Wesley United Methodist Church Cemetery, Rapides Parish Louisiana
Submitted by Jane Parker McManus

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WESLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CEMETERY - Rapides Parish

Directions:  From the Gillis Long Bridge in downtown Pineville, go east on 
Main Street and turn right onto Jones Street (2nd turn).  Go three blocks on 
Jones, and turn left onto Hunter Street.  The 1st Union Baptist Church Cemetery 
is on the left, just after turning onto Hunter Street, followed by the Wesley 
Cemetery.  Wesley United Methodist Church is located to the right of the cemetery.  
On a flagpole between church and cemetery is a plaque:

In memory of Arthur Bell - donated by VFW Post # 1736 & ?6852.

The current pastor, Rev. James E. Ray Sr., provided a brief history of their 
church as presented at the 125th Anniversary Celebration on 22 September 1996.

Tombstone inscriptions were recorded by Mary Parker Partain and Jack Fraziar Jr. 
in September 1996, and completely updated 4 November 1996.

History of Wesley United Methodist Church 1871 - 1996

"Out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last."

Wesley United Methodist Church was organized in 1871.  Services of Pineville 
Colored Methodist Church were first held in an old blacksmith shop on Main Street 
across from the White Episcopal Church (Mt. Olivet).  During this time Rev. Wade 
Hampton, Sr., would come and hold services about once a month.

After a period of time, the Conference sent Rev. M. H. Hunt to take charge of the 
pastorate.  Later Rev. W.M. Murrell was sent to replace him as pastor.

Land for the church was given by Mr. R.P. Hunter in 1878 or 1879.  The church was 
built by older members with the assistance of Rev. H.J. Wright who was a public 
school teacher at that time.  Rev. Murrell named it the Macedonia Methodist Episcopal 
Church.

During years previous to the building of the church, when services were held on Main 
Street, Newman Methodist Church (then called St. James Methodist Episcopal Church 
pastored by Rev. F.J. Marshall), our members commuted to St. James to partake Holy 
Communion.

As the years went by our church progressed, new members were added, both young and 
old.  Pastors succeeded Pastors and auxiliaries were organized.  In later years the 
name was changed to Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church.  In 1921 the church was rebuilt 
under the leadership of Rev. T.A. Brown.

The present membership worked some time for the building of a new church.  With the 
leadership of Rev. R.H. Harry, this beautiful edifice was consecrated April 26, 1970 
under the leadership of Rev. George M. Alfred this present building was paid for 
October, 1977.

Pastors Who Served:

Wade Hampton Sr., T.P. Norris, Wade Hampton Jr., M.H. Hunt, E. Hutchinson, E.P. Knox, 
W.H. Murrell, T.A. Brown, James Johnson, Henry Johnson, W.L. Dyas, Thomas Welton, 
S.E. Morant, M.C. Harrison, J.C. Williams, Travis Larkin, E.S. Johnson, Charles Green, 
J.L. Augustine, W.H. Jones, Albert Williams, H.T. Abbott, Jarret Green, S.W. Walker Jr., 
J.J. Abee, J.E. Brown, W.R. London Jr., J.W. Pierce, L.V. Blunt, T.E. McElroy, 
J.E. Brown, J.D. Frazier, R.S. Taylor, J.A. Venson, T.E. McElroy, H.L. Milo, 
H.J. Wright, F.D. Timmons, R.H. Harry, P.C. Colton, C.D. Small, Kenneth Fisher, 
George Alfred, Nathaniel Perry, Charles Washington, Major Goldman, Joseph Johnson Jr., 
Andrew Jones, Samuel Butler Sr., James E. Ray Sr.


Row 1 [right to left, burials face Hunter Street]:

Brock, Mrs. Clara, wife of M. R. Brock - [vault, hard to read nameplate]
Lewis, Hosia - 1886/1936
Pritchard, Henry - 1882/1973
	[Double Stone & large brick vault connected to Brock vault]

Woods, James C. - 21 May 1889/13 Nov 1978
Woods, Rachel - 1886/1958 Sister
	[similar vaults together]

Monroe, Eliza - [no dates]

Riley, Edward J. - 7 Oct 1884/24 Nov 1952
Riley, Francis M. - 22 Sep 1888/23 Mar 1963
	[Double Stone] - "Forever Honour'd and Forever Mourn'd"

Veal, Elmira, mother of Mytrice Tolston - 1890/1964, 73 yrs.

Burrell, Mamie Edna - 27 Mar 1888/24 Mar 1982

Davis, Edward Jake - 1 Jul 1886/8 Oct 1918
	LA Cpl. 416th Res. Labor BN QMC WW1
Davis, Isaac - 14 Oct 1866/2 Jun 1920
Davis, Angelina Moore, wife of Isaac Davis - 13 Apr 1867/18 Jul 1945
Davis, Earl Thomas - 1 Feb 1902/6 Jul 1952

Burrell, William Sr. - 1 Sep 1885/6 May 1933
Roberts, Angelina Burrell - 4 Jul 1914/9 Dec 1969

Breda, Maude Cruikshank - 1 Nov 1898/22 Aug 1995
Breda, Dellie W. - 10 Mar 1887/15 Nov 1960
	IL Pvt. Co.C 161st Dpt. Brig. WW1
Breda, John P. Jr. - 26 Nov 1889/29 May 1958
	LA Cpl. Co.C 419th Res. Labor BN QMC WW1

Compton, John H. - 28 Jan 1911/18 Sep 1950, LA Pvt. 368th Inf. WW2
Compton, Ellen - 1880/1918 Mother
Compton, Leroy O. - 1912/1917
Compton, James H. - 1881/1952 Father


Row 2:  [at trail, left to right]

Raby, Margaret S. - 1911/1982

Solibellas, Penda E. - [no dates]
Solibellas, Marshal - [no dates]
	[Double Stone] - Mother & Father

Olcutt, Tannie - 25 Feb 1876/30 Nov 1960
Olcutt, Lucy L. - 2 Nov 1881/10 Apr 1959

Wiggins, Alice - 25 Jul 1876/19 Dec 1960
Engehall, Cla? - 2 May 1896/3 May 1965
Pritchard, Gatsy? - 1 Jan 1855/29 Nov 1925  [broken stone]

Miller, Willie B. - 27 Jul 1887/20 May 1960
Miller, Isabella G. - 22 Mar 1882/15 Sep 1966
	[Double Stone on single vault]

Miller, Fannie, beloved wife of Charles Miller - [no dates]

Wardah, Rev. Charles T. - 1900/1966
Williams, Rev. J. C. -  [no dates]


Row 3  [right to left, from church downhill to trail]

[curbed plot]:
Hines, Joseph Edward Jr. - 26 Feb 1908/25 Jan 1992
Hines, Lillie F. George - 19 Sep 1895/19 Feb 1971
	Wife of Samuel James Hines Sr.
Hines, Samuel James Sr. - 31 Aug 1884/10 Jan 1965
Hines, Samuel James Jr. - 1 May 1918/6 May 1931

Eckley, Hogan, son of H.G. & L.A. Eckley - 18 Sep 1887/12 Nov 1887
Hines, J. Edward Sr. - 10 Jan 1878/6 Jun 1947
Hines, Ida E. - 25 Dec 1884/5 Jan 1982
	[above 2 burials have identical stones]
[several unmarked burials in this plot]
[end of plot]

Llizer?, Richard T. - 11 Dec __68/Mar _____ [unreadable slab]
Valley, Mrs. Vera - died 22 Jul 1994, 98 yrs.7 mos. 17 das. [Funeral marker]

Jones, Sarah Hopper, wife of Clarence Jones - 15 Aug 1905/20 Sep 1939


Row 4 [left to right, trail to church]

Wesley, Mrs. Mildred - 13 May 1888/1 Apr 1950  [hand-lettered] 
Wesley, Marguerite - died 15 Sep 1953, 9 yrs.

Hurd, Mrs. Hazel - 3 Sep 1903/27 Sep 1954
Hurd, Henry - [unreadable funeral marker, identified by family member]

Winn, Ellen May - 6 Jan 1892/7 Aug 1908
Morgan, Mrs. Lillian Johnson - 23 Jan 1925/26 Aug 1990  [Funeral marker]
Wesley, John - died 29 Oct 1947, 72 yrs.  [handlettered on slab]

[plot surrounded by remains of iron fence - no obvious burials]

Ambler, M. L. - died 1 Aug 1908 Our Baby

Ambler, J. P. - 6 Apr 1899/[no dates]
Ambler, Crawford - 6 Mar 1909/[no dates]
	[Double Stone]

Ambler, Laurania - died 11 Dec 1908 Mother
Ambler, Watkin L. - died 7 Aug 1897 Father
	[marble curb around graves]

Ambler, David M. - 12 Oct 1905/[no dates]
Ambler, Thomas E. - 6 Oct 1904/[no dates]

Raymond, Carter C. & Mary - [no dates]


Row 5 [right to left at the church]:

Page, Irvin P., son of Ellen & Clarence Page - 12 Feb 1913/25 Feb 1943
Page, Ellen H. - 10 Sep 1892/22 May 1972
Page, Clarence F. - 17 Dec 1888/20 Nov 1968

Bowie, Cora Luebertha Hadnot - 11 Dec 1895/22 Sep 1971 Mother

Hadnot, William - 23 Jul 1885/14 Dec 1949
Hadnot, Mrs. Soleto _______?, wife of W.M. Hadnot - died 5 Feb 1942

Kelso, Mabel B. White, wife of William Kelso - 14 May 1882/7 Jan 1947

Kelso, William - 11 Aug 1879/12 Aug 1943 [Masonic Emblem]
Kelso, William S. - died 1884
	[Double Stone]


Row 6 [left to right from trail]:

Dorsey, Mrs. Joseph P. - died 22 Jan 1940

Hines, Mrs. Marry - [no dates] 
Hines, John A. - 2 Jan 1869/25 Oct 1925


Row 7 [right to left from church]:

Hovell, Pearl Adams, wife of Henry Hovell - died 3 Aug 1947
Hovell, Henry - died 16 Jul 1954
	[curbed plot with 4 burials, 2 are unmarked]

Smith, Lavenia, wife of Mansel Smith - 1 Mar 1861/31 May 1909 Wife
Stewart, Miss Julia - 12 Oct 1875/3 Sep 1902 [broken stone]
Robinson, Rose - 9 May 1914? / 16 May 1932? [hand-lettered stone]

Gordan, Archie - died 16 Jan 1953
Johnson, Lillie - died 3 Mar 1962
	[Double Stone - hand-lettered]

Lamott, Cloteal - 1911/1941, 30 yrs. 


Row 8 [left to right, trail to parking lot]:

Harvey, Albert Family - Emmeline, Carrie, Ruth, Elbert, John D.
	[Family stone, no obvious graves, but many depressions in this area]

Tea, Earnest Vance - 27 May 1876/6 Sep 1907 

Arthur, Frank - 1864/1919 [Masonic Emblem]
Arthur, Frances - 1865/1924
	[Double Stone]

Smith, Walter Joseph - 23 Feb 1883/29 Dec 1921 [Masonic Emblem]
Hadnot, Sophie - 23 Apr 1888/11 Apr 1944
	[Double Stone]

Johnson, Geneveve - 25 Dec 1917/4 Mar 1976 Mother
Johnson, Harriet - [no dates] Sister [broken stone]
Johnson, Louise - [no dates] Mother

Lawrence, Ellen - 18 Nov 1851/14 Nov 1919 Mother [curbed burial]
Levy, Jacob S. - 26 Aug 1877/23 Feb 1944


Row 9 [right to left, parking lot to trail]

Norris, Minnie - 1888/1967

Dual, William A. - 20 Jan 1878/28 Oct 1944 Father
Dual, Martha - 28 May 1910/22 May 1931
Dual, Essie B. - 7 Aug 1887/17 Oct 1918
[2 unmarked slabs - no information]
	[above 5 slabs connected]

Hovell, Nellie - [no dates] Mother
Hovell, Larry Sr. - [no dates] 
Hovell, James R. - 13 Jun 1903/11 Mar 1950 [medical symbol]
[unmarked slab - no information]
McCabe, Cora Hovell - 5 May 1856/22 Feb 1912 Mother
	[above 5 slabs in a row]

Norris, Hazel - died 1914


Row 10 [left to right, trail to parking lot]:

Jones, Joseph - [no dates]
Cooper, Harrie T. - [no dates]
	[single stone with 2 names inscribed]

Saus, Mary - [no other inscription]

Jones, Naomi - [no other inscription]
Jones, Albert - [no other inscription]
Jones, Felix? Issex? - [no other inscription]

McGee, Bennie Jean - b&d 26 Oct 1942

Williams, James - [no dates] Husband
Williams, James E., beloved grandson of Addie Williams - [no dates]
	[one stone, two names inscribed]

Kemper, Dunk - died 20 Feb 1937


Row 11  [right to left, parking lot to trail]

Dual, ________, wife of William Dual - 7 Aug 1884/17 Oct 1918
[almost unreadable broken stone]

Norris, John Jr. - died 24 Sep 1922? [hand-lettered stone]
Norris, W. M. - died 7 Jan 1924 [hand-lettered stone]

Johnson, Thomas, husband of Lillie Johnson - 1905/1950

Williams, Jeff - 18 Jan 1877?/1 Jun 1931?
Williams, Jennie? - [unreadable dates]
	[2 vaults with hand-lettered stones]


Row 12 [left to right, trail entrance at Grant Street to parking lot]:

[Below burials are scattered in this section, along with many unmarked]

Gaines, Pearl - 1908/1982
Gaines, Willie - 8 Mar 1904/14 Mar 1984

Harvey, Cpl. Richard H. - 26 Dec 1930 [only date]
	Co.M 9th US Vol. Inf. Sp. Am. War

Woods, George, beloved husband of Kitty Woods - 1878/1953, 80 yrs. 

[Between ditch that divides Union Cemetery on left from Wesley Cemetery on right, 
inscriptions were read left to right, uphill toward the trail, through 
Wesley Cemetery. MPP]

Row 1:

Barrett, Emily, wife of John Barrett - 1 Dec 1839/31 Jan 1896

Mayo, Rosa, beloved aunt of Fannie Normand - 1889/1958, 69 yrs. 


Row 2: [street side to trail]

Kelso, Cavin R. - 10 May 1909/5 May 1991
Kelso, Lurania Eckley - 5 Jan 1906/20 Aug 1985

Eckley, Lurania Crawford - 19 Sep 1885/28 Aug 1980

Crawford, William - 1876/1913
Crawford, Betty C. - 1855/1947
	[Double Stone]

Bridges, Laurania M. - 1902/1973
Johnson, Frances D. - 1864/1910
	[Double Stone]

Eckley, Willie C. - 26 Nov 1910/17 Oct 1923
Eckley, Willie - 4 Aug 1884/4 Jan 1951

Crawford, William - 1855/1890
Crawford, Alice - 1873/1954
	[Double Stone]

Edwards, Maggie J. - 1882/1966
Mitchell, Levin - [no dates]


Scattered burials - recorded as approached:

Glover, E. D. - 1855/1904

Bassett, Conrad J., son of O. & M. Bassett - 24 Feb 1892/3 Sep 1917

Wright, Arthur Mitchel - 18__?/10 Jul 1894 [broken stone]
Wright, Virginia Oleria - 31 Jan 1885/6 May 1911
Wright, Laura Celest - 1 Jan 1846/23 Mar 1926

Cuney, Harriet - 1 Sep 1853/1 Aug 1895 Mother

Wright, Rev. Henry J. - 12 Jan 1852 Alton GA/26 Sep 1928 New York City
Green, Amos - 20 Feb 1877/6 Mar 1883

Garb, George & Julia - [no dates]

__________, John A. - 1866/1940 Father
__________, Laura M. - 1874/1949 Mother


Section W-C

[Beginning in the back of cemetery where ditch (dividing Union and Wesley 
Cemeteries) meets the dirt extension of Grant Street, graves were recorded as 
approached. MPP]

Brown, Jack - 24 Aug 1866/4 Aug 1936
Brown, William D. - 15 Feb 1899/24 Aug 1935
	[2 vaults together]

Johnson, I.W., husband of Clothise Johnson - 5 Feb 1877/10 Aug 1905

Pipes, Ella - died 2 Oct 1923
Pipes, Frank - [no dates]
	[Double Stone]

Pollitt, Alma, daughter of A.W. & A.S. Pollitt - Mar 1898/24 Feb 1908, 11 yrs.

Irvin, Elure - Jul 1874/21 May 1970
Irvin, Tom - 30 Jan 1899/29 Apr 1983
Irvin, Dennie - 30 Jan 1876/25 Oct 1920
Irvin, Willie - 25 Dec 1900/16 Feb 1974, LA Pvt. US Army WW2

Cruikshank, Charlie - 17 May 1874/10 May 1919 Husband

Heyman, James - died 15 Nov 1922, # 2526 C.U.O. of O.F. [hand-lettered stone]
Heyman) - no information]

Harris?, Elizabeth - died 30 Jun 1924 [broken stone]
Tea, Cornelouis - 1861/31 Jan 1927
Bennett, Soas - 3 Feb 1885/1922

Compton, Bowman H. - 13 Nov 1913/11 May 1951
	LA Pfc. 3515th Truck Co. Tng. WW2
[unmarked vault - no information]
Compton, Ebenezer O. Sr. - 30 Nov 1881/16 Feb 1951 [Masonic Emblem]
	[3 vaults in a row]

[broken stone - no information]
Cole____,? Walter W. - 7 Oct 1867/12 Oct 1918 [broken stone]
Coleman, Henrietta E. - 11 Dec 1873/[unreadable dates]
	[3 vaults in a row (have been vandalized)]

Perry, Joseph M. - died 1956, 76 yrs. Husband/Father

Nathan, Louis - 20 Sep 1948 [only date]
Levy, Rachel - 25 Dec 1888/30 May 1923
Keys, Jemily L. Murphey - died 12 Dec 1915, 33 yrs. Grandma


Section W-D

[At corner of Grant Street begins a well-used footpath from Grant to Hunter Street.  
Tombstone inscriptions were recorded as approached on right side of trail, from Grant. MPP]

Tolbert, Rock - 8 Jun 1898/______ 1916
Jacobs, Elnoria - 13 Mar 1943/3 Jan 1995
Dier, Malvin Suddick - 27 Feb 1881/[broken stone]

Handley, Matthis - 13 Jan 1875/5 Nov 1911
Handley, Olivia - 20 Sep 1883/13 May 1944

Collier, Newton - 17 Dec 1899/13 Feb 1968

Smith, Inez E., wife of E.P. Smith - 1899/1951
	Mother of W.J. & Julius Mines

Payton, Alice - 22 May 1948  [only date] Mother
Basco, Elihu? - 1888/1912 

Belgard, Sarah, beloved wife of Rufus Belgard - [no dates]
Belgard, Rufus - [no dates]
Belgard, Delia - 1880/1959

Newell, Susie, Mother of Rufus Belgard - 1887/1954, 67 yrs. [broken slab]
Basco, Emma - 30 Sep 1888/5 Feb 1945

Compton, Chester - 1883/1943
Compton, Alice - 1884/1965
	[Double Stone]

Watson, Wilbert - 7 Jan 1927/7 Apr 1954, LA/TN US Navy WW2

Williams, Minnie Hazel - 1 Nov 1870/6 May 1942 Mother
Williams, Jerry - 1 Jan 1854/2 Jan 1904 Father
	[Double Stone]