Waxia Church History, St. Landry Parish, LA submitted by: Sue Deville ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** February 2001 Bayou Blessings Waxia Church Inc., 2687 Highway 359, Washington, La. 70589-4258, (337) 585-6827 Welcome to the 2002 Homecoming here at the church. It took a lot of us by surprise by "seeming" to come early. The 1st was on a Sunday. Rev. Terry Lindsey, Pastor of the Port Barre Methodist Church is guest preacher. ******************************************************************* Cemetery Update Upper and Lower Waxia Cemeteries Through the efforts of Annie Edwards and Mrs. Vernona Robertson Benhard, Daily World reporter, Gladys Devillier was able to put together a list of those buried in our cemetery here and also the Lower Waxia (Bihm) Cemetery. There is a copy of the lists for each of you to look over. If you don't get a copy, and want one, please let me know. Any information that you can add or correct, please let me (Sue) know. The lists were done about 1971 and we have attempted to update the list on the cemetery here and will be soon working on the Lower Waxia List. Also, we are looking for any private family or abandoned cemetery in the parish. We have a list of some, but know there are a lot more. We are also looking for graves, information, and/or photographs of Civil War Soldiers. We need your help. WAXIA CEMETERIES Washington, St. Landry Parish, La. LOWER WAXIA CEMETERY This cemetery is also known as the Bihm Cemetery or Sacquett (Sackett) Cemetery and is located about five miles south of Washington where Hwy 103 and Hwy 359 meet at the "T". (Reprinted from Opelousas Daily World newspaper, "Twig by Twig" column by Gladys Devillier. Article by Mrs. Annie Edwards of Palmetto, La., 1971 and submitted by Mrs. Verona Robertson Benhard.) This weeks column is composed of the names of those area residents who are buried in the Lower Waxia cemetery and had it not been for Annie Edwards of Palmetto, this would probably not have been possible since it took a special knowledge of people that I do not have. For months now, Annie has scoured the countryside, talking to people and looking at old Bibles to determine who are buried in unmarked or no longer discernible graves. This grand lady has been tireless in her efforts to obtain as complete a listing as possible and she has my gratitude. Knowing Annie, I know that if this column helps one person, she will be satisfied. As she did to me, I would like to explain to you that those listed came from Bibles and from the memories of relatives and friends and sometimes they could not remember the first names. It is proof of Annie's labor that there seem to be very few missing and I would like to personally thank all of the people who aided her in this project by talking to her and taxing their memories to remember loved ones buried in that beautiful graveyard. Perhaps some of you will be able to add to this list. If so, please write and let me know. UPPER WAXIA CEMETERY (Waxia Meth. Church) This is a Methodist cemetery, started in 1904. According to Mrs. Annie Edwards, some of the older people in the vicinity know that there are some Indians, members of the Alabama Tribe, and members of the Methodist church which was built in 1904, are buried there close to an old tree. Two of them are Batise and Mary Billy. Annie's half-brother made a cypress coffin for one of the Indians. In the records of the church, Annie found the dates when Batise and Mary were buried. Most of the earliest settlers on Bayou Waxia come from Bayou Boueff, she writes, so I believge that those Indians might have followed them since they were Alabamas from the big tribe on Bayou Boueff. The earliest settlers on Upper Waxia were John B. McDaniel, John James Taylor, John Ryder, and George B. King, Felix Dejean and the Martins. George King's land was known as King Field. Simon Taylor and George King owned the Barbreck Plantation on Bayou Boueff.