Family Cemeteries dot the countyside. Many are overgrown and lost in the woods, but the stones attest that here was a family that lived and loved and died. Many of the cemeteries are in places that seem strange now; they are off the beaten track and almost forgotten. 

Nancy Irvin found such a cemetery off the gravel road extending from the sate highway shed on new Highway 54 to the old Louisiana dump. Inquiring, she found out that the cemetery is known as Headricks' and that is is named for the family buried there. There are at least eight stones in the cemetery. 

Thursday, Mrs. Irvin read the printing on some of the stones. 

• "James B. B. Headrick, born June 22, 1827 and died Aug. 15, 1859, aged 32, one month and 24 days." 

• "W. T. Biggers, born March 12, 1830 and died April 7, 1906." Carved on top of the stone are the words, "Gone Home." Carved on the face of the stone just above the name "Biggers" is a picture of an opened lattice-type gate. 

• "Susan A. Biggers, born 1844, died 1920," Carved on top of the stone is the word, "Mother." On a small footstone, standing about six inches above the ground, are carved the initials: J.B.B.H." 

• "on a small stone is carved: "William Noah Bowen, 1910." 

• On a large stone is: "Maria B. Wife of John Headrick, aged 62, died Nov. 12, 1865." 

• Beside Maria's stone is a similar sized stone on which is carved: Gone to rest, John B. Headrick, born Nov. 1, 1799, buried (month illegible) 8, 1890 loved...(Illegible). 

• Still another stone reads "Arietta, wife of J. C. Headrick, died Dec. 27, 1882." The rest is illegible, but may have been "Aged 31, six months and six days." 

• On another small stone in simply printed: "Alberta." 

The remains of a wire fence show in places. Mrs. Irvin showed the gate to the cemetery. It was attached to a large wooden post that was still withstanding the wear and tear of time. The gate had been made by bending wrought iron pipe. Attached to the pipe was a piece of wire fencing.

Growing in the cemetery, through the dead leaves and the underbrush were plants that may have been tulips, or hyacinth. Also in the cemetery were two tall pine trees; their boles appeared to be 15 to 18 inches thick... 

Notes from Anna Belle Benning, Submitter:
Taken from The Louisiana Press Journal 
Monday, October 29, 1984
Nancy Irwin is still living....So is John Gillis.. 

© 2000 Rhonda Stolte Darnell