Pickering African-American (Abandoned) Cemetery, Vernon Parish Louisiana
Submitted by Jane P. McManus



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PICKERING AFRICAN-AMERICAN (Abandoned) CEMETERY - Vernon Parish

The Pickering African American Cemetery is located to the West of US
Hwy. 171 near the junction of LA Hwy. 10.  From the junction of LA Hwy.
10, go South on US Hwy. 171 and turn right onto Hazel Jeane Road.  Go
about.2 miles and turn right onto unimproved hunting road.  This road is
blocked by a locked gate which is on private leased property and
inaccessible except with permission or a guide.

Elton Jackson Jr. of Pickering was my guide that day; we parked at the
gate and walked approximately .2 miles down the road.  In a large open
area with most of the trees cleared, there was a tall stand of pine
trees on the right.  It was here where weeds and briars have grown up, and
logs fallen and rotted that we located one tombstone laying against a
fallen log.  There is no indication that this is the correct place for
the tombstone, more than likely it was placed here when the timber was
cleared in this area.  Although we walked through the area under the
pines, we could find no other tombstones, and there was too much brush to
determine if there were unmarked burials.

According to Elton, the area was used during the early 1900's when the
sawmill was open at Pickering and the area was a thriving community.
With the demise of the lumber industry, people moved away, and the
cemetery was abandoned and no longer used.  Inscription was copied by Elton

Jackson Jr. & Jane P. McManus on 12 March 1996.



Phillips, B. - 20 March 1875/21 March 1926
The Evening Star Chamber 4415 Pickering, LA
[emblem on top of the tombstone, described as follows:
a large "X" with letters in each of the openings of the X, i.e.,
("3 V's" is on bottom; "T." on left; "M." on top, & "A." on right)