Wells Cemetery

Worden, Arkansas

Photo by Leroy Blair

This Cemetery is also known as: Rio Vista Cemetery

GPS Location: 640065-3906261

Arkansas Archeological Survey site #: 3WH0048

Number of Marked Graves: About 10

Number of Unmarked Graves: Unknown

The last complete survey of this cemetery was: September 18, 2000 By Leroy Blair

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

Point of contact for cemetery. No known contact person.

This cemetery is located off Highway 64 east of Bald Knob. It was the subject of a brief article by archeologist James P. Harcourt

in the 1993 edition of

White County Heritage

published by the White County Historical Society. "I recently visited the ‘Wells’

Cemetery, located off Highway 64 near Rio Vista, while doing an environmental study of the nearby ARKLA JM-1 gasline," Harcourt



wrote. "The cemetery is probably registered and is platted on the current U.S.G.S. topographic map in the north half of the north-

west quarter in Section 29 of Township 8 North, Range 4 West. While the cemetery will not be impacted by the ARKLA work, I

briefly mapped it for our files. The cemetery was on file with our agency, but the information was limited to the site’s location.

Unfortunately, it has been my experience that similar cemeteries are looted for their markers or otherwise despoiled and can

disappear over-night. Hence, when possible, I attempt to gather at least minimum data for inclusion in the State Archeological Site

registry." Harcourt included a sketch map showing not only burial sites but other specific details like the location of "Treflan

herbicide cans." The map and his transcriptions are included in the ’93

Heritage

article but the following are the only names he

listed. He did note two "unknown depressions."

According to the Historical Society, the Wells Cemetery is listed in "Worden and Rio Vista, Arkansas," by Lincoln Johnson, 1986.

The same burials are listed but he does not give details of the site.

The cemetery was visited September 18, 2000, by Leroy Blair, a member of the White County Historical Society, who found graves

that were not on the Harcourt or Lincoln Johnson lists. Following is Blair’s report: "To get to this cemetery from Bald Knob, take

Highway 64 east to just before the Cutoff Creek Bridge. There is a small road going off to the left. It has a wire cable across it. The

road will over close to the creek. Follow it for about 400 yards. You will cross an Arkla gas line. When you cross it you are about

halfway to the cemetery. Go about 400 more yards. The cemetery will be on a rise on the left under a large oak and pine tree.

There is a deer stand near the road. The cemetery is just in back of it. It is very overgrown. According to people who live in the

area this cemetery was east of Rio Vista, which no longer exists."

Following is a list of known burials in this cemetery.

Head, James L. – September 25, 1859 – January 25, 1907 – Wells Cemetery

Wells, Ellon – Died July 16, 1899 – age 33 – Wife of J.M. Wells – Wells Cemetery

Wells, Freddie – Born October 10, 1897 – age 11 months – Son of J.M. & Ellon Wells – Wells Cemetery

Wells, Infant – Born & died June 12, 1899 - Son of J.M. & Ellon Wells – Wells Cemetery

Wells, James W. – November 24, 1889 – November ?, 1915 – Wells Cemetery

Wells, Mary – Born August 29, 1888 - Age 16 years - Daughter of J.M. & Ellon Wells – Wells Cemetery

Wells, Minnie F. – Died November 29, 1915 – age 19 – (concrete marker in two pieces with possible bullet hole in back) – Wells

Cemetery

Wyatt, Melvin Lee Andre – November 19, 1910 – February 7, 1911 – Wells Cemetery

The following additions and comments were made by Leroy Blair:



Jones, Albert L. – November 6, 1905 – February 3, 1906 – Wells Cemetery

Jones, Elorna – January 30, 1908 – June 30, 1908 – Children of J.A. & Mary J. Jones – stone is broken in six pieces laying on the

ground

***************************************************************************************

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.