Little Place Cemetery
Also known as Little Cemetery , Little Pace Cemetery , Littliest Cemetery , Mount Pleasant Cemetery , Womack Hill Colored Cemetery
Choctaw County, Alabama, USA
About
-
- Cemetery ID:
Members have Contributed
Advertisement
Photos
Little Place Cemetery is a historically important African American cemetery located in the Womack Hill community of Choctaw County, Alabama. The cemetery was listed on 11/10/2022 on the Alabama Historical Commission Historic Cemetery Register as Little Place Cemetery, an African American cemetery. On February 1, 2024, a double sided Alabama Historical Commission marker was installed in the cemetery. Choctaw county, named after the Choctaw Indians (though most had been removed to the Indian Territory of Oklahoma by then), was formally established in 1847 and according to the 1850 US census the population was 8,379 with 3,769 of African descent. Womack Hill is believed to be named after two families (Womack and Hill) who settled in the area in the early 1800's. The county and area's population reached its peak in the 1920's due to the sawmills and agricultural resources as well as trade via the then nearby steamboat docks to destinations up and down the Tombigbee River including to the city of Mobile on the Gulf Coast.
Little Place Cemetery sits on the crest of a hill at approximately 34 meters (112ft) of elevation above sea level with stunning southern and eastern views of the region. In general all burials face towards the southern skies. Based on a survey of graves and markers in Little Place Cemetery the earliest burial with an existing headstone is in 1894. The cemetery, however, began as early as the 1870's based on all accounts. The cemetery history, according to descendants, is directly connected to the early years of Mount (Mt.) Pleasant Baptist Church that was established between 1879 and 1887. These accounts are consistent with oral and written accounts that the church grew from a "brush arbor" to a building with a cornerstone date of 1887 serving the then vibrant Womack Hill African American community. The nearby Womack Hill Baptist Church serving the white community was established in 1885 and was associated with the Womack Hill Cemetery. The Womack Hill community and the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church as well as Little Place cemetery have their roots in the latter years of slavery and the establishment of communities by "freed men" in the latter part of the 1800's. According to local accounts, death records and descendants, Little Place Cemetery was known as well as the cemetery on Womack Hill, the Womack Hill Colored Cemetery and very likely as the "little cemetery" on the hill, thus the origin of the name "Little Place Cemetery". The name Little Place Cemetery appears regularly in the written record following the 1900-1940's on numerous death records and obituaries. The cemetery is reported to have had many burials in the early years; however as prevalent with the customs at the time, many graves were known to be simple burials with wooden caskets in deep graves marked with wooden crosses or other items which are long gone. No records exist for the early years of this cemetery other than the accounts of the centenarians and elders of the community who have shared some of their memories with their descendants. Headstones and genealogy of those buried in this Womack Hill area cemetery reveal a story from the early 1900's through the present. This story combined with the more recent "modern markers" tells the story of a very vibrant close knit family based community working in farming, timber, shipping on the Tombigbee River, the railroad, and oil industries that supported this community.
According to other accounts as well as death records and obituaries associated with those interred in the cemetery, the location of burial for many buried here has been often listed solely as being in "Womack Hill" as well as "Womack Cemetery", "Womack Hill Cemetery'' or Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church (1923/1934/1973 and most recently 2021) and even as the "Littliest" Cemetery in 1978 (Womack Hill, Alabama). More recently from 1960 to present day the name consistently in use is that of Little Place Cemetery and is identified by the same given name in the majority of obituaries and death records. Many of the deacons of the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church are also buried in Little Place Cemetery. In addition, in 1978 Little Place Cemetery's 2 acre parcel of land was deeded from the original landowners to the Little Place Cemetery Association and its successors/descendants. This association represents the African American community and descendants of those buried in the cemetery; and in fact the majority of those buried in Little Place are also direct descendants (and their descendants) of the Womack Hill African American Community and Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. The probate recorded deed and property tax office land documents associated with the cemetery reflect the management of the cemetery as being the "Little Place Cemetery" Association, its trustees and their successors, thus re-affirming the name known historically in the local African American community. Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church located approximately 3 miles away remains active today serving the African American Community of the area. When referencing or recording burials in Womack Hill, it is often assumed by some to be the Womack Hill Cemetery which is not correct. It is a separate cemetery located 2 miles from Little Place and historically associated with the nearby recently disbanded (2021) Womack Hill Baptist Church which was established as well in the mid 1800's serving the non African-American community.
Little Place Cemetery is a historically important African American cemetery located in the Womack Hill community of Choctaw County, Alabama. The cemetery was listed on 11/10/2022 on the Alabama Historical Commission Historic Cemetery Register as Little Place Cemetery, an African American cemetery. On February 1, 2024, a double sided Alabama Historical Commission marker was installed in the cemetery. Choctaw county, named after the Choctaw Indians (though most had been removed to the Indian Territory of Oklahoma by then), was formally established in 1847 and according to the 1850 US census the population was 8,379 with 3,769 of African descent. Womack Hill is believed to be named after two families (Womack and Hill) who settled in the area in the early 1800's. The county and area's population reached its peak in the 1920's due to the sawmills and agricultural resources as well as trade via the then nearby steamboat docks to destinations up and down the Tombigbee River including to the city of Mobile on the Gulf Coast.
Little Place Cemetery sits on the crest of a hill at approximately 34 meters (112ft) of elevation above sea level with stunning southern and eastern views of the region. In general all burials face towards the southern skies. Based on a survey of graves and markers in Little Place Cemetery the earliest burial with an existing headstone is in 1894. The cemetery, however, began as early as the 1870's based on all accounts. The cemetery history, according to descendants, is directly connected to the early years of Mount (Mt.) Pleasant Baptist Church that was established between 1879 and 1887. These accounts are consistent with oral and written accounts that the church grew from a "brush arbor" to a building with a cornerstone date of 1887 serving the then vibrant Womack Hill African American community. The nearby Womack Hill Baptist Church serving the white community was established in 1885 and was associated with the Womack Hill Cemetery. The Womack Hill community and the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church as well as Little Place cemetery have their roots in the latter years of slavery and the establishment of communities by "freed men" in the latter part of the 1800's. According to local accounts, death records and descendants, Little Place Cemetery was known as well as the cemetery on Womack Hill, the Womack Hill Colored Cemetery and very likely as the "little cemetery" on the hill, thus the origin of the name "Little Place Cemetery". The name Little Place Cemetery appears regularly in the written record following the 1900-1940's on numerous death records and obituaries. The cemetery is reported to have had many burials in the early years; however as prevalent with the customs at the time, many graves were known to be simple burials with wooden caskets in deep graves marked with wooden crosses or other items which are long gone. No records exist for the early years of this cemetery other than the accounts of the centenarians and elders of the community who have shared some of their memories with their descendants. Headstones and genealogy of those buried in this Womack Hill area cemetery reveal a story from the early 1900's through the present. This story combined with the more recent "modern markers" tells the story of a very vibrant close knit family based community working in farming, timber, shipping on the Tombigbee River, the railroad, and oil industries that supported this community.
According to other accounts as well as death records and obituaries associated with those interred in the cemetery, the location of burial for many buried here has been often listed solely as being in "Womack Hill" as well as "Womack Cemetery", "Womack Hill Cemetery'' or Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church (1923/1934/1973 and most recently 2021) and even as the "Littliest" Cemetery in 1978 (Womack Hill, Alabama). More recently from 1960 to present day the name consistently in use is that of Little Place Cemetery and is identified by the same given name in the majority of obituaries and death records. Many of the deacons of the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church are also buried in Little Place Cemetery. In addition, in 1978 Little Place Cemetery's 2 acre parcel of land was deeded from the original landowners to the Little Place Cemetery Association and its successors/descendants. This association represents the African American community and descendants of those buried in the cemetery; and in fact the majority of those buried in Little Place are also direct descendants (and their descendants) of the Womack Hill African American Community and Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. The probate recorded deed and property tax office land documents associated with the cemetery reflect the management of the cemetery as being the "Little Place Cemetery" Association, its trustees and their successors, thus re-affirming the name known historically in the local African American community. Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church located approximately 3 miles away remains active today serving the African American Community of the area. When referencing or recording burials in Womack Hill, it is often assumed by some to be the Womack Hill Cemetery which is not correct. It is a separate cemetery located 2 miles from Little Place and historically associated with the nearby recently disbanded (2021) Womack Hill Baptist Church which was established as well in the mid 1800's serving the non African-American community.
Nearby cemeteries
Womack Hill, Choctaw County, Alabama, USA
- Total memorials34
- Percent photographed88%
- Percent with GPS0%
Womack Hill, Choctaw County, Alabama, USA
- Total memorials167
- Percent photographed90%
- Percent with GPS88%
Choctaw County, Alabama, USA
- Total memorials25
- Percent photographed0%
- Percent with GPS0%
Womack Hill, Choctaw County, Alabama, USA
- Total memorials3
- Percent photographed0%
- Added: 1 Jan 2000
- Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 24036
Success
Uploading...
Waiting...
Failed
This photo was not uploaded because this cemetery already has 20 photos
This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this cemetery
This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this cemetery
Invalid File Type
Birth and death years unknown.
1 photo picked...
2 photos picked...
Uploading 1 Photo
Uploading 2 Photos
1 Photo Uploaded
2 Photos Uploaded
Size exceeded
Too many photos have been uploaded
"Unsupported file type"
• ##count## of 0 memorials with GPS displayed. Double click on map to view more.No cemeteries found