Wilmer Memorial Cemetery, Rapides Parish Louisiana Submitted by Jane Parker McManus ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** WILMER MEMORIAL CEMETERY - Rapides Parish Directions: Take US Hwy. 71 South from Alexandria for 8.0 miles, and turn right on Parish Road 470/456. Bear to the right at fork on Hwy. 470 and go 1.0 mile. Turn left on Chickamaw Road and go 3.1 miles. Wilmer Memorial Cemetery is on the left located in a beautiful setting, with cedar, oak, and magnolia trees. The area is on a small knoll next to Bayou Bouef, with the burial ground directly to the right of the Cedar Grove Baptist Church. The grounds are well maintained, with new hurricane fence, beautiful arch and wrought-iron gate. Century-old graves amid century-old trees, new granite markers and well-tended grounds reflect the changing times. Tombstone inscriptions were recorded from the front in rows right to left by Mary Parker Partain, March 1993, and updated 19 September 1996. Submitted by Jane P. McManus, February 2002. History Joseph Pere Bell Wilmer was born in 1812. He was educated in the east and had extensive experience with church leadership there before being elected Episcopal Bishop of Louisiana in 1866. The state had been weakened by the War Between the States -- economically, emotionally, and spiritually - by the horrors and the aftermath of the war. Bishop Wilmer was hindered by several years of panic and floods, but he traveled all over the state, working from the rivers to the forests, sending notices to the scattered plantations that he would be in certain areas and would help in any way he could. He was conservative and compassionate; he loved his people and was, in turn, loved by them. He ministered wherever he was needed, with spiritual counseling, understanding in the time of sorrow, and even material assistance, when necessary. According to historians of the Episcopal Church, he was known as the "Fighting Bishop," not because he fought in the war like Bishop Leonidas Polk, but because he fought to bring the flock of his church back together in the wretched aftermath of a cruel war. Bishop Wilmer died on December 2, 1878. It is believed that he held meetings with the people in the Bayou Beouf area near what is now the community of Lamourie. Mr. William Thompson had a large plantation there, called 'Chickamaw.' In 1876, a small group of families held their first religious service in a private home. When they decided to build a meetinghouse, Mr. Thompson gave a small plot of land for the purpose of a cemetery and chapel that he called "Beloved God's Acre." It was given to St. James Episcopal Church in Alexandria to be used as a mission, an acre of land. He later gave the congregation an organ. The people of the community erected a shell of a building in the center of what is now the cemetery. The first service was held in March 1880. In appreciation for what Bishop Wilmer had done for their community and the State of Louisiana, and because of their love for this compassionate leader, they decided to call the chapel "Bishop Wilmer Memorial." St. James Episcopal received the church into its parish. The last service in the chapel was in 1889. By 1900, the area was changing and the congregation had moved to Lecompte, a few miles away, to Holy Comforter Church. By 1916, the little building had been moved off the property and used by the Woodmen of the World organization. A small pavilion was built inside the cemetery, but was removed and never rebuilt. Row 1: Hoyt - [large Family stone, no burials] Row 2: [right to left] Carnal, Gladys Seal - 28 Feb 1905/[no dates] Carnal, William McKenzie - 19 Jun 1892/1 Apr 1979 [Double Stone] Jackson, Howard W. Sr. - 5 Apr 1918/1 Aug 1992 Jackson, Elizabeth M. - 21 Dec 1918/[no dates] [Double Stone] Pringle, Edgar Eugene Jr. - 22 Mar 1896/5 Nov 1982, US Army WW1 Pringle, Gladys Ethridge - 29 Mar 1901/29 Jan 1991 [Double Stone] - Married 8 Mar 1918 Cox, Rosa Lee Reiszner - 24 Nov 1915/[no dates] Wife of Chester Parkman Cox Reiszner, Elaine Peckham - 13 Nov 1920/[no dates] Reiszner, Herbert B. - 4 Jun 1914/1 Aug 1987 [Double Stone] Pearce, Marion Reiszner - 18 Aug 1917/[no dates] Pearce, Berthol Stephens - 12 Aug 1917/[no dates] [Double Stone] Jackson, Hilda M. - 5 Nov 1907/19 Sep 1986 Norfleet, Edwina Marshall - 23 Feb 1915/19 Aug 1995 Norfleet, Wilfred Wells - 5 Oct 1919/5 Mar 1990 [Double Stone] Row 3: [left to right] Norfleet, Gary W. - 21 Sep 1950/17 Sep 1989 Carnal, Kenneth Simpson - 19 Dec 1920 [only date] Carnal, Margaret S. - 15 Jan 1889/3 Oct 1970 Carnal, Walter F. - 8 Jan 1890/30 Sep 1971 [Double Stone] Gaiennie, George Carnal - 26 May 1896/27 Mar 1970 Gaiennie, Cora Miller - 28 Jun 1898/1 Mar 1980 Gaiennie, Richard M. - 13 Feb 1934/19 Mar 1993 [3 Identical Stones] Row 4: [right to left] Gaiennie, Escalon J. Jr. - 1 Apr 1930/10 Nov 1969 LA Cpl. US Army Korea Gaiennie, Escalon Joseph Valery - 1897/1970 Gaiennie, Isabelle Thorp - 1901/1966 [2 Identical Stones] Flower, Margaret Cornell - 2 Jun 1898/19 Aug 1988 Flower, William Polk - 26 May 1891/20 Aug 1956 [2 Identical stones] Burrowes, Harry Scovel - 1869/1951 Burrowes, Eloise Polk - 1864/1948 [Double Stone] McClane, Irma Clark - 8 Feb 1894/21 Mar 1993 Britt, Janie Lou Neff - 24 Jul 1948/8 Aug 1966 Row 5: [left to right] Clark, Clifford E. - 16 Aug 1895/17 Aug 1967 LA Cpl. 10th Ser. Co. Sig. WW1 Marino, Ella - 1906/1994 Marino, Tony - 1903/1950 [W.O.W.] [Double Stone] Clark, Lily Earnest - 20 Jul 1899/[no dates] Clark, Eddie Carnal - 28 Dec 1890/16 Feb 1963 LA Pfc. Co.D 53rd Tele. BN. WW1 [Double Stone] Ferris, Vara Shaver - 1886/1953 Ferris, Livingston Polk - 1886/1973 [2 Identical stones] Row 6: [right to left] Hardy, James Ward Jr. - 9 Aug 1875/21 Aug 1899 Hardy, James Ward - died 4 Mar 1900, 55 yrs. 7 mos. 21 das. Hardy, May R. Simmons, wife of James Ward Hardy - 17 Jan 1847/2 Jun 1918 Clark, Jennie Inez - 10 Jul 1901/2 May 1985 Clark, Mabel L. Rutledge - 21 Jul 1905/28 Nov 1975 [Double Stone] Row 7: [left to right] Applebaum, Gussie - 8 Feb 1903/13 Jul 1967 Brothers: Jake 1899/1958; Bennie 1898/1938 buried Greenwood Cemetery, Pineville LA Moses 1893/1921 buried in Jewish Cemetery, Pineville LA Applebaum, Rebecka - 22 Mar 1896/11 Jan 1981 Father: Frank H. Applebaum (1867/1935) Mother: Annie Grossmark 1872/1912 buried Jewish Cemetery, Pineville LA [Double Stone] Cruse, Laulette Stafford - 23 Sep 1866/15 Jul 1955 Mother Cruse, Terrell B. - 27 Mar 1859/29 May 1940 Father [Similar stones side by side] Cruse, J. Ed - 10 Mar 1895/11 Mar 1900 Cruse, Stafford - 16 Aug 1896/19 Apr 1970 LA Pvt. Btry.F 12th Regt. Fld. Arty. WW1 Cruse, Joseph Eugene - 21 Mar 1873/25 Jan 1916 Cruse, Lessie Stafford - 9 Dec 1872/16 Feb 1953 Wife of Joseph Cruse Cruse, Joseph Eugene - 20 May 1899/14 Oct 1945 LA Fireman 3C US Navy Doughty, Lorraine G. - 8 Aug 1895/19 Oct 1974 Doughty, Alex Charles - 15 Feb 1894/17 Jul 1979, US Army WW1 [Double Stone] Doughty, Thelma Lorraine - 6 Apr 1920/[no dates] Doughty, Olivia Elizabeth - b&d 19 Aug 1975 Doughty, Dorothy Carnal - 25 May 1917/30 Dec 1992 Doughty, Charles Woodrow - 1 Jun 1918/29 Apr 1994 [Double Stone] Gaiennie, Marie Silvers - 20 May 1892/8 Nov 1969 Gaiennie, Kenneth Meeker, AMDG - 3 Dec 1888/25 Jan 1952 [s/o G.W. Gaiennie & Corinne Carnal] Gaiennie, Dolores Kremenek - 11 Jan 1927/16 Jan 1991 Gaiennie, Gary René - 10 Oct 1967/28 May 1995 Row 8 & 9: [right to left] Gaiennie, Pattie Carnal - 14 Dec 1868/10 Jun 1955 Wife of George W. Gaiennie Gaiennie, George W. - 7 Oct 1865/23 Sep 1941 Gaiennie, Corinne Carnal - 16 Sep 1865/17 Dec 1892 Wife of George W. Gaiennie [Corinne & Martha (Pattie) Carnal are daughters of Reuben Hilary Carnal & Louisa Ann Brunot] [plot]: Brunot, Fannie - died 2 Sep 1935 Carnal, Evelyn - 20 Mar 1861/9 Jan 1958 [d/o Reuben H. Carnal & Louisa Ann Brunot] Carnal, Reuben Hilary - 8 Dec 1876/12 Jun 1901 [s/o Reuben Carnal & Louisa Brunot] Carnal, Mary Emily - died 28 Feb 1941 [d/o Reuben H. Carnal & Louisa Ann Brunot] Carnal, Reuben H. - died 25 Jun 1886, 56 yrs. [s/o Reuben Carnal & Elizabeth Williams] Carnal, Louisa Brunot - died 7 Jun 1896, 59 yrs. 11 mos. 76 das. Wife of R.H. Carnal Carnal, Kenneth Lee - 14 Dec 1862/6 Oct 1888 Son of Reuben H. & Louisa Carnal [end of plot] Helm, Newton Cooper - 28 Mar 1899/27 Jan 1952 LA Pvt. STU Army Tng. Corp. WW1 Gaiennie, Louis Evelyn - 17 Dec 1905/8 Feb 1907 Son of G.W. & M.G. Gaiennie Penick, William Sydnor III - 16 Apr 1900/28 Aug 1901 Son of Rawley M. & Eugenie Carnal Penick Penick, Ben Carnal - 10 Aug 1906/4 Jul 1942 Son of Elizabeth Carnal & Rawley Martin Penick Penick, Eugenie Elizabeth Carnal - 21 Jan 1873/23 Aug 1934 Wife of Rawley Martin Penick [d/o Reuben Hilary Carnal & Louisa Ann Brunot] Penick, Dr. Rawley Martin - 11 Jun 1871/18 Feb 1952 Conly, Kenneth Mae Clark - 27 Feb 1914/18 Dec 1990 Conly, Travis T. Jr. - 26 Aug 1907/26 Jan 1975 [Double Stone] Clark, Kenneth McKenzie - 1859/1950 Clark, Theodosia - 1871/1941 [2 Identical Stones] [curbed plot]: Clark, Kenneth M. - 2 Mar 1925/11 Oct 1927 Son of Eddie C. & Lily E. Clark Whitehead, Clara Clark - 21 Nov 1865/12 Mar 1934 Whitehead, Charles Poston M.D. - 1 Jan 1848/30 Jan 1913 Whitehead, Charles Poston - 5 Dec 1913/5 Sep 1914 Son of Peter & Linda Whitehead Clark, Reuben C. - 9 Apr 1857/8 Jun 1891 Son of Dr. Kenneth M. & M.T. Clark Clark, Stokes Smith - 1858/1907 [s/o Kenneth Clark & Martha Carnal] Clark, David G. - 29 Jan 1855/16 Feb 1899 [s/o Kenneth Clark & Martha Carnal] Clark, Pattie Carnal - died 29 Jan 1902, 75 yrs. & 29 das. Wife of Dr. Kenneth Clark [Martha (Pattie), d/o Reuben Hilary Carnal & Louisa Ann Brunot] Clark, Kenneth M. - died 8 May 1882, 55 yrs. Clark, Rosa - 16 Dec 1867/12 Jul 1891 Daughter of Dr. Kenneth M. & M.T. Clark Clark, Walter M. - 2 Sep 1853/9 Jul 1934 [s/o Kenneth Clark & Martha (Pattie) Carnal] [end of plot] Mathews, Eli Glover - [no dates] Mathews, Ann Glover - [no dates] Hardy, Audley Paul - 10 Sep 1895/15 Sep 1895 Son of Chas. & Anne Paul Hardy Hardy, Dorothy Mary - b&d 6 May 1898 Daughter of Chas. & Anne Paul Hardy Hardy, Anne Chase - 16 Jun 1899/21 Jun 1899 Daughter of Chas. & Anne Paul Hardy Mathews, Joel Early - 7 Oct 1842/17 Dec 1897 Mathews, William Chase - 19 Jan 1882/1 Nov 1960 Bourgeois, James S. - died 20 Dec 1921 [infant slab] Bourgeois, Robert M. - 20 Jul 1889/31 Oct 1944 Bourgeois, Elizabeth Earnest - 25 Dec 1896/24 Nov 1972 Row 10: [right to left] Freeman, Doctor Otto Leon - 1893/1952 Freeman, Charles Buckner - 1849/1938 Father Freeman, Mollie Simpkins - 1858/1934 Mother Ross, James Boling - 12 Dec 1865/21 Mar 1939 Ross, Inez (Dollie) Butler - 14 Aug 1877/2 Apr 1956 Wife of Reuben Hilary Carnal & James Boling Ross Smith, Louisiana D. - 15 Jul 1937 [only date] Smith, Clara M. - 28 Apr 1828/21 Dec 1889 Norfleet, Richard Stokes - 31 Oct 1882/17 Jun 1895 Carnal, Clara L. - 3 Jun 1895/7 May 1987 Carnal, Mary L. - 30 May 1898/28 Aug 1994 [Double Stone] Carnal, Elizabeth - died 8 Dec 1903, 47 yrs. Carnal, Kenneth Clark - Sep 1852/22 Jun 1899 Son of William Carnal & Margaret Wyche [obelisk & broken marble slab] Norfleet, Carrie S. - [no dates] Norfleet, Frank Scott - 3 Mar 1880/8 May 1945 Father Norfleet, Josephine Wells - 5 Nov 1886/1 Sep 1976 Mother [2 Identical stones] Pickels, Susan W. - 2 Jun 1814/12 Oct 1893 Pickels, John D. Sr. - 6 May 1835/30 Oct 1898 Pickels, Marguerite - 27 May 1837/18 Nov 1910 Pickels, Louis, darling infant of M&M O.K. Pickels - died 8 Dec 1903 Row 11: [left to right] Norfleet, Frank S. - 7 Aug 1918 [only date] Norfleet, Vermelle M. - 7 Aug 1923/26 Mar 1973 Norfleet, Dent W. - 24 Jan 1952/29 Jun 1965 Smith, Mary Emily - 26 Jan 1931 [only date] Farrington, Reuben Carnal - 5 Sep 1901/17 May 1992 Mother Daughter of Reuben Hilary Carnal & Inez (Dollie) Butler Farrington, Ann Ross - 24 Nov 1924/13 May 1989 Daughter of Reuben Hillary Carnal [&] Edward Chandler Farrington [2 almost identical 3' granite vaults] Freeman, Ruby Fay - died 9 Jun 1901, 22 yrs. 10 mos. 13 das. Freeman, Sallie Pearl - 26 May 1874/14 Nov 1962 Freeman, Cornelius Oscar - 26 Jan 1876/1 Oct 1974 [far right corner]: Fory, George Augustine - 10 Apr 1887/8 Feb 1888 Son of Geo. A. & Lizzie Fory [stone on ground] Burnum, Sarah E. - 13 Jun 1856/31 Mar 1889 Wife of F.S. Burnum Barron, Cornelia Alice - 23 Aug 1896/8 Dec 1896 Daughter of Dr. J.H. & Mrs. V.A. Barron Row 12 & 13: [right to left] Smith, Richard Henry - 3 Jun 1857/4 Mar 1914 Smith, Elizabeth Ballance - 27 Sep 1949 [only date] Wife of Richard Henry Smith Snowden, Smith - 9 Dec 1879/14 May 1954 Snowden, Mrs. C.F. Laulette - 6 Feb 1840/31 Dec 1917 Stafford, Alex Carnal - 1861/1936 Stafford, Terrell J. - 19 Sep 1870/24 May 1946 Father Stafford, Anna Wise - 25 Feb 1885/8 Jun 1980 Mother Pastor, Thelma Stafford - 25 Apr 1906/3 Jul 1973 Daughter [Double Stone] Stafford, Terrell J. Jr. - 17 Feb 1913/[no dates] Uncle McGuire, Catherine - 21 Feb 1932/[no dates] Niece [Double Stone] Hill, Sam D. - 19 Apr 1872 Memphis, TN/12 Jan 1900 Husband Burnum, Minnie Long, wife of E.W. Burnum - 25 Aug 1875/20 Sep 1898 Arden, Mrs. L.M., consort of D.D. Arden - died 4 Jul 1895 Arden, Daniel D., husband of L.M. Arden - [no dates] [Identified by Thelma Doughty] Perry, Ola Waddill - 7 Feb 1868/4 Mar 1890 Wife of James Z. Perry Pruitt, Josephine Rougeot - 1869/1935 Pruitt, C.H. - 1868/1925 [Masonic Emblem] Pruitt, C.H. - 15 Jan 1899/4 Dec 1899 Son of C.H. Pruitt & Josephine Rougeot Franks, Naville - 17 Apr 1908/22 Jan 1964 Franks, Charles Ray - 24 May 1931/15 May 1947 Franks, Louise Stafford - 14 May 1908/20 Apr 1994 Pruitt, Ethel Eliska - 3 Dec 1893/17 Jun 1894 Daughter of C.H. Pruitt & Emma J. Merwin Pruitt, Emma J. Merwin - 3 Oct 1864/5 Oct 1895 Wife of C.H. Pruitt Snowden, Charles - 18 Dec 1837/14 Feb 1888 [broken obelisk]