After Hurricane Katrina our parish had a large influx of refugees from nursing homes in the NOLA area. We had several deaths and after investigation we could not find any family at all as they were Paupers or abandoned by unknown family. The local cemeteries in Grant would offer space for free to us or for a reduced cost. With this dilemma we contacted Rapides Coroner,but they would only accommodate those who died in their parish. Not wanting to be a burden to our local cemeteries my department contacted the Police Jury and Colfax town council for assistance. The town of Colfax dedicated almost 2 AC in the industrial park to this effort and the police jury assisted with the ground preparation and culverts along with the City of Colfax. In 2011 we had a official dedication and the city attorney Numan Metoyer and the council had it registered with the state cemetery board. Soon after the certification a GREAT young man from Grant High School Ethan Hemphill took the cemetery improvement on as part of his Eagle Scout project. Ethan got donations from Highway Signs and Materials( Eddie Baxley and Jerry Lemoine) to make the signs and markers at NO COST. ( the original markers were made by the inmates at Grant Parish detention center ,but they were made of wood and would soon would be gone) the city employees mow the cemetery and the ladies from St. Joseph auxiliary in Colfax place flowers on the graves from time to time. The Grant Coroner along with city employees check from time to time on the settling of the graves and add fill dirt to the graves. When we have a pauper to bury the local funeral homes will volunteer their services ( usually for the $255 provided for social security) this includes a casket etc. Services are attended by ladies from the auxiliary from ST Joseph's Catholic Church and other churches around. Services are provided by local ministers and pallbarers are the trustees and employees of Grant Sheriff Dept. Robert "Chopper" Jeane the former superintendent for Colfax and a certified Sexton fir cemeteries during the last few months of his battle with cancer volunteered to assist me with establishing several rows of potential graves and and placed concrete markers into the ground to assure order of the graves. During this time we found a funeral home along with a family decided to bury a individual in the cemetery without going through the board and on their own causing a slight modification of established neat rows. To be buried in the Pauper Cemetery one must be declared a pauper by the board. The board consist of the Corner,a police jury representative,a member of town council, a member of parish clergy and a citizen at large. One must have NO known relatives and no means of paying for their funeral. They MUST be declared as a PAUPER and / or one with NO known family. The one person that was buried in the cemetery with our approval will remain. This individuals family only tied two sticks into a cross as a marker,but a marker is being provided by our supplier. This cemetery was done as a three part effort GPCO,GPPJ and City of Colfax it was done at NO COST to the tax payers of our parish and is for our GRANT PARISH family or anyone who dies in our parish and are declared Paupers. This cemetery is for Paupers Only. Any information on this cemetery can be provided by The Office of the Coroner or Police Jury office.

Written By Dean Nugent