By Ray L. Bellande
 

 

GEORGE BYRD CEMETERY

Bonnie Chapel Area

 

LOCATION:   The George Byrd Cemetery is located in the NE/4 of the NE/4 of Section 10, T5S-R8W.  It is approximately 15.3 miles north northeast of Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

 

DIRECTIONS:   From the intersection of US 90 and Mississippi Highway 57 east of Ocean Springs, go north on Highway 57 a distance of 18.2 miles to Wire Road.  At Wire Road turn left (west) and go 1.93 miles to Farm Road (see the Elico Fire Tower).  Turn left (south) onto Farm Road and proceed 1.5 miles to the Byrd Cemetery at the end of Farm Road.

 

HISTORY:   The land where the George Byrd Cemetery now lies was patented to Martha Byrd by the State of Mississippi on April 20, 1860?  This must have been the homestead of George Byrd (1824-1899) and Martha Byrd (1819-1925).  When Martha Bird died on March 30, 1925, she was reputed to be one hundred-six years old.  Census data indicate that she was probably born March 1827.  At the time of her demise, Martha Byrd was quite active.  She was a Methodist and had attended the first meeting at the New Prospect Campground circa 1885.  The children of George and Martha Byrd were: Sarah Eveline Wilson (1863-1937), Margaret O'Neal (1865-1955), Samuel R. Byrd (1860-1929), and Reuben R. Byrd (1871-1926).

Son, Reuben Byrd, a farmer, inherited the cemetery land.  He married Jerusia ? (1874-1899).  Their children were:  Maggie L. (1893), Eddie Gore (1897), and Bama (1898-1956).  After the death of Jerusia Byrd in 1899, Reuben married Dosia David (1879-1940).

Shortly after the demise of Reuben Bird, M.L. Byrd, Eddie Byrd Gore, Bama Byrd, and Dosia David Byrd sold the E/2 of the NE/4 of Section 10, T5S-R8W to M.H. Dees.  In the conveyance which took place in June 1927, they reserved a parcel of this land for a cemetery.  Its location was described in the deed as follows: 

 

Beginning at the NE/C of Section 10, T5S-R8W run south 9.50 chains to the point of beginning.  From the point of beginning go west 3.16 chains, south 3.16 chains, east 3.16 chains, and north 3.16 chains to the place of beginning (Jackson County Deed Book 60, p. 453).  This is the Byrd Cemetery.  The dimensions of the cemetery are 209 feet x 209 feet or one acre.

 

At the time of the sale, M.L. Byrd was a resident of New York County, New York and Eddie Byrd Gore lived at Harris County, Texas.  Bama Bird was a career school teacher.  She taught at Howard No. 2 in Biloxi.

An interesting facet of the Byrd Cemetery is a sign (Graves Nearby) leaning against the south fence.  It was originally presented at a memorial service for the Reverend Henry Fletcher Cemetery in October 1970.  The roadside location of the sign was near the Fletcher burial plot, two

miles south of the Bonnie Chapel Church.  Dr. Buford Cain provided the marker.  It was erected by Will Fletcher.

 

REGISTER

 

B

Baby?

Reuben Earl Bonham                     3-4-1907 to 4-4-1907

 

Willis Calvin Busby                 1-19-1909 to 11-12-1976

Hattie Mae Busby                   12-18-1911 to 1-12-2005

 

Willis C. Busby, Jr.                  9-9-1935 to 7-30-1990

 

Albert Cleveland Byrd                 9-19-1887 to 6-4-1890

Bama Byrd                            6-12-1898 to 5-26-1956

Bonnedia Byrd                        8-26-1890 to 2-17-1892

Dosia David Byrd                       2-3-1879 to 1-4-1940

Floyd C. Byrd, BM1 US Navy WW II      8-22-1908 to 6-1-1992

Francis Norienne Byrd               1-30-1929 to 11-25-1934

 

Frank Jefferson Byrd                  8-17-1897 to 4-8-1966

Culma Lee Havens Byrd                12-18-1898 to 5-9-1984

 

George Byrd                         9-26-1824 to 10-13-1899

Martha Byrd                         12-25-1819 to 3-31-1925

 

George E. Byrd, US Navy WW II        7-27-1922 to 1-27-1985

George W. Byrd, Ms Pvt. 1st CL 3rd Div         to 7-15-1918

 

Mack Byrd                              1-1-1895 to 3-1-1895

 

Nolley C. Byrd                      8-5-1904 to 4-4-1969

Iris Ruth Hayes Byrd          12-14-1908 to 1-23-2001

 

Reuben R. Byrd                     7-17-1871 to 1-27-1926

Jerusia Byrd (wife)               1-8-1874 to 11-5-1899

Docia David Byrd (2nd wife)   2-3-1879 to 1-4-1940

 

Samuel R. Byrd                        1-9-1860 to 10-2-1929

Mary J. Byrd                         2-13-1865 to 4-16-1926

 

Sam S. Byrd                          8-14-1906 to 4-29-1988

Leona C. Byrd                        2-23-1908 to 7-13-1980

 

C

Martha M. Carter                     8-1-1855 to 10-16-1897

 

D

Earle de Vries                        1-9-1916 to 9-10-1976

Herman E. de Vries                     7-3-1884 to 7-4-1970

Edith de Vries (wife)                 7-14-1896 to 6-6-1991

 

F

Lewis A. Faulk                       9-25-1901 to 10-4-1982

Martha Jane Fletcher Faulk           8-10-1904 to 4-27-1967

Bernice Fletcher                     6-10-1907 to 5-10-1963

Bertis Carson Fletcher              12-19-1931 to 2-11-1935

 

Daniel G. Fletcher                   4-22-1906 to 8-28-1970

Sadie C. Fletcher                    5-7-1911 to 12-10-1957

 

George Carson Fletcher                4-30-1897 to 9-5-1978

Lillie Wilson Fletcher (wife)       2-25-1898 to 10-17-1987

 

Rev. Henry Fletcher*                           1777 to 1857

Elizabeth G. Fletcher*                         1784 to 1877

 

Henry Fletcher                       1-16-1869 to 1-20-1951

Mollie Fletcher                    12-31-1874 to 11-13-1929

 

Henry C. Fletcher                     8-4-1902 to 1-17-1975

Ethel M. Fletcher                     3-7-1908 to 9-25-1970

 

Rodger D. Fletcher, Jr.              11-8-1965 to 7-10-1987

 

Dr. Thomas L. Fletcher*                        1815 to 1862

Ziba Mathis Fletcher*                          1817 to 1893

Martha Rogers Fletcher*                        1830 to

 

William B. Fletcher                  10-5-1895 to

Leana Mae Fletcher "Miss Lena"        7-9-1893 to 1-31-1961

 

Juanita Goff Flurry                  8-5-1928 to 10-21-1956

 

G

Joseph H. Goff                        7-6-1894 to 3-22-1960

Julia J. Goff                        3-15-1905 to 1-24-1981

 

H

Charles Havens                        2-15-1826 to 8-1-1903

 

J.G. Havens                         2-20-1856 to 11-18-1908

Annie E. Havens                     8-29-1852 to 11-15-1914

 

Lyman Eugene Havens                 10-11-1883 to 8-17-1966

Virda Ann Havens                    9-13-1896 to 10-17-1979

 

Rev. Lyman Eugene (Gene) Havens, Jr.    3-19-1921 to 5-9-1975

Fannie Lott Havens        5-22-1921 to 4-17-2008

 

I

Dennis John Illich       2-17-1948 to 11-8-2005, married Judy Keith on July 12, 1969.

 

J

C.W. Jones                           1-15-1884 to 11-8-1926

Glenn Jones, Ms Pvt 351 Inf WWII      3-9-1923 to 10-8-1944

Jessie Willard Jones                  4-8-1915 to 7-17-1935

 

John Jones, CO A 3rd Ms Inf CSA      5-5-1845 to 12-22-1936

Eliza A. Jones                       11-5-1859 to 4-18-1948

 

Joseph F. Jones                     9-13-1890 to 3-10-1968

Rosa L. Jones                       3-23-1896 to 2-20-1947

 

Walter L. Jones                     2-14-1921 to 1-29-1937

 

K

Elaine Keith                         3-31-1945 to 8-19-1963

Robert Benjamin Keith        5-26-1907 to 12-26-1986

Boyd O'Neal Keith    7-17-1918 to 5-4-2008

O

Arvis Vincent O'Neal Sr.             2-15-1926 to 4-10-1996

Bea O'Neal                           6-12-1912 to 7-29-1924

Celess Cates O'Neal                 12-17-1910 to 3-31-1929

Curtis Monroe O'Neal                 6-9-1930 to 10-10-1930

Dimpsey O'Neal                       2-26-1893 to 2-27-1976

Elsie O'Neal                          2-22-1896 to 8-8-1967

Gladys Theola O'Neal                 5-15-1922 to 5-15-1925

 

J. Brewer O'Neal                                  1855-1936

Margaret Byrd O'Neal "Aunt Mag"      3-26-1865 to 11-1-1955

 

Jessie Thomas O'Neal USNR WW II       2-15-1926 to 9-1-1964

 

Jim O'Neal                           1-30-1889 to 5-13-1966

Margaret O'Neal                      8-11-1889 to 6-20-1938

 

Leon O'Neal                         10-18-1930 to 5-25-1973

Reuben Carl O'Neal                   4-10-1886 to 8-27-1913

Sadie R. O'Neal                      1-2-1904 to 11-15-1904

T. Hulbert O'Neal                    2-12-1900 to 6-15-1969

William O'Neal                       7-28-1894 to 8-28-1984

 

R

E.H. "Bill" Reeves                    4-3-1914 to 5-27-1988

Marie Wilson Reeves                   7-7-1920 to 8-23-1987

 

Enmon Knox Rouse                     9-11-1899 to 2-13-1900

Loran Waldo Rouse                    3-12-1906 to 8-23-1907

 

Lyman Ulysses Rouse                  4-19-1869 to 6-20-1941

Sarah Ambrosia Rouse               11-26-1871 to 12-20-1956

 

William Byron Rouse                  7-9-1889 to 10-22-1918

 

S

Danny James Smith   1948 to 2-23-2005

Dianne L. Smith          1950 to 7-25-2005

T

Belle W. Tootle                      11-2-1883 to 5-26-1956

Joe W. Tootle                         10-3-1872 to 1-5-1940

 

Gladys Tootle                                  6-3-1911 to 5-8-1931

William Burton Tootle                   2-19-1920 to 2-23-2001

 

U

Ronald Erie Urbani, RM2 US Navy      5-21-1958 to 8-17-1987

 

W

Albert Clinton Wilson                 3-30-1891 to 1-1-1915

Edward L. Wilson                    12-18-1921 to 5-28-1942

 

Edward Ray Wilson                    9-14-1894 to 9-18-1979

Ida B. Wilson                        6-29-1897 to

Nina Odette Wilson                                           1919 to 4-7-2000

 

Harmon Wilson                         11-3-1861 to 4-8-1927

(Sarah) Eveline Wilson                         1863 to 1937

 

Hubert Hurn Wilson                   9-11-1893 to 6-10-1918

 

Ida Byrd Wilson                           1898 to 4-10-1996

 

Otis Harmon Wilson                    1-2-1900 to 4-13-1989

Cammie Wilson                        4-30-1904 to 4-10-1969

Ottis Leon Wilson                     9-16-1936 to 6-7-1977

 

 

S. Ernest Wilson                     10-9-1887 to 1-19-1948

Sarah Jane Wilson                    1-19-1890 to 5-14-1960

 

*  Name on "Graves Nearby" marker from the Reverend Henry Fletcher Cemetery.

 

 

REFERENCES:

 

The History of Jackson County Mississippi, "George Byrd and Sarah Frierson", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula-1989), p. 151.

 

The History of Jackson County Mississippi, "Reverend Henry Fletcher Cemetery", (Jackson County Genealogical Society:  Pascagoula-1971), p. 69.

 

Requiem, Volume III, "George Bird Cemetery", (Jackson County Genealogical Society:  Pascagoula-1971), pp. 67-69.

 

Journals

The Daily Herald, April 3, 1925, p. 11, c. 6.

The Daily Herald, "Miss Byrd Lose Father", December 8, 1926, p. 2, c. 4,

The Sun Herald, “Hattie Mae Busby”, January 14, 2005, p. A8.

The Sun Herald, “Dennis Illich-The Legacy of a Great Man”, November 10, 2005, p. A6.

 

US CENSUS - Jackson County, Mississippi (1880, 1900, and 1910)

 

Surveyed August 21, 1993 by:

Ray L. Bellande

Linda Kerr

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