Kenner and Kugler Cemeteries

Louisiana Cemetery Preservation
Click the link above to read about Kenner and Kugler Cemeteries from the Louisiana National Register. There is also a news link (posted full article) from March 2008 by Shonna Riggs.

The register lists this cemetery as being in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana near Norco. USGS does not list this cemetery or I have overlooked it in their massive database. USGS does list Norco and Goodhope or Good Hope as a name variant. This may or may not pertain to the history of these cemeteries.

A few quotes from the news article:

"We are in the process of updating a master plan and working with the descendants of these families," he said. "We're considering putting in a memorial to develop more of the cultural aspect to let people know just what took place in this part of the river."
- Chris Brantley, biologist and spillway operations manager.

"Brantley says the tombstones and caskets are under several feet of sediment."

"There are markers there letting people know there's a cemetery in the spillway," he said "We keep both sites maintained."

I believe that comments have closed concerning the master plan on January 30, 2009. The Natchitoches Preservation Ning posted a link to the PDF file.

Sweet Olive Cemetery

Sweet Olive Cemetery is an African American historical cemetery in Baton Rouge that has struggled for years with its conditions and has a hidden history.

There are recent photographs of Sweet Olive Cemetery in Baton Rouge that can be seen on Facebook from John Gallent. The link to the photo album is below. This 2006 photograph (link) is of volunteers from the LSU Honors College Freshman initiating one of two volunteer clean-ups at Sweet Olive Cemetery. You can read about the 2006 clean up effort here. I've tried several times to contact the LSU Honors College for more information concerning this cemetery, but have had no luck.

John Gallent's photos on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?page=2&aid=2445573&id=23418888

Evidently, The Advocate, posted a video about this cemetery back in October 2008 as having been damaged from hurricane Gustav. Another blogger, historicalbatonrouge.blogspot.com, had posted that in April 2007 a truck smashed through the fence at this same cemetery and damaged tombs. The Mid-City Redevelopment Alliance, Inc. has listed Sweet Olive Cemetery as a historical cemetery that the city supports as a landmark. This is what they have to say about Sweet Olive from their website:

Sweet Olive Cemetery, located in the heart of Mid City, is the oldest African-American cemetery in Baton Rouge. The Community Development office supports the revitalization of this important cultural landmark by organizing volunteer clean-ups and assisting in the grant-writing process. The goal of this project is to enhance the appearance, safety and overall atmosphere of the cemetery, creating a safer, more attractive environment for residents, visitors and tourists.

A "representative" of Sweet Olive Cemetery has been enlisted in a study according to Louisiana Legislative document HLS183. The proposed study of historical cemeteries will end in April 2009.

You may read more about this cemetery from the Louisiana Cemetery Preservation mailing list. Some have said that this cemetery dates to 1850. According to several old newspaper articles, a transcript of this cemetery existed at one time.

Twin Cities Memorial Gardens

Ink dry on purchase of troubled cemetery
from URL: http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20081209/NEWS01/81209030

Staff report

The purchase of Twin Cities Memorial Gardens in West Monroe has been
completed, and in the near future its name will be changed to Kilpatrick's
Serenity Gardens.

Laura Kilpatrick Marchelos, Kilpatrick Funeral Homes president, said
Monday the company has already met with architects and contractors to give "this
half-century old property a new and exciting face-lift which we will be
unveiling over the next 60 to 90 days."

The cemetery was placed in receivership by the state earlier this year
because of poor management by former owner Dannie Jackson. Mulhearn Funeral
Homes had been running the facility since the state's takeover. Mulhearn has its
own cemetery, Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery, east of Monroe.

The state Attorney General's Office, which represents the Louisiana
Cemetery Board, placed Twin Cities into receivership in January while
investigating complaints over the past several years about poor management and
perpetual care and merchandise trusts not being properly funded.

Following a state investigation, Jackson was indicted on 16 counts of
improper contract for taking money for headstones that he never installed. In
February, he pleaded no contest to one count of improper contract for failing to
put the money in a trust account as required by law.

Jackson has agreed to ensure that all trust funds be fully funded and
to provide a reserve account so Kilpatrick Funeral Homes can fund contracts of
families that have not been fulfilled.

Kilpatrick Funeral Homes operates businesses in Monroe, West Monroe,
Ruston and Farmerville.
"This has been a dream of ours to add a cemetery to
our existing business and to be able to do it where it will benefit the
community of West Monroe and Ouachita Parish. It is a perfect fit," Kilpatrick
said.

Following a state attorney general investigation and an audit by Lucy
McCann of the Louisiana Cemetery Board and the Kilpatrick staff, Kilpatrick
Funeral Homes founder Tex Kilpatrick said "that everything is in order at this
time."

He said those with questions should contact Kilpatrick's at 323-9614.
He said all records should be ready for review "within the next few
weeks."

Marchelos said people driving by the cemetery will begin to notice
immediate enhancements such as a general cleanup, a new permanent office, new
signage, updated fencing, lighting and road improvements. "Further improvements
will become evident as we get closer to spring of 2009," she said.

Rural cemetery in West Baton Rouge Parish on River Road

November 25th and 26th Paul Gates of WAFB wrote a story about a small rural cemetery in West Baton Rouge Parish that likely suffered damage from Hurricane Gustav. It was found by a couple traveling in the area who emailed Mr. Gates about the damaged cemetery near Beuche, Louisiana on River Road. The Assistant Attorney General, Ryan Seideman, the Louisiana Cemetery Board, and both the West Baton Rouge cornoners office and Parish President were on hand to see that the cemetery was cleaned up. You can read more about both articles from Paul Gates here: Family shocked by cemetery destruction and Repair process begins at cemetery with damaged caskets and vaults. It is believed that the destruction found was likely caused by Hurricane Gustav and the owner may be able to get assistance from FEMA. They are still looking for the owner of this cemetery on River Road.


There are very few named cemeteries in West Baton Rouge Parish and even fewer with transcripts available on-line. In fact, Martin Gautier's Louisiana Cemeteries lists several "unknown" cemeteries that have no transcripts, photographs or recognition by USGS. I noted 10 unknown cemeteries at his site where has has listed the GPS of the cemetery. USGS lists cemeteries differently from church cemeteries. Only 10 cemeteries are noted by USGS. USGS lists several churches that may be associated with older cemeteries. Find A Grave notes 39 cemeteries totally in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana where a few more are associated with churches.

Not a cemetery, not a graveyard, and certainly not!

There are two cemeteries that I would like to introduce to you. The first being St. Mary's cemetery in Bayou Goula, Iberville Parish, Louisiana, which was discovered as abandoned and vandalized in 2000. I'm calling St. Mary's cemetery - not a cemetery anymore as it was relocated. Christian Williamson wrote about this cemetery back in 2005, Sacred Trust: The Voluntary Removal and Reburial of Human Remains from a Historic Cemetery in Louisiana. This thesis paper is available for everyone to read and enjoy on the internet. Christian wrote, "This thesis presents the project in its entirety with the hope that it will provide a helpful blueprint for both anthropologists and family members who might find themselves involved in the rescue of ancestral remains from historic cemeteries." St. Mary's was founded in 1868 by John Hampden Randolph. The thesis describes the actions taken to rebury those interred at St. Mary's to Nottaway Plantation, the Randolph family historical home. This cemetery was both abandoned and quite isolated. The 31MB PDF file also contains photographs, epitaphs, and archeo. evidence. I found it a facinating read full of information.


The second cemetery that comes to mind as a subject of a thesis paper (or several thesis papers) is Breda Town Cemetery, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. I'd refer to this one as not a graveyard. Recently, a newspaper article was written stating that the Breda Town Cemetery Association had teamed up with University students from Northwestern in order to both conduct a cemetery survey and provide the students with an area of practice and study in the Masters of Arts Program. It is located in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana and is listed on the Natchitoches Parish LAGenWeb parish page as being an African American cemetery without a transcription available. Breda Town began as the plantation home of Jean Philippe Breda and his wife, Marie Dranguet, in 1840. After the plantation dissolved, former slaves made their homes in Breda Town, which is now within the city limits of Natchitoches. I hope to read more in the future of Breda Town Cemetery as the survey is completed, mapped and studied.


Williamson noted differences between "cemeteries" and "graveyards" and cited several helpful sources. He stated, "Before examining the archaeological information available within an historic cemetery, we should discuss what the term cemetery means. Strangstad (Strangstad, Lynette, c. 1988, A Graveyard Preservation Primer. American Association for State and Local History, Nashville, Tennessee) provides a traditional definition for cemetery as “a place set apart for burying the dead.” Strangstad uses the term graveyard to distinguish early historic burial grounds dating from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century from modern cemeteries. The modern use of the term cemetery comes from the Latin word coemeteirum, and the Greek translation meaning “dormitory” or “sleeping place.” (Morris, Richard , c. 1983, The Church in British Archaeology. Research Report 47, The Council for British Archaeology, London, England Morris). And so I will make a note of the differences for future reference.

Should I be blogging only seventeenth to nineteenth century graveyards in Louisiana, since this is a "graveyard" blog? Certainly, not!

Isolated and abandoned family cemeteries quite common in Louisiana

Unfortunately, there are many isolated and abandoned cemeteries in Louisiana. The cold stones sit and wait for no one as time passes. Local history, banal, disorganized and unkept is shoved aside by current affairs. You drive by an abandoned cemetery or graveyard everyday. Hunters stumble upon old tombs in the thick on their way to claiming that prized buck. Tractors till the earth in heaps and mounds and suddenly, the silent speak.


From The Advertiser November 2, 2008
Expert lays down the law on home archaeology, by Judy Bastien • jbastien@theadvertiser.com

["Ryan Seideman, a lawyer and archaeologist, is the person in Louisiana whose job it is to determine if private citizens have a right to any artifacts in their possession. Seideman is also the section chief of the state's Lands and Natural Resources section for the Louisiana Department of Justice.

Some of the laws are clear-cut - like the one governing human remains. Finding human remains is a more common occurrence than you might think. It happens often enough that Seideman recently gave a talk at UL titled A Nonlegal Guide to Louisiana Archaeology Laws or What Not to Do If You Find a Skull in the Attic.

"It's very common," Seideman said. "You find, all over the state, isolated and abandoned family cemeteries."]

Ft. Polk and its treasured heritage

Over the course of the past year 70 gravesites have been located with ground penetrating radar at Ft. Polk along with 27 cemeteries and home sites. You should read more about how this came about from The Leesville Daily Leader. The newspaper described the second annual Heritage Day celebration at Ft. Polk, Louisiana that took place on November 1, 2008. Can you imagine over 70 unmarked graves? The founding members of Heritage Day at Ft. Polk, Louisiana are hoping to provide monuments for the unmarked graves discovered by GPR. Additional information concerning this event can be read here URL.(November 7, 2008, Heritage Days helps families heal old hurts, by ZACH MORGAN on The Guardian.)

What is ground penetrating radar or GPR? According to the Saving Graves website, "Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data is generated by the reflection of pulses of energy transmitted into the ground. The energy bounces off the buried features, and is detected with a receiving antenna. Each below-ground feature reflects this energy in its own unique way. Objects, and soils of different densities will generate detectable signals. By providing the user with the ability to “see” below the surface without disturbing anything, GPR is the ideal tool for locating sensitive features such as graves."

You may read about last years Heritage Day celebration on the Louisiana Genealogy Blog. More information about these Heritage Families can be found in this post, in addition to more links to stories, who to contact via email, phone numbers and organization contacts.

The Vernon Parish Library has a CD-ROM available with photographs of Vernon Parish cemeteries, according to their online catalog:


Vernon Parish Cemeteries [computer file] / Lewis Westfall.
Author: Westfall, Lewis.
Imprint:Leesville, La. : Westfall, 2005?
Physical Description:2 CD-ROMs, 4 3/4 in ; 4 3/4 in.Note:Photos of grave markers in Vernon Parish Cemeteries.
Content:Disc 1: A-L; Disc. 2: M-W.
Library
Shelf Location
Call Number
Item Status
Main Branch
CD-ROM
CD-ROM G La 976.361 Wes
Available
Main Branch
CD-ROM
CD-ROM G La 976.361 Wes v.2
Available
Main Branch
CD-ROM
CD-ROM G La 976.361 Wes v.1
Available