McNutt Hill/Williams Cemetery (African American), Rapides Parish LA Submitted by Jane Parker Mcmanus ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Directions: From Alexandria, go west on LA Hwy. 28 and turn right at Gardner onto LA Hwy. 121. McNutt Hill Cemetery is located several miles down this road on the left about one mile from McNutt Community (near the intersection of LA Hwy. 121 & Bayou Rapides Road (LA Hwy. 496). The gate is kept locked because of past vandalism and to prevent future problems with unauthorized visitors. Permission to enter can be obtained from persons whose family members are buried in McNutt Cemetery, and who have keys (1992). McNutt Hill Cemetery cannot be seen from LA Hwy. 121, and there is no sign on the gate. A good dirt and gravel road leads to the top of the hill. Dogwood trees are scattered throughout the cemetery, under large moss-draped cedar trees. A driveway divides the cemetery down the center. African-American burials are on the left after you enter the main gate, and are scattered throughout the woods. Logs have fallen onto some of the burials, and brush, briars and leaves cover the area. Very few areas are maintained, although the cemetery is not abandoned. Tombstone inscriptions were recorded as approached from the back of the cemetery toward the front by Mary Parker Partain, May 1992, and submitted by Jane P. McManus * * * Background * * * Mr. Harris who was tending these graves stated that African Americans were buried here before the Whites started using the area. He indicated that the burials go all the way down and across the creek, even though there are no visible markers. Mr. Harris also remembers seeing signs of burials on the right side of the driveway before you reach the top of the hill where the White section is located. The church is at least a mile away on another highway, and from the cemetery gate to the church are other burials that are unmarked. Possibly a quarter of the entire area is reachable on foot and there are some small number of marked burials here. The rest are unmarked or lost and no attempt will be made to count those in the areas where found. MPP 5/1992) Starks, Mr. Robert - 14 May 1914/[unreadable date][hand-lettered stone] Brown, Marie - 20 Oct 1926/26 Mar 1989 Smith, James - 1925/1964, 88 yrs. Husband/Father Lacour, Alicia - 1 Aug 1967/20 Oct 1986 [concrete vault] Knight, Dottie C. - 28 Sep 1914/19 Sep 1944 Cooper, Tom Sr. - 18 Jul 1915/30 Mar 1979 Holt, Jessie - 1896/1946 Dial, Mary - 6 Nov 1871/8 Dec 1962 Dial, Rev. John - 1868/1934 Ruckins, Alonzo - 7 Jun 1915/6 Mar 1955 LA Pfc. 3415th Qm. Truck Co. WW2 Jackson,Andrew - died 13 Aug 1903, 72 yrs. Jackson, Henrietta, wife of Andrew Jackson - died 14 Aug 1915, 64 yrs. Smith, Ruth - 15 Sep 1894/24 Dec 1922 [almost unreadable stone] Harris, Rosa McNeal - 20 Feb 1899/30 Jan 1929 Wife of Cleaven Harris Williams, Alice B., wife of D. Williams - died 17 Feb 1926, 72 yrs. Williams, Mr. Dan - 1834/16 Apr 1917 Father Husband of Mrs. A. Williams [Dan was born during slavery] Williams, N.B. - 12 Oct 1879/1902 Smith, Maude - 6 Apr 1900/28 Aug 1954 Texada, Irvin Jr. - 36 Oct 1888/10 Jan 1903 Harris, Joe Sr. - 24 Mar 1888/26 Apr 1972 Father Harris, Ella - 5 Sep 1889/15 Mar 1953 Mother [Identical stones & photos] Harris, Gilbert - 27 Mar 1913/15 Sep 1943 Reed, Albert - 10 Nov 1900/10 May 1943 Scott, Dinah Reed - 10 Nov 1886/20 Oct 1958 Reed, Hynson - 27 Jul 1856/22 Apr 1934, 72 yrs. Father Reed, H. Y. - died 9 Oct 1918 Reed, Pearl - 23 Jan 1904/14 Dec 1938 Reed, Ella Mae - 23 Sep 1923/4 Jul 1937 Johnson, Willie Mae Reed - 23 Sep 1928/11 Apr 1987 Lair, Helen Wheatley - 18 Jan 1927/23 Apr 1989 Wife/Mother Ambush, Eddie B.W.R. - 27 Sep 1940/5 Nov 1991 Rosenthal, Albert - 10 Feb 1938/14 Dec 198? Smith, Mrs. Gracie - 2 Jun 1876/13 Jul 1952 Smith, James - died 2 Feb 1955, 91 yrs. Gray, Russell Ray - 10 Sep 1952/16 Aug 1975, Pvt. US Army Vietnam [identical concrete vault painted gray - no inscription] Davenport, Minnie D. - 15 May 1908/29 Jun 1976 Davenport, Lee - 1 Nov 1891/2 Dec 1969 McCoy, Jackson - 1899/1943 Davenport, Patrick Jerome - 20 Aug 1965/4 Feb 1987 Williams, Robert - 13 Jun 1929/2 Nov 1991 [4 vaults together, but inscriptions only on 2] Wheatley, Mrs. Lucy C. - 1875/9 Jun 1934 Wheatley, Rev. Thomas - died 22 Jul 1955, 74 yrs. Wells, Rev. Monfred W. - 1 Mar 1870/12 Jul 1956 Wells, Jeff - 8 Apr 1892/3 Mar 1944 LA Pvt. 5th Depot Serv. Co. AFC Pierson, Beatrice - 9 Nov 1922/6 Aug 1989 [identical vault - no inscription] Jones, Rosa Lee Harris - 4 Sep 1928/16 Jun 1969 "She was the mother of seven children" Pierson, Celia - 24 Feb 1910, 60 yrs. Pierson, Richard - ?1875?/? [unreadable dates] Belvin, Henry - 1880/1943 Pierson, Amos - 12 Jan [unreadable] Newmon, Stella - 14 May 1909/4 Apr 1969 Gray, Louisa - 18 Mar 1877/8 Sep 1971 [funeral marker] Jones, Willie Sr. - 5 Sep 1896/29 Feb 1960 Jones, Leana - 13 Feb 1922/2 Oct 1971 Jones, Mary P. - 3 Aug 1900/8 May 1975 Mother Bell, Joe - died 16 Apr 1979, 74 yrs. [funeral marker] Jacobs, Dorothy Bell - 16 Jan 1938/10 Oct 1991 Bell, Beatrice - 8 Jun 1918/22 Oct 1991 Gaines, Rev. Nathan - 10 May 1851/27 Feb 1892 Hankins, Mary - 4 Apr 1900/31 Dec 1958 Smith, Fannie - 1904/1954 Holmes, Frozine - 29 May 1915/28 Mar 1991 Recard, Roy Lee - 15 May 1937/29 Oct 1985 [funeral marker] Stokes, Audrey B. - 24 Mar 1926/16 Feb 1976 Mother Smith, Felix - 5 May 1896/15 Jun 1973, LA Pvt. US Army WW1 Taylor, Henry - [no dates] Taylor, Celest - [no dates] Taylor, Nathan - 1892/1948 Daddy Harris, Vergiel Jr. - 14 Oct 1875/18 Sep 1950 Father Harris, Ora - 11 May 1895/6 Nov 1959 Mother Boss, Allen - 1904/1968 [Masonic Emblem] Boss, Ruthie B. - 9 Aug 1933/21 Dec 1952 Smith, Josh - 1873/1949 Father Smith, Izetta - 1875/1951 Mother Boss, Eddie - died 24 Mar 1940, 70 yrs. Boss, Georgie - died 16 Aug 1940, 60 yrs. Boss, Thomas - 10 Apr 1895/22 Jan 1966 LA Pvt. 5th Co. 162nd Depot Brig. WW1 Sims, Herbert - 18 Oct 1883/28 Oct 1958 Sims, Alice - 6 Jun 1902/8 Jul 1964 [Double Stone & single large vault] Phillips, Ernest - 27 May 1950/15 Jul 1985 Sword, Dora Tyler - 9 Jun 1906/23 Nov 1972 Mother [burials near the driveway]: Rush, Lemon - 1946/1948 [hand-lettered stone, difficult to read] Morris, Orphia McInnis - 1932/1954 [hand-lettered stone] [Orphia McInnis is written on a small block] Rosenthal, Will - ?1869/1939? [unreadable stone] [hand-lettered double concrete slab] Rosenthal, David B. - 21 Nov 1899/22 Feb 1958 [Masonic Emblem] "In memory of my loving husband" [large brick vault] Thomas, Ivory R. - died 8 May 1979, 33 yrs. [funeral marker] Williams, Truly - 15 Dec 1917/1 Sep 1991 Quinney, Jessie B. - 30 Jun 1919/27 Nov 1963 Berry, Jennie G. - 1876/1953 Berry, Benny - 1872/1950 Husband & Father [plot with single large slab] Gaines, Mariah - died 3 Oct 1911, 72 yrs. Lackey, Henry - 12 Jan 1926, LA Pvt. 416th Res. Labor BN. Quinney, Riggs - 1913/18 Oct 1955 Quinney, Gaines - 14 Oct 1969/16 Oct 1969 Jordan, Kate Hamilton, wife of E.H. Jordan - 8 Apr 1866/8 Jan 1925 Jordan, Elias - 18 Oct 1884/12 Nov 1942 Jordan, Harriet - 10 Aug 1865/7 Mar 1916, Member of M.E. Church South Jordan, Isom - 15 May 1862/21 Sep 1912, Member of M.E. Church South Jordan, [unreadable name] - ?1824/1912? [under large bush] Harris, Vergal - 1851/14 Mar 1916 Harris, Rannie Jordan - 6 Dec 1859/8 Feb 1943 Mother Wife of Virgil Harris [Both were born during the era of slavery, but died free] Harris, Maggie Berry - 16 Apr 1886/1 Jun 1922 [Eastern Star Emblem] Wife of Jimmie Harris "[unreadable] of Ruth #7469" Jordan, Sleana Ann - 7 Jul 1887/8 Jul 1923, Member of the Baptist Church Swaizer, Herbert - died 22 Oct 1988, 3 yrs. [funeral marker] Long, Hettie - 1855/21 Dec 1910 Howard, Marth G. - 1895/1955 Wilson, Rev. Robert - died 31 Jul 1910, 50 yrs., Ordained pastor 2nd Evening Star Baptist Church 4th Sunday Jan 1907 Texada, Rosa - 19 Nov 1904/2 Oct 1942 Texada, Carrie - 7 Dec 1897/11 Mar 1972 Texada, Carrie - 7 Dec 1897/11 Mar 1972 Dotson, Martha Lee - 6 Aug 1922/8 Mar 1963 Mother Texada, Little Blanches - 15 Aug 1941/30 Aug 1953 Texada, Cornealous - 30 May 1908/21 Mar 1951 Brother Texada, Louis Jr. - 29 Dec 1887/29 Mar 1910 Son Texada, Shelton - 20 Jan 1838/22 Jan 1911 Father [born during slavery] Texada, Maggie - 1 Nov 1882/[broken death date] Daughter Texada, Martha - 6 Aug 1889/18 Jul 1911 Daughter Texada, Martha, wife of Louis Texada - died 8 Jul 1920, 55 yrs. Loyd, Mary - [no dates] Mother Holt, Horace - 12 Sep 1880/24 Dec 1924 Texada, Lewis - 10 Jul 1858/23 Apr 1923 Texada, Clarence - 10 Aug 1900/2 Dec 1965 Smith, Lucy Texada - 31 Jan 1891/11 Jan 1978 Loyd, Judy - 18 Sep 1875/3 Aug 1937 Mother Lloyd [sic], Adolph - 10 Oct 1874/29 May 1953 Father * * * [older fenced area] * * * Roberts, Zinie - 1865/1920 Mother Roberts, Lewis - 1857/1920 Father [Double Stone] Roberts, Fanny C. - 1887/1922 * * * * * * [cleared area, near the main drive] * * * Belvin, Miles - [no dates] Berry, Charles Ray - 22 May 1964/6 Oct 1967 Berry, Bertha Elizabeth - 7 Jul 1908/25 Aug 1967 Berry, Thad Sr. - 7 Aug 1902/13 Sep 1976 McQuarn, Luther - 4 Apr 1922/19 Feb 1976, Tec.5 US Army WW1 Demar, Carolyn Ann Norwood - 6 May 1955/6 Feb 1989 McQuarn, Luther Jr. - 8 Feb 1955/15 Dec 1980 McQuarn, ?Lauratha? - ?1925/1970? Mother [hand-lettered] McQuarn, Tony Lee - 27 Jul 1955/12 Sep 1986 Brown, John Caleb - 20 Aug 1982/6 Aug 1983 Son Smith, Marvin Patrick - 26 Oct 1972/22 Aug 1984 * * * * * * [cleared off area on right side of driveway] * * * Cooper, Robert - 1918/1986, Sgt. US Army WW2 Cooper, Lover - 22 Jan 1919/14 Oct 1970 Brooks, Susen - 1876/1950 Mother Beauregard, Louis - 18 Feb 1930/16 Sep 1968 Brother Price, Lucy - 10 May 1892/3 Apr 1982 Price, Louis - 1871/1941 Price, George - 25 Dec 1891/4 Feb 1948 LA Pvt. 806th Pioneer Inf. WW1 Price, Lemon - 1 Mar 1919/4 Dec 1972 Price, Idelia - 2 Jun 1912/25 Mar 1971 Price, Arthur Sr. - 10 May 1910/28 Jun 1987 Williams, Olevia - 15 May 1913/10 Aug 1987 Blake, Ruthie Mae - 15 Mar 1931/9 Apr 1988 Quinney, Lucille P. - 28 Dec 1938/25 Dec 1986 Mother Price, Henderson - 14 Jul 1944/15 Jul 1983 Metoyer, Joseph J. - 4 Dec 1926/3 Nov 1974 Metoyer, John Michal - 20 Sep 1950/29 Nov 1969 [funeral marker] * * * [plot near little driveway to the left] * * * Gordon, Willie E. - 1894/1961 Payne, Ellen V. Harris - 8 Dec 1938/14 May 1970 Mother Ruckens, Eddie - 1903/1972 [almost unreadable funeral marker] Beauregard, George W. Sr. - 1888/2 Mar 1980 Beauregard, Dora Russell - 1 Jul 1894/8 Jun 1981 Williams, Henry - 4 Mar 1923/22 Mar 1976, Pfc. US Army WW2 Harris, Annie B. - 26 Jun 1970/4 Jan 1971 [funeral marker] Smith, Clora - 28 Jun 1914/28 Jul 1973 [funeral marker] Dorsey, Maggie - 10 Apr 1896/12 Jun 1971 [funeral marker] Beauregard, George - 30 Oct 1916/13 Mar 1975 [funeral marker] * * * * * * [Harris plot] * * * Smith, Joe Louis - 25 Oct 1937/2 Mar 1990 Smith, Milton - 16 Jul 1943/16 Feb 1989 Harris, Arthur - 31 Dec 1968/16 Feb 1989 [funeral marker] Harris, Marth - 16 Aug 1932/20 Jun 1990 [funeral marker] Harris, Grundy - 2 Oct 1923/21 Dec 1988, US Army WW2 Williams, Lutchen - 8 Nov 1912/5 Dec 1979 [funeral marker] Ruckins, Mrs. Essie Mae - 4 Apr 1912/5 Apr 1980 Harris, Ethel T. - 2 Dec 1902/17 Jan 1985 Mother Harris, Cleven - 8 May 1893/21 Dec 1978 Father [Identical stones] Smith, L.A. - 26 Oct 1915/19 Nov 1971 Smith, Donald Louis - [funeral marker, unreadable dates] Smith, Bobbie Lowe - 27 Jun 1941/11 Aug 1970, 29 yrs. Daughter of Mrs. Ivory C. Lowe, wife of Walter Smith Reed, Rosalyn Jones - 21 Jan 1961/2 Feb 1979 Daughter Duncan, Rhonda Lynn Jones - 19 Jul 1952/24 Aug 1976 Mother [Identical stones] Hunt, James Darren - died 28 Sep 1973, 19 yrs. [funeral marker] Morris, Thomas L. - 16 Aug 1923/7 Aug 1969, Pfc. US Army WW2 * * * Butler, Carrie - 11 Aug 1888/30 Aug 1950 Mother Butler, Willie Jr. - died 9 Jun 1965, 58 yrs. [funeral marker] Battles, Dave - 22 Apr 1929/1988 [funeral marker] William [Williams], Ethel - 4 Jun 1911/16 Nov 1989 Mothery