Hooser Cemetery sits abandoned and uncared for on South side of White River

The Hooser Cemetery was a small, abandoned, and terribly overgrown family cemetery located on farm land behind the Historic Cold Water School to the North of Baxter CR 73 (aka Culp Rd. and Sugarloaf Rd.) The property is owned by the Sheid family. Access is possible from Baxter CR 123, which also runs North from CR 73 about a mile or so West of the old school, however direct access is restricted by a locked gate. The cemetery is a considerable distance beyond the locked gate.  The small cemetery is enclosed by a rock/concrete wall.

 The cemetery dates from the late 1800's. According to the Baxter County Cemetery Book, there are three graves of the Hooser family inside the walls that are identified with marked head stones. These are for George Hooser, James D. Hooser, and Robert Hooser.  These stones are still present and visible, but the markings are completely eroded, faded, and not completely readable with the naked eye. There is also said to be 3 unmarked graves located inside the wall, as well as 3 located outside the wall. It is apparent that the cemetery has been long forgotten and not been cared for in a very extended period of time.

On July 8, 2012, a crew of Baxter County Jail inmates went to the Hooser Cemetery and did a complete clean-up and erected a sign to marks its location.  We were accompanied by Mr. Adam Sheid, the property owner.  There are clearly three (3) additional grave sites inside the wall that are marked only with upright field stones, in addition to the three (3) identified sites with manufactured, engraved headstones.  We saw no evidence of any graves outside the wall.  

                                                   The Hooser Cemetery - Winter 2009

                                         Gravestones visible in the snow at Hooser Cemetery

The Hooser Cemetery as seen in January, 2012. 

The cemetery is grown up with trees, vines, and thick briars.

Access to the three gravestones is difficult.

Several hundred yards to the North of the cemetery

proper is the location where the Hooser home once stood. 

There is a grave site shown here believed to be for Reuben Hooser

and/or Ginsey Hooser, his wife.

(This information supplied by Annamae Freeman)

Inmates began cleaning up the Hooser Cemetery

on the morning of July 8, 2012.

The cemetery has now been completely cleared,

cleaned, and a brand new sign erected.