Siloam Cemetery, Monroe, Mississippi ***************************************************************************** USGenWeb NOTICE: Libraries and individual researchers may download this file for personal, non-commercial use only. Any other use requires written permission from the transcriber. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ****************************************************************************** Submitted by Sharon Bowling Carter, May 2000 From an article written by Mary Anna Riggan There is a deed recorded in Monroe County Mississippi, between Nicholas T Riggan and the Trustees- John S Lambert, Nathan L Morgan, John Flint, Benjamin C White, Coleman H Ballard, and James T Sanders- of the 'Preaching House for Athens Circuit in the Alabama Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South..a certain pierc of land...on which has been erected Siloam Meeting House...'This piece of land was located in 'the south east quarter of section four of township twelve of range nine east in the Chickasaw Session...' and contained about two acres. It should be noted that this deed states it was written "the twenty seveth day of October in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifteen". This date is evidently in error since Monroe was not a county until 1821, and Nicholas T Riggan was naot born until 1811. Nicholas T Riggan married Sarah Gilmore in 1836 and was licensed to preach for the Methodist Church in 1845. Sarah's relinquishment which follows the deed is dated 1857 and the recording date is 1860. It is interesting to note that the deed states"... onwhich has been erected Siloam Meeting House..." From this, it would seem that the church had already been built, and already had active elected trustees. Riggan family researcher have not been able to find Nicholat T and his family after this point in time. It would seem that as he made plans to leave this area, he was "tying up loose ends" of his buisness matters-one being to make a deed to the trustees of Siloam to insure legal ownership of the property. On 10 March 1905, there are two deeds recorded in Monroe County from A D Cantrell and H Walter Thompson to the trustees-F M Thompson, H J Kennedy, and Verdo Thompson-of Siloam Cemetery. Each deed is for approximately 1/8 acre located in S4T12%9E "for public burial ground From the deeds recorded, it seems that Siloam Church and Cemetery once sat on at least two and one-fourth acres of land. From the description Miss Jessie Pierce gave, the cemetery was located west of the church. The brick pillars and fence erected around the Burdine and Stegall graves a few years before 1958 evidently rpotected them. "All the other part of this big cemetery had been plowed under years before, " stated Miss Pierce. Miss Pierce related that the Wright and Maxey families had relatives buried on the spot where the old church stood. This area would appear to be the easter remnant of Siloam Cemetery whiles what is now called the Burdine Cemetery would appear to be the western remnant of Siloam." Located 1/4 miles east of Burdine, 2 miles west of Pearce Chapel. Data gathered in 1938. Thompson, I V 11 Jan 1876-12 Aug 1907 Thompson, M E 6 Sep 1880-27 Oct 1905 Thompson, Myrtle 22 Nov 1901-27 Nov 1904 Thompson, Minnie Lou d/o I V & M E died 15 July 1900 age 7 months Thompson, Escar c/o F M & S H 9 Jul 1895-19 Mar 1924 Thompson, Lando P d/o F M & S H 6 Nov 1886-9 Oct 1918 Thompson, E L c/o F M & S H 31 Dec 1889-8 Oct 1892 Thompson, F M 27 Nov 1855-19 Jan 1914 Thompson, Selena died 24 Nov 1937 70 years old Cantrell, Geneva 9 Jun 1912-8 Mar 1918 Cantrell, R D 5 May 1857-23 Mar 1926 Cantrell, Wm Jr s/o R D & S E 22 Oct 1878-7 Dec 1891 Maxey, Benj 6 Dec 1818-Oct 1886 Maxey, Martha A 11 Feb 1824-29 jan 1902 Maxey Infant d/o H & M J 27 Nov 1891-27 Nov 1891 Maxey, Fannie May d/o H & M J 16 Sep 1883-13 Oct 1891 Maxey, Willie May d/o H & M J died 7 Mar 1886 2 months old Maxey, Dora d/o H & M J died 1 Jul 1889 5 months old Maxey, Howard 13 Feb 1866-1 Sep 1981 Wright, Mary Alba d/o B P & M E 23 Aug 1872-15 Mar 1886 Wright, Benj 13 Nov 1845-3 Jun 1886 Wright, M E 17 Dec 1849-2 May 1899 Wright, Charlotte w/o R F 23 Feb 1844-10 Jul 1888 Wright, Vardo d/o R F & C W 28 Aug 1879-5 Sep 1884 Wright, Sallie E d/o R F & C W 20 Jun 1866 10 Sep 1886 Cody, T E 30 Dec 1872-8 Mar 1891