AFRICAN AMERICAN GRAVES OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, AL.

CEMETARY LISTING FOR THE PLEASANT RIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH (est. 1887 rebuilt by Rev. L.F. Jackson 1900)

  • LOCATION: LEROY, AL. (also known as Prestwick, Al.)/off hwy. 43 going north turn in front of Leroy High School onto Carson road toward the Charles R.Lowman plant drive 1.3 miles and turn right at intersection onto Prestwick road and drive 2.5 miles until you see the church on the left and the cemetary is on the rear of the church.
  • publisher: Tammy Savage Chapman as of 5/3/2004

This is my attempt to document and identify the known visible and nonvisible graves located in this cemetary, for historical and as well as geneological purposes. Anyone able to identify the unmarked and unidentifable graves or know of any person buried in this cemetary by name , please contact me. telephone #251-246-0018 or
e-mail : primary- champmant@bellsouth.net/ alternate- tsavchap@webtv.net

It is noted that the earliest marked grave dates in the 1960's. I am told by my mother that the original burial site was in a field acoss the railroad tracks before you get to this church known as the Percy "gummy" Roberts field or the Bowling field

  • infant girl (twin to her son Lewis Ridgeway) of Pearlie Mae Savage Ridgeway Koins known to be buried there as stated by my mother Fannie M. Savage child would be grandchild of #49
  • it is also noted per Shed & Vivian Gregg that the following are also buried in this field : ELVIRA TAYLOR & LEWIS TAYLOR (spouses)
  • ANNA KIDD
  • NED & KATE BALDWIN also their son BOBBY LEE BALDWIN ? killed in Korean war info per Sadie M. Benson & Maggie Simon White

Upon entering the gate of the cemetary, I began listing and numbering the graves in rows and in proximity to the next visible grave. I will seperate obvious grouping and rows as much as possible to aid in location and identification. I WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY TRY TO AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE RECORD THIS INFORMATION BUT, PLEASE FORGIVE ANY ERRORS AND PLEASE NOTIFY ME OF ANY NOTED. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.
1-to the right as you enter the gate past the electrical pole- THEODORE PUGH Aug. 24th., 1934 Sept. 23rd., 1996 "with love from family"
2- next to 1 one space over- spouse graves BARNES "in loving memory" DEA. JAMES B. BARNES 12-13-1909 2-24-1990
3- next to 2 " in loving memory" GLADYS SAVANNAH BARNES 4-26-1902 11-15-1994 ***************************************************
above and in a seperate fenced in area, the JOHNSON family gouping as identified by family member Virginia Gregg Savage
4- unmarked near left side of fence* id per Shed & Vivian Gregg LILLIE TURNER ** sister of #6 & 7/wife of Bosie Turner buried at St. Union cemetary
5a- to the left of #5 & 6 from wood -SHED GREGG, SR. born 5/19/1912 died 6/22/2008
5b-
5-a few spaces over to the other side near the woods unmarked slab* Id per Shed & Vivian Gregg MILDRED DONALD JOHNSON 11/24/1906 3/2/2001 wife of #6
6-next to 5- headstone in the shape of a round clock with time of 3:50 CHARLIE JOHNSON 10/25/1905 8/20/1985 *husband of #5
7-above 6 unmarked slab *Id per Shed & Vivian Gregg JAMES "Jimmie" JOHNSON 12/16/1894 6/18/1984 brother of #6/husband of #8
8- next to 7 on the left unmarked slab *Id per Shed & Vivian Gregg COREAN VARNER JOHNSON wife of #7
9-"in loving memory" ALMA J. JONES Sept. 8, 1914 Oct. 9,1979* daughter of #7/ mother of #10
10-next to 9 unmarked slab near the back of fence in Johnson grouping *Id per Shed & Vivian Gregg REV. ANNIE PEARL RICHARDSON 10/14/1929 2/20/1998 daughter of #9/gr. dau. of #7
***************************************************
11a-Minister WILLIE JOE JOHNSON born 6/17/1922 died 5/19/2007 buried 5/24/2007 **mother of #11**
11- outside of Johnson grouping unmarked slab
* Id per Shed & Vivian Gregg JOHN WESLEY JOHNSON , JR. 10/8/1953 12/4/1992 grandon of #6
12-above 11 BOWLING AZELEN 5-3-1891 7-2-1978 "in loving memory"
13-next to 12 unmarked slab *Id per niece Bernice Bowling Williams & Alex Travis as CLARA BOWLING STARKS wife of Thomas Starks (son of Alice Starks Stepson of Lev Starks on Friendshp list) sister of#15 Robert Bowling & John Bowling
14-above 13 ROSIE L. BOWLING July 20, 1905 Feb. 16,1995 "at rest"
15-next to 14 on the right ROBERT BOWLING Sept. 11, 1901 Dec., 8 1970 "at rest"
16-about two spaces over "in loving memory" CLEMMIE T. BRAGG sunrise Mar. 24, 1917 sunset Apr. 13, 2001 " sit down servant" *wife of #24*
16a-ARETHA COLLINS born Sept. 30, 1943 died May 22, 2005 buried May 30, 2005* dau. of #19 & 20, sister of #17*
17- space to right of 16 MATTHEW COLLINS Oct. 8, 1948 Jan. 1, 2001 "beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and son"**son of #19 & 20,brother of #16a**
18- old slab unmarked between 17 & 19
19- next to 17 spouses COLLINS -TESSIE A. 1910-1975 **note: incorrect death date on marker the death date is 1985 per Alex Travis**mother of # 16a & 17, wife of # 20 ( related to Ashe /Ash family on St. Stephens Good Hope list ? how per F. M. Savage) info. provided by Alex Travis is as follows parents were Charlie Ash (? the C. Ash on the Good Hope cornerstone ) & Clara Donald Ash (1/2 sister of Tom "chippie" Starks # 43 on the Friendship list" they looked a lot alike , they both had freckles", paternal gr. father Walter Ash, siblings Aretha, Octavia , & Ed **
20-ALEX SR. 1896-1968 footstone ALEX COLLINS Alabama pvt. US army world war I July 18, 1895 Feb. 6, 1968 **father of # 16a & 17, husband of #19, 1st. husband of #50**
********************************************************
along the fence row to the back of the cemetary next to the woods
21- above 20 (corner of fence next to woods) rectangular indentation as if grave with metal plate type marker SYLVESTER BELTON
22- space then next to 21 FRANK GREGORY SIMS pfc us army Korea May 12, 1933 Sept., 30, 1986
** along this row? somewhere is CORA MAE SIMS JACKSON buried Sept. 5, 1960 per Shed & Vivian Gregg**
23- to the left of 22 MAMIE SIMS EDWARDS March 1, 1900 July 31, 1972
24- next to 23 "in loving memory" JAMES BRAGG Aug. 13, 113 Aug. 19,1970 *husband of #16*
25- next to 24 old marker with an upright handmade marker M C BR (mostly unable to read) new metal plate MICHAEL BRAGGS Nov. 9, 1961 Aug. 15, 1969
26-next to 25 "in memory of you" JOHN BRAGG SR. 8-13-1913 10-27-1982 " by your loving wife"
27- next to 26 unmarked slab
28- LEE MOORE pvt. us army world war II Dec. 29, 1919 Jan. 17, 1987 **next to this grave but, ? which side is his wife ANNIE L. KIMBROUGH MOORE 1910-1994 per Shed & Vivian Gregg
29- next to 28 unmarked slab
30-next to 29 indentation in ground with small greenish colored metal marker with clear window but, unable to read
31- next to 30 slab with metal plate type marker LUMSEY SMITH Nov. 3, 1892 Oct. 26, 1970
32-next to 31 unmarked slab
33-next to 32 ADELL SMITH Apr. 14, 185 Nov. 2, 1987 "GRANNY"
34-next to 33 unmarked slab *Id per Shed & Vivian Gregg NATHAN RANDOLPH 1961
35- mound of dirt then "in loving memory of" LAURA (BABY) RANDOLPH 7/9/1900 8/29/1995 "asleep in Jesus"
36-next to 35 old slab RUBANNA JACKSON 8-29-1877 12-13-1966 "loved by all"
new metal plate marker RUBEANNA JACKSON AUG. 29, 1877 Dec. 3, 1966
37-few feet over along fence row still "in loving memory of IRENE LOYD 2-20-1889 6-20-1970 "we loved you but God loved you best"
38- next to 37 "in memory of WILL LOYD 7-14-1879 10-31-1969 "we loved you but God loved you best" ** husband ans wife as stated per Fannie M. Savage**
39-next to 38 old marker ABE LANCASTER B. June (?4) 1898 D. Mar. 3, 1972 "sleep on father in memory"
raised mounded area then
40 next to 39 unmarked slab
41- next to 40 "our mother MATTIE F. PARKER April 15, 1897 Mar. 19, 1981 "at rest"
42-next to 41 MELVIN PARKER pfc us army world war II 1916 - 1993 silver star
43- next to42 CLEOPHAS SELTZER Oct. 23, 1941 Feb. 11, 1966 ("the Lord is my refuge)
44- next to 43 MARY B. SELTZER Apr. 4, 1916 Jan 27, 1972 "at rest"
45- mound then slab covered with debris WILLIE YELDER Dec. 21, 1901 Dec. 15, 1978 "gone but not forgotten" (* son of Mandy Yelder per F.M. Savage)
46- next to 45 MANDY YELDER Jan. 13, 1882 Oct. 11, 1977 (wife of Fraley Yelder, mother of #45, 47, Henry Yelder #139 on St. Union list and stepmother of Elizabeth Richardson #78 on the St. Union cemetary list / also known as a midwife per F. M. Savage)
47-next to 46 MATTIE Y. COOK Aug. 20, 1909 Oct. 11, 1977 "forever loved forever honored"
** daughter of 46 & Fraley Yelder buried in the Batley field on St. Union list as stated by Fannie M. Savage**
*************************************************** 48-row above 47 "in loving memory REBECCA GREEN 1886 4-15-1979 "at rest" **aunt of #50 as stated by Fannie M. Savage**
49-next to 48- "in memory of our father and husband" ISIAH SAVAGE ,SR. 2-3-1897 3-17-1972 ** husband of #50 and my father's brother (Leslie Savage, Sr. #9 on Friendship list)**
50- next to 49 "in memory of" MARY C. SAVAGE
4-10-1897 4-12-(190 on marker * stepdaughter Pearle Mae Koins gives date of 1990 and maiden name Cartwell) "by the children"
**was the first wife of #20 Alex Collins as stated by my mother Fannie M. Savage**
51- next to 50- raised slab unmarked **Id per Pearlie Koins WINNIE GUINN OATS mother-in-law of #49 (first wife Lelia's mother)
52- indentation next to 51 with no slab or marker
53- several feet over raised slab unmarked
54- next to 53 MATTIE BOWLING Sept. 10, 1909 June 21, 1976 "the Lord is my shephard" *wife of John Bowling #13*
55-next to 54- slab unmarked
NOTE: JOHN BOWLING 1/12/1900 5/30/1984 *husband of #54 & brother of #13 & 15 is possibly
# 53 or 54 per niece Bernice Bowling Williams
mound then 56- FRED PAYNE Mar. 8, 1932 Sept. 19, 1996 "forever in our hearts" (* son of Jim & Alberta Payne listed on the St. Union cemetary list per F. M. Savage/siblings of #26aa Cecil Tarver, #93a Nathan Payne, Winnie, Herman, Clemmie, Handis on the St. Union list)
56- GIDEON C. JOHNSON Feb. 23, 1959 May 6, 1999 "forever in our hearts"
57- next to 56 VIVIAN REED "SWEETIE" Jan 4, 1956 Apr. 27, 2002 "forever in our hearts"
58-below foot of 49 Isiah-"in memory of CHARLES PURIFOY 5-15-1919 2-2-1993 "at rest" (*son of Berry & Julia Ann Purifoy listed on the St. Union Cemetary list)
59- next to 58 near woods "in memory of PURIFOY - ALLEN LEE 7-28-1967 6-21-1980
*son of #58 *
******************************************************
60- below 59 to the left near woods ROBERT L. JENKINS pvt. us army world war II 2-11-1915 4-12-1986 **husband of Janie Richardson Yelder Jenkins #72a on the St. Union List
******************************************************
61-below 60 spouse marker TAYLOR "in loving memory" WALTER B. TAYLOR, JR. 12-15-1905 3-22-1997
62- next to 61- "in loving memory " ESTELLE LOUISE TAYLOR 4-15-1910 9-3-1994
*****************************************************
63- below 61 & 62 LOUIS KOINS us army Mar. 30, 1925 Feb. 20, 2001
64- to the left of 63 about 2 spaces to right slab unmarked & recent *ID per Shed & Vivian Gregg SONDRESHA LATONYA KOINS 4/16/1979 3/23/2003 *step-granddaughter of #63 & gr. granddaughter of #49* update 6/3/05 heart shaped marker placed with name & dates
********************************************************

OTHER LEROY, AL. CEMETARIES:Friendship & St. Union

OTHER WASHINGTON COUNTY, AL. CEMETARIES IN ST. STEPHENS, AL.:Good Hope & James Chapel in that order.

OTHER LINKS:


Powered by MSN TV