The First Cemetery, Mitchell, Vernon & Sabine Parish Louisiana Submitted by: Gaytha Carver Thompson ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** The First Cemetery, Mitchell, Vernon & Sabine Parish Louisiana Source: The Leesville Leader, April 1, 1971 Submitted by: Gaytha Carver Thompson PIONEER MINISTER TELLS OF FIRST CEMETERY by Rev. Thomas Franklin The Leesville Leader, April 1, 1971 (Note---The history below was copied from a pamphlet published the latter part of 1927.  The cemetery in question is the Mitchell Cemetery, one mile east of Anacoco.  The brief history gives us an idea on how our early Vernon Parish citizens lived.  The Mitchell cemetery has probably been in two parishes, first in Sabine and in Vernon when Vernon was created in 1871.---Ed) I have been acquainted with people of this country ever since the year 1835 and the history of this graveyard from the time the first grave was opened.  I feel it's my duty to give a short history to those who are interested. In my early days there were no churches, no schoolhouses, preachers, nor anyone who would offer prayer in public, but my mother.  People had to die, and I well remember when the people were called to bury John Martin's infant child.  This place was selected to lay the precious body.  This was second the burying I had witnessed.  Oh, how horrifying to my mind that the grief stricken parents should be forced to leave their baby in the dark grave. There was no man of God to speak a word of encouragement or also God's blessing on the afflicted people.  At this time the Martin, West, Miers, and Franklin families made the principal part of the citizens of this country. After this N. P. and John R. Smart moved into this country, who were great workers for the education of the rising generation.  Then the country began to settle up, and preachers passing through to Texas would stop and preach to the people. Rev. James Forman, a Protestant Methodist, organized a society in the first school house that was put up in this area.  I well remember the old preacher preaching the funeral of Thomas Martin.  He was the first man I ever saw kneel and offer prayer to God in this graveyard.  Rev. Benjamin Garlington, a Primitive Baptist, preached in this country.  Rev Joel Sanders, an itinerant Episcopal Methodist, traveled from Bienville Parish to this settlement, crossing Bayou Tore at the mouth going to Negreet, then to Many, Bayou Seie, Pleasant Mill (sic), and back to Bienville, every month.  Rev. James Ritter, a free will Baptist from Texas, preached and organized a society this country. About this time the Missionary Baptist preachers came through here. A Rev. Harper and Rev. Forman, the Free will Baptist all, and a part of the Primitive united with time.  After this N. M. Bray was the leading Missionary Baptist preacher in this country.  About this time Rev. Luke Conerly, a Local Methodist minister, emigrated to this country from Mississippi.  At this time here were school houses in several settlements.  J. W. Franklin, Rev. Luke Conerly and his nephew built the old loghouse at Holly Grove Church, and from this time the people had some one to attend to the burial of the dead.  Though te old preacher is dead and gone to his reward, God raised up others under his ministry and the ministry of the circuit preachers. I have stated that old brother Conerly assisted in the temperal work of the church, but he did much more in the spiritual part and while he lived it seemed that he had the hearts of the people turned together in love.  Though, no doubt, while the old Brother was gathering the sheep in fold of God, some wolves in sheep skins crept in unaware.  But where there is counterfeit, it proves there is real gold.  About the year 1850, John R. Conerly, Peter Sandell and some of the Balls moved from Mississippi to this country and were good help in the way of strengthing churches and schools.  John R. Conerly was an old time physician, and did good service in the way of doctoring and nursing the sick.  However, he was with us but a while, 'till the Lord called him to his reward. In a few years after this, Rev. A. Wright, a Local Methodist preacher came among us as a worker for the Lord.  He preached at various places through this section and did much for the church.  His work is now over and he had gone to his reward.  Rev. Jacob Kile, a local preacher who preached for us attended to all the funerals that he was called on to attend to.  He like Br. Conerly, built churches and organized societies, but he has also gone to his reward, and God has raised up other witnesses. Rev. J. M. Franklin was a local preacher in the settlement for a few years, but the annual conference took him from us, as a local preacher, though he served us as circuit preacher for several years, and he is yet visiting us one or twice a year (Rev. John Franklin has officiated as local preacher for several years, ad has been a circuit preacher also). Now, as we have been following history of servants of the Lord since 1835, we now turn more directly to the history of this grave yard, for here lies the body of the old and the young resting.  Here the body of William Martin, an old Revolutonary (sic) soldier, with his wife, also many children and grandchidlren lie buried here.  And the old wayworn traveler Saul Williams, who had been to market to get supplies for his family and was taken sick at my father's on his return home and died.  His children from Texas came and they and their friends laid his body here to rest. J. W. Franklin's two bright little boys whom I have often nursed to sleep, their bodies have been lain here too, with several of his grandchildren.  W. G. Franklin has one lain here.  J. P. Mitchell has lain five of his children here.  One was the mother of two children when she died, but she died in triumph of a living faith.  Elmore Kay has two children here. Able Dixon one. Thomas J. Franklin two.  And here lies our father, who has often told us that he did service in the Revolutionary War, and by him our mother has been lain, who departed this life in the full triumph of a living faith.  Three of our own babies, one boy and two girls have been buried here. To our disgrace and shame we let this grave yard grow up through it had been once pailed in and wire stretched around it.  Still it has gone down, but the citizens commenced having annual workings and improved it. J. W. Franklin, J. P. Mitchell, Elmore Kay, J. W. Franklin Jr., John Franklin, A. J. Weldon, a Baptist minister who has buried his wife, his mother and one child here--with the aid of some others have improved the grave yard as you now see it.  This has been the last untied improvement that has been done in this grave yard. ********************* The above was written by Rev. Thomas Franklin, who died February 3, 1891, in the full triumph of a living faith, and the committee who had been appointed to revise this history will say: Here lies his body.  Also, the Rev. Thomas Franklin was one of the old pioneers of this country, and while bodily afflictions held him back to a great extent from taking part in the manual labor, yet he was always ready to do what he could and will say, there were few men in this country who were more prosperous than he was.  In his early days he was one of the few school teachers in the country, and he always gave general satisfaction to his employers, in the way of instructing the young. He was at this day universally loved by all, both old and young.  He was building up of the country.  But alas! his days on earth have ended, and he has gone to reap his reward.  A few years after his death his companion was lain by his side. Many changes have taken place in this country since these annual grave yard workings have commenced.  Many bodies have been buried here too numerous to mention, but we will mention a few.  J. P. Mitchell, who was prominent in this working, A. J. Weldon, a Baptist preacher, Nancy Kay, a daughhter of J. W. Franklin, one of the old pioneers, R. S. Hazlett, Tolover kay and wife, the dear wives of R. T. and Samuel McConathy, with many others.  Awaiting the call to the resurrection where there will still be no more sad partings. We are proud to say that the grave yard as it is now kept up by contract is in much better condition than when it was kept up by community labor.  We would recommend that contractor for the grave yard assist strangers, when possible, in the selection of burial ground.  We further recommend that the cemetery be enlarged as soon as possible. Respectfull submitted, A. J. Franklin, R. T. Wright, L. G. Sanders, W. T. Brandshaw, H. A. Martin.  September 11, 1927