Tour elicits ‘Sweet Remembrances’

Ask someone to read a story about a cemetery and they’ll probably turn you down, that is unless it’s Halloween and it’s a haunted cemetery story.

Well, this isn’t that kind of story. It’s not a depressing story about death, either.

It’s a story about history. Not the boring facts and dates stuff, but local tales about families you know. Their lives. Their stories.

A couple of years ago, a friend of the Franklin Cemetery had to go out of town and asked Pam Heffner if she could look after things. She said OK and began a journey that would lead her through south Louisiana history from the early 1800s on.

Heffner visited the cemetery and was immediately struck by the condition of the graves. “Why is everything so black?” she asked.

Vandalism, riding lawn mowers and the sinking terrain had all left their marks. So Heffner decided to start cleaning up with the help of friend Fred Schwitz.

Over time, she became curious about the names on the stones.

The McKerall family. The Birdsalls. The Freres. The Berwicks.

All these families and their many generations buried at the Franklin Cemetery.

What was the story behind the row of children’s headstones? “Every child had such a short life,” Heffner observed. What happened to these families?

“Some of these people died at Last Island,” she noted. Once home to a lavish pleasure resort near Cocodrie, the barrier island was utterly destroyed in 1856 by the Last Island Hurricane. Who were these people, Heffner wondered as she walked about the cemetery. What did they do for a living?

That’s where good friend Paul Fitch came into the picture. “He’s so knowledgeable about Franklin. He’s the first person I’d call. He gave me a list of all the Civil War veterans buried here. He’s a wonderful resource”, Heffner says.

She began to realize that as she was cleaning each gravesite, reading and hearing stories about these families and their histories, she was giving them their identities back. Identities and stories that should be shared, Heffner decided.

At that moment, Sweet Remembrances Historic Cemetery Tour in Franklin was conceived. It is a tour that celebrates the life and death of some of the oldest families in the area.

The free tour begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 27, at the historic Shadowlawn Plantation (906 Main St.), a Greek temple built by Simeon Smith in 1833. The tour is free, but if you want to know where to go and what the stories are, you’ll need the $10 tour guide booklet.

Now it’s time for the sweet part of the Sweet Remembrances. When you start out, you’ll be greeted by bakers from Mark Schoenstein’s Bakery, offering ginger cakes and donut holes. You’ll want to get there early before they run out.

As you munch on your treats, you won’t have to worry about aching feet or the weather. This is a driving tour spotlighting the founding families of Franklin. Enthusiastic volunteers in period dress are on hand representing people from the past.

As you exit the cemetery, you’ll receive a small pot of rosemary. This is where the remembrance comes in – rosemary is the herb of remembrance.

Heffner credits her friend Daryl Hamlin for suggesting the idea. Hamlin, who is involved with St. John’s Cemetery in Thibodaux, said it was customary in the 1800s to plant herbs on graves with dirt on top and marble borders.

The first 60 to 70 visitors are receiving this special reminder of the day.

Don’t forget to stop by Fairfax House after your tour for tea. Make your reservations by calling (337) 828-1195.

That’s not all there is to this trip.

Shadowlawn is a destination all by itself. Behind the main house sits a smaller Greek Revival building, one of the first taverns on Bayou Teche. “Can’t you just see the boats coming down Bayou Teche and the men stopping by to have whiskey or whatever?” Heffner asked.

Descendants of the tavern’s original owner will be there with belongings, mementos and tales of the family.

Grevemberg House Museum will also be open. Built in 1851, Grevemberg has been authentically restored and includes antiques, documented wallpapers and early artifacts from St. Mary Parish. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students and $5 for children under 12.

Oaklawn Manor, the home of former Louisiana Gov. Murphy J. (Mike) Foster will be open to visitors as well. Built in 1837, the manor features European antiques, bird carvings and an extensive Audubon bird print collection. Admission is $10 for adults and $6 children and students.

Historic Church of Assumption, Asbury Methodist Church and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church will welcome the public.

The Church of Assumption was built in 1852. This magnificent church is a wonder to the eye. It has some of the most beautiful stained glass in the state.

Asbury Methodist Church is a charming white wooden structure. Originally known as Ironside Baptist Church, it was disbanded when the South lost the Civil War. The Parent Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church purchased the building in 1866 for $1,500. The site then became Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church.

The 150-year-old St. Mary’s Episcopal Church is one of the state’s first 10 Episcopal churches.

Just 5 minutes away is the Chitimacha Museum in Charenton. The tribe is well known for its basket-weaving skills and a beautiful display awaits you.

To think, a favor to a friend launched this trip down St. Mary’s historic past. From rice and sugar industry pioneers, to Russian and Lebanese immigrants, to lonely headstones tucked behind an old church, Heffner has unearthed a wealth of Franklin’s origin.

“All the things people had to live through – you stick together,” Heffner said. “No matter whether you’re rich or poor, all these people had to deal with the same issues of epidemics, wars and everyday life. I’m doing this to honor the memory of all those people. Franklin is here because they stuck it out.”