NAMES OF PERSONS BURIED IN THE WATKINS STREET CEMETERY NATCHEZ MISSISSIPPI

http://www.forksoftheroads.net/cem_watkins_st.htm

A COMPLIMENTARY PUBLIC SERVICE GENEALOGICAL CENSUS COMPILATION OF THE WORTHY WOMEN OF WATKINS STREET CEMETERY 2007

The list of names appearing below of persons buried in the Watkins Street Cemetery was complied on a voluntary basis. Persons who to the best of their ability and eyesight canvassed the entire cemetery collected the information and data provided. Overgrowth, deterioration, poor etching and broken head stones were a minimum of conditions confronting these census takers accounting for slight errors.

In a few cases, there are some questions as to the order of the dates presented in this cemetery census.

This census contains Five (5) known World War I veterans’ burials and Seven (7) World War II Veterans’ burials. There are Four (4) known other Veterans burials of later wars.

There are Twenty-Eight (28) noticeable burials of persons born during chattel slavery time. The oldest was 46 years old and the youngest was 3 years old. This means that these persons were in position to witness the Civil War’s Union Army Colored Troops occupying Natchez in the Freedom Summer of 1863. Some of them may have been “contraband or refugees” in the contraband camps situated Under-the-Hill at Natchez commonly called the “Coral, Corral or Kraal.” Some of them could have been employed by the Union Army in civilian support roles.

This Watkins Street Cemetery Burial Census is not inclusive

 Many, many graves in the Cemetery are unmarked, without head stones and simply not identifiable. This is the case for the Rhythm Night Club mass burial site.

Occasionally persons are currently buried in Watkins Street Cemetery. 

For Your Information:

“In 1909 in consideration of $500 and five promissory notes of $700 each, the Natchez Colored Cemetery Association duly incorporated by ten men of color, purchased approximately seventeen acres of land in northern Natchez from Albert E. James. This transaction established The Colored Peoples’ Cemetery, known today as The Watkins’ Street Cemetery. At different intervals through the years, several funeral directors or organizations following the death of the incorporators managed this privately owned cemetery. For the past several years, the cemetery was without regular maintenance resulting in immense deterioration.  The Worthy Women of Watkins’ Cemetery Association organized in 2005 by Mrs. Thelma T. White seeks to restore and maintain this historic African American cemetery. This gigantic effort has progressed through the cooperation of local officials, community volunteers and local and out of town donations. Accomplishments include removal of trees and debris; several clearings of overgrowth and sprayings; petitioning city officials to install drainage and grave lanes, petitioning Adams County Supervisors to provide inmate labor from the Sheriff’s Department to assist with regular maintenance, cataloguing tombstone information, decorating Veterans graves on special holidays and installing a gate.

            A recent and significant accomplishment is submitting an application to the Department of Archives and History for a certificate of historical significance for unmarked burials associated with the Rhythm Night Club Fire of 1940. This certificate awarded in June 2006 instructs the County Board to exercise authority granted under Section 35-5-19 of MS Code annotated, 1972, to repair, rehabilitate and maintain these unmarked burials as a historical monument.

            Plans are to install section markers, erect entrance signs and establish a Rhythm Night Club Fire Monument to identify this burial site. We operate solely on the generosity of those who care enough to give.” 

For questions and inquiry please contact: Mrs. Thelma White at the mailing address below.

Make donation checks payable to: WWW Cemetery Association. Mail to:
 

WWW Cemetery Association

PO Box 17893
Natchez, MS. 39122