ABOUT THIS SITE & Its Creation
ABOUT ME:
I’m a 51 year old professional black male, single father, living in Memphis, Tennessee. I was born and raised in Laurel, Mississippi by parents who stressed the importance of education. I’m proud of both sides of my family who, although simple county folk, worked hard to create and raise families who could carry on the family names and contribute positively to society.
ABOUT THIS SITE:
When I began to research both Momma & Daddy’s families I was excited. In researching the Dillon name at the Memphis main library, I ran across a book: Cemetery Inscription, Pike County, Mississippi 1750-1978, by Ray and June Parish. With excitement, I took Mama Dillon’s obituary indicating her burial in Dinah Cemetery, McComb, Pike County, MS. Dinah Cemetery wasn’t listed in the volume, nor was Pleasant Grove Cemetery, which I knew was a prime Dillon-family resting site. Looking further at the volume, I noticed the introduction:
“SCOPE: All white cemeteries of Pike County, Mississippi, as now constituted, which could be found after searching for nearly two years are included in this book.” NOTE: The underlining is the work of the authors.
Feeling frustrated, I turned to an examination of the McGruder side of the family, beginning with Clarke County. When I began my research, there were no published volumes for Clarke County, so I expanded the search to the adjacent Jasper County. The only reference volume located was: Jasper County Mississippi Cemeteries 1833-1998, by the Jones County Genealogical & Historical Organization. In searching for Leona Cemetery, where family members have been laid for over 100 years, I realized that African-American cemeteries had been excluded from this volume also. What was extremely troubling was the text of the Purpose of this “reference” book:
“The desire to be remembered is one of the great motivations in life. From earliest beginning, humanity has fought against mortality and oblivion. The cry “I want to be remembered! Do not forget me!” has echoed down through the ages. It would be hard to imagine a life so despondent of meaning that we would be forgotten by those we loved, and by those whose lives we touched, never to have our name spoken again. It is our responsibility, yours and mine to see that this does not happen.
This publication has been designed to record and preserve for future generations the cemetery and burial plot records of Jasper County ancestors. These forebears blazed the trail and suffered the hardships of yesteryear so their descendants might enjoy today’s lifestyle.”
Noble words, but totally meaningless when we remember that Jasper County, once the most populous county in the state, had over 50% composition of African-Americans! At the start of the 21st Century, I know that racism still exists in Mississippi, and could be used as a basis for our exclusion from these reference volumes. Henceforth, none of these authors or organizations will be able to say: “We would be happy to include African-American cemeteries, but they have never been cataloged or indexed.”
I’ve created these pages for those extended family members who are unable to get home and research family ties. I hope that others will be able to find family links without leaving the safety and comfort of home. As time permits I propose to expand my research to cover all African-American cemeteries of at least Clarke, Jasper and Pike Counties.
If this website has helped you to gain additional insight into the family, please drop me a line and let me know! I also welcome any comments, corrections and corrective criticism you may have. When I receive an e-mail indicating that this has helped someone, all my work has not been in vain!
This website is dedicated to my Dad, Wallace L. Dillon Sr., who taught me everything I know about being a man. I can never be half the man he was, but I strive every day to live up the ideals and principles he taught.
