O'Bannion (Gill) Cemetery - Vernon Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Jane McManus ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** O'BANNION (GILL) CEMETERY - Vernon Parish From Leesville on US Hwy. 171, go south to the stop light in New Llano. Turn right (west) onto LA Hwy. 1211 and go approximately .3 miles. The O'Bannion (Gill) cemetery is located on the left between a house and a current commercial establishment. It is fenced, about one acre in size, and does not appear to be maintained as weeds were quite high in September. Some tombstones had fallen over and were almost hidden; still others might have been under the high grass. When this cemetery was originally recorded in 1977 (as the Gill Cemetery, its other name), there were burials listed which were not located in 1994. Those burials might be under the tall grass; there they are listed at the end of this record. In several areas there were many small concrete blocks that appeared to mark unknown burials, as broken pieces of tombstones remained beside some of the concrete blocks. In other areas there is only tall grass that might cover old concrete markers, unmarked graves, or tombstones which have collapsed or fallen over. The property where the O'Bannion Cemetery is located in the community of New Llano originally belonged to the O'Bannion family, and was set aside as a burial ground sometime around 1840-1850 according to family members. Although a large sign over the gate indicates the cemetery originated in 1890, that is because land records for the earlier period (prior to 1864) were destroyed in courthouse fires, and the date cannot be firmly established. During the mid 1900's, the cemetery was also referred to as the Gill Cemetery. The present-day town of New Llano was once known as Stables, Louisiana, and was home of the Gulf Lumber Company of St. Louis. In the latter part of 1917, after the lumber company had removed most of the trees, a group of settlers from a co-operative colony in California migrated to the area. They purchased property in Stables from the lumber company and established a Co-operative Colony, the first of its kind in Louisiana. The community was quite progressive, and for many years had the only library in the parish. Ms. Ida Bartlett was hired as librarian, and she amassed an extensive collection of books. As there was no library in Leesville, the New Llano Co-operative offered the Parish Seat of Government the use of their facility for $1.00 a year. Community College was established, the first facility of higher learning of its kind in this area, just down the road from New Llano near the present day entrance of Fort Polk. Some of the members of this first Co-operative are buried in the O'Banion Cemetery. Bill and Dorothy Brough of New Llano were kind enough to interview residents and come up with some known burials in this cemetery for whom tombstones could not be found. Those names are listed here, without dates, and will be updated in the future if the dates can be determined. As the tombstones were scattered throughout the cemetery, inscriptions were read in sections rather than rows by Jane P. McManus on 21 September 1994. (Submitted on 21 September 2000.) SECTION 1: [along east fence, front to back] Kavech, William - 10 Mar 1893 / 7 Mar 1960, LA Sgt. Co. F 35th Inf. WW1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hefner, Sydney Harold - 7 Aug 1906 / 2 Dec 1968 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matz, George - 1874 / 1946 Matz, Maria - 23 Nov 1880 / 23 Jul 1962 Mother -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Benz, George Anton - 18 Jun 1940 / 16 Oct 1969 NY SP4 Btry. B3 MSL Bn. 79 Arty. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hullinger, George - 22 May 1871 / 18 Jul 1945 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Graham, J. [James] M. - 3 May 1831 / 20 Oct 1905 [oblisk off its pedestal] [h/o Amanda ? - b. Aug 1839, d. after 1900] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 2: [rear of cemetery] Oakes, Hattie Moore - 13 Jun 1873 / 1 Jun 1926 Mother [d/o William H. Moore & Helen A. ?, w/o Charles Oakes] Oakes, Charles Arsene - 1 Oct 1868 / 22 Aug 1905 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moore, William H. - 24 Dec 1869 / 27 Jun 1904, 34 yrs 6 mos 3 das [obelisk] [h/o Helen A. ?] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- O'banion, Dawson - 13 Feb 1859 / 23 Jun 1901 [old stone] [s/o James R. O'Banion & Paulina ?] O'banion, Cora - 13 Sep 1869 / 23 Jun 1917 [old stone] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roberts, Helena O. - 5 Dec 1874 / 13 May 1963 Roberts, David Elijah - 13 Aug 1870 / 7 Jan 1928 [2 identical obelisks] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roberts, Frank Alva - 10 Apr 1927 / 9 Jan 1929 [small stone] Roberts, Rosie Hattie - 29 Aug 1881 / 24 Aug 1974 Roberts, Elisha Jackson - 18 Dec 1875 / 17 Jul 1954 Roberts, Alfred A. - 25 Oct 1913 / 13 Feb 1917 Roberts, Loreta D. - 11 Aug 1924 / [no dates] Roberts, Lavern A. "Slick" - 8 Sep 1918 / 17 Apr 1989 [wooden cross with "Slick" cut into it] Roberts, Zelmar S. - 1 Jul 1922 / 17 Feb 1989 [wooden cross with "Zeke" cut into it] Roberts, Mikey - died 26 ? 1992? [funeral marker & wooden cross with "Mikey" cut into it] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Diehl, Infant child of G. T. & N. J. Diehl - 9 May 1905 / 10 May 1905 Diehl, Nola J., wife of G. T. Diehl - 20 May 1886 / 9 May 1905 Haymon, Infant child of N. H. & Lucy Haymon - b&d 24 Feb 1902 [3 old markers together] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Barnhill, Lou - 11 Mar 1932 / 18 Mar 1932 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 3: [rear right corner] Clippa, Lucina, born O'banion - 20 Jul 1900 / 23 Jan 1970 Mother O'banion, Earlie - [concrete marker, no dates] O'banion, Mrs. Lugina - [concrete marker, no dates] [rock at unmarked burial - no information] O'banion, Mrs. Sarrah A. - [concrete marker, no dates] O'banion, John H. - [concrete marker, no dates] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thompson, H. B. - [old stone, broken across name, no dates] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- O'banion, William Harris - 1820 / 1890 [h/o Helena Byrd] O'banion, Helena Byrd - 1827 / 4 Jul 1907 [w/o William O'banion] [identical markers, concrete bordered burial] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- O'banion, Frances Hinson - 27 May 1853 / 11 Apr 1928 [w/o John D. O'banion] O'banion, John D. - 8 Apr 1848 / 8 Nov 1932 [h/o Frances Hinson] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roberts, Rachel - 25 Aug 1912 / 19 May 1987 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- O'banion, John Pink - 25 Mar 1879 / 23 Feb 1932 [s/o John D. O'banion & Frances Hinson] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bass, Henry Leamon, son of W.L. & M.L. Bass - 22 Jan 1909 / 9 Mar 1909 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- McLane, William, son of W.A. & D.A. McLane - 3 Aug 1905 / 23 Nov 1905 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sales, Mary - died 28 Nov 1904 Mother Cooper, America, wife of J.J. Cooper - Sep 1849 / 20 Dec 1917 [2 old broken markers] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hullinger, Annie Verdie (Swope) - 1875 / 1963 Cortez, Infant daughter of M&M Jose Moreno Cortez - b&d 13 May 1957 [near the right fence] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 4: [center of cemetery] Frusha, Gessie Jackson - 28 Jun 1910 / 10 Oct 1955 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peavy, Oscar - 1874 / 1956 Father Peavy, Erna O. - 1882 / 1940 Mother [Double Stone] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pickett, Alice C. - 1881 / 1954 Mother Pickett, George T. - 1876 / 1959 Father [he was chosen general manager of the Colony in 1919; elected as vice-president in 1920.] [Double Stone] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nicolle, Mabel Visell - 19 Feb 1892 / 3 Apr 1951 Nicolle, William L. - 18 Mar 1882 / 8 Nov 1946 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [unreadable funeral marker - no information] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Trull, J. Calvin - 29 Apr 1896 / 17 Jan 1979 Father Trull, Bessie Graham - 12 Sep 1899 / 22 Jan 1985 Mother [Double Stone] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Trull, Infant of M&M Calvin Trull - [no dates] Trull, George - 20 Apr 1919 / Nov 1919 [no day of death] Trull, Nettie Daisy - 18 Jan 1917 / May 1917 [no day of death] [3 identical small markers] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Graham, Hogan D. - 1902 / 1911 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Graham, George L. - 9 Apr 1870 / 3 Jul 1907 [s/o George Graham & Luvicy Waters] Graham, Daisy E. - 12 Apr 1876 / 6 Jun 1929 [Double Stone] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Graham, George Thomas - 17 Jul 1897 / 28 Jan 1955 [s/o George L. Graham & Daisy E. ?] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Trull, J. Hamp - 1 Apr 1894 / 29 Nov 1966 Trull, Tressie G. - 18 Nov 1895 / 4 Jul 1940 [Double Stone] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Trull, Infant daughter of M&M Hamp Trull - [no dates] Trull, Laura Leala - 1918 / 1919 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brogdon, Sudie Martha - 28 Jan 1883/27 Jan 1922 [stone broken across date] Brogdon, O. C. - 5 Mar 1878 / 6 May 1959 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Broadway, Billie Ruth - 3 Dec 1908 / 5 Aug 1977 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coble, Willie Die - 6 Aug 1885 / 29 Mar 1963 Die, Thomas J. - 11 Nov 1879 / 5 Jun 1906 [s/o Elias Die & Mary S. ?] [2 identical markers by tree] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Die, Jerry M., son of M&M Elias [& Mary S.] Die - 11 Nov 1879/25 Aug 1902 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Powers, Mary E. - 18 Nov 1877 / 16 Jul 1916 [at foot of Coble/Die stones] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roberts, David Osborne - 1895 / 1982, Pvt. US Army WW1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Childs, H. L. - 26 Oct 1875 / 15 Sep 1905 [2 broken stones together, one not readable] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [several pieces of broken concrete under large tree] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 5: [front center] Schultz, Carl - 1 Dec 1874 / 27 Mar 1952 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2 concrete slabs - no readable information] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brannon, Sarah [Murray] - 1855 / 1940 [w/o Charles A. Brannon] Brannon, Charles - 1852 / 1939 [h/o Sarah Murray] Brannon, Ross - 1881 / [15 Sep] 1941 [s/o Charles A. Brannon & Sarah E. Murray] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crafts, El [sic] - 1850 / 1930 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jeffries, Anderson - 1842 / 1932 [concrete border around burial] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [22 unmarked graves in this general area - no information] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carter, Nan - [old concrete marker - no information] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hardy, Edw. W. - born PA Cal 47 yrs LA 1929 [old metal marker, inscription under lid] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dougherty, Martha D. - 1874 / 1949 Dougherty, William A. - 1854 / 1929 [Double Stone] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carter, Edd - 1863 / 1941 [old stone] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scroggs, Jerrel - 3 Apr 1893 / 11 Jun 1924 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fread, Alberta - 24 Sep 1900 / 2 Jun 1918 Fread, Clara May - 31 Jul 1927 / 21 Aug 1930 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [pieces of broken markers piled under a tree, no readable information] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lindsey, Jessie [Mrs. W. H.] - 1866 / 1925 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [old unreadable concrete marker - no information] [unmarked grave - no information] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inglis, Irvine A. - 1919 / 1923 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emry, R. H. - 1856 / 1925 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cuno, Paulin - 1860 / 1925 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [11 concrete markers for unmarked graves - no information] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fischer, Frieda - 1886 / 1923 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Swenson, Florence - 1919 / 1923 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roscoe, Leo S. - 1891 / 1934 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bradshaw, Carl C. - 12 May 1932 [only date], IA Pvt. US Army -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [unmarked grave - no information] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Loutrel, Estelle - 1859 / 1930 Loutrel, E. H. - 1850 / 1924 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [base of marker only - no information] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Skinner, Will Anna - 1871 / 1934 Mother -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Belohradsky, Mrs. Josephine - [old stone, no dates] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas, Mary L. - 1858 / 1927 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Briggs, Henry L. - [old stone, no dates, almost unreadable] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Keith, Walter E. - [old stone, no dates, almost unreadable] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 6: [in the front along left fence] [old concrete marker facing fence, unreadable - no information] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cayton, Elmer E. - 1872 / 1952 Cayton, Lawrence M. - 20 Oct 1880 / 20 Mar 1965 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Welch, Catherine - [no dates] Welch, Mamie Alice - [no dates] Welch, Infant Victoria / Aunt Pat - [no dates] [3 old stones, no information, name taken off plastic cup at burials] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Trull, James Gibson - 27 Sep 1930 / 17 Oct 1954, LA MM3 US Navy Korea [plastic cup with name inscribed on cup, same as above Welch burials] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Williams, Dr. Cecil C. - 1872 / 1949 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Montiville, Thelma Grace - 17 Dec 1911 / 4 Jan 1981 Mama [concrete border around burial] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [4 unreadable funeral markers in this area - no information] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Montiville, Carl W. - 12 Jul 1910 / 30 Mar 1986 Daddy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brannon, Angela Dawn - 30 Oct 1982 [concrete border around burial] [d/o Charles & Renee Brannon, granddaughter of Bill & Dorothy Brough] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stevens, Betty - 2 Feb 1912 / 7 May 1989 [concrete border around burial] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Johnson, Infant - 8 Nov 1942 [broken marker] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hewett, Verne - 8 Mar 1920 / 4 Feb 1928 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2 concrete markers - no information] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Keeble, Jesse - 1881 / 1979 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kapotsky, Albert Sr. - 7 Jul 1883 / 15 Jan 1975 Kapotsky, Margit L. - 15 Nov 1880 / 4 Jun 1977 [Double Stone] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: In 1977, these tombstones were recorded here, but not located in 1994: Everett, Syble, daughter of W.H. & Fannie Moore - 4 Jan 1894 / 29 Jun 1901 Shell, John D. - [no dates] Graham, David Hamilton - 20 Jan 1934 / 6 Feb 1938 Graham, Docia Trull - 6 Oct 1906 / 5 Jun 1974 Mama Graham, Ben Ed - 23 Sep 1905 / 22 Dec 1971 Daddy Powers, Acy Elmer - 23 Nov 1914 / 7 Feb 1977 Bartlet, Ida [Anderson Morris] - died 1950, 83 yrs (1) [w/o of Boyd Bartlett, first librarian in the parish.] Archer, Ethel - [no dates] Aiton, John A. - ? Dec 19??, 85 yrs 3 mos 19 das Stanley, Mrs. Dennis O. - 16 Apr 1886 / 9 Jan 1974 Waters, Forest R. - 19 Feb 1882 / 15 Jul 1966 Joynes, Ed--r Oliver - 25 Jan 1885 / 18 Dec 1970 El--red, Florence - 1861 / 1923 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Burials in this cemetery without markers [Identified by Bill & Dorothy Bough]: O'Bannion, Mr. - [donated land, & was 1st person buried here] Stephens, Betty (Bess) Bartlett, Boyd - 20 Jun 1869 / 17 Mar 1941 [h/o Ida Bartlett, s/o Johnson Bartlett] (2) Broyles, Emery - [died in late 40's or earlier] Ridgeway Family Sontage, Mrs. - [died in the 40's] Ryan, Mrs. - [mother of Percy Ryan] Gossett, Frank Gossett, Mrs. Frank - [wife of Frank Gossett] Horning, Cy - [died 1958, 87 yrs old] Mullins, Ray - 3 Aug 1956 / 1 Sep 1956 (3) Ryan, Mrs. Percy - 10 Jan 1886 / 27 Aug 1942 [d/o John Manger & Alice Gilbert](4) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1Dennis Funeral Home Records, supplied by Mrs. Karl Mayo, 1995. 2Ibid. 3Ibid. 4 Ibid