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Cemeteries
Posted 04.19.06 at 1:12 PMKudos to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who have been working, as a church project, in Mel Haven Cemetery, adjacent to Sulphur Springs City Cemetery, which dates back to the late 1880s. Many slaves were buried in this cemetery, according to June Tuck, a prominent Hopkins County cemetery researcher.
Many graves are unmarked, or “marked” but have no informative tombstones. Tuck believes some of the graves date as far back as the 1850s. The current generation does not care for the old cemetery, and Mel Haven has no perpetual funds for groundskeeping. What a wonderful project for these 38 church members.
This story in the Sulphur Springs News-Telegram by Patti Sells (April 7, 2006) brings back a lot of memories. My father was a lawyer from Montague County, Texas. His charitable contribution was to incorporate small country cemeteries at no charge to their respective cemetery associations. Then, through the contributions of their members, trust funds were established, and as they grew in size, the interest was used by the cemetery associations for perpetual care. As heirs die out, many old cemeteries become neglected and sometimes even lost.
In Montague County, we never missed a homecoming or cemetery meeting. “New Harp” Cemetery, to this day, I suppose, has an annual “pie supper” to raise funds for its trust fund so the beautiful old cemetery will remain cared for in perpetuity. We used to attend this event every year. Decoratively wrapped pies were auctioned off, and of course, the menfolks knew which ladies had brought their “specialties”: lemon, apple, pecan, etc. This was their way of making their annual donations, and often, a favored pie brought several hundred dollars (or more). Of course, the cook was expected to share the pie with the fellow who had bought it!
I often attend a friend’s family homecomings near Leonard, Texas. Her cousin bought the family farm and built a beautiful home on it. He takes care of the old Binnion Cemetery, which overlooks the home from a nearby hill. This is such a loving tribute to his ancestors. He also protects and cares for an old slave cemetery behind the property, which I understand still occasionally receives some use.
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I have a fondness for old cemeteries. They contain the most beautiful statuary and tall monoliths, not like the flat-stoned monuments of today’s modern resting places.
The old River Road drive in south Louisiana is teeming with them. It is not uncommon to see the old, crumbling above-ground vaults with gaping holes in them. Locals say that the vandals break into them in search of jewels and valuables, and we explored one in particular. My husband stuck his flash camera in the hole and later developed the photo that showed a pile of bony remains of a woman who died in the mid-1800’s!
Some of the vaults hold the remains of entire families. As a family member perished, a hole would be pounded into the side of the vault and in the body would go with its ancestors. The hole would be replastered until the next death.
It seems efficient and almost a little comforting to think that one could literally rest in the arms of family!