First Union Missionary Baptist Church, Rapides Parish Louisiana (African-American)Cemetery Submitted by Jane Parker McManus ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Directions: From the Gillis Long Bridge in downtown Pineville, go east down Main Street and turn on Jones Street (second right turn). Go three blocks on Jones Street, and turn left onto Hunter Street. The First Union Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery and the Wesley United Methodist Church Cemetery are located on the left within this first long block of Hunter Street. The two cemeteries are not divided, and it is difficult to determine where one stops and the other begins. A brief history as recorded by Martha Daniels in 1938, is used here with permission from First Union Missionary Baptist Church. These burials face Hunter Street, and most were within 50 feet or less from the street. Tombstone inscriptions were recorded in groups as much as possible from the mobile home at far left to the right. There were a large number of unmarked vaults or slabs with no means of identification. Those will not be listed here, but precise locations are available from the submitter. Also, there were a large number of broken or overturned tombstones that indicate some vandalism might have occurred in this cemetery. Originally recorded by Mary Parker Partain and Jack Fraziar, Jr. in September 1996, and verified 4 November 1996 after grass was cut and tall brush removed. Submitted by Jane P. McManus, February 2002. History of First Union Missionary Baptist Church - "The Church Where Everybody is Somebody; But Christ is Essential" The First Union Missionary Baptist Church is the oldest African-American Baptist Church in the city of Alexandria. Its roots can be traced back 130 years to 1866 when a former slave, Martha Daniels, returned to Alexandria after the war, and finding no Baptist Church here, organized one. Martha had been converted to Christianity while she was a slave. She gathered a band of Christians, known as "The Hynson Band," and called a prayer meeting in a family home on St. James Street. Elder Tom Clark from New Orleans was contacted for assistance, and he brought Rev. George Washington to Alexandria to become the first pastor of the small band of Christians. Other prayer bands joined their group, and after two years when the membership had grown to 60 members, they began to look for a larger meetinghouse. The plot of ground chosen was formerly the old carriage house on the corner of 6th & Lee Streets, and was purchased from Jake Walker for $200.00 in 1868. The little band of Christians moved from the Manning House and used the old carriage house as their first Church. Later the carriage house was torn down; a small frame church was built. It burned and was replaced by another frame building. In 1960, the old church was demolished, and the new building was constructed. Rev. Day was pastor at the time. Rev. Washington was pastor for 29 years, and at his death, Rev. George W. Davis became pastor and served for 32 years until he died. Rev. H. H. Carter served faithfully until 1936 when he was called to another church. Rev. C. D. Day, assistant pastor, was chosen to replace Rev. Carter, and he served for 33 years until his death. Rev. Alphonse Williams was pastor for 4 years, and was replaced by the present pastor, Rev. Freddie Banks. Only six pastors served in 130 years. Section U-A Crittle, Willie Lee - died 13 Jun 1925 [cross] Coleman, Robert - 5 Aug 1891/10 May 1924 Shilow, Polete - [broken stone, no dates] Brown, Delphine - died 22 Jun 1928, 24 yrs Robinson, Sarah - died 1912, Resolute Court #204, U.R.of A.E.A.&A R.L.T. - [footstone only, lying on ground] Lee, Pappy Lewis & Mammy Eve - [no dates, tombstone against stump] Anderson, Joseph - [almost unreadable vault - no dates] Anderson, Samuel - died 1 Apr 1901, 57 yrs. [There are 6 unmarked vaults between the 2 Anderson burials] Mikle, Thomas, son of D.M. & Anna [Mikle] - [no dates], 18 yrs. Lamothe, Mrs. Millie - died 17 May 1921, [unreadable age] Lamothe, Samuel - 2 Jan 1856/3 Aug 1921 [vault beside Millie Lamonthe] Thomas, Brittania - 25 Dec 1852/17 Jun 1906, 54 yrs. Wife of Rev. Israel Thomas Green, Elsie - 1823/1898 Jackson, B. J. - 1849/1920 Hall, Earl - 6 Dec 1916/30 Nov 1967 Morgan, Josephine B. - 22 May 1878/8 Aug 1964 Morgan, Henry W. - 22 Sep 1869/1 Nov 1959 [3 vaults in a row] Douglas, Eliza - 7 Nov 1895/18 Feb 1946 Bowie, Mrs. Emily - 12 Aug 1869/20 Mar 1935 Bowie, Beatrice Altanet - Apr 1910/Oct 1918 Bowie, Nettie - 6 Dec 1902/12 Sep 1918 Bowie, Ida B. - Feb 1908/27 Aug 1918 Bowie, Curtis Willis - Feb 1898/May 1900 Bowie, Havard - 23 Sep 1890/6 Jan 1900 [above 5 burials have identical stones] [broken stone on slab] - 1891/19 Mar 1920 [only information on stone] Harris, Lizzie __________ - died Feb 1913, 67 yrs. [broken stone] [Note: All burials just listed along with many, many unmarked vaults, were only a small part of those between the mobile home and the old trail. In rows parallel with the street were at least 100 obvious depressions, all highly visible in the new-mown area. MPP] Between Trail and Ditch: [curbed plot near Hunter Street]: Brown, Rev. H. B. N., DD - 11 Dec 1853/25 Apr 1924 [2 Identical vaults] Brown, Dr. M.C. Sr. - 7 Sep 1856/21 Nov 1946 Brown, M.C. Jr., son of Rev. & Mrs. M. C. Brown - 7 Feb 1904/____ 1904? [This stone is broken across death date] [Note: A low curb surrounds this group of graves with the remains of a wrought-iron fence (gateposts only) at the left rear corner near infant's grave. MPP] Thomas, Elza? - 4 Jan 1884/2 Dec 1913 [broken stone] Davis, Mary Elizabeth, beloved wife of W. G. Davis - 1863/23 Mar 1913 Davis, Edward B. - 1894/1914 [stone broken from pedestal base, on vault] [Many depressions (25 or more) and unmarked vaults are visible in this mowed area near the street. MPP] Green, Emily, wife of Andrew Green - 12 Jul 1832/30 Dec 1909 [curbed plot near Brown plot - only one visible grave] Woods Family - [this hurricane-fenced enclosure houses slabs for 5-6 burials, all unmarked except for the family name on the fence] Berry, Darling? Chapter? - 30 Oct 1900/2 Apr 1922 Folot, Seldon Ross - 9 Mar 1863/19 Jun 1915 Montgomery, Lena, daughter of Emile & Bessie Montgomery - [no dates] Bennett, _______, husband of Sadie Bennett - 19 Sep ____ [vault with broken stone] Wills, Mary - died 26 Dec 1922, 43 yrs. Harris, William - 6 May 1916 Harris, Isiah - died 12 Apr _____ Tabor, John R. - [no dates], 72 yrs. [iron cross on iron marker] Section U-B - [Area left of Old Trail] [Visible burials are scattered in this area and recorded as approached. There are also many depressions. MPP] Sanders, Frank - died 20 Apr 1919 Sanders, Leona, wife of Frank Sanders - 3 Nov 1891/15 Jul 1918 Drinkard, Merle F. - 30 Sep 1918/20 Aug 1920 Hamilton, Henry - 31 Jan 1891/26 Dec 1918 Handley, Martin - died 19 Jan 1918, 39 yrs. Alex. Council #320 G.U.O. of O.F. Butler, Ed Jr. - 26 Jun 1892/14 Feb 1907 Starks, Sallie - died 1 Oct 1907 [double stone & single slab] Robinson, Elsie - died 18 Jan 1903, 50 yrs. Scott, Gertrude - 1 May 1898/18 Oct 1918 King, Virgie [or Virsie] A. - 16 Jan 1891/15 Mar 1911 Section U-C [Note: Beginning at the rear fence to the right of the old trail, and recorded as approached. MPP] Brown, Andrew P.G.M. - 19 Feb 1917 [only date], 40 yrs. Erected by [broken] # 320 G.U.O. of O. F. Ducote, Joe - 18 Sep 1891?/5 Jul 1915, 24 yrs. [stone broken] Hinson, Jefferson - 7 Mar 1917 [only date], LA Pvt. 9th Cav. Reese, Mollie, wife of Jonas Reese - 12 Jun 1882/12 May 1916 Humphrey, Julia B. Purdy - died 10 Jan 1917, 31 yrs. ? - 12 Jun ? /14 Nov 1926 - [broken stone - dates only visible] Wilson, Mary - died 19 Nov 1946, 65 yrs. Pra___, Beo ___ - [broken stone] Wife/Mother Young, Mary A. - 31 Jan 1879/23 Apr 1925 Cobbs, Mrs. Emma - 6 Feb 1881/17 Jan 1923 Williams, Steve - 5 May 1876/10 Dec 1921 Hembel? or Kembel?, Francis - 1885/1923 [broken stone] Left of the Old Trail [From the rear fence is a row of graves all the way to the left fence.] Robinson, Mary - 6 Jan 1886/14 Sep 1921 Williams, Henrietta - 13 May 1869/14 Jun 1919 Cape Jassamine Chamber # 3953, Alexandria Churchill, Fred - 1 Sep 1920/18 Jun 1921 Neal, Ananias - 16 Jul 1906 [only date], 62 yrs. Neal, Isaac - 3 Aug 1889/25 Aug 1912 [single vault, double stone, fenced enclosure] [No other stones or slabs were found in this row near the fence, but between these marked graves there could have been 25 or more graves. >From the left rear corner near the fence toward Hunter Street there was one more burial. MPP] Frazier, Arthur, son of Mary Gable - died 4 Nov 1917, 23 yrs. Member Co.A 508th Engr. Camp Pike AR [Note: See the Wesley United Methodist Church Cemetery Listing, as these 2 cemeteries are beside each other and hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.]