2024 marks the Friends of Eastern Cemetery’s 11th year volunteering at Eastern Cemetery! We’ve faced many challenges over the years including having all of our equipment stolen in 2017. However, the joys of volunteering far outweighs those challenges. We have seen a great documentary filmed and completed about Eastern Cemetery that highlights the struggles for the families of those buried there. We have received grants from the Kentucky Colonels that have paid for perimeter fencing, restoration of the Loomis Wake House building, and installation of the front automatic gate. Lastly, we have bee ..read more

Join us at Eastern Cemetery in Louisville, KY. Free & open to the public 9am-3pm (local time) – Check out the Find a Grave and Eastern Cemetery website: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/73814/eastern-cemetery https://friendsofeasterncemetery.com/ – Participate in gravestone cleaning and learn the most common safe & effective repair techniques! A discussion on historic preservation will begin the day with a short walk and talk tour, visually surveying some of the most historic gravestones and monuments in need of repair. Safe & effective removal of biological activity w/ approved ..read more

If you are looking for a loved one or a specific grave site in Eastern Cemetery, please start with our previous blog post on this. Once you have a burial location, you should have a Section letter or number, a Range or Row letter or number, and then a Grave number. You can use this 1994 map of the cemetery to find the grave site. If you click on the map image, it will expand. Finding a grave is still tricky as there are no Section signs in the cemetery to help. We hope to fix this one day, but we aren’t there yet. For Section A there are spray painted Range/Row numbers on the driveway and bric ..read more

Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing recently featured Lewis and Sidney Alexander in the Fall Edition of their newsletter “Riverside Review.” We are going to share Riverside’s research as well as our own as we tell the story of this family.   Lewis Alexander (circa 1839-1915) was born enslaved in Brandenburg, KY to Heykirk and Amy (Butler) Alexander. Sidney Ann Moreman (circa 1837-1910) was also born enslaved in Brandenburg, KY, but her parents are unknown. They were all owned by Alonson and Rachel Moreman. In 1856, Lewis and Sidney had their first child together, Amanda. At the time ..read more

Sidney Belle Alexander (circa 1864-1945) and Emma J. Alexander (circa 1865-1947) were born enslaved at Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing. Carrie Elizabeth Alexander (1872-1947) was born after the family was freed and moved to Louisville. Sidney Belle taught at the Eastern Colored School, which was in the Smoketown Neighborhood. The school was renamed Booker T. Washington School. According to staff rosters, she was there at least from 1886-1918. Sidney was a member of the Woman’s Improvement Club, a club for women who strove to better their community. Mamie Steward and Georgia Nugent were ..read more

James Leonard Mitchell (1895-1969) was born in Hopkins County, KY to Lewis and Lovey (Metcalfe) Mitchell. Lewis and Leonard both worked as coal miners. Enlisting April of 1918, Leonard was a private in the US Army during World War I. In the 1920s, Leonard began playing baseball with the Negro Leagues. There aren’t many records on his career, but he did play for the Louisville Mohawks and the Louisville White Sox. As one of the organizers of the Louisville Black Colonels in 1939, Leonard was an integral part of Negro League baseball at all levels, including promotion. He also owned and managed ..read more

Iola May (Jordan) Acton (1903-1953) was born on February 19, 1903 to W. Clarence and Lenora (Robinson) Jordan in Bardstown. Not much is known about Clarence. By 1910, Nora and Iola were living on 36th Street in Louisville with Nora’s parents. The Census listed Nora as a widow, and she later became a teacher. Iola was the protégé of Miss Caroline Bourgard, renowned music educator. She gave Iola piano lessons as a child and told Iola many times that she had “great plans” for her. Iola completed college and became a music teacher. She was then head of the music department at Kentucky State Colleg ..read more

Dr. Charles W. Anderson, Sr. (1865-1931) was born in KY. We could not find much on his parents. Around the age of 13, he was in Louisville working as a bell boy. Charles continued working odd jobs. On October 26, 1886, he married Millie E. Saunders (1864-1894), and together they had two daughters: Ada R. and Florence G. Millie died from tuberculosis in 1894 and was buried in Louisville Cemetery. On March 2, 1897, Charles married Tabitha Lee Murphy (1873-1942), and together they had one son, Charles W. Anderson, Jr. (Please see our biography of him). Around 1910, the family moved to Frankfort w ..read more

Robert Lincoln Anthony, Jr. (1903-1967) was born in Vincennes, IN to Robert Lincoln and Carrie B. (Gaddie) Anthony. He was one of seven children. Robert Sr. was a teacher who we’ve featured before, and Carrie was the daughter of Rev. D.A. Gaddie who we’ve also featured. At the time of the 1920 Census, Robert Jr. was living with his parents on Clay Street in Louisville. He had begun working as a messenger for a print company. On August 13, 1927, he married Mattie Fountain (1908-1972), the daughter of George W. and Katherine “Katie” (Green) Fountain. According to the 1930 Census, Robert and Matt ..read more

Henry Wallace Ray Thurman (1909-1970) was born in Lawrenceburg, KY to William Green and Melissa (Mountjoy) Thurman. He was one of eight children. William was a farmer and Melissa worked as a laundress. Around 1934, Ray moved to Louisville and worked as a laborer for C.L. Jewell & Son, a grain company. Between 1937 and 1940, he married Freda Mae Stallard (1913-1966), the daughter of Joe Hess and Mattie (Hughes) Stallard. Ray enlisted in the US Army for World War II on July 21, 1942. He was a private first class for the 24th Infantry Division. The 24th Infantry Division was among the first U ..read more