St. Matthew Cemetery, Rapides Parish Louisiana Submitted by Jane Parker McManus ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ST. MATTHEW'S BAPTIST (African-American) CEMETERY - Rapides Parish (also known as Ashburn-Lily) Directions: This African-American cemetery is located at Rapides Station, 6.0 miles north of Alexandria on LA Hwy 1. Turn onto Bayou Rapides Road, go about .2 miles and cross under the Interstate highway. The cemetery is near St. Matthew's Baptist Church, a large white-framed building that is currently being replaced by a beautiful modern brick structure. St. Matthew's Choir is one of the most popular choirs in this area, and they have been invited to sing at many functions. The cemetery covers approximately two or three acres. Many graves are scattered in the area, and even more are sunken and almost lost. Some concrete vaults have been painted white, and are beautifully engraved - a striking contrast between old and new. Tombstone inscriptions recorded by Mary Parker Partain, May 1992, and submitted by Jane P. McManus, 4 August 2000. [unreadable funeral marker - no information] Varnado, Johnie Denise - 7 Aug 1991/7 Aug 1991 Mitchell, Alvin - 30 May 1934/7 Dec 1991 [above 3 burials located together, but apart from rest of cemetery] [2 sunken graves, slab is almost covered with soil, nameplate is not visible - no information] [13 depressions & 1 sunken slab for lost burials - no information] Elick, Joie - 1855/17 Sep ?1948? [3 depressions for lost burials - no information] Fairfax, Matilda - 28 Jan 1947 [only date] Cleveland, [no name] - 1858/1940 [broken cross] Eldridge, Walter Jr. - 3 Sep 1916/30 Mar 1942 Ambush, Donald ?Boy? - 5 Jun 1949/10 Jun 1949 Johnson, Louis N. - 10 Jun 1953 [only date] [above burials has a double vault, no inscription 2nd side] Eldridge, Clarence - died 14 Dec 1951, 49 yrs Eldridge, Walter - 1882/19 Apr 1963 Eldridge, Buster - 15 Aug 1908/2 Sep 1973 Williams, Nathaniel - 6 Dec 1872/12 Oct 1942 Williams, Mary P. - 8 Jul 1884/18 Jun 1969 Williams, Nathan - 27 Feb 1913/9 May 1972, LA Tec.5 US Army WW2 Turner, Bessie Williams - 17 Aug 1909/15 Nov 1991 Williams, Lucille - 17 Sep 1909/15 Nov 1980 [above 5 burials are in vaults in a row] [3 depressions for lost burials - no information] Green, William - 22 Feb 1926/27 Oct 1947, LA Tec.4 Trans. Corps WW2 [unreadable tombstone - no information] [unreadable name] - Aug 1878/Aug 1946 Iles, Morgan - 25 Oct 1872/13 Jan 1947 Iles, Mandy - 12 Dec 1880/25 Feb 1943 Iles, William - 27 May 1915/14 Apr 1951, LA Cpl. Quartermaster Corps WW2 Iles, Alice - died 11 Jul 1951 Taylor, Thomas - [unreadable dates] [many depressions for lost burials in this area - no information] Reed, Willie Jr. - 17 Mar 1944/10 Dec 1977 Reed, Martha - 2 Aug 1914/20 Oct 1976 Davenport, Mary Lee - 11 Sep 1940/17 Nov 1971 Bradley, William - 2 Dec 1866/3 Oct 1954 [broken tombstone] [6 concrete vaults - no inscriptions] [9 depressions for lost burials - no information] Fulson, John - 5 Jun 1890/29 Jul 1958, OK Pvt. Co. 1 804th Pioneer Inf. WW1 [small fenced area with several graves, unreadable markers] [2 concrete vaults, with unreadable funeral markers] Nelson, Alma - 1903/1990 Coleman, Nellie H. - 10 Jul 1886/21 Jun 1974 [4 depressions for lost burials - no information] Taylor, George, Sr. - 20 Dec 1951/20 Nov 1991 [funeral marker] Henry, Sarah - died 10 Sep 1991, age 98 [concrete vault with funeral marker] Evans, Ella C. - 16 Feb 1886/20 Oct 1958 Evans, Robert - 27 Jan 1896/16 Jul 1966 [3 depressions for lost burials, 1 concrete vault - no information] Johnson, Leon - 12 Dec 1910/19 Oct 1977 [concrete vault - no inscription] Clark, Matchie - 22 Sep 1901/26 Nov 1974 Clark, Annie Bell - 20 Sep 1913/12 Feb 1981 [2 concrete vaults - no inscriptions] Winzy, Ophelia - died 25 Jan 1938 [4 depressions for lost burials - no information] Chestand, Nelie - died 13 Sep 1962 Mother [concrete vault - no inscription] Chestan, O'Neal - [concrete vault - no information] Nelson, James - 1917/1977, Pfc. WW2 Nelson, Bobbie J. - 7 Mar 1948/29 Apr 1949 Payne, Laura - ? Jan 1892?/28 Sep 194? [almost unreadable stone] [4 concrete slabs or vaults - no inscriptions] Lawson, Leeandrew Sr. - 17 Oct 1913/2 Jul 1983 Chestand, Ida Lawson - 22 Dec 1915/20 Sep 1984 Nelson, Alonzo B. - 14 Jun 1909/22 Sep 1929 [4 concrete vaults - no inscriptions] [possibly another 100 depressions for lost burials in area, too many to list] [concrete slab & concrete vault - no inscription] Reed, Corine - 10 Feb 1910/15 May 1990 [identical concrete slab for burial - no inscription] [unreadable stone] - 1892/1971 Raford,[sic] Roasevelt - 24 Jun 1921/20 May 1975 Radford, Alex - 23 Dec 1878/24 Oct 1926 Radford, Pearl D. - 28 Oct 1895/2 Feb 1983 Williams, Angie Radford - 27 Oct 1917/12 Jan 1986 [3 concrete vaults - no inscriptions] Hunter, Jack Sr. - 18 Dec 1910/9 May 1979 Brown, Lumas D. Jr. - 1955/1987, Sgt. USF Brown, Idella Iles - 6 Dec 1928/9 Aug 1985 Iles, Johnny Nathan - 1924/1981, GM3 US Navy WW2 Norris, Lillie - 26 Jan 1905/30 Mar 1970 Allen, Fess - 10 Oct 1946/17 Jun 1976 Iles, Nathan - 10 Aug 1901/3 Sep 1967 [3 concrete vaults & 1 sunken slab - no inscriptions] Jones, Piggie - 1890/1950 Powell, Jessie J. - 19 Sep 1945/19 Aug 1985 Strickland, Maudy Y. - 22 Jul 1915/4 Jan 1988 Raymon, Ella - 1891/1957 Webbs,? [concrete vault, handlettered nameplate unreadable] Jones, Tom - 1879/1979 [6 concrete vaults - no inscription] Valey, Ellen - 18 Jan 1890/25 Feb 1970 Webb, Charlie L. - 10 Oct 1941/16 Jun 1984 Powell, Johnny - 9 Aug 1902/9 Jul 1963 Williams, James - 5 Aug 1897/27 May 1950, LA Pvt. Casual Det. WW1 Williams, Blossie - 6 Dec 1902/2 Apr 1969 [3 concrete vaults - no inscription] Hall, Lena Mrs. - 18 Sep 1874/16 Dec 1977 Cleveland, James - 10 Jun 1892/3 Jun 1980 Deacon Peters, Lillie - 7 Mar 1916/18 Oct 1978 [4 concrete vaults - no information] Evans, O. W. - 6 Mar 1911/6 Jun 1971 [unmarked grave, depression - no information] Reed, Alberta B. - 12 Jun 1911/20 Aug 1971 Williams, Emile - 3 Oct 1924/14 Nov 1986 Radford, Henry - 16 Oct 1894/27 Oct 1970, LA Pvt. US Army WW2 [2 concrete vaults - no information] Venson, Samuel S. - 15 Mar 1896/25 Nov 1963 Venson, George Raymon - 1954/1977, US Navy Venson, Huey P. - 1926/1983, US Army Korea Venson, Ashely E. - 8 Mar 1983/6 Oct 1984 Prudhomme, Emile - 20 Sep 1877/16 Jan 1974 Prudhomme, Emma - 3 Jan 1879/28 May 1959 Wilson, Willie Mae Mickens - 7 Apr 1912/26 Jun 1958 Mickens, Clarence - 23 Feb 1894/5 Feb 1951 [concrete vault - no inscription] Woodard, George H. - 28 Jan 1949/22 Jun 1973 Ambush, Howard - 10 Mar 1870/2 Apr 1951 Ambush, Melinda - 10 Nov 1879/22 Jun 1974 Ambush, Robert - 27 Apr 1900/29 May 1981 [2 concrete vaults - no inscriptions] Ambush, Wilbert - 19 Jun 1908/24 Jun 1965 Williams, Emma A. - 1901/1975 Mother Williams, Louis - 1898/1968 Father [above 2 burials have identical stones] [2 concrete vaults - no inscriptions]