LOCATION: The Maples Cemetery is located in the SE/4 of the NW/4 of Section 24, T6S-R9W.  It is about 1.7 miles southeast of Latimer and six miles north of Ocean Springs.

DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of Bienville Boulevard (US 90) and Washington Avenue at Ocean Springs go north on Washington Avenue 2.9 miles to Interstate 10.  Cross the Interstate and bear left onto Tucker Road.  Go 3.18 miles northwest on Tucker road to Old Biloxi Road.  At Old Biloxi Road go north a few hundred feet and see Jim Ramsay Road to the right (east).  Turn right onto Jim Ramsay Road and go 1.46 miles to the residence of Jack L. Maples at 14000 Jim Ramsay Road.  The Maples Cemetery is on Mr. Maples’ property a few hundred feet west of his house.

HISTORY: The Maples Cemetery was founded by Jack Leroy Maples (1910-2003) in 1987.  Mr. Maples was born at the Forts Lake Community in eastern Jackson County.  His family moved to Biloxi in 1926 where his father was the proprietor of a meat market at Point Cadet.  Maples worked in the fishing industry initially, but later became involved as a carpenter in the building trades.  He married Ona Lee Page (1914-1993) in 1934.  They reared a family of four children: Ira (1934-1975), Iona Louise, Thelbert, and Floyd.

In August 1952, Maples bought the W/2 of the SE/4 of the NW/4 of Section 24, T6S-R9W from Dr. George W. Wallace of Biloxi.  On this twenty acres, southeast of Latimer, he built a house and settled the land.  As his family grew, Jack Maples decided to build a cemetery on his remaining seven acres to accommodate the burial of his family.  He now has fifteen grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 130, p. 57)

In August 1987, Jack Maples and his wife, Ona Lee, as Trustees of the Maple Cemetery filed a cemetery deed in the Jackson County Chancery Clerks Office at Pascagoula.  This deed describes the Maples Cemetery as follows: Commencing at the Northwest corner of the West one half (1/2) of the Southeast (1/4) of the Northwest (1/4) of Section 24, Township 6 South, Range 9 West, and run South 494 feet more or less to the Point of Beginning; from point of beginning run thence South 110 feet, thence East 377 feet to the west margin of road; thence Northeasterly along the road 24.6 feet, thence West 278 feet, thence North 88 feet, thence West 110 feet to Point of Beginning.  Said parcel contains 18095 square feet or 0.4 acres more or less.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Book 893, p. 605).

The Maples eldest son, Ira Luther Maples, died in 1975, and was buried at the Latimer Assembly of God Cemetery.  His remains were disinterred and buried at the Maples Cemetery.

REGISTER

Iona Louise Maples Lamey  12-11-1938 to 12-13-2011

Floyd Byron Maples   9-23-1943 to 11-3-2007

Ira Luther Maples    11-26-1934 to 10-24-1975

Jack Leroy Maples          7-9-1910 to 9-10-2003

Ona Lee Page Maples    9-9-1914 to 4-10-1993

 

REFERENCES:

The History of Jackson County, Mississippi,  "Jack Leroy Maples and Ona Lee Page", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula-1989), pp. 271-272.

The Sun Herald, "Iona Louise Maples Lamey", December 14, 2011, p. A4.

Personal Communication:

Jack L. Maples-October 2, 1993

 

Surveyed by:

Ray L. Bellande on October 2, 1993

 

Ray L. Bellande

PO BOX 617

Ocean Springs

Mississippi 39566-0617