Family cemeteries, defined as a burial place of those related by blood or marriage, can be found throughout Southwest Louisiana, and are usually located in rural areas near smaller cities. Some have been abandoned, others are still being maintained and have active burials.
The “Carron Cemetery”, located at the northern boundary of Acadia Parish, near the St. Landry/Acadia Parish border, approximately 2 miles southeast of Eunice on Parish Road 6-300-1 is recorded in the Acadia Parish Courthouse as being in Township 7 South, Range 1 East, off Celeste Road, intersecting with East Maple Avenue.
French and Spanish land grants were given to people who settled in what was part of the Louisiana territory. In the mid-late 1700’s the land was originally owned by Jacob Miller, a German immigrant, who came from Maryland in 1769. His son, Frederick Miller, also lived in the area in the mid-late 1770's, utilizing the land for agricultural purposes, as it is now.
The Prairie Faquatieque area was not immune to the impact of the War Between The States (1861-1865). Lafayette author and Carron Cemetery Family Alliance member, John Francois, has chronicled this era in many of his books. Living in the area, the following men served in the Confederacy and are buried at Carron: Martin Carron, Victor Jean Francois Contini-Sittig, Dominique Rodolphe Contini Sittig, Rosamond LeJeune, August C. Pierrotti and George Richard. An 1870 Census report show that Carron, Sittig and LeJeune were neighbors.
Prior to 1887, Carron Cemetery was part of St. Landry Parish. When Acadia Parish was formed in that year, only the cemetery’s northern border was included as part of St. Landry Parish, the remainder staying in Acadia Parish.
Martin Carron entered the picture around this time, having acquired the land from the heirs of Frederick Miller at an Acadia Parish tax sale on January 25, 1888. Thirteen years later, on November 12, 1901, an Act of Donation from Martin Carron to Dr. T.C. Chachere was filed at the Acadia Parish Courthouse (Conveyances, No. 17459). Dr. T.C. Chachere, son of Veilland Chachere, served as a Surgeon of Company F, 8th Louisiana Calvary in the Confederate Army. Martin Carron donated an acre of land to adjoin the already existing “Moore Graveyard”, which contained many Chachere family relatives. Martin Carron was married to Elizabeth Chachere. Court records also show that a George Thomas Moore was married to Marie Anais Chachere. His son was George William Moore. The land occupied now by Carron Cemetery has been a family burial ground since the 1800’s, if not before that time.
Carron’s Act of Donation stated that the borders encompassed “ a one acre of ground in the Parish of Acadia, LA., and adjoining the Moore Graveyard being on the West of the graveyard and to start East of the August Pierrotti tomb running West one acre the starting at the Parish lines between St. Landry and Acadia and running one acre South by starting East of Pierrotti’s tomb, it takes in the graves of all the Chachere family buried in the Moore Graveyard by the measurement making this one acre of ground to be known as the Chachere’s Graveyard in Prairie Faquatieque and to be used for any of the member of the family and the same to under the supervision of two of the oldest members of the family.”
Over the years, the cemetery eventually became known as the Carron Cemetery before being abandoned and suffering from neglect. Located in a low point bordered on 3 sides by adjacent farmland and the eastern border by Celeste Road, Carron Cemetery also experienced many decades of damage from seasonal agricultural irrigation, which caused layers of silt to build up on top of graves that were already being lost to subsidence. Aerial photography done in 2010 by David Schatzle, a Chachere family memory keeper, clearly shows the outlines of many silted-in graves.
In the mid-1950’s, Percy Charles McGee of Eunice searched for the grave of his Great-Great Grandfather, Irish immigrant, John H. McGee (1807-1860). Family memory keepers had told stories about “Old John” and stated that his grave was located in the Faquatieque area now known as Carron Cemetery. Going on that vague descriptor, McGee and business partner, Etienne Feucht, set out in hopes of finding the long-lost grave. Before his passing, Mr. McGee recounted to his daughter, Margrett, that he found the grave while searching for it in a totally overgrown spot in Faquatieque. He recognized the top of a handmade iron cross sticking out of the top of dense vegetative overgrowth. Knowing that his ancestors were skilled blacksmiths, he concluded that the grave had to be nearby. Cutting back the tall grass/weeds, John H. McGee’s grave was discovered, along with others that became visible after clearing the land. Using earth-moving equipment, levees were then made to protect graves from future flooding, and thus began the restorative efforts to save the cemetery from being lost to history. The local Martel family has functioned as Cemetarians for many decades and is still actively involved today. Diane Martel Bihm was groomed by her Uncle Hubert Martel to handle the “collections”. She continues in this role today.
For the past 118 years, families have done what it takes to maintain Carron Cemetery. The challenges of this undertaking cannot be minimalized. Families have either moved away, the line dies out or descendants become disinterested, leaving a small handful of aging volunteers willing to take on the task.
Not being funded by local churches or municipalities, funding for things such as cutting grass, weed-eating around graves, and keeping the cemetery ditches patent for adequate drainage, comes from descendants in the form of donations or “sweat equity”. To assist in this responsibility, the all-volunteer Carron Cemetery Family Alliance (CCFA) was formed in 2010 for the purpose of providing cemetery oversight and maintenance, as well as answering questions from families seeking genealogical information.
One of the biggest challenges the Carron Cemetery Family Alliance faces with new burials (after verifying the deceased is eligible for cemetery burial) is that the exact burial location can only be determined at the time gravediggers begin their work. More often than not, bones from old burials are hit and another spot nearby needs to be considered. Understanding the sacredness of the burial ground, the CCFA researched the utilization of a columbarium, however that option was not pursued due to the cost and that a columbarium is not in keeping with the overall character of the existing graves. In the recent past, cremation urns have been buried with headstones marking the location. This may ease the pressure on the remaining open spaces at Carron Cemetery. To be noted: Any and all burials at Carron Cemetery must be handled by professional Funeral Home Directors at a licensed funeral home. Independent burials are illegal.
When a funeral home receives a body and the family requests burial at Carron Cemetery, the Funeral Home Director then calls either Diane Martel Bihm or Margrett McGee Fels to determine if the person is related by blood or marriage and therefore eligible to be buried at Carron. If so, at this point the family will then be asked to provide the deceased’s full legal name, date of birth, date of death, spouse’s name (if applicable) parent’s name if known, along with the physical and email address (es) of the next of kin. A grounds fee, collected by the Funeral Home for the CCFA, is due at the time of burial. The Funeral Home Director then contacts Ardoin’s Marble Works, the only company allowed to prepare the ground for burial at Carron Cemetery, to commence their work. Due to its rural location which is prone to flooding, sometimes in-ground burials cannot be immediately accommodated.
The CCFA attempts to increase awareness of the need for cemetery upkeep and solicits descendants annually to assist with financial contributions. Some families provide in-kind services, such as crucifix painting, landscaping, ditch clearing (McGee Equipment, Rental & Sales), etc. in lieu of an outright monetary donation. The Paul Berzas family of Duralde has done an incredible amount of work in maintaining the crucifix, originally bought and installed in 1968 by Hubert Martel. All donations are welcomed and much needed.
Each year as “La Toussaint” rolls around, the CCFA encourages families to financially support and/or lend a hand in assisting the CCFA’s efforts to maintain the cemetery in a respectful manner. Keeping families engaged in the continued upkeep of their family graves is an on-going challenge. The need for monetary donations as well as donations of time, talents and resources cannot be overly emphasized. Most importantly, and as is the case with all family cemeteries, the torch must be passed on to the younger generations to assure that current preservation efforts are maintained in the future. Oral family histories can be easily shared and will come to life by training young descendants how to physically care for the graves in a family cemetery, while teaching them why this is so important.
In 2019, Carron Cemetery has been especially blessed and surprised by the good will and generosity of a local benefactor who fabricated a tasteful cemetery sign and installed it at Carron Cemetery, which is very poignant at this time of year when families are preparing for the Blessing of the Graves. Since the CCFA’s strained budget could in no way afford such an expense, the gift of the custom-made sign was just short of miraculous. May God bless the benefactor many times over.
With great support from the Pointe de L’Eglise, Acadia Genealogical and Historical Society, Inc. especially Thelma Fruge Richard and Anthony Quebodeaux, Genealogy Volunteers, the CCFA assisted in getting the approximately 200 above-ground burials indexed as to names and birth/death dates. This information is on file in the Genealogy Room of the Crowley Library and the CCFA also maintains a copy of the book of grave listings. The Carron Cemetery book is also sold through Pointe de l’Eglise at the Crowley Library.
Family commitments to remain supportive of the CCFA’s efforts, along with teaching those who follow us about the responsibility families have to each other, will protect and preserve the cultural traditions and the rich legacy of Carron Cemetery. English Statesman William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898) very eloquently stated why this is so critically important:
“ Show me the manner in which a Nation of a community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender mercies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land and their loyalty to high ideals”.
For more information on the Carron Cemetery Family Alliance, please contact Margrett McGee Fels, CCFA Administrator at: ccfa70535@gmail.com.
Donations are happily accepted all year. Please make a check payable to the Carron Cemetery Family Alliance and mail to Diane M. Bihm, CCFA Treasurer, 2630 Perchville Road, Eunice, LA. 70535.
November 30, 2019
