In the article, Edwin “Kirby” Green, Sr. gives a verbal account of this area, once known as Pearl, Louisiana, a quaint community that boasted a post office, the Pearl Church, and Barnes Creek School, which Mr. Kirby attended. He notes that there was also another school just south of Barnes Creek bridge, known as Lyles Bridge at the time.

 

Mr. Green’s first memory of Creel Memorial Gardens (then known simply as “the graveyard”) was in 1915. His youngest sister was buried that year. 

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“It was after that incident that I first remember the annual Memorial Day meetings of people interested in the upkeep of the graveyard. Sometime before I can remember, the cemetery had gotten into a poor state of upkeep. It was then that Uncle George Airhart and Uncle Dave Creel got together and cleaned the cemetery up. It was then a committee was formed to see to the care and maintenance of the cemetery.”

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The oldest marked grave is that of a two-year-old child in 1877 and the oldest marked Veteran grave is of P.C. Long, a Confederate soldier, in 1902. But Mr. Kirby said the cemetery pre-dates the Civil War. “I remember Uncle George Airhart saying that he did not know who was buried here first, that there [were] graves that no one remembered, and he was told they were probably Civil War soldiers. There are many questions pertaining to this cemetery that are unanswered. We do know that this cemetery has been a landmark since before the Civil War.” 

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Mr. Kirby made this statement regarding Creel Memorial Gardens: “You see, over the years many interested people have sacrificed time and money in this cemetery. I do not attempt to give you the names of these people, because I just do not know all the people who have contributed to this wonderful landmark and beautiful burial place. I would not want to leave anyone unmentioned. If you support this cause which is so dear to so many of us, then please accept my undying appreciation.”

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The current members of the board of Creel Memorial Gardens echo this sentiment.