I came across some interesting clips recently while researching some of the early burials in the New Salem Cemetery, located near Girard, LA. This area was part of Morehouse Parish prior to 1868. In the Monroe News-Star, I came across this obituary published on June 15, 1911, for a “Col. S.W. Hill.” It reads as follows:

Col. S.W. Hill, the oldest and one of the most respected citizens of Ouachita Parish, died at his home on South Grand Street, near the parish High School shortly before 2 o’clock this afternoon. He was 91 years old. In his younger days Col. Hill was the City Engineer for the City of Monroe, serving in that capacity for a number of years. After his retirement from active service due to his advanced age, he was retained by the city as consulting engineer. Col. Hill was a native of Ireland, coming to this country when a young man. His residence in Monroe covers a long number of years, during which time he has won and kept the esteem of a host of friends.

The funeral services will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, of which he was a life-long member at 8:30 o’clock tomorrow morning and will be conducted by Rev. Arthur R. Price. Interment will be at the New Salem cemetery near Girard.

Col. Hill was a Confederate veteran and the members of Henry W. Allen camp, U.C.V., are requested to attend.

My immediate question was “what was his connection to Girard? Richland Parish? I was able to find a few clues by looking at the Confederate pension file applications. Sure enough, I found a Samuel W. Hill, serving as the city engineer in Monroe, born in Ireland. I discovered that Samuel served with the 6th Regiment, LA Infantry, Co. F. In fact he was shot and wounded at the Battle of Chantilly, during the Civil War.

In checking census and marriage records, I found my answer. On April 22, 1884, he married a widow named Irene Chapman Mccoy, b 1845, d 1938. The Chapman family lived in Girard, in Ward 3 of Richland Parish. Irene was previously married to William C. McCoy.

And that’s how an Irish Confederate veteran who served as the City Engineer for Monroe found his final resting place in the New Salem cemetery in Richland Parish.

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSmcid=47405677&GRid=178062133&