Glass Window Cemetery - Vernon Parish, LA Submitted by Jane P. McManus ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Directions: From Leesville, take LA Hwy. 28 to LA Hwy. 121 junction (from Alexandria, go 34.0 miles from the Coliseum on LA Hwy. 28 East to the junction). Turn left (North) onto LA Hwy. 121 toward Slagle, and continue approximately 1.1 miles. Turn right onto dirt road (sign at corner reads: "Glass Window Cemetery"), and go approximately .5 miles. Turn left again at 2nd cemetery sign onto another dirt road. Glass Window Cemetery is located at the end of this road behind a double hurricane fence. The Groves Family Association is responsible for maintenance, and family meeting and cleanup are held on the 4th Saturday in April and October of each year. Tombstone inscriptions were recorded from the front gate, in rows parallel to the front fence, north to south in zigzag fashion by Jane P. McManus, March 1994. (submitted by jane_mcmanus@yahoo.com). A debt of gratitude is owed to Jack Hadnot, local Vernon Parish Historian, who very early recognized a need to preserve this old cemetery. When Jack first discovered this area, many of the older graves, including those of his ancestor James Groves & Mary Nash Groves, had small brick tombs erected over each grave. By this time, the mortar between the bricks of the little tombs had deteriorated, and the bricks had begun to fall. As Jack removed the fallen bricks, he discovered a thin slab of concrete, inscribed with the name & date of birth & death, over each burial. He realized the damage from the elements had almost erased the inscription, therefore, he made a new, small, round concrete stone (approximately 6 inches in diameter), and affixed a brass nameplate etched with names and dates at each of the older graves. Jack solicited the assistance of Mr. L. C. Sweat, who was an old man at that time and also a descendant of James Groves, to verify the dates of birth and death for the new markers. In later years as the brass nameplate turned green with age, Jack knew it was time to purchase new markers. Many of the tombstones for the oldest burials in this cemetery were placed here through the efforts of Jack Hadnot. In addition to his efforts to preserve old cemeteries, Jack spent a large portion of his life researching Vernon Parish settlers. The brief history of James Groves, Sr., and the Glass Window Cemetery provided below was compiled from his files and notes. These records were transferred to microfilm after his death in 1992, and can be viewed at the Louisiana Archives in Baton Rouge or the Vernon Parish Library in Leesville. The preservation of the Glass Window Cemetery is in large part a result of the conscientious effort of Jack Hadnot, and now remains as a tribute to his memory. HISTORY The Glass Window Cemetery is located on property originally owned by James and Mary (Nash) Groves, Sr., described in Vernon Parish Conveyance Record Books as: West 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Section 27; East 1/2 of SE 1/4 of Section 28; North 1/2 of NW 1/4 and the SW 1/4 of NW 1/4 of Section 34 in Township 3 North Range 7 West This property was later listed in the succession of James Groves, Jr. In the early 1800's, a stage coach line passed across this point, and a trading post was established for travelers. The store was referred to as Burton's Post, after the man who operated the rest facility. It is possible Burton's Creek which flows near the back of the property received its name in the same way. "Near the Groves home was a trading post owned by Hawkins and Burton of New Orleans. The locality became quite prominent and in time a stage line made scheduled stops on its way from a point near Boyce, LA on the Red River into Texas by way of Burr Ferry. The trading post grew with the community and one of its biggest businesses was the buying of dry hides. Nearby flows the little clear running stream called Burton Creek named for one of the owners of the trading post."i Just how or when Groves originally obtained the property is not known, and research is difficult in this area as records were destroyed when the Rapides Parish Courthouse burned in 1864 (Vernon Parish was part of Rapides until 1871.) However, the new home quickly became the talk of the community as Groves had installed glass windows, the first of their kind in the area. The property was also a showplace with a large number of flowering shrubs and trees that he planted around his home. Many of these large crepe myrtle trees within the cemetery were also planted by Groves (some of these trees became so large, they were cut in 1993). The cemetery was originated when Henry Hawkins, a casualty of the "Rawhide Fight," was buried here; the site was later identified to Jack Hadnot, and subsequently permanently marked by Jack. This highly acclaimed altercation took place in 1850, according to a son of one of the participants, Lenn Sweat. "After the fight, there were not enough sheets or quilts nearby to place the dead on so dry cow hides were used and from this the fight became known as the 'Rawhide Fight.' "Today, the little Glass Window Cemetery, one acre in size, bears mute evidence to what was once a prosperous community and what might have grown, prospered and become the parish seat of Vernon Parish had it not been for the 'Rawhide Fight.'"ii A slight incline (hill) at the southern end of the cemetery was used to bury the slaves who belonged to James & Mary Groves, Sr. At the time, this location placed them in the near vicinity of the Groves burial, yet not quite in the main cemetery. When the fence was erected around Glass Window Cemetery, this large open area was enclosed along with the marked burials. It is in this general area that Henry Hawkins was buried, and later several members of the Garland & Bryant family were placed to rest. There are no stones for the slave burials, and it remains an open area as of this time. * * * Row 1: Brack, Emma [Hall] - 22 Mar 1894/7 Apr 1930 Mother [wife of Charley Brack, daughter of Louis Marion Hall] Sweat, Henry - 31 Oct 1905/29 Nov 1968 [son of Lee Sweat & Dollie Hall] Sweat, Missouri - 16 Aug 1905/[no dates] [above 2 burials have double stone] Tilley, Gertrude Townley - 1 Jun 1920/18 Jan 1984 [daughter of Houston Townley & Ida Sweat; wife of Hoyt Tilley] Jackson, Jackie Townley - 25 Jun 1924/15 Mar 1987 [daughter of Houston Townley & Ida Sweat] Sweat, Donald J. - 10 Oct 1940/4 May 1968, TX SSgt 164 Aviation Gp., Vietnam Ray, Frankie Sweat - 11 Dec 1948/18 Oct 1975 Mother Sweat, Hazel Wiley - 16 Jan 1914/27 Jul 1976 Mother Sweat, Andrew Jackson - 28 Mar 1908/14 May 1976 Father [son of Lee Sweat & Dollie Hall] [above 2 burials have double stone] Watterson, Helen [Doris] Sweat - 7 Dec 1937/7 Feb 1977 Mother [daughter of Andrew Jackson Sweat & Hazel Wiley] Row 2: Brack, Infant Son of Charley & Emma Brack - 26 Jun 1928/26 Jun 1928 Hall, Castine, Wife of A. F. Hall - 4 Jul 1884/3 Mar 1922 [daughter of Louis Marion Hall] Hall, Eler May - 31 May 1910/26 Mar 1912 Row 3: Townley, Ida [Sweat] - 1 Mar 1901/29 Mar 1987 [daughter of Lee Sweat & Dollie Hall] Townley, Houston - 16 Jun 1900/25 Oct 1962 [above 2 burials have double stone] Townley, Willie (Bill) - 19 Nov 1922/22 May 1957 Sweat, Willie Jackson - 23 May 1895/23 May 1928 [son of Lee Sweat & Dollie Hall] Hall, Louis Marion - 19 Jan 1842/20 Sep 1920 Hall, Ferby Ann Mayo, Wife of L. M. Hall - 20 Apr 1842/20 Nov 1900 Hall, James M. - 22 Feb 1881/20 Apr 1900 [son of Louis Marion Hall & Mary Ann Mayo] Weldon, Annie L.[Lee] - 30 Oct 1903/26 Dec 1993 Mother Grandma Sherman, Ouida Louise - 28 Jun 1939/15 Jan 1992 Mother Shreman, Walter Stanley - 30 Apr 1934/[no dates] Father [above 2 burials have double stone] Allen, John Lewis, Son of John & Lucy Allen - [small round marker - no dates] Hadnot, Andrew J. [Jackson] - 29 Apr 1904/10 Jan 1992 [reverse:] Wife, Gordia W[Weeks] Hadnot Hadnot, Gethern Winfree - 26 Aug 1902/25 Apr 1984 Courmier, T. K. - [plot marker?] Courmier, Dolores - [plot marker?] North, Richard John Beech - 11 Mar 1905/20 May 1978 North, Sybil Callie Cooley - 7 Jan 1908/23 Aug 1985 [Middle name from funeral marker] Row 4: Ford, Beverly Ada - died 6 Jul 1993, 70 yrs 6 mos 6 das [funeral marker only] Weeks, William Oscar - 5 Nov 1913/[no dates] Weeks, Anna E. - 14 Oct 1913/25 Jul 1992 Ann [on footstone] [above 2 burials have double stone] - Married 14 Dec 1968 Weeks, Emma C. [Cordelia] - 9 Feb 1877/14 Jan 1962 Aunt Emma [on footstone] Weeks, Ida M. [Massina] - 3 Sep 1885/4 Nov 1961 Aunt Ida [on footstone] [above 2 burials have double stone] - [daughters of W. H. Weeks & Sarah Massina Groves] Weeks, James B. - 26 Oct 1871/4 Feb 1955 [son of W. H. Weeks & Sarah Massina Groves] Weeks, Andrew A. - 24 Jul 1874/5 Sep 1948 [son of W. H. Weeks & Sarah Massina Groves] Weeks, C. [Candance] P. Owens, wife of W. H. Weeks - 10 Apr 1874/8 Sep 1911 [daughter of Rev. Barney Owens & Anne Missouri Hendrix] Weeks, W. H. [William Hamilton] Jr. - 7 Jul 1875/2 Jan 1904 [son of William Hamilton Weeks & Sarah Massina Groves] Sweat, Dollie [P. Caroline Hall] - 24 Nov 1871/15 Jul 1959 Grannie [daughter of Louis Marion Hall] Sweat, Lee - 2 Apr 1864/10 Mar 1910 Papa [son of L. C. Sweat & Mary C. Groves] [above 2 burials have double stone] Sweat, James W. - 31 Aug 1892/19 Aug 1896 [son of Lee Sweat & Dollie Hall] Sweat, Mrs. Mary [C.], Wife of L. C. Sweat - 21 Sep 1840/24 Dec 1902 Wife/Mother/Friend [daughter of James Groves Jr. & Nancy Perkins] Sweat, L. C. - 8 Dec 1835/18 Dec 1931, [Co. C Capt. Joseph Hatch, 27th LA Regt. Vols.] [son of Leonard Covington Sweat, Sr. & Elizabeth Burgess] [above 2 burials have identical stones] Sweat, Infant son of Sam & Vernie Sweat - 8 Dec 1924/8 Dec 1924 Sweat, Jewel Marie - 26 Jan 1938/27 Jan 1938 Baby Sweat, Sam H. - 14 Jun 1897/3 Nov 1964 Daddy [son of Lee Sweat & Dollie Hall] Sweat, Vernie N. - 7 Dec 1897/[no dates] Mother Sweat, James L. - 5 Dec 1918/5 Jan 1992 [above 3 burials have triple stone] Sweat, Sherman S. - 17 May 1926/17 Jul 1972 [funeral marker] Sweat, Mertie E. - 8 Jul 1930/17 Jul 1972 [funeral marker] Nelson, Vallentine - 5 Jan 1858/4 Jan 1929 [stone & round concrete marker with dates] Row 5: Scarber, Ivy - 31 Oct 1918/20 Nov 1968, LA Sgt. Co. D 102 Medical BN WW2 Wise, Nancy E. Sweat, Wife of C. S. Wise - 21 Feb 1872/23 Apr 1943 Mother [daughter of Leonard C. Sweat & Mary Groves] Wise, Charles Steven - 26 Aug 1878/27 Nov 1940 Father [son of William Wise & Corinne Hunt, husband of Nancy Elizabeth Sweat] Slatten, Annette [Sweat], Wife of A. B. Slatten - 8 Jan 1878/8 Feb 1902 [daughter of Leonard C. Sweat & Mary Groves] Groves, Mary C. Sweat, wife of J. P. [James Pinkney] Groves - 24 Oct 1876/16 Feb 1898 [daughter of Leonard C. Sweat & Mary Groves] Sweat, Emma E. - 11 May 1861/1 Feb 1876 Sweat, Almarinda E. - 29 Mar 1874/19 Jan 1875 [above 2 burials have double stone] - [daughters of Leonard C. Sweat & Mary Groves] Sweat, Andrew J. - 28 Mar 1883/20 Feb 1888 Sweat, Laura V. - 22 Jul 1866/15 Mar 1888 [daughter of Leonard C. Sweat & Mary Groves] Weeks, John Lewey - 20 Nov 1887/28 Jul 1888 [cracked vault & round concrete marker] [son of William Hamilton Weeks & Sarah Masinna Groves] Weeks, S. M. [Sarah Massina], wife of W. H. Weeks - 29 Apr 1846/10 Feb 1905 [daughter of James Groves, Jr. & Nancy Perkins, wife of William Hamilton Weeks] Weeks, W. H.[William Hamilton] - 19 Jun 1851/11 Jun 1923 [husband of Sarah Massina Groves] Weeks, Charles H. Sr. - 29 Jun 1878/12 Mar 1933 Father [son of William H. Weeks & Sarah Massina Groves] Weeks, [Samantha] Olivia Boyd, wife of Charles H. Weeks, Sr. - 31 Jan 1876/5 Nov 1954 Mother [daughter of Andrew J. Boyd & Elizabeth Jane Bunch] Weeks, Charles H. Jr. - 13 Jul 1922/23 Aug 1974, Pvt. US Army [son of Charles Weeks & Samantha Boyd] Row 6: Ford, LeRoy - 15 Feb 1895/18 Sep 1972, LA Pfc US Army WW1 [husband of Ethel Jeane] Hagan, William Edgar - 18 Feb 1906/17 Aug 1983 Hagan, Lula Johnson - 8 Oct 1876/5 Jul 1973 [daughter of Stewart Johnson] Hagan, William Penn - 22 Nov 1871/15 Aug 1933 [son of J. T. Hagan & Lou Groves] [above 2 burials have double stone] - Married 7 Aug 1904 Hagan, J. T. [James] - 28 Dec 1848/2 Jan 1926 [son of Benjamin Hagan] Hagan, Mrs. L. [Lucinda Groves] - 25 Aug 1844/27 Oct 1895, Army [wife of James T. Hagan, d/o James Groves, Jr. & Nancy Perkins] Hagen, Infant daughter of J. T. & L. Hagen - 27 Feb 1884/28 Feb 1884 Groves, Mary - 17 Aug 1877/3 Dec 1877 [daughter of Linson P. Groves & Lettie M. Johnson] Groves, Infant daughter of L. Linson] P. & Lettie M. Groves - b&d 9 Nov 1897 Groves, Sarah M. - 7 Oct 1890/15 Jul 1894 [daughter of Linson P. Groves & Lettie M. Johnson] Groves, Nancy [Perkins] - 7 Oct 1820/6 Aug 1902 [wife of James Groves Jr.] Groves, James Jr. - 25 Apr 1810/25 Dec 1885, Pvt. Co. K 6 Regt. LA CAV CSA [son of James Groves Sr. & Mary Nash] Groves, Henry Pink - 28 Feb 1858/2 Feb 1876 [son of James Groves Jr. & Nancy Perkins] Groves, Emma C. - 17 May 1855/2 Feb 1878 [daughter of James & Nancy Perkins Groves Jr.] Groves, James Sr. - 22 Mar 1780 NC/12 Jul 1856, Bronze Star - War of 1812 Veteran [fought in Battle of NewOrleans, memorial dedicated 1974] [husband of Mary Nash] Groves, Mary Nash - 6 Jun 1781 MS/14 Sep 1855 [wife of James Groves Sr., daughter of Thomas Nash and Emily Slater] Groves, Wm. P. - 18 Jan 1848/18 May 1854 [son of James Groves Jr. & Nancy Perkins] Sweat, Alma Chester - 30 Dec 1873/16 Mar 1965 [wife of William P. Sweat] Wife/Mother Sweat, William Penn - 25 Dec 1869/13 Nov 1956 Father/Husband [son of Leonard C. Sweat & Mary C. Groves;, husband of Alma Chester] Sweat, William Leon - 19 Nov 1901/31 Oct 1972 Sweat, Zeline Kerry - 13 Sep 1915/3 Jan 1992 Mother Sweat, Robert E. Lee - 31 Jan 1904/12 Jul 1973 Daddy [above 2 burials have double stone] Row 7: Kerry, James Edward - 14 Nov 1911/17 Apr 1967 Calhoun, Sarah Perkins - 10 Jan 1803/3 Sep 1895 Groves, Linson P. - 22 Aug 1850/4 Sep 1920 Father [son of James Groves Jr. & Nancy Perkins] Groves, Lettie M. [Johnson] - 26 Jul 1854/4 Apr 1934 Mother [above 2 burials have double stone] Groves, Arthur Lee - 12 Feb 1888/5 May 1940 [son of Linson P. Groves & Lettie M. Johnson] Groves, Nannie - 20 Feb 1872/26 Jul 1948 Sister [daughter of Linson P. Groves & Lettie M. Johnson] Groves, James Pinkney - 1 Jan 1875/10 Mar 1950 Husband/Father/Friend [son of Linson P. Groves & Lettie M. Johnson] Groves, Anna Weeks, wife of J. P. Groves - 2 Oct 1881/13 Sep 1968 [daughter of Charles Weeks & Lucy Collins] Groves, John C. - 16 Apr 1882/9 Sep 1950 [son of Linson P. Groves & Lettie M. Johnson] Row 8: [North to South] Downs, Audrey J. - 10 Aug 1951/[no dates] Mama Downs, M. Dewayne - 16 Dec 1947/27 Mar 1973 Daddy [above 2 burials have double stone] Perkins, Robert - [no dates] [brother of Nancy Perkins Groves] Perkins, Nancy - 1780/1869 [small stone under large crepe myrtle tree] Hoganson, Helen Kerry - 17 Feb 1936/9 Nov 1993 Hoganson, John James - 17 Oct 1936/25 May 1982 [Double Stone] - Wed 11 Jan 1960 Row 9: Bryant, Ferdinand - 8 Apr 1876/24 Mar 1965 [son of W. T. Bryant] Father Bryant, Lelia Self - 11 Jun 1891/12 Oct 1981 Mother [above 2 burials have double stone] Bryant, Jehu T. - 25 Jul 1912/1 Aug 1949, LA Fld. Arty. School WW2 Son [son of Ferdinand Bryant & Lelia Self] Bryant, Lester O. - 12 Nov 1909/25 Nov 1925 Son [son of Ferdinand Bryant & Lelia Self] Bryant, Inf. son of M&M W. F. Bryant Sr. - 26 May 1917 [son of W. Ferdinand Bryant & Lelia Self] Peavy, James - [unmarked grave with flowers, burial identified by relatives] Muse, Infant sons of M&M W.[Will] M. & [Samantha Bryant] Muse - [no dates] Bryant, Nancy Bradley - [no inscription, identified by relatives, 1st w/o of William Tom Bryant] Bryant, Rose Marie - 20 Apr 1961/21 Apr 1961 Bryant, Carla Sue - 26 Mar 1968/26 Mar 1968 [above 2 burials have identical stones] Bryant, William Tom - 24 Oct 1906/8 Mar 1973 Father Bryant, Gladys Beatrice - 28 Sep 1923/1 Feb 1984 Mother [above 2 burials have double stone] - Married 4 Nov 1954 Reed, Anthony Eugene Jr. - 3 Jun 1980 [only date] Our Son Reed, Anthony Eugene "Tony" Sr. - 15 Aug 1959/29 Jul 1983 James, Vivien Ann, daughter of Elmer & Lagene James - 22 Jul 1976 DeRush, Gerald G. - 12 Aug 1933/1 Sep 1973 Father DeRush, Florine J. - 16 Dec 1942/[no dates] Mother [above 2 burials have double stone] Row 10 & 11: Bennett, Stephane, [Infant of Leonard & Earlene Bennett] - 28 Aug 1967/29 Aug 1967 Bennett, Infant son of Leonard & Earlene Bennett - b&d 8 Jun 1962 Butcher, Nellie - [unreadable marker] Bynog, Infant of M&M Ellis Bynog - [no dates] Bynog, Infant of M&M Ellis Bynog - [no dates] Bynog, L. O. - 2 Jul 1932/27 Nov 1961 Husband James, Audrey Bynog - 15 Apr 1914/[no dates] Wife Bynog, Ellis - 11 Jul 1906/25 Oct 1935 Husband [above 2 burials have double stone] Mayo, Marie S. - 15 Jan 1900/24 Nov 1979 Mayo, Napoleon B. - 3 Oct 1894/31 Oct 1978, Cpl. US Army WW1 [son of Elijah Mayo & Elizabeth Bryant] [above 2 burials have double stone] Mayo, Elizabeth Bryant, wife of Elijah Mayo - 20 May 1853/21 Sep 1942 [daughter of William T. Bryant] Mayo, Elijah L. [Light], son of George W. Mayo - 6 Aug 1853/31 Jan 1928 [Large MAYO family stone, 2 inscriptions on smaller footstones] Wilkerson, Marshal A. - 4 May 1914/7 Apr 1937 [under tree between row 9 & 10] Mayo, Elijah V., Son of Elijah & Elizabeth Bryant Mayo - 23 Mar 1892/10 Apr 1897 Bryant, Samatha - 30 Jun 1830/3 Oct 1856 [daughter of Mary Hearn Bryant, stepdaughter of William Bryant] [inscription unreadable in 1994, information is from earlier recording] Bryant, William - 31 Oct 1805/2 Feb 1897 Father Bryant, W. T. - 9 Jul 1850/9 Apr 1936 Bryant, Martha - 19 April 1853/5 Nov 1926 [wife of W. T. Bryant] Nelson, Stella B. [Bryant] - 29 Mar 1885/14 Apr 1983 Nelson, Levi Louis - 22 Aug 1875/1 Jan 1968 [old stone had no dates] [above 2 burials have double stone] - Married 30 Mar 1902 Nelson, Kervin H. - 25 May 1923/21 Apr 1970, LA Sgt. Med. Corps WWII Korea Nelson, Michael Joseph - 19 Jun 1979/29 May 1985 Heatherington, Matthew - 30 Nov 1985/1 Jun 1990 [in back corner of cemetery, next to fence] Parker, Infant child of James & Delilah Parker - [no dates] Parker, Infant child of James & Delilah Parker - [no dates] Parker, Infant child of James & Delilah Parker - [no dates] Parker, Joseph H., Son of James & Delilah Weeks Parker - 16 Mar 1875/6 Feb 1879 [The next 4 unmarked burials are identified by relatives as follows:] Crain, Infant - [unmarked grave, c/o J.W. Crain & Ida Bryant] Crain, J. W. - [unmarked grave, h/o Ida Bryant] Crain, Bryant - [unmarked grave, son of J.W. Crain & Ida Bryant] Crain, Ida Bryant - [unmarked grave, w/o J. W. Crain] Crain, Bryant - 6 Dec 1988, age 61 yrs. [son of J. W. Crain & Ida Bryant] Garland, Joseph - died 1871 Bryant, Mary M., wife of William Bryant - 1813/11 Oct 1865 Mother Bryant, Sarah Ann - 22 Jul 1884/11 Jul 1885 [daughter of William T. & Martha Bryant] Bryant, Mary - 17 May 1882/22 Apr 1891 [daughter of W. T. & Martha Bryant] Daughter Hawkins, Henry - died 1840 [1st burial at Glass Window] iFord, Curry, "The Rawhide Fight, " Leesville Leader, Leesville, Louisiana, 1955. iiIbid.