Abandoned/Lost Cemeteries, Vernon Parish Louisiana Submitted by Jane P. McManus ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ABANDONED/LOST CEMETERIES - Vernon Parish The abandoned or lost cemeteries and burials included in this section are not meant to serve as a complete or final list. That would be an impossible task. There are probably hundreds of burials that were on homestead property, or beside the trail to Texas, or even in the sawmill towns, such as Pickering, Doggie, or Fullerton. People have moved on, property has been transferred, and the graves were abandoned. Some of the sites, such as Bellview, Fullerton (Lookout Tower), and Robertson Cemeteries were actually shown on Corps of Engineers maps, while the general location of others was given to me by knowledgeable persons or relatives in Vernon Parish. Without a guide, it would have been impossible for me to wander through the woods in search of the illusive tombstones, as many of them were accidentally discovered by hunters who were unable to retrace their steps years later. Although I was fortunate to have guides assist me in the location of several sites, other searches were not successful. The condition of the weather in this part of the country is such that tombstones or markers left unattended in the woods or swamps would probably have crumbled and deteriorated from years of neglect. An honest effort was made to contact anyone who might know the names of those buried in these abandoned or lost cemeteries, and notices were placed in the local paper. The information discovered has not been verified, but is provided as a clue for further research and hopefully, proper marking by relatives. Otherwise, only the name and a brief description of the burial site have been included. I would really like to thank Elton Jackson Jr. of Pickering for his diligence and expertise in searching out the location of many of these old graveyards. If Elton did not personally know where they were, he called until he found someone who did. Many times he would scout out the site first, then take me in his truck to copy the inscriptions. He wanted to be sure that as many of the old, abandoned graveyards as possible were included in these volumes, and he made an honest effort to find them. Others who helped search for old cemeteries were Donald Paddy of Leesville, Katie Daffin of Evans, and Leslie Hillman Jr. of Hutton. BELLVIEW CEMETERY (Lost) - (listed separately) BOSWELL (Lost) BURIAL A Boswell from Vernon Parish was buried in field near the old Temple homestead, name and dates unknown and the burial site lost. Reported by Billy H. Parker, Simpson, LA (1996). CYPRESS CREEK (Old) - (Listed separately) DENNIS (Lost) BURIALS Dennis ancestors buried behind the old Dennis homestead (on road to Cotile) in Vernon Parish. There were three graves here in the 1870 or 1880's, but nothing remains in the area today. Names and dates unknown, burial site was identified by Arter Bennett to Billy H. Parker. FOSTER BURIAL (Listed Separately) FULLERTON (Lost) BURIALS When Fullerton was a booming logging community in the early 1900's, there were several burial sites located nearby. When the mill shut down, the loggers moved on, and the area settled back into the small farming community, these cemeteries were abandoned and eventually became lost. After many attempts to locate each site, sometimes with guides and other times alone, ended in failure, we have decided to categories these burials as lost. The area where the known burials were located is now inside the boundary of the Kisatchie National Forest, and is used by Ft. Polk Military Installation for training maneuvers. In 1996, there is talk that this property will be annexed to the Army, and will no longer be accessible to the general public. If this is the case, and there are burials located, officials will more than likely fence the burials and record them at the Provost Marshall's Office, as they have done with the other cemeteries inside military property. I would like to thank Doris Mayo of Hicks, Charlie McKee and daughter of Fullerton, and Elton Jackson Jr. of Pickering for the many attempts in this area. JPM Lake Fullerton Burials - Two infant burials were located in the woods behind the dam. There are no stones and no indication of graves in the area. No information on burials. Kisatchie Forest - One 12-year old boy was buried inside Forestry property, but there was no tombstone, and the site was abandoned years ago. No information on burial. Dove Field Burials - Four burials were located in the woods near Dove Field. Although there were originally tombstones, hunters reported that they had fallen and were no longer visible. There is no indication of any graves at this location today. No information on burials. Deere Homestead - This small African American cemetery was abandoned, the graves plowed over, and tombstones were piled against a fence many years ago. In 1996, there are no stones in the area, and no indication of graves in the fields. No information on burials. Lookout Tower - There was a small burial ground located near the old Fullerton Lookout Tower. That tower was removed years ago, and that area of Kisatchie National Forest is currently used by the Ft. Polk Military Base for training ground. No tombstones or graves were found. GERMAN BURIAL (Abandoned) - (Listed separately) HAYMON BURIAL (Lost) - (listed separately) In 1956, Annie Parker of Boyce, LA visited a burial site that was located on private property in Vernon Parish. She reported that a picket fence had been built around three graves on the old Elias Haymon homestead, at that time the Irvin Temple property. Although the fence had fallen down in 1956, signs of it were still visible. That site has been abandoned for years now, and I could not find anyone who knew where it was located. According to Annie Parker's records, confirmed by Billy Parker of Simpson (1996), one of the burials was identified as: Haymon, Harriett Parker - born ca 1833 MS / died ca 1865-69 LA Harriett was the oldest child of Isaiah Parker & Dicy Ann Calcote. She was born in Mississippi when the family lived there. On 2 June 1854 (Newton County) TX, she married Elias Haymon. She was 21 years old at the time. Elias & Harriett Haymon had no children. During the Civil War, they traveled to Cairo, Illinois with Harriet's parents, Isaiah & Dicy Parker where they remained for approximately two years. After the war, they returned to the homestead in Louisiana, where Harriett died. Elias buried her on the property where he lived. HENDERSON GRAVEYARD (Abandoned) This graveyard existed during the 1860's in Vernon parish, and was originally located behind property belonging to A. M. White. Over the years, the burial site was abandoned and ignored, and sometime in the late 1800 or early 1900's, ownership of the property was transferred. The new owner plowed over the property, and the burials have been lost. Only two burials are known, but knowledge of these have been confirmed by: Isaac Temple (1959), Mack White (1961), John Boswell (1962), Fred Brewer (1964), Beulah Stewart (1967), Annie Parker (1972), and Billy Parker (1996). Benjamin Parker - born ca 1842 MS / died 1862 - 1864 LA Columbus Parker - born ca 1846 MS / died 1862 - 1864 LA These two brothers were the sons of Isaiah Parker and Dicy Ann Calcote. Records indicate Benjamin F. Parker enlisted on 5 May 1862 as a Pvt. In Comany F, 28th LA Infantry (Grays) during the Civil War. He was on one roll only, and according to family historian, Annie Parker, Benjamin grew tired of the war and abandoned the effort. When he returned home, he discovered the Parker family was been terrorized by the home guard or Jayhawkers as they were called then. For reasons unknown, the Jayhawkers chased Benjamin off the Parker homestead and shot him in a ford of a nearby branch. He was buried in the Henderson Graveyard. Columbus Parker was reported to have been in frail health from his birth. During the hardships of the war, perhaps afraid of the Jayhawkers, he wandered into the nearby Calcasieu swamp and died. He was also buried in the Henderson Graveyard. IREY ROAD BURIAL - (Listed separately) McDONALD BURIALS (Lost) - (listed separately) MILLER CEMETERY @ Evans (Abandoned) - (listed separately) PICKERING AFRICAN-AMERICAN (ABANDONED) BURIAL - (Listed separately) REDMON BURIALS (Abandoned) - (Listed separately) ROBERTSON (Abandoned) BURIALS - (Listed Separately) SLAGLE (Abandoned) AFRICAN-AMERICAN CEMETERY African-American Cemetery in Slagle had a few tombstones in the mid 1950's, but those graves have been lost in the woods. No information on burials or dates. TEMPLE BURIAL (Lost) - (listed separately) UNION GROVE (Abandoned) AFRICAN-AMERICAN CEMETERY African-American Cemetery near Calcasieu River area of Union Grove, behind Cooley property, had a few tombstones, but those graves were not located. No information on burials or dates. (Also reported by Marvin Tippit, Simpson, LA, 1996) WHITTAKER CEMETERY (Abandoned) - (listed separately) WHITE BURIAL (Lost) - (listed separately)