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Submitted: 3/2/20 • Approved: 3/2/20 • Last Updated: 3/5/20 • R1301804-G1301804-S3
Charles Cowan
June 28, 1920 - September 16, 1941
Marcell Cowan
March 26, 1913 - November 26, 1935
Sons of Mr. and Mrs. Dave Cowan
Roosevelt Williams
August 25, 1908 - November 13, 1908
Son of Julius and Nannie Williams
Legal description: SE, NE, NE, Sect.9, T7N, R8W
Earliest listed grave: 1908
Last listed grave: 1941
Arkansas Archeological Survey site #: 3WH0736
Note: The existence of an African American section of the Smyrna Cemetery was known but not documented until Leroy Blair of the White County Historical Society visited the cemetery January 7, 2001. Charley Edwards of Searcy had told Blair about "an old cemetery that is in the woods between Highway 36 West and Smyrna Cemetery." When Blair visited the area, he "was surprised at how many graves are there. I found more than 100 deep depressions that I am sure are graves. They are all in rows that appear to line up with the rows in Smyrna Cemetery… I was told all of those buried here were African American."
Blair found the stones for the three names listed above. He also found the foot stone for a grave with "M.A." on it. The base for the head stone was there but the stone was gone.
If you have corrections or additional information on this cemetery, contact the White County Historical Society, P.O. Box 537, Searcy, AR 72145.
Courtesy of;
Leroy Blair
lblblair74@gmail.com
Contributed on 3/2/20 by hawkinsdonna48
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Record #: 1301804