Pine Grove Cemetery (Hawthorne), Vernon Parish Louisiana Submitted by Jane P. McManus ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** PINE GROVE CEMETERY (Hawthorne) Directions: This large African-American cemetery is located on the Porter Ranch, north of Leesville. From the junction of US Hwy. 171 and LA Hwy. 8 in North Leesville near the State Police office, go 4.0 miles north on US Hwy. 171. Turn right (east) onto Porter Rd., and continue for about .7 miles. This driveway winds through the ranch and ends in the middle of the Porter fields on a slight hill where the cemetery is located. Pine Grove Cemetery, probably 2-3 acres in size, is fenced and rests on top of the hill in the middle of the ranch. The view is beautiful from this point, with large trees that shade the burials, and is restful with only a few cows or horses as near neighbors. A sign on the front gate identifies the cemetery as Pine Grove, although it is referred to in the area as Hawthorne Cemetery. Hawthorne was an old community at one time. On the back fence, "Rev. Johnson Sowell" is written on a small sign. Our guide on this day was Mr. Wesley Crowell of Hawthorne, whose family members are buried in this cemetery. Mr. Crowell states the cemetery has been here for a very long time, much longer than he can remember. The oldest marked burials were in 1905 & 1906, but there were so many sunken depressions with no tombstones that it would be impossible to determine when the first grave was placed here, and Mr. Crowell does not know that date. Of historical note were six individuals buried in this cemetery whose tombstones indicate they were born during the years when slavery was rampant in the country. They could have been born slaves, but they would have died as free individuals. Also, there are tombstones that mark the resting place for individuals who distinguished themselves fighting for their country, during World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam era. The cemetery has a driveway that divides a small strip of graves on one side from the main section. Burials were recorded as approached in aigzag rows from the rear of the cemetery toward the front, with the larger section copied first. Michael Cooley of Slagle provided assistance with some of the more difficult stones. He patiently pieced together broken headstones, righted some heavier stones that had toppled to the wrong side, and cleaned some older stones so that the information would be preserved. Inscriptions recorded by Jane P. McManus on 22 Mar 1996. North Section - South to North: Davis, Jewell Sr. - 8 Jul 1914/10 May 1992 Davis, Naomi G. - 1 Feb 1917/17 Oct 1990 [above 2 burials have identical concrete vaults] Davis, Mrs. Beulah - 30 Sep 1893/26 Mar 1970 [Funeral marker & vault] Mom [vault, identical to above - no inscription] [sunken burial - flowers with "Mom" - no information] [sunken burial with white vase - no information] [concrete bordered burial - no information] Sowell, James B. - 1949/1993, SP4 US Army Charles, Minnie - 22 Apr 1918/4 Jun 1987 Davis, Dessie Mae - 15 Apr 1917/[no dates] [3 almost identical stones] Brown, Sam - 25 Oct 1911/10 Jul 1980 [large plot, only one burial visible] [North to South]: [Large Crowell Plot]: Crowell, Elder Wesley B. - 23 Jul 1914/[no dates] Crowell, Sister Willie Conerly - 27 Apr 1917/13 Dec 1992 [vault] [Double Stone] Crowell, James Edward "Jim" - 21 Jul 1940/19 Jan 1995 [vault] Sr. MSgt. US Army Retired [s/o Wesley B. Crowell & Willie Conerly] [end of plot] [Sunken slab - no inscription] [vault - no inscription] Conerly, Kenny - died Jul 1974 [slab] Martin, William Jr. - 30 Sep 1938/9 May 1978, SP4 US Army [slab] Lewis, Martha - 1925/1980 [vault] [sunken burial - no information] Hebert, Mrs. Leola C. - 11 Oct 1902/24 Jan 1987, 85 yrs. [Funeral marker & slab] Hebert, Willie - 1885/1980 [slab] [above 6 burials in a row near the Crowell plot] [sunken burial - no information] [burial with pipe marking head - no information] [South to North]: Conerly, John E. - 29 Jan 1923/14 Feb 1953 LA Pfc. 249th Base Unit AAF WW2 Jones, Mrs. Willie ?Goff? - ?1887/8 Mar 1975? [Marker has eroded, difficult to read] [vault - no information] Conerly, Sam J. - 6 Jun 1884/7 Mar 1970 [Masonic Emblem] [2 brick vaults together, no inscription on 2nd one] Conerly, Mr. Warren - died 8 Dec 1961, buried Dec. 1961 Conerly, Mrs. Hattie - died ?17? Mar 1975, buried ?12 Mar 1975? [dates are as recorded, but hand-lettered slabs are difficult to read] Martin, Phebie - died Jan 1964/buried 24 Jan [no year] [hand-lettered slab] McDaniel, Earnest - 9 Sep 1895/18 Aug 1958 TX Sgt. 7th Co. 165th Depot Brig. WW1 Stroger, Mrs. Ella - ?19 Jun ?/buried 21 Jun 1958 [hand-lettered slab] Davis, Lizzie Conerly - 12 Sep 1884/24 Sep 1957 Mother [Eastern Star Emblem] [slab] Conerly, Earnest B. - 4 Feb 1925/26 Aug 1959 LA Pfc. 4215th Qm. Service Co. WW2 [3 burials marked with piece of concrete at head only - no information] [North to South] [burial with piece of concrete at head only - no information] Armstead, Ruth - 22 Feb 1927/24 Nov 1951 Self, Jessie - 16 Aug 1879/24 Aug 1955 [sunken burial - no information] Self, Lula - 1876/1965 [burial marked by piece of concrete - no information] Self, Garfield (Bud) - 8 May 1879/19 Aug 1979 Crawford, Earnest A. - 7 Apr 1925, LA Pvt. 25th Inf. Andrus, Julia Self - 25 Dec 1886/25 Mar 1968 Lyons, Janie - 1871/1960, 89 yrs. Mother Conerly, Reavers - 9 Jul 1937/21 Aug 1952 Brown, Myrtis K. - 4 Nov 1901/31 Oct 1972 Clark, Ella K. - 31 Mar 1896/25 Mar 1973 Johnson, Janie - 31 Jan 1887/12 Oct 1974 [South to North]: Kirk, Murray - 27 Sep 1898/21 May 1963 [unmarked burial - no information] Conerly, Aaron - 17 ? 1842/died 24 Apr ? [Masonic Emblem] [this marker is broken & patched across the date] [burial with piece of concrete as marker - no information] Smart, Sam H. - 1878/1944 Conerly, Emma J. - 1891/1947 Conerly, Joseph D. - 1888/1969 [Double Stone] Conerly, Mary W. - 1895/1963 [difficult to read] Burr, Monroe - 26 Mar 1892 LA/22 May 1918 AR Miller, Maggie - 1886/1927 Nettles, Simon - 6 May 1870/30 Jan 1951 Nettles, Josephine - 22 May 1888/18 Mar 1933 Wife of Simon Nettles [North to South]: [vault, funeral marker with missing nameplate - no information] Owens, Ruell S. - 30 Apr 1896/3 Nov 1946 [this stone difficult to read] [concrete slab over burial - no inscription] Jordan, John - 20 Jul 1918/LA Pvt. 805th Pioneer Inf. Conerly, Austin, son of Luke & Zada Conerly - 5 Apr 1909/[broken stone] Conerly, Jessie V., son of Luke & Zada Conerly - 15 Dec 1910/3 Jan 1913 [both stones are broken & propped against the base] Conerly, Douglas - 31 May 1906/14 [broken stone] Conerly, Ralph - 30 Sep 1908/10 Jun 1918 [broken stone] Conerly, Cole - 3 Mar 1886/20 Oct 1946 [Masonic Emblem & slab] Battiste, Rosa Nell - 7 Jan 1917/28 Jun 1987 [brick vault] [brick vault with missing nameplate - no information] Conerly, Fannie Self - 15 Jun 1890/15 Mar 1988 [brick vault] [above 3 burials have identical brick vaults] [Funeral marker with missing nameplate - no information] [North to South]: Ford, Clark Murphey - 14 May 1957/5 May 1991 [vault & funeral marker] Hawkins, Willie E. Sr. - 5 Aug 1905/17 Feb 1970 Dad Hawkins, DeEthel - 17 Jan 1920/3 Jan 1986 Mom [Double Stone] [small plot]: [sunken burial - no information] Dean, Mamie B. - 25 Jan 1901/20 Dec 1981, Missionary Dean, Will - 30 Sep 1897/17 Feb 1969, LA Pvt. US Army WW1 [end of plot] [Funeral marker - no information] [vault, wooden cross - no inscription] Polite, Lela - 5 May 1922/9 May 1955 [wooden cross] Polite, Aurthur [sic] J. - 20 Sep 1880/30 Dec 1956 Polite, Daisy Bell - 15 Apr 1924/17 Mar 1963 [slab] [vault, wooden cross - no inscription] Barnes, Earl - [burial, 1996, funeral marker, no nameplate] [name off card on flowers] Barnes, Oscar - 18 May 1888/22 Sep 1948 Father Barnes, Mittie Ford - 2 Sep 1898/17 Oct 1971 Mother Ford, Andrew - 8 Oct 1878/8 Dec 1933 Father Adams, Mrs. Elsie Virginia - 5 Aug 1919/30 Oct 1977 [funeral marker] [2 burials with wooden crosses - no information] [oldest marked burials]: Hamilton, Frank - 10 Mar 1839/16 May 1905 Hamilton, Charlotte - 15 Oct 1841/14 Jul 1907 [Note: this appears to be the oldest marked burials in this cemetery. These two individuals were born during Slavery years in the South.] [South to North]: [The next 6 unmarked burials were identified by Mr. Wesley Crowell of Leesville as follows]: Crowell, Melvin - [older brother of Wesley Crowell] Crowell, Stella, Infant sister of Wesley Crowell - [no dates] Montgomery, Wallace - [no dates] [Uncle of Wesley Crowell] Montgomery, Georgie - [no dates] [Aunt of Wesley Crowell] Brown, Eva Crowell - [sister of Wesley Crowell] [last name unknown], Ruth Brown - [daughter of Eva Crowell Brown] [Against Front West Fence]: Moore, Henrietta [Dean] - 18 Mar 1923/5 Feb 1996 Moore, Elder Johnnie L. - 29 Jan 1901/28 Jan 1979 [above 2 burials have identical white vaults in fenced plot] [old wooden cross near front fence - no information] [Against North Fence]: St. George, Warren - died 15 Mar 1996, 41 yrs. [US Army] [info taken from obit & flowers] [vault with no inscription, no funeral marker] [unmarked burial - no information] [stone with lettering completely eroded - no information] Scott, Leardria Mae - 9 Feb 1932/16 Oct 1978 Mother [South of Driveway] - [Scattered burials from back to front]: Rollins, Wallace - 22 Mar 1902/20 Apr 1980 Rollins, Beatrice - 30 Jan 1901/13 May 1989 [Funeral marker for new burial, no inscription or information] [plot]: Sowells, Patrice - 6 Mar 1979/17 Sep 1980 Daughter of Henry & Patricia Sowells Sowells, James B. - 5 Aug 1933/12 Aug 1989, Pvt. US Army Korea [2 concrete crosses at unmarked burials - no information] Sowells, Polly Davis - 11 Feb 1891/19 Nov 1984 Mother Sowells, Henry - 15 Sep 1891/29 Jan 1963 Sowells, Velma Keys - 25 Sep 1927/18 Jun 1963 Sowells, Johnnie Jr. - 13 Jul 1955/11 Nov 1977 [end of plot] [2 sunken burials - no information] [2 old funeral markers - no nameplates] Self, Sam - 12 Jun 1884/[no dates of death, but obvious burial] Dad Self, Amanda - 8 Jul 1887/3 Oct 1961 Mother [Double Stone] Self, Roosevelt - 1906/1908 [vault with no inscription] O'banion, Sam - 5 Apr 1844/5 Apr 1915 [possibly born a slave] O'banion, Pettie - 10 Jan 1893/29 May 1902 [these 2 burials under large pine tree] [sunken slab, old funeral marker with missing nameplate - no information] Crawford, Ellen, wife of M.O. Crawford - 6 Mar 1884/6 Mar 1905 [this is a broken stone] West, Willie H. - 2 Apr 1885/30 Oct 1902 [base of tombstone only, the top is missing - no information] Shade, Jasper - 1836/6 Feb 1909 [possibly born a slave] Shade, Mahala - 1840/18 Apr 1909 [possibly born a slave] [above 2 stones are broken] Smith, Magain F. - 18 Aug 1868/5 Aug 1950? [inscription very difficult to read] Jones, James - 8 Feb 1900/30 Oct 1948, LA Bugler 25th Inf. WW1