Video: Caledonia Cemetery In Ruins

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CALEDONIA, Miss.(WCBI)–It’s easy to find history around almost every corner of Lowndes County.

This weekend marks another historic milestone… Juneteenth.

In Caledonia there’s a privately owned Abolitionist cemetery that dates back before the civil war.

Beyond the landscape of overgrown trees, a cemetery is on the verge of extinction. Head stones are crumbling and some broken and overturned. The final resting place of the Feemster Family, all listed in the archives of the Columbus/Lowndes Public Library. According to official records, 67 year old Luther Love is the last to be interned there in 1915.

“They were what we call poor hill farmers. They had these small farms, they didn’t have the big farms you have out in the prairie. So most of them didn’t even have slaves,” said Jim Dowdle/Veterinarian.

“There seems to be some indication that the people may have been more pro-union. They probably didn’t own any slaves,” said Mike Lowery/Historian.

We have learned that some people living in the area of the unkept cemetery would prefer that it be left alone.

“But it is such a shame that something such a part of history that really no one even has any interest in. That’s the sad thing about it,” said Jim Dowdle.

“Cemeteries like this where the family is gone, they deteriorate, no one takes care of them. No one cares enough to take care of them,” said Mike Lowery.

And so the head stones continue eroding, while trees continue growing. And so does the conviction of many, that there has been a lack of concern, for restoring the area to its original glory. We know of no plans by any group for restoration of the cemetery.

“I guess I’m surprised that no one even cares about it because you go out there in the cemetery and its grown up. There are two big cedar trees, probably the biggest cedar trees I’ve seen in the county,” said Jim Dowdle.

“A lot of people just don’t care. One way or the other. Its a real shame, it really is,” said Mike Lowery.

One thing can be said about the Feemsters who were thought to be abolitionists, they boldly went against public opinion of the majority living in the county at the time.