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Archiver > LARAPIDE > 2002-12 > 1039824548


From: "Ben Mertens" <>
Subject: [LARAPIDE] Curtis Dorsey
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 19:09:08 -0500
In-Reply-To: <002501c2a2af$4ada6b40$ef49d2d1@net.ev1.net>


Don,
My Aunt Hazel showed me where her two sisters were buried in Mt. Olivet
Cemetery. "We used to come out on Sunday after church services and see the
marked graves of Elizabeth and Casson (Mertens), right here" as she pointed
to the east (north east) corner of the cemetery. She went on to say that
one year there was a terrible, long lasting rain. Day after day it rained
heavily, flooding everywhere. When they made their next visit to the
cemetery, the area between that east corner of the cemetery and the street
had been replaced by a huge ditch which eroded the entire corner of the
cemetery - and Elizabeth and Casson's graves were gone - just a huge ditch.
The ditch was repaired, the corner of the cemetery was replaced with
contoured earth without any graves or headstones.
Elizabeth and Casson are not represented anywhere in the Mt. Olivet
cemetery today. A few years ago, I wrote a prominent Rapides Cemetery
researcher and publisher of cemetery occupants to tell her what Aunt Hazel
had said. She wrote a hostile, arrogant note back to me indicating that
could not possibly have happened and no bodies had washed away. I knew she
was wrong because Aunt Hazel's memory about so many things was so very
accurate.
Thank you, Don, for your personal experience confirming that bodies do wash
away.

Descendants of Frank "Franciscus" Mertens II
1 Frank "Franciscus" Mertens IIb: January 23, 1870 in Rillaar, Flemish
Brabant, Belgiumd: December 18, 1952 in Alexandria, Rapides Parish, LA
Burial: Greenwood Cemetery, Pineville, La.
.+Lucy "Lucia" Tutenel Mathewsb: February 18, 1870 in Spring
Creek-Hineston, Rapides Parish, LAm: November 20, 1889 in Alexandria,
Louisianad: February 26, 1931 in Alexandria, Rapides Parish, LABurial:
Greenwood Cemetery, Pineville, LA
...2 Elizabeth Mertensb: October 1890 in Alexandria, Louisianad: 1906
in Alexandria, LouisianaBurial: Mt. Olivet Episcopal Cemetery, Pineville,
La.
...2 Casson Mertensb: June 1892 in Alexandria, Louisianad: 1906 in
Alexandria, LouisianaBurial: Mt. Olivet Episcopal Cemetery, Pineville, La.
...2 Raymond Henry Mertensb: February 29, 1896 in Alexandria, Louisiana
d: 1964 in Alexandria, LouisianaBurial: Greenwood Cemetery, Pineville, La.
.......+Armide Theresa DuFourb: August 04, 1901 in Moreauville, Louisiana
m: February 01, 1919 in Alexandria, Louisianad: November 19, 1967 in
Alexandria, LouisianaBurial: Greenwood Cemetery, Pineville, LA
...2 Kelly Felix Mertensb: October 15, 1898 in Alexandria, Louisianad:
October 27, 1970 in Alexandria, LouisianaBurial: Memorial Gardens,
Alexandria, La.
.......+Flossie Maginnisb: March 16, 1904 in Marksville, Louisianam:
October 04, 1918 in Alexandria, Louisianad: August 16, 1982 in Alexandria,
LouisianaBurial: Memorial Gardens, Alexandria, La.
...2 Ella Josephine Mertensb: April 1900 in Alexandria, Louisianad:
1941 in Alexandria, LouisianaBurial: Mt. Olivet Episcopal Cemetery,
Pineville, La.
.......+James B. "Buddy; Mac" McCarty Ib: August 1898 in Louisianam:
September 16, 1916 in Alexandria, Louisiana
...*2nd Husband of Ella Josephine Mertens:
.......+Hiltonm: Abt. 1930
...2 Joseph Francis Cecil Mertens Ib: September 29, 1903 in Alexandria,
Rapides Parish, LAd: November 11, 1971 in Alexandria, Rapides Parish, LA
Burial: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Pineville, LA
.......+Lillie Mae Jonesb: August 15, 1907 in Merryville, Beauregard
Parish, LAm: September 04, 1931 in Alexandria, Rapides Parish, LAd:
February 08, 2000 in Pineville, Rapides Parish, LABurial: Cannon Cemetery,
Merryville, LA
...*Friend of Joseph Francis Cecil Mertens I:
.......+Emilym: 1939
...*2nd Wife of Joseph Francis Cecil Mertens I:
.......+Irene Margaret Guillotb: September 29, 1918 in Avoyelles Parish,
Louisianam: Abt. 1941 in Simmesport, Avoyelles Parish, LAd: October 04,
1999 in Simmesport, LouisianaBurial: Catholic Church Cemetery, Echo, La.
...*3rd Wife of Joseph Francis Cecil Mertens I:
.......+Lois Elaine Creelb: September 21, 1918 in Manifest, Louisianam:
1955 in Manifest, Louisianad: July 10, 1997 in Alexandria, Louisiana
Burial: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Pineville, La.
...2 Beatrice Mertensb: April 02, 1904 in Alexandria, Louisianad: May
29, 1978 in Alexandria, LouisianaBurial: Greenwood Cemetery in Pineville,
Louisiana
.......+Clarence Giltrock "Duke" Eskewb: January 27, 1907 in Memphis,
Shelby County, Tennesseem: January 16, 1924 in Alexandria, Louisianad:
April 29, 1959 in Alexandria, LouisianaBurial: Greenwood Cemetery in
Pineville, Louisiana
...*2nd Husband of Beatrice Mertens:
.......+Louis Tassinm: Abt. 1935
...2 Hazel Mertensb: August 26, 1909 in Alexandria, Louisiana d:
August 13, 1999 in Pineville, LouisianaBurial: Forest Lawn Memorial Park,
Pineville, La.
.......+Edward Franklin "Tootsie" Gallentb: September 22, 1907 in
Pineville, Louisianam: April 02, 1928 in Alexandria, Louisianad: December
22, 1981 in Alexandria, Louisiana

Ben Mertens, born in Alexandria, LA; retired at 18418 Winchester Road,
Ashville, OH 43103

740-477-3830

-----Original Message-----
From: Don [mailto:]
Sent: Friday, December 13, 2002 8:55 AM
To:
Subject: Re: [LARAPIDE] Curtis Dorsey

My grandmothers place was across the street from Mt. Olivet Church &
Cemetery. During the flood season we would get on the upstairs porch and
watch to see 'Who Popped Up"
don

----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 4:43 PM
Subject: Re: [LARAPIDE] Curtis Dorsey


> Perry - Rapides is the Parish (County in your State). Alexandria is a
City
> in Rapides Parish. Good Shepherd is located in downtown Alexandria. In
1914
> the area of Alexandria around Lee Street and Fourth or Fifth or Third was
the
> "affluent" White Section of Alexandria.
>
> The demographics started changing and it became, especially after World
War
> 2, the heart of our Black Community. The downtown area of Alexandria, as
far
> as neighberhoods, were both Black and White. The area now has a medical
> complex, businesses and government offices.
>
> Lee Street, during the olden days, was where it happened for both
> communities. Nightclubs, sporting arena, shopping, etc. During World War
2
> Alexandria was virtually surrounded by military camps and downtown was the
> place to be. We even were within the territories of the military
maneuvers
> of the 40's and were visited by folks such as General Eisenhower, Patton
and
> others.
>
> Now the phone number for Good Shepherd is 318-442-6424. Spoke with them
> today and they seemed to remember a funeral home between 4th and 5th known
as
> Williams. Give the peole a call and I think they can help you.
>
> As far as where most of the people in either Alexandria or Rapides Parish
are
> buried the best I can say is "in the ground." For many years Alexandria
did
> not have a cemetery. If memory serves the first cemetery within the City
> limits was/is a Black cemetery on Broadway. For some reason we buried our
> died on the other side of the Red River in Pineville. It may have been
due
> to the Red River. The River splits the two cities of Alexandria and
> Pineville and the Alexandria side is flat land whereas Pineville is hill
> country. I would think that prior to being leveed the Red overflowed onto
> the Alexandria side during high water hence no cemeteries but that is just
a
> guess.
>
> <A
HREF="http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/la/rapides.htm">http://www.rootsweb.
com/~usgenweb/la/rapides.htm</A>
>
> Good listing of cemeteries plus other information about us. If you ever
get
> a chance come see us. Good Folks, good food and a great Genealogical
> Library.
>
> Does my pride show?
>
> Richard J. Heath
>
>
> ==== LARAPIDE Mailing List ====
> Have you backed up your data lately?
>
>


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