Martin Springs Cemetery, Rapides Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Jane Parker McManus ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Directions: South from Alexandria on US Hwy. 165, turn left onto Fish atchery Road, 3.0 miles South of Woodworth. Continue on this road for 2.7 miles, turn left on Martin Springs Road (the road is paved for a short distance, then converts to a dirt road). This old cemetery is located in the woods directly behind the Strange Cemetery, accessible only on foot. There was evidence that someone had started to repair the fence in the summer of 1991 when I visited the area. A fire lane had been cut around it, as well as around the Strange Cemetery. Local residents relate that this area was once a thriving community, with summer homes for many of the affluent planters in the Southeastern part of Rapides Parish and upper Avoyelles Parish in the early and middle 1800's. The cemetery as we visited it appeared to have been vandalized, as most of the tombstones were broken into pieces and laying on the ground. Trash and garbage are discarded in the area. An old style iron fence surrounds the graves, but the area is strewn with small logs and is in terrible disrepair. As there were so few burials, the tombstone inscriptions were recorded as approached by Mary Parker Partain, 1990, and submitted by Jane Parker McManus Martin, Alexander Hanna - 9 Mar 1890 / 9 Dec 1941, Pvt. US Army WW1 Martin, Florida Childers, born Hanna - 4 Jun 1867 / 25 Mar 1938 Martin, Robert - died 13 Dec 1924, 68 yrs. "TX Ranger & Peace Officer" [2 unmarked brick adult burials - no information] Duffel, Alfred Leonard - 16 Mar 1845 Ascension Parish / Aug 1864 Rapides Parish, CSA Hanna, Mary Mayes, born Martin - 19 Mar 1832 / 31 Dec 1909, Mother of 8 [unmarked burial - no information] Compton, John Martin - died 8 Jul 1917, 68 yrs. Only son of John W. Compton & Florida Caroline Martin Whitehead, Frances Laulette Martin, wife of Dr. C. P. Whitehead - 3 Oct 1844 / 7 Apr 1901 Compton, Florida Caroline, born Martin - 7 Mar 1828 / 24 Aug 1917 Reeves, Jane Editha, born Martin - died 30 Jun 1913, 79 yrs. Martin, Sophia - 3 Nov 1805 / 18 Jan 1892 "Beloved wife of William G.G.C. Martin, and oldest daughter of Polycarpe Lamonthe and Editha Wells, born at Lamonthe, married at Lamonthe 17 April 1827, died at Sugar Bend, Mother of Florida C. Compton, William C Martin, Mary M. Hanna, Jane E Reeves, Emily M. Duralde, Abram Martin, Fannie L. Whitehead" Reeves, Webb - [broken stone] / 2 Sep 1887 "Daughter and only child of P. D. Reeves & Jane E. Martin" Martin, Abram (Last of the name) - 20 May 1841 / 13 Sep 1883 "Son of William G.C.C. & Sophia Martin" Hanna, Parolee Duncan - 10 Dec 1869 / 21 Sep 1879 Hanna, Alexander Jackson - 17 Aug 1827 / 22 Oct 1879 Hanna, Parolee ? - 18?? / [broken tombstone] Hanna, Callie Jackson - 1 Sep 1871 / 1 Sep 1873 Hanna, Sophia Lamothe - 3 Feb 185? / 27 May 1860 [unmarked infant burial - no information] Martin, Infant son of Robert Martin & Florida C. Hanna - b&d 22 Nov 1885 Martin, Infant daughter of Robert Martin & Florida C. Hanna - b&d 5 Sep 1899 Martin, William C.C.C. - 20 Nov 1802 / 14 May 1855 [this brick vault was about 3 feet high, the marker & nameplate have fallen off the vault, the marble slab on top of the vault is askew. Hard to determine if initials are C or G in most cases.] Lamothe, John Polycarpe - 19 Sep 1840 / 27 Mar 1885 "Only child of Samuel Lamothe & Athia Lacroix, Port Hudson Prisoner, Battle of Baton Rouge, Breckenridge Corp. CSA" Lamothe, Polycarpe - ? / Dec 1858 [this tombstone is broken] [several more broken stones, could be tombstones, but unreadable - no information]