New Light Baptist Church Cemetery - Vancleave

 

LOCATION:  SW/4, NE/4, of NW/4 of Section 9, T6S-R7W.

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

HISTORY:   On September 14, 1901, William Henry Westfall (1874-1939) and his wife, Laura Victoria Martin (1871-1955).  Westfall, conveyed a tract of land containing 4.79 acres (594 feet x 351.12 feet) in the SW/4, NE/4, NW/4 of Section 9, T6S-R7W to the deacons of the New Light Baptist Church.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 26, pp. 365-366)

 

In the warranty deed, the following language was use in the conveyance:

 

"together with all and singular the rights and privileges, and appurtenances there with belonging or in anywise appearing to have and to hold the same with the appurtenances (as long as it is used as a church and burying ground but to return to W.H. Westfall and Laura V. Westfall as soon as it is no longer used as such)"

 

W.H. Westfall was a merchant at Vancleave.  In December 1904, he also donated land to the Methodist Episcopal  Church in the NW/4, NE/4 of Section 9, T6S-R7W.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 29, p. 359.

W.H. Westfall died suddenly on September 10, 1939.  Mrs. Westfall lived at Vancleave until the late 1940s when she moved to New Orleans and lived with her nephew, L.M. Byrd.  She was the daughter of William Martin.  She left the followings brothers:  Walter Martin (Jackson); Houston Martin (New Orleans); Bruner Martin (Ocean Springs); and James Martin (Gulfport) and a sister, Nora Powers.  The Westfalls were both buried in the Vancleave Cemetery No. 1.

 

REFERENCES:

 

The Daily Herald, "Mrs. Laura Victoria Westfall", April 2, 1955, p. 2.