Roadview Cemetery(African-American), Rapides Parish Louisiana Submitted by Jane Parker McManus ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Directions: This African-American Cemetery is located in the Rock Quarry Community, north of Alexandria. Take Interstate 49 North from Alexandria, go past Boyce and exit at Flatwoods (LA Hwy. 8). Turn right, cross over LA Hwy. 1, and continue one block where road comes to a dead end. Turn left (north) on OLD Hwy. 1 and go 3.0 miles to a small, white-framed church on right, "Pleasant Church." The unfenced cemetery is quite large, probably several acres in size, and is directly behind the church. A driveway enters on the left side. Tombstone inscriptions were recorded March 1995 by Mary Parker Partain and updated by Jeannie Fraziar and Mary Partain, 13 September 1996. History In the early 1900's, Peter and Harriet Dearborne donated property to the Rock Quarry community for the purpose of building a school, church, and cemetery. This site was located between the railroad and LA Hwy. 20 (now old LA 1). On the backside of the property, near the railroad, a small frame building was built and used as a school for the African-American children. Mrs. Lora Killebrew, a relative of the Dearbornes, and her husband still live on the Dearborne homeplace. Mrs. Killibrew remembers going to school there when the roof caught fire from the wood heater. With no water to put it out, the building burned to the ground. The school was never rebuilt; therefore, the area children were forced to walk to Zimmerman for classes. After the death of Mr. Dearborne in 1944, Mrs. Dearborne deeded the land to the community. Prior to that time, they had been able to use the land as a cemetery as the Dearbornes had always given them permission to bury their dead here. We do not know when the old building burned or when the new church was constructed, but after the new church was built, there were no more burials in front of the building. The Church was always called Pleasant Baptist Church, however, at present there is no official Baptist affiliation. The community still maintains the upkeep of the grounds. According to 92-year old Clifton Randle whose still lives in the Rock Quarry community, and whose wife Patience is buried in this cemetery, there are two babies buried in front of the church. One grave is marked with a tiny iron cross and always has new flowers. This baby was buried there before the church was built near the road, when the whole area was a burial ground. Randle, Baby - [stillborn child of Clifton and Patience Randle - no dates] Jefferson, Infant of Keaton Jefferson - [unmarked burial] Mr. Randle also remembers that the first pastor of the church and his wife were buried behind the present church building in unmarked graves: Lemons, Rev. Will & Amelia - [no dates] Burials left of the circular driveway: [2 burials marked with piece of concrete only - no information] Tuker, Mrs. Crisie - [unmarked slab - no dates] [unmarked burial with round pieces of concrete covering burial] Boswell, John D. - [unmarked vault - no dates] Green, Cora B. - 15 Jul 1895/30 Apr 1943 Brown, Cora C. - 25 Dec 1856/5 Jul 1942 [2 identical stones] Powers, Isabella - 27 Sep 1875/20 Jul 1912 Valson, Victoria T. - 3 Jan 1889/29 Jul 1929 Mother Blackstone, Albert E. - 8 Apr 1933/1 Jun 1935 Tieuel, Alberta - 14 May 1912/5 Aug 1995 Battles, Gus - 6 Jun 1908/21 Jun 1979 Battles, Arthur - 4 Jun 1924/9 Aug 1975 Battles, Gus Sr. - 13 Dec 1875/22 Aug 1961 Battles, Rosia - 22 Jan 1890/7 Jul 1952 [5 vaults about 100 yds. from above graves] Battles, Fatra Mae - 1944/1947 [unmarked adult burial & unreadable funeral marker - no information] Battles, Phillip - 19 Jun 1902/17 May 1977 Oliver, Albrines - 6 Nov 1914/20 Dec 1983 Father [vault] Smith, Richard - 12 Apr 1912/29 Apr 1985, Pvt. US Army WW2 [vault] Earl, Keary - 1908/1985, US ARMY WW2 [vault] Watkins, Robert - 23 Sep 1914/19 Mar 1980 [vault] [2 depressions for unmarked burials - no information] [2 unmarked burials - no information] [2 depressions with unreadable funeral markers - no information] Powells, Henry - 12 Oct 1881/4 Nov 1959 [unreadable funeral marker - no information] Deal, Roxana - 17 May 1917/7 Feb 197? [vault with handmade concrete marker, missing letters] Deal, Azzie Lee Foulk Roxana Deal - Mother [2 separate burials, 2nd possibly Azzie Lee Foulk, mother of Roxana Deal] Rambo, Roy Lee - 9 Jan 1950/20 Mar 1994 Father [vault] [Scattered burials on left side]: [2 unmarked concrete vaults - no inscriptions] [slab, unreadable funeral marker - no information] Elie, James - 17 Nov 1927/22 May 1960 [4 burials under pine trees] Williams, Nellie B. - 18 Nov 1925/28 Nov 1993 Washington, Gertrude - 23 Jul 1932/24 May 1993 [near back of cemetery, these burials are head to foot] [2 infant unmarked slabs - no inscriptions] Dearborne, Lora A. - 1876/1 Jan 1931 Mother Jones, Barbara - 1853/23 Apr 1928 [unreadable funeral marker - no information] Dearbonne, Rev. P. G. - 1908/1970 Dearborn, Louise - 24 Jan 1888/15 Nov 1937 [Hand-lettered stone on slab] Dearborne, Peter J. - 27 Jan 1868/25 Dec 1944 [slab] Dearborne, Harriet Vallery - 24 Oct 1892/26 Mar 1969 [vault] [Group of burials at rear of cemetery]: Johnson, Milton - 21 Jun 1909/26 Aug 1969, IN ST3 USNR WW2 [vault] Johnson, Levie - 1 Jul 1927/28 Oct 1942 [stone lying on above vault] Johnson, Felix Sr. - 18 Mar 1879/7 Dec 1948 [slab] Johnson, Estilla R. - 25 Sep 1884/6 Jun 1970 [vault] [unreadable funeral marker - no information] [vault - no information] [unreadable funeral marker - no information] [large iron cross at head of Boswell burials]: Boswell, Reverend George - 16 Sep 1898/20 Jan 1981 [vault] Boswell, Estella Hamilton - 24 Aug 1900/25 Mar 1970 [vault] Boswell, Emanuel - died 17 Feb 1970, 75 yrs [vault & funeral marker] Hosea, David - 1 Jan 1914/29 Sep 1973 [vault] [vault & unreadable funeral marker next to Hosea burial - no information] [Inside circle driveway at rear of cemetery]: ?Vire?, Estella - [unreadable hand-lettered stone] Jackson, Willie - [hand-lettered stone with slab - no dates] Jackson, Ed - [dates unreadable] Jackson, Ike - died 13 Jun 1933? Jackson, Infant of ? [3 almost unreadable hand-lettered stones & slabs] Harrison, Alice - 1881/1947 [slab] [vault with unreadable funeral marker] Jackson, Mary Lee - 3 Jul 1870/14 Jan 1967 [vault] Jackson, Shepherd - [no dates] [4 unmarked vaults - no inscriptions] [unreadable funeral marker, infant burial - no information] Lewis, Hebert Lee - 19 Jan 1964/28 May 1979 [vault] [2 unmarked vaults - no inscriptions] [2 sunken depressions - no information] [unmarked vault - no inscription] [broken], Francis Thompson - 3 Jul 1933/? Mar 194? [concrete slab with broken unreadable stone] [2 unmarked vaults - no information] McCoy, Luria - ?16 Jun 1916/28 Oct 1966? [vault] McCoy, Herbert Sr. - 25 Jun 1913/9 Oct 1981 [vault] Jones, Jo Ann Bush - 24 Feb 1952/9 Apr 1991 [white wooden cross between 2 depressions - no information] [unmarked vault - no information] Johnson, Rev. J.J. - 15 Sep 1905/15 Sep 1973 [vault] M.W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge F.A.M. of LA Sgl. No. 66 Tompkins, Thomas James Sr. - 7 Dec 1909/4 Jan 1979, 69 yrs. Boyance, Helen T. - 11 Dec 1946/28 Jan 1988 [vault] [2 unmarked vaults - no inscriptions] Johnson, Pressey Sr. - 1888/1963, 75 yrs. Husband/Father [vault] [2 unmarked vaults - no inscriptions] Johnson, Edward - 14 Jun 1933/23 Mar 1991 [vault] [Burials next to right fence in rear]: Battles, Sarah A. - 9 Feb 1928/7 Jan 1980, Wed 15 Oct 1946 [vault] [unmarked vault - no information] Glover, Ben - 4 Sep 1918/31 May 1986 [vault] Temnors, Audry - 20 Oct 1929/27 Dec 1989 [vault] King, Mattie Martin - 5 Aug 1908/13 Dec 1992 [vault] Batts, William Jr. - 31 Oct 1948/16 Apr 1994 [vault] Williams, Nancy F. - 1 Jan 1959/29 Nov 1994 [vault] [Burials at the right center of driveway]: Hickman, Patsy Ricks - 10 Mar 1951/23 Mar 1990 Sister/Wife/Mother [vault] Carter, Susie Volson - 1 Feb 1961/23 Nov 1994 Mother/Sister [vault] Carter, Donald R. - 7 Jul 1982/23 Nov 1994 [vault] Russell, James Sr. - 10 Jan 1932/10 Feb 1995 [vault] [4 burials surrounded by dozens of flowerpots] Asher, Pink - 27 Jul 1908/31 Aug 1982 [hand-lettered stone] [unmarked mounded burial - no information] [unmarked infant burial - no information] [2 unreadable funeral markerS - no information] Logan, Mary G. - 8 May 1920/23 Feb 1974 [slab] Jasper, Mathilda Allen - 14 Apr 1929/21 Mar 1986 [slab] [2 unreadable funeral markers - no information] Tennessee, Richard - died 12 Jul 1990, 92 yrs. 2 mos. 2 das. [funeral marker] Smith, Bennie Roy - 13 Jul 1954/3 Nov 1985 [vault] Smith, Charlotte - 21 Apr 1929/21 Oct 1989 Mother [2 unmarked vaults at foot of Smith burials - no information] [unmarked vault - no inscription] Wilson, Burks Johnny "B. J." - 9 Mar 1922/21 Feb 1990 [vault] [5 unreadable stones, 2 on slabs - no information] Smith, Charlotte - 15 Jul 1873/6 Mar 1947 [slab] ?, Sam - [unreadable stone - no information] ?, Glenn - [unreadable stone - no information] [unreadable stone - no information] Thompson, Rosa - 27 Aug 1943/22 Jun 1982 [slab] [above 10 burials are in a row] Davis, Richard James - 17 Jun 1919/10 Apr 1991, US Army WW2 [vault] Randle, James C. - 3 Feb 1949/17 May 1977 Smith, Rosemore - 1955/1981, L/Cpl. US Marine Corps Randle, Patience Smith - 4 Dec 1896/3 Jun 1976 Mother [w/o Clifton Randle] Frazier, Annie Mae Glasper - 1 Mar 1930/18 Mar 1973 Jefferson, Mattie L. G. - 22 Nov 1928/18 Sep 1987 Jefferson, Norma - 16 Oct 1956/29 Mar 1990 [4 depressions - no information] [2 unmarked vaults under cedar tree - no inscriptions] [unreadable funeral marker - no information] Williams, Clarence - died Aug ?1963?, 58 yrs. [funeral marker] [2 unmarked burials - no information] Lee, Ethel ? - 1965 [unreadable, hand-lettered stone - no information] [depression - no information] Beverly, Johnny III - 7 Nov 1959/6 Jul 1983 Smith, Nancy - 18 Feb 1894/17 Mar 1989 [vault] Williams, Ophelia Dearborn - 26 Aug 1909/16 Apr 1991 Green, Frances M. - 13 Jul 1948/16 Oct 1981 Mother Green, John D.B. - 8 Apr 1932/5 Feb 1996 Richard, Elizabeth - 25 Nov 1882/6 Aug 1963 Richard, Evelyn - May 1910/29 Jun ?1965? Richard, Edna Lee - 25 Nov 1919/31 Oct 1949 Richard, Henry - 14 Feb 1876/10 Nov 1946 [unreadable funeral marker - no information] Richard, William H. - 21 Jul 1913/28 Jan 1957 LA Cpl. Co.C 376th Engr. BN. WW2 [6 slabs, 4 with hand-lettered stones] Tucker, Mittie - 12 Mar 1886/17 Sep 1974 [vault] Tucker, Florance - 28 Oct 1895/16 Mar 1963, 68 yrs. Rose, Doney Dearborn - 10 Aug 1909/15 Feb 1962 Mother [slab] Clay, Florence Kyles - 30 Aug 1926/3 Sep 1966 [slab] [2 depressions with pine tree separating them - no information] Sias, Mary White - 1889/Jul 1964 [slab & hand-lettered broken stone] Mishey, Mumphart - 8 Oct 1906/4 Oct 1990 [there are 4 vaults at this location, but 3 are unmarked] Bynog, Lucinda Allen - 8 Jun 1941/13 Aug 1991 Mother/Grandmother [slab] [unmarked vault at foot of Bynog burial] Fields, Celeste B. - 1 Feb 1872/6 Nov 1952 Fields, Thomas - 2 Dec 1870/13 Mar 1946 [Double stone] Price, Lee - 30 Oct 1900/22 Aug 1954, LA Pvt. 369th AVN. SQ. AAF WW2 [Group of burials against right fence near front]: Williams, Clarice J. - 6 Dec 1902/11 Mar 1994 Mother Turner, Mary Alice W. - 1 Mar 1934/2 Jan 1995 [vault] Russell, Will - 7 Jan 1900/3 Dec 1960 [vault] Rachal, Mary - 17 Aug 1902/2 Nov 1966 Mother [vault] [slab for infant burial - no information] Young, Andrew - 4 May 1928/2 Aug 1986 [vault] Roberts, Thelma - 23 Nov 1911/17 Aug 1988, Mother/Grandmother [vault] Wright, Clinton D. Sr. - 10 Jan 1932/11 Jul 1987 [vault] Clarkston, Erma - 2 Sep 1919/10 Jul 1978 [vault] Wright, Louise - 17 Feb 1900/3 Dec 1992 [vault] Williams, Willie, beloved husband of Carolyn Williams - 1903/1952 [unreadable funeral marker at depression - no information] Spears, Ethel - died 17 Dec 1962, 59 yrs. 3 mos. 22 das. [funeral marker & vault] Pinkney, Carolyn - 15 Apr 1910/28 Mar 1989 [unmarked vault - no inscription]