Bedford Chapel
Romance AR
Photo by Leroy Blair
This Cemetery is also known as: Mt. Olive Cemetery.
GPS Location: 581838 - 3901120
Arkansas Archeological Survey site #: 3WH0688
Number of Marked Graves: About 83
Number of Unmarked Graves: Unknown
The last complete update of this cemetery was: Made September 21, 2019 by Leroy Blair
Current status of cemetery: Active
Point of contact for cemetery. No contact person known.
This cemetery is located alongside the church building in what has been called "The Colony." The African Americans have lived
south of Rose Bud since the end of the Civil War. This is in Section 8, Township 7 North, Range 8 West. Marked graves were first
listed there March 26, 1966, by Cloie and Leister Presley of the White County Historical Society, and published in the 1995 edition
of White County Heritage. Charles Alexander of R#1, Box 72, Mt. Vernon, Arkansas, made an effort to get information on the
unmarked graves and supplied that list.In 1995 a number of families were participating in an annual homecoming for the Mount
Olive and Bedford Chapel community. According to chairperson Lynn Funnell, these families who participated are descendants of
the early members of the community: Monroe and Octavia Dupriest, Bonnie and Fannie Clements, Samuel and Ardealure
Alexander, William and Louella Alexander, Alford and Tilda Bedford, Columbus and Mindy Britton, Adam and Vinice Dupriest,
Will and Minnie Britton, Willie and Savannah Walker, Dan and Estella Hardin. The Mount Olive/Bedford Chapel Cemetery was
visited January 8, 2001, by White County Historical Society member Leroy Blair, who added 20 names and other information to the
original list. "To get to this cemetery from Rose Bud," Blair wrote in his report, "take Highway 5 south about six miles, turn right on
Manning Road. Go about two miles. The cemetery is beside the Mount Olive Church. It is fairly clean. There are a lot of graves
marked with rocks with no information on them. I counted 26 marked only with rocks. I also counted 13 old funeral home markers
that are no longer legible." Blair was unable to find the following graves which were on the old list: Ulie Adkison, Mrs. Ardailure
Alexander, Cleveland Bedford Jr., Allen Biggers, Floyd Brooks, Rachel Brooks, Henry Holland, Mrs. Amanda Holland, Katie
Howard, Mrs. N.B. (Zeland) Nix, William A. Nix, Dwaine Simpson, Mrs. Pearle Biggers Walker and William Williams. Blair
returned in late 2002 and found no new burials but that the cemetery had been cleaned since his previous visit.
If you have corrections or additions to this list or other information on this Cemetery, Contact the White County
Historical Society, P.O. Box 537, Searcy, AR 72145. Or phone 501-278-5010 or Email Leroy “Lee” Blair at
lblblair74@gmail.com
Updated Oct. 7, 2019
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