Wells Cemetery, Rapides Parish Louisiana
Submitted by Jane Parker McManus

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Wells Cemetery -
some of the really old Rapides Families - and LA State families for that
matter - Wells & Dent.  Too bad this cemetery has to be on locked
grounds, and that family does not see about taking care of this
cemetery.  Jane

WELLS CEMETERY - RAPIDES PARISH

From Alexandria, take LA Hwy. 71 South, turn right at the blinking light in
Lecompte (LA Hwy. 112).  After leaving Lecompte, go about 3.0 miles and
turn left at Lecompte Cemetery sign.  Just to the left of the Lecompte
Cemetery is a narrow road leading to the old Wells Cemetery.   There is a
double-locked gate at the entrance of this dirt road, and permission to
enter must be obtained by lessors of the land.  The road is not always
passable except by 4-wheel drive vehicles.  The cemetery is about 3.0 miles
down this dirt road.  An old iron fence remains, and recently someone has
erected a sign on the cemetery, and on LA Hwy. 112 near the Lecompte
Cemetery sign.  
There are old broken markers piled against the back fence, but some have
been replaced by small modern stones within the cemetery grounds.  The
person who allowed me to visit the site (a member of the Meeker Hunting
Club which leases the land) told me that there were plans to restore the
property (cemetery).  Brush and small bushes littered the area at the time
the markers were read.  The area is very small, therefore, recording was
done as approached from the gate.  

The tombstone inscriptions were recorded by Mary Parker Partain, July 1991,
and submitted by Jane Parker McManus on 20 January 2000.
 
Rhodes, Martha - 11 Mar 1797 / 22 Nov 1855
Rhodes, Dewitt - 15 Mar 1830 / 30 Aug 1858
Rhodes, Elizabeth Dunwoody - 27 Apr 1810 / 16 Apr 1853
     [this area may have been fenced separately at one time]

Wells, Hatch Dent - 5 Oct 1848 [only date]
Wells, Montfort - 30 May 1829 / 27 Sep 1830
Wells, Jeanette Amelia Dent, wife of Montfort Wells - 8 Mar 1808 / 17 Dec 1882
       [these 3 burials have a brick vault with marble slabs]

Wells, Montfort - 7 Feb 1800 / 23 Jan 1882
Wells, Martha Luci Dent - 1810 / 23 Feb 1877

[old broken marker, unreadable, replaced by new small stone marked "UNKNOWN"]

Richardson, Putnam McDuff - 27 May 1849 / 27 Dec 1882
Jones, Elcon - Jun 1840 / Nov 1868

Wells, Ennemond Dent, infant of Ennemond M. & Francis Wells - [no dates]
Wells, Joseph Lancaster, Infant of Ennemond M. & Francis Wells - [no dates]
Wells, Pauline, Infant of Ennemond M. & Francis Wells - [no dates]
Wells, Fenwick Brent, Infant of Ennemond M. & Francis Wells - [no dates]
Wells, Samuel Levi IV, son of Montfort Wells - 15 Aug 1847 / 15 Sep 1850
     [these 5 burials are in a row near the back fence]

Wells, Alice Calvit, daughter of Montfort & Jeannette Wells - 7 Oct 1854 /
11 Jan 1856
      [this tombstone is standing upright, but is actually a marble slab
which was once the corner for the 
      brick vault.  The bottom half of the tombstone has been broken.]