--photos by Leroy Blair, 2002

John A. Foster Cemetery

Bald Knob, Arkansas

This cemetery is located on an acre about 30 yards behind the residence at 1506 West Center Street, Bald Knob. The home was owned by Darrell and Gladys Throckmorton in June 1992 when Lois and Ray Etheridge prepared the following list, which was published in the White County Heritage of 1995 by the White County Historical Society. In a deed dated February 20, 1892, James K. Etheridge sold 15 acres of land to N.D. Young, reserving the one acre with access to be known as the John A. Foster Cemetery.

Two months after the Etheridges completed their list, the Bald Knob Banner published their material about the cemetery and its origin. Subsequently, local descendents of Burns, Etheridge and Hobbs fenced and cleared an area around the graves.

The cemetery was visited September 13, 2000, by Leroy Blair of the White County Historical Society, who reported seeing 15 graves marked only with rocks and no names or dates. All of the stones listed in the Etheridge report were still in place although the 110-year-old J.B. Robbins stone had been broken.

Who was John A. Foster? Lois Etheridge, also a member of the White County Historical Society, stated in 1999 that according to family legend, John A. Foster was killed in the Civil War "up around Fort Smith." But family historians have not been able to confirm this. (See the history of the Rubottom families written by Gary Telford of the White County Historical Society in April 2004.)

If you have corrections or additional information on the John A. Foster Cemetery, contact the White County Historical Society, P.O. Box 537, Searcy, AR 72145.


Name Birth Death Comments
Etheridge, James K. April 17, 1845 March 11, 1901, on double stone with Nancy J. Etheridge
Etheridge, Nancy J. December 17, 1845 February 14, 1888, on double stone with James K. Etheridge
Foster, Frances, September 6, 1877 May 6, 1893 daughter of Thomas F. & M.E. Foster
Foster, Thomas F. June 27, 1848 November 30, 1916
"Our Baby" a small stone with no dates
Robbins, Almeda small stone with no dates
Robbins, Benj. M., August 9, 1883 March 16, 1884 son of J.B. & E.M. Robbins
Robbins, Dewey small stone with no dates
Robbins, Elvira C. November 2, 1863 September 15, 1904 large stone near the small Robbins stones
Robbins, J.B. March 1, 1862 February 11, 1890
Robbins, Jessie E., January 8, 1885 March 16, 1887 son of J.B. & E.M. Robbins
Robbins, Lillie May, February 20, 1889 August 7, 1891 daughter of J.B. & E.M. Robbins
Robbins, Masura small stone wth no dates
Robbins, Wesley small stone with no dates
Robbins, Winnie S., December 26, 1886 March 13, 1899 son of J.B. & E.M. Robbins
Rubottom, Alpha Pearl Bell June 12, 1891 October 1, 1891 child of William and Martha
Rubottom, Alvin Claudious December 5, 1892 March ?, 1916 son of William and Martha
Rubottom, Hermon Wilson December 31, 1911 June 30, 1912
Rubottom, John Landrum February 22, 1880 June 21, 1905 son of William and Martha
Rubottom, Leander August 22, 1883 December 20, 1886 son of William and Martha
Rubottom, Martha Elizabeth (Foster) August 31, 1859 at Bald Knob December 29, 1942 at McCrory on double stone with William P. Rubottom daughter of John Landrum and Martha (Hart) Foster of Georgia
Rubottom, William P. March 2, 1857 March 1, 1951 , on double stone with Martha E. Rubottom married March 16, 1879, at Bald Knob