Friendship/Blackwell Cemetery Vernon Parish Louisiana Submitted by Jane P. McManus ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** FRIENDSHIP/BLACKWELL CEMETERY - Vernon Parish Between Lena and Simpson on LA Hwy. 8, go 3.6 miles from the Rapides/Vernon Parish line, and turn left (South) onto Vernon Parish Forestry Road # 46 (dirt road). Continue for 2.3 miles, and turn left at cemetery sign onto single-lane dirt path (road probably would not be passable after a rain), and continue to cemetery at end of road (approximately .3 miles). This small, well-kept cemetery has a nice hurricane fence surrounding the property. Corps of Engineers maps of the area indicate the name is Blackwell Cemetery, however, the name on the gate is Friendship Cemetery. The oldest marked burials indicates the cemetery was here and in use in 1895. There are numerous white wooden crosses that mark burials, but there is no information on these burials. The old African-American Cemetery is located to the right of the fenced area. It has been neglected over the years, and now is totally covered with weeds, brush, and briars. The only burial recorded is at the conclusion of the Friendship listing. Burials were read as approached from inside the front gate in zigzag rows on 13 January 1994 by Jane P. McManus. Edwards, Josephine - 5 Mar 1869/22 Mar 1901 [d/o Jesse Richey & Mary Zoah Rachal, 1st wife of Tobe Edwards] Trokee, Emily - died Jan 1932 [old hand-ettered concrete stone] Collins, Lewis, infant son of M&M Matt Collins - [no dates] Collins, Johnnie, infant son of M&M Matt Collins - [no dates] Collins, Matt - 16 Mar 1871/14 Sep 1957 Collins, Mandy Deramus - died 1896 [8 white crosses in a row at unidentified burials - no information] Blackwell, Paul T. - 22 May 1878/2 May 1901 Blackwell, Enoch J. - 1 May 1883/23 Nov 1909 [white cross - no information] Ball, Dan B. - 19 Nov 1872/1 Jul 1944 [s/o John Warren Ball & Serena Bass] Ball, Zoey Cedars, wife of D. B. Ball - 6 Mar 1871/13 Jan 1918 [d/o Clemmon Cedars & Celestine Richey] [Double Stone] - Married 6 Jan 1894 Ball, Lilie Bell - 19 Jan 1896/3 Oct 1896 [child of Daniel B. Ball & Zoey Cedars] Ball, John - 26 Dec 1897/2 Sep 1901 [child of Daniel Ball & Zoey Cedars] Cain, Leona - 13 May 1895/3 Nov 1895 [white cross - no information] Richey, Jesse - 23 Mar 1857/25 Jul 1929 [s/o Jesse Richey & Mary Zoah Rachal] Richey, Mary Haymons, wife of Jesse Richey - 24 Dec 1860/2 Mar 1938 [newer stone replaces old marker] Blackwell, Emily Richey - Jan 1846/Oct 1928 [d/o Jesse Richey & Mary Zoah Rachal] Blackwell, M.T. [Morris] - 15 Jan 1837 Scott Co. MS / 8 Jan 1913 Vernon Pvt. Co. E Cresc. Regt. LA Inf. CSA Blackwell, Morris - died 4 Feb 1940, 66 yrs. 9 mos. [broken base] [s/o Morris T. Blackwell & Emily Richey] [white cross - no information] [child burial with marbles imbedded in concrete border] Boswell, Robert Lee - 17 Jul 1925/29 Dec 1925 Grantham, Mrs. E. A. - 19 Jan 1857/4 Nov 1906 [3 white crosses - no information] [white cross & unreadable funeral marker] Cedars, Clemmon - 12 Apr 1848/11 Nov 1909 Cedars, Sillisteen Richey - 12 Mar 1848/4 Jun 1911 Mother Wife of Clemmon Cedars Sr. [d/o Jesse Richey & Mary Zoah Rachal] Richey, Catherine, daughter of Jesse & Mary Richey - 18 Sep 1881/23 Aug 1907 Richey, Mary Z.[Zoah] Rachal, wife of Jesse Richey - 1828/31 Aug 1902 born Rapides Parish LA/died Vernon Parish LA Richey, Jesse - 11 Jun 1823/20 Jan 1903 [s/o Joel Richey & Rebecca Roberts] born St. Landry Parish LA/Vernon Parish LA Sers, Siffroney, wife of Leopold D. Sers - 4 Jul 1854/23 May 1916 [Sophronia, d/o Jesse Richey & Mary Zoah Rachal, born 1853] Cole, Infant son of M&M G. D. Cole - 24 Mar 1929 Cole, Celia Richey, wife of G. D. Cole - 8 Jul 1895/7 Apr 1929 Cole, Gay D. - 5 Mar 1895/22 Nov 1979, Pfc. US ARMY WW1 [white cross - no information] Carpenter, Uncle Bill - died 5 Nov 1928 [white cross with unreadable funeral marker] --------- African-American Cemetery The African-American cemetery was located on the right side of Friendship / Blackwell Cemetery, outside the fence. Today the area is uncleared forestland with brush, briars, and trees. The only sign of a burial in this area today was one metal marker, similar to but slightly larger than a funeral marker, that was found in the middle of a narrow trail. No other burials, marked or unmarked were detected. JPM. Wright, Sidney - [no dates]