In Gerald Torrence’s photo, the cemetery is badly overgrown and stones are covered.

Leroy Blair found graves 100’ from the rest of the cemetery, elsewhere some stones in German.

Smith Cemetery

Russell, Arkansas

This cemetery was so overgrown when volunteer Gerald Torrence visited it for the White County Historical Society in October 2000, he had to clear undergrowth to read many of the stones. It is in extremely poor condition after years of disregard. He said he found it by following these directions: take Highway 367 to Russell, turn right and cross the railroad then cross Highway 67 and go to a stop sign; turn left and go to a T in the road; go straight into a field road about 1/4 mile to the cemetery. He said a man named Roetzel owns the cemetery property and that he lives to the left at the T in the road. The cemetery may have been known as Roetzel or Russell Cemetery at one time.

Torrence reported seeing two graves of children with no markers, and other graves with no markers – including some surrounded by a concrete fence and one covered with a concrete slab. He said also found a grave marked with rocks all around it that a Mr. McAnally said contained several bodies that were unidentifiable when a sawmill exploded. An Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article November 14, 1999, stated that the explosion occurred in 1923, killing three men. Marvin Harvey, who said he had lived in the area for many years, said local residents call the graveyard "Smith Cemetery." He gave the following directions for reaching it: Going east through Worden, take the first road to left (Rio Vista Road) and go approximately six miles to the end of the blacktop, then turn right on the gravel road and go about a mile to the cemetery.

When Leroy Blair of the White County Historical Society visited the cemetery December 7, 2000, some of the leaves were gone from trees and thickets and he was able to find 44 additional burial sites, 12 of them approximately 100 feet from the rest of the cemetery – "like it was a second cemetery." Those graves included Peter A. Weber, Celia Weber, George Pearce, Macdilena Weber, Benjam Weber, Elizabeth Snyder, Lena L. Mech, Sophia Remley, and four with no names. Because of weeds, bushes and some leaves remaining, Blair reported "I probably missed some graves as the flat stones are covered with dried grass and leaves."

See RUSSELL- A History for more information about Russell.

If you have corrections or additions to this list or other information on this cemetery, please contact Leroy "Lee" Blair at lblblair74@gmail.con or the White County Historical Society, P.O. Box 537, Searcy, AR 72145.

Name Birth Death Comments
Davis, Will March 16, 1895 November 11, 1913
Klotz, ? March 4, 1885 April 14, 1924
Klotz, Albert W. March 27, 1914 March 21, 1918
Klotz, Alvina L. November 15, 1862 February 14, 1925
Klotz, Auvis Leo April 30, 1908 October 4, 1908
Klotz, Elma Minnie January 16, 1896 February 28, 1896 daughter of Leo and Aline Klotz
Klotz, Leo J. July 5, 1853 July 11, 1910
Klotz, Myrtle Fay June 21, 1901 March 7, 1927
Klotz, Sophia Alvine June 10, 19803 June 20, 1903 daughter of Leo and Alvine Klotz
Klotz, born and died November 20, 1898 twin daughters of Leo and Aline
Kohl, Emel July 17, 1895 September 22, 1895 son of Frank and Pauline Kohl
Kohl, Frank October 20, 1863 October 20, ? Leroy Blair reported this stone appears it has been shot with a shotgun
Kohl, Hulder Olgar August 20, 1898 September 7, 1898 daughter of Frank and Pauline Kohl
Kohl, Minnie Terasa April 30, 1901 May 15, 1901 daughter of Frank and Pauline Kohl
Kohl, Pauline Mech January 15, 1875 December 30, 1926
Kohl, Richard Frank August 30, 1898 November 1898 son of Frank and Pauline Kohl
Mech, Amelia April 19, 1839 March 10, 1914
Mech, Henrich September 19, 1835 February 8, 1891 all in German
Mech, Lena Lovina January 9, 1886 May 21, 1887 daughter of William and Ed Mech
Mech, Richard A.K. January 29, 1880 January 19, 1901 dates and words are in German
Pearce, George February 15, 1885 January 19, 1919 husband of Lena Pearce
Remley, Sophia E. April 10, 1885 October, ???? wife of Henry Remley stone is broken
Roetzel, Adeline November 30, 1875 October 25, 1951
Roetzel, Argusta December 11, 1872 March 26, 1900 wife of John D. Roetzel stone is broken
Roetzel, Daniel February 21, 1904 age 58 on double stone with Henrietta Roetzel
Roetzel, Dorthy April 5, 1905 only date
Roetzel, Fannie September 32, 1870 April 6, ???? wife of John D. Roetzel probably second wife after Argusta died stone is broken
Roetzel, Frank Henry May 3, 1915 age 73 years, 6 mos,, 5 days on double stone with Katherine Elizabeth Roetzel
Roetzel, Frank William June 15, 1908 January 22, 1908 stone broken
Roetzel, Gertrude May May 14, 1886 October 8, 1902 wife of Frank F. Roetzel
Roetzel, H. Frank March 28, 1863 September 25, 1896 has German writing
Roetzel, Harry March 8, 1905 April 1, 1905
Roetzel, Henrietta July 3, 1911 age 76 on double stone with Daniel Roetzel
Roetzel, Jacob A. October 28, 1874 February 4, 1951 on double stone with Adeline Roetzel
Roetzel, Katherin Elizabeth February 7, 1914 age 74 years, 4 mos., 9 days on double stone with Frank Henry Roetzel
Roetzel, Leo H. December 2, 1886 July 17, 1965
Roetzel, Minnie March 15, 1865 November 10, 1942
Roetzel, Willie February 26, 1900 August 12, 1900 son of John D. and Argusta Roetzel stone is broken
Serrles, Artie M. no dates Co. I, 50th NY Eng.
Snyder, Elizabeth March 16, 1904 age 82 years
Weber, Benjam March 28, 1894 July 2, 1894 son of John and Lena Weber
Weber, Celia October 9, 1884 April 16, 1935
Weber, Leo W. April 27, 1882 February 13, 1927
Weber, Macdilena February 18, 1855 April 16, 1915
Weber, Peter A. July 18, 1876 June 14, 1928 on double stone with Celia Weber
Whitford, James Henry (Jimmy) March 23, 1867 -- November 25, 1921 (married 4 times. 1st unknown, 2nd Mary "Molly" Bergin, 3rd Laura E. Bergin. 4th Rosa Mae Hendrix)
Withers, Rosa June 28, 1857 January 3, 1900 wife of Sam
Woods, Jack August 19, 1877 April 8, 1899 son of John and Rosa Woods
Woods, John September 28, 1899 age 62 years