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You must continue to click on FIND NEXT till you reach the end of the report to see all of the locations of the item indicated. The following is a 3 1/2 page document which accompanied the certificate for membership in the Blue Branch Cemetery Association: PITKIN Sometime after 1872, near Mr. Milam's mill on Six Mile Creek, the settlement of Slabtown grew. A post office was established at Slabtown. Later the post office known as Slabtown moved elsewhere and about 1905 the town was named Lydia in honor of Lydia Thornton. The lands of Mr. Thornton and Mr. Mathis was partially divided into blocks and streets. During 1905 and 1906 the Santa Fe Railroad was being built through the area. An official of the railroad died during the construction period. His name was Pitkin. Due to another town in Louisiana being named Lydia, in 1906 the name of the town was changed to Pitkin in honor or Mr. Pitkin MOUNT OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH The Church was established in either 1857 or 1862 on Brushy Creek about five miles NE of where Pitkin now stands. In 1877 the church moved to near Blue Branch Creek, south side of the now State Hi-Way 10. This move was so the church would be more centrally located in the populated area. In 1910 a building was completed and occupied as a church on the north side of Hi-Way 10. Then this building was demolished while being moved farther from the road right-of-way. This was about the year 1928. At that time Fullerton had "cut out" and the Catholic Church at Fullerton was purchased for $90.00 and moved to the north side of Hi-Way 10. The new brick church was completed in September 1959. The educational annex was added in 1966. BLUE BRANCH CEMETERY ESTABLISHED 1875 One reason, possibly, for Mt. Olive Baptist Church moving from Brushy Creek to Blue Branch Creek in 1877 may have been because of the Blue Branch Cemetery Site. The first burial at Blue Branch Cemetery that can be remembered was that of a girl child, burned to death when she fell into a wash pot, the daughter of John Sirmons. Others may have been buried in unmarked graves during the 1870's. The oldest marked grave is that of George Washington Gaskin, died April 15, 1881. Soon afterward other graves were in this vicinity and the cemetery was to be used by following generations. During the early years of the cemetery, the people of the community would get together with their shovels, axes, grub, bring hoes, hoes, rakes and brush brooms to clean the cemetery. The leader for as far back as anyone can remember was Mr. Green Weldon. He was depended upon to see that the cemetery was kept in order until a short while before his death, December 4, 1934. Jeff Weldon helped with the cemetery upkeep for awhile. Afterwards, Mr. Walter Smith and Sons with others took an interest in the cemetery upkeep. This was for about two years after the death of Mr. Green Weldon. During 1936 Mr. Israel Smith purchased the land around the cemetery which he sold in 1948. During these years Mr. Smith took an interest in the cemetery upkeep. Still the people of the community were depended upon to have cemetery-working days. Others who took an active part in the cemetery upkeep were Mr. Dave Martin, Lee Martin, Jackie Smith, Joe Coody, Elmer Gaskin, Mrs. Lance Brown and Daughter. Many other names could be added to these. During the depression years of the 30's and especially during World War II the cemetery was not well kept. Little interest was taken until Rev. J. L. Florrow came to the Pitkin Baptist Church January 22, 1947. The Rev. Florrow stayed at Pitkin until September 3, 1950. During those years, dissension developed especially because of the graves being leveled. A few unmarked graves were lost by leveling. The Rev. Florrow was the leader during his stay at Pitkin and an attempt at getting an organization formed was made with some success. After the Rev. Florrow's departure a not too united organization was formed with the Rev. S.P. Bond president and Ben Poe Secretary-Treasurer, followed by Walter Nolen and Monroe Hill as Secretary-Treasurer. After the Rev. Norris came to Pitkin Baptist Church in 1954 a meeting was called. The Rev. Norris acted as moderator and the following were elected and the Blue Branch Cemetery Association was formed: S.P. Bond--President Monroe Hill--Secretary-Treasurer Elmer Gaskin--Committeeman Mark Maddox--Committeeman Noah Martin--Committeeman Bulas Reed--Committeeman Riley Johnson--Committeeman Glenn Heard--Committeeman These committeemen did not necessarily serve at the same time. In 1955 during the annual meeting of the Blue Branch Cemetery Association, the following officers were elected: Mr. Robert Reed--President S.P. Bond--Vice-President Others remained the same. Mr. Robert Bond remained president until May 1974, at which time Mr. Glenn Heard was elected president and George Gaskin was elected vice president. Those who served as Secretary-treasurer were: Ben Poe---------------1951 - 1952 Walter Nolen----------1952 - 1953 Monroe Hill-----------1953 - 1959 Mrs. Noah Martin------1959 - 1965 Mrs. Lee McCollough---1965 - 1969 Mrs. Myrtle La Caze---1969 - 1971 Mrs. Blanche Maddox---1971 - 1972 Maurice Bowling-------1972 - A partial list of persons who worked the cemetery since the infancy of the organization are: Clark Bond, Elmer Gaskin, Glenn Heard, Isom Reed, Carl Martin and David Hill. The present committeemen are now (1975) Glenn Heard, Pesident; George Gaskin, Vice President; Curtis Davis, Chairman of the committee; Mark Maddox, Aubrey Perkins, Ira Maddox, Wilmer Reed. On July 31, 1976 the Blue Branch Cemetery Association receved correspondence from Louisiana Cemetery Board, New Orleans, Louisiana. In this correspondence was an application for Certificate of Authority for cemeteries in existence on July 31, 1974. On October 4, 1976 this application was completed, dated, and mailed to Louisiana Cemetery Board. A Certificate of Authority to operate an exempt cemetery was issued to the Blue Branch Cemetery Association. These certificates are renewed annually. Hence a charter for the Blue Branch Cemetery Association became necessary so a copy of said charter could be sent to the Louisiana Cemetery Board as proof of an exempt cemetery--meaning, in effect, that the Blue Branch Cemetery is not a commercial type cemetery. On February 17, 1977 the Blue Branch Cemetery Association was chartered a Louisiana corporation. The organization changed very little from the previous organization. Thee are now eight elected committemen who serve two-year terms, four each committeemen being elected each year. And the custodian and secretary-treasurer are elected committeemen and are elected to serve one-year terms as custodian and secretary-treasurer. The most significant action now in effect is the Lifetime Membership choice by members of the Blue Branch Cemetery Association to pay $25.00 per grave site for care of the grave site in the future. On December 13, 1977 the Blue Branch Cemetery Association applied for Employer Identification number with the IRS to be used for banking purposes. On December 23, 1977 Employer Identification number (ommitted for Internet use) was assigned to the Blue Branch Cemetery Association.