Douglas L. Secrest, Jr. - Submitted for the USGenWeb by Richard P. Sevier 3/19/2012

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Douglas L. Secrest, Jr. - Madison Parish, Louisiana 

From Tallulah Madison Journal, July 15, 1955

Four Boys Ages 9-13 Drown While Wading In Bayou Near Mound Saturday, Only 1 Could Swim; 2 Breedlove 
brothers And 2 Secrest Brothers Victims In Worst Parish Tragedy In Years.

The worst tragedy to occur in Madison Parish for many years happened Saturday afternoon when four young 
boys ranging from 9 to 13 drowned when they went wading in Walnut Bayou near Mound to escape the heat. 
Only one of the youths could swim.

Dead are Thomas W. Breedlove, 11, and Ray D. Breedlove, 9, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Breedlove; and Kenneth 
L. Secrest, 10, and Douglas L. Secrest, Jr., 13, sons of Mr. and Mrs. D. L. Secrest, all of Mound.

Sheriff C. E. Hester of Madison Parish said there were no witnesses of the drownings and the circumstances 
were not known.

The boys had gone wading about 2:30 p. m. and were last seen alive by passersby about 3:00 p. m. When they 
had not returned home by 5:00 o'clock, the mothers became alarmed and a search was begun.

Bodies of three of the boys were found at 9:00 p. m. The other body was recovered at 10:30. All four bodies 
were found where the bayou is 8 or 10 feet deep, Sheriff Hester said.

The bayou, which is about 500 yards from the boy's homes, is deeper than usual, Sheriff Hester explained, 
because it has been dammed for irrigation purposes. It is about 150 feet wide.

The bodies were recovered by Sheriff Hester and members of the Tallulah-Madison Parish emergency rescue unit 
with the assistance of several local residents. Hester theorized that Douglas Secrest, the only one of the 
four who could swim, had drowned while attempting to rescue the two smaller boys found near his body. This 
was indicated by the position of the bodies, sheriff said. The fourth youngster, whose body was found 20 
yards from the others may have jumped into the water in a futile attempt at rescue despite his inability to 
swim, Sheriff Hester said.

Joint funeral services were held Monday afternoon at 4:00 p. m. at the Mound Baptist Church. Services were 
conducted by Rev. Glen Morgan. Interment followed in the Silver Cross Cemetery, under the direction of 
Crothers Funeral Home.

The Secrest youths are survived by their parents, one brother, Bobby Lee; their paternal grandmother, 
Mrs. E. A. Secrest, St. Joseph, and their maternal grandmother, Mrs. Morgan.

The Breedlove youngsters are survived by their parents, four sisters, Nelta Jean, Virginia, Carolyn Fay, and 
Anna Dean ; their paternal grandmother, Mrs. Ollie Merritt, Mound, and their maternal grandfather, Monroe.

Pallbearers for all four children were, E. C. Hopkins, Carl Barnes, C. H. Hodge, Dudley Holman, John Watts, 
Carl Satchfield, R. C. Pryor.