Old Hopewell Cemetery

Rose Bud, Arkansas

Photos by Gerald Torrence

This Cemetery is also known as: None known.



Legal description: NW, SW, SE, Sect.11, T8N, R10W

GPS Location: 587598 - 3910308

Arkansas Archeological Survey site #: 3WH0697

Number of Marked Graves: About 15.

Number of Unmarked Graves: Unknown

The last complete survey of this cemetery was: January 2001 By Leroy Blair (This cemetery has since been cleaned)

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

Point of contact for cemetery. No known contact person.

This cemetery probably dates back as early as 1857, although 1877 is the earliest death date found on a tombstone here. Shirley

Norman Gunn, who has devoted years of research to the Norman pioneers of this area, is convinced that Francis Marion Norman

was buried here in 1857. She said she found the initials “F.M.N.” on one of the eight rock cairns in this graveyard. This cemetery is

located at the site of the Old Hopewell Church and has not been used in years. It was listed in 1965 by Cloie and Leister Presley of

the White County Historical Society, who reported “It covers a large area but is overgrown and few signs of graves. There are eight

unmarked graves that are rocked. Mrs. Elwin Davis said two of those are her grandparents, Thomas and Harriet Duffle.”

When Leroy Blair of the White County Historical Society visited the cemetery January 9, 2001, he found it "in very poor condition …

fallen trees have covered some of the trees and it is overgrown with brush and briars." However, it has subsequently been cleaned

and a visitor in June 2004 proclaimed it to be "in the best shape it has been in for many years."

Blair said to reach the cemetery go east from Rose Bud on Highway 36 to Turner Road, just past Crockett’s Grocery [Crockett

Brothers Grocery & Feed, 5542 Highway 36, Rose Bud]. Turn left on Turner Road; go about three-quarters of a mile to a gate on the

left which is kept locked by Mr. Crockett at the store. After you get past the gate, go about one-half mile back into a pasture field.

The cemetery is on the left in woods, just before an old house that is falling down. Mr. Crockett said he was told that this was the

first Rose Bud post office."

Blair found about 50 graves that are marked only with rocks and saw approximately 50 more that "are just mounds or depressions

in the ground." He also found the letters J.T.L. scratched on a rock that covers eight of the graves. He was unable to find three

that were listed by the Presleys: B.J.H., Harriet Duffle and Thomas Duffle.

Gerald Torrence, another member of the White County Historical Society, visited the cemetery later in January 2001 to take

photographs. While there, he found an unrecorded grave for a child, Cecil Wortham, under a fallen tree. The Wortham child, who

died in 1909, might be the last recorded burial in the cemetery.



Torrence stopped at the Crocketts’ store and was told their great grandfather Crockett had purchased land in the area for 12 ½

cents per acre.

Blair’s report stated, "Mr. Crockett went to the cemetery with me. Without his help I probably never would have found it. He said

during the summer months several people visit the cemetery."

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.

B., J.H. – Carved on a rocked grave – No dates listed - Old Hopewell Cemetery,

Cooper, Rachel – March 4, 1832 – January 8, 1883 – Wife of E.M. Cooper – Old Hopewell Cemetery,

Davis, Mary A. – May 15, 1880 – age 70 years, 21 days - Old Hopewell Cemetery,

Davis, R.W. – January 7, 1831 – August 10, 1900 – Old Hopewell Cemetery,

Duffle, Harriet – Wife of Thomas Duffle - Old Hopewell Cemetery,

Duffle, Thomas – Husband of Harriet Duffle - Old Hopewell Cemetery,

Moss, D.L. – January 16, 1865 – September 23, 1889 - Old Hopewell Cemetery,

Moss, William W. – September 12, 1815 – December 19, 1877 – Husband of Mary Moss - Old Hopewell Cemetery,

Outland, William – June 16, 1826 – September 24, 1882 - Old Hopewell Cemetery,

Singleton, S.E. – May 7, 1854 – October 14, 1880 - Old Hopewell Cemetery,

Wortham, Cecil – 1904 –1909 – Old Hopewell Cemetery,

There are three rocks in a line – carved – C.M., L.M., T.M. – They could be members of the Moss family - Old Hopewell 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 on

the square in Searcy. WCHS P. O. Box 537 Searcy, Ark. 72145.

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.