SHILOH CEMETERY, NATCHITOCHES PARISH, LA

SHILOH CEMETERY, PROVENCAL
NATCHITOCHES PARISH, LA

Shiloh is the oldest cemetery in Provencal according to Mrs. Mary Ann Donaho, a local resident. The village of Provencal was established in 1880 and local history says that the Dale family gave land for the burial of a Native American child who died circa 1880.(1)

Mrs. Donaho states, in an article published in The Natchitoches Times, in 1993, that the first marked or recorded burial is that of Mrs. Margaret Ellenora Carson Sanders in 1884, wife of Christopher Columbus Sanders and the mother of eight children. Mrs. Sanders' grave stone is broken and the day and month of her death is illegible; the adjacent stone is that of Willie Sanders, 24 Sep 1884 / 09 July 1892, son of M. E. and C.C. Sanders.

Immediately to the left of Mrs. Sanders' grave is a 'grave house', which, according to the small metal marker inside, marks the grave of Sarah Elizabeth Sanders Carson, no dates. In 1992 descendants commissioned Mr. Joe Bynog to restore the unique building, which was originally made of hand hewn boards, using square nails.(1)

Eric J. Brock, in an article published in the Shreveport Times on July 8, 1995, states that these 'grave houses' were often used by many of the early settlers of NW LA. The Pine Grove Methodist Church Cemetery in Sugartown, LA appears to have the largest number of these in existence. However, the most elaborate example of a 'grave house' is located in Evangeline, Acadia Parish, LA according to Mr. Brock: two stories tall, eight feet square, porches across the front, hinged doors, and real glass windows. (2)

On March 18, 1937, Dessie Lometer Moore was killed in the explosion of the New London, TX school; an explosion apparently caused by a natural gas leak. Her brother, a few years older, related that his classroom was in an adjacent building; that his class had been dismissed a few minutes early and that he had just crossed the street to walk home when the explosion occurred. Dessie Lometer Moore, twelve years of age, was among the 268 students and teachers killed in the explosion of the east Texas school. Her tombstone in Shiloh Cemetery bears a picture of the young schoolgirl.

Shiloh Cemetery is located on the side of a steep hill, extends down through a valley and up onto a lower hill to the west. The eastern hillside is badly eroded, despite efforts of individual families to shore up the plots. Many markers are tilted and several have fallen due to the erosion. Other markers are covered, or partially covered, by the shifting soil. The harvesting of pine timber on the northern hill in 1996 has added to the eroding effect of run-off waters.

There are approximately 127 known/marked burials in the cemetery. There appear to be several unmarked graves, and local residents say that some graves, located in the valley area, have been covered by the eroding soil from the hills to the north of the cemetery.

Memorial services are held at Shiloh Cemetery on the first Saturday after the first Sunday of June each year. Queries may be addressed to Ms. Mary Williams, P.O. Box 536, Provencal, LA 71468. Mrs. Williams provided much of the information relative to the various burials.(3)

Location: Shiloh Cemetery is located approximately two miles west of Provencal: turn west off LA117 onto DeSoto Street at the Provencal School Gym. The road ends at the cemetery. (4)

Incomplete data/ unmarked graves:

1) small, old stone beside Foster burial; no data on.

2) very old handmade stone, with Unknown written on; near Thomas graves.

3) broken stone next gravesite to right of Fonnie Bengaman stone, reading : He is at rest... Remainder illegible.

4) FOSTER, ??? ( A fairly new marker, but soil has covered so that only the top 10 inches above ground; no info available.)

5) Unmarked grave to left of the Foster stone; Merbel Foster or wife of Merbel Foster.(3)

6) Unmarked grave in Moore plot: infant daughter of Mittie Amanda Freeman Dale Key and William Franklin Key.(3)

7) LONG, LUCY A. (23 May 1880 / 03 Oct 1888 ) { d/o S. J. and V. A. Long } { Stone illegible except for given name; data from DAR 1957 reading.}

This listing was submitted by Nelda Gass Liles.

**Markers are listed as read; additional data listed below each and enclosed in parenthesis.

References/Sources:

1. Mary Anna Donaho, (articles): The Natchitoches Times, May 26, 1994 and 1993.
2. The Shreveport Times, July 8, 1995.
3. Information furnished by Ms. Mary Williams, 1998.
4. Shiloh Cemetery tombstone readings, Jan. 03, 1998 by Mrs.. N. Liles, Sterling Liles, and Sheldon Liles.
5. Genealogical/biographical data from research files of N. Liles.
6. Data compiled by Robert Homer Moss, c. 1960, courtesy Mrs. Reba G. Jones.
7. Data compiled by Cecil Paul Wiggins, circa 1989-1997.

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SHILOH CEMETERY, PROVENCAL NATCHITOCHES PARISH, LA

SHILOH CEMETERY, PROVENCAL
NATCHITOCHES PARISH, LA