal nameplate]
? [unreadable stone] - born ?Mar 1885?/[unreadable] , 67 yrs. 
     [concrete slab in left rear of cemetery, unreadable broken stone]