Marilyn Hambrick Sickel obtained a copy of the original deed transferring the land containing the Mt. Pleasant/Hardshell Cemetery. The transaction is dated January 27, 1896. The heirs of William Hendricks, R.L. Hendricks, A.J. Hendricks, B.F. Hendricks, Mrs. S.M. Davis, Rebecca A. Rogers, Naomi McCuin and C.E. Mobbs, are listed heirs and Amanda Hendricks and A.A. Hendricks are listed as wives of A.J. and B.F. Hendricks, respectively.
The land was originally deeded over to the Primitive Baptist Church at Mt. Pleasant, Prairie County, Arkansas. The land description reads as follows: "Part of the south east quarter of the south east quarter of section twenty-eight in Township three north, range six west, beginning at the southeast corner of said section and running north on the section line forty rods, thence twenty-two rods west, thence forty rods south, thence twenty-two rods east, back to the section corner, containing five and one-half acres more or less.
The original church building was blown away during a tornado in 1927. It is assumed that the church records were also destroyed, if there were any. All church services were discontinued and eventually another building, known as the Barrettsville Schoolhouse, was relocated on this property. Eventually church services were completely abandoned.
Today (1989), this building is known as "Perry" and is in the process of being relocated to the railroad depot station site in the City of Hazen, Arkansas.
Neighbors were questioned as to why this cemetery went by two names, Mt. Pleasant and Hardshell. The reply was, "This group of Baptists were classed as 'hardshell' Baptists".
