Fairgrounds Cemetery

Searcy, Arkansas

Photo by Gerald Torrence

This Cemetery is also known as: County Farm Cemetery.

GPS Location: 617206-3902024

Arkansas Archeological Survey site #:

3WH0615

Number of Marked Graves: About 2

Number of Unmarked Graves: Was probably 200 or more before they were destroyed.

The last complete survey of this cemetery was: July 27, 2001 By Leroy Blair.

Current status of cemetery: This cemetery is no longer in use.

Point of contact for cemetery. No known contact person.



Gerald Torrence of the White County Historical Society first recorded this cemetery on July 27, 2001. He had heard stories from

White County employees about the “poor house cemetery” located at the White County Fairgrounds and how the graves had been

disappeared over the years. Only two tombstones remain.

In an article in the Searcy Sun February 9, 2006, Leroy Blair of the White County Historical Society wrote, “Where the White County

Fairground is presently located, there was a place called the Poor Folks Home. I have traced its operation from 1859 to 1972.

People who were poor or handicapped lived there. The people who died at the home and others were buried in a cemetery that

was located about where the livestock display building is now located at the fairgrounds. The cemetery was called the County

Farm Cemetery. I have been told that there may have been more than a hundred graves in the cemetery. Most were not marked.

According to fair personnel there were two graves with tombstones – Charles Wilson and C.R. Wright. The two tombstones were

moved up the hill near to the country garage. In going over death records in the county I have been able to find the names of four

more people who were buried in the County Farm Cemetery. I was told that at least one grave was moved to Oak Grove Cemetery

on Moore Street in Searcy. What became of the other hundred or so graves – were they moved to other cemeteries or are they still

at the fairgrounds unmarked?”

If you have corrections or additions to this list or other information on this Cemetery, Contact the White County Historical Society,

P.O. Box 537, Searcy, AR 72145. Or phone 501- 278- 5010

Following is a list of known burials in this cemetery.

Beasley, Joe – Died August 18, 1924 – Only date – (Unmarked) – from death record at Olmstead Funeral Home

Bell, Sarah – Died July 12, 1929 – Only date – (Unmarked )– from death record at Olmstead Funeral Home

Benifield, Matt – Died September 27, 1938 – Age about 35 – (Unmarked) – from death record at Olmstead Funeral Home

Henderson, Trustin Oscar – June 4, 1857 – September 13, 1915 – (Unmarked) per descendent Martha Poplin

Johnson, Andrew M. – Died March 9, 1942 – Age 71 years – (Unmarked) – from death record at Powell Funeral Home

Kilring, Willett – Died May 10, 1939 –Age about 60 years – (Unmarked) – from death record at Powell Funeral Home

Unidentified youth – Killed by car at Bald Knob July 14, 1936 – Age unknown – (Unmarked – from death record at Powell Funeral

Home



Unidentified man – Killed by a train at Bald Knob May 13, 1930 – (Unmarked) – from newspaper article

Wilson, Charles – July 11, 1909 – May 7, 1941- A tombstone is at the cemetery

Wright, C.R. – August 15, 1849 – December 23, 1914 A tombstone is at the cemetery

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Legend: Copyright-Aug.23, 2016-Paul V. Isbell-Webmaster:

Most of the cemetery information listed was collected by Leroy “Lee” Blair Former member of the White

County Historical Society Board of Directors. Now working at the White County Historical Society office

If you have any additions or corrections to the burial listing please contact the Historical Society. Phone 501-

278-5010 or Email me at

lblblair74@gmail.com

or wchs1962@gmail.com

I will be posting more burials later. The Searcy Daily Citizen donated all their Micro Film and Ledgers dating

back to 1953. After reviewing them, if I find a death of a person that we do not have I will to add to the

cemetery listings.

There are some graves listed as unmarked that may have had a tombstone set since the listing was made.

I may have missed some graves when I prepared the listing. Some cemeteries are very hard to get an

accurate listing due to how some graves are scattered

The following Abbreviations are used in the listings

.

FM-Funeral home marker DS-Double tombstone TS-Triple tombstone



(Obit)-means that the Historical Society has, or has access to the Obituary for this person.