TO ALL THE FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE PEEBLES CEMETERY,

I would like to take this opportunity to advise and update all concerned on the amazing progress that was undertaken and accomplished in regard to the Peebles Cemetery restoration and preservation project during the year 2000.

First, I want to personally thank all those of you who lent your blood, sweat and equity during the past year to wrestle the Peebles Cemetery back from nature. The sheer physical work required to save this cemetery is enormous and those who labored in the woods during the unbearable heat and faced the constant threats of snakebites deserve our highest praise! Special thanks go out to members of the Hudson family, the Zaperach family, and the Bailey family.

Second, I want to thank the many dedicated civil servants from various state and federal offices who have contributed their invaluable expertise and knowledge to the efforts to properly document and map the Peebles Cemetery. Because of their efforts, the Peebles Cemetery, for the first time in its 150-year plus history, is now officially registered with all state and federal mapping agencies. Special thanks to Ann Webster of MSDAH, Eve Edwards of USGS, William Sneed of USGS and Tom Thompson of MSDOT.

Third, I want to thank all those who have offered their heartfelt encouragement and support for the Internet publication of the Peebles Cemetery Roster and the Diary of Celia L. E. C. Peebles Bailey, as well as the publication of newspaper articles concerning the project. Special thanks to Jackie Rhodes and Louis Taunton.

RECAP OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2000

APRIL - The Peebles Cemetery Roster, along with color photographs of all headstones, was submitted to and accepted by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History in Jackson, Mississippi, for official cataloging. This accomplished a formal registration of the cemetery roster and constitutes the first known published roster of this cemetery.

MAY - The Peebles Cemetery Roster is listed on the USGENWEB Tombstone Project for the state of Mississippi.

The Peebles Cemetery Roster on the above site can be viewed at the following address:

ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ms/webster/cemeteries/peebles.txt

JUNE - The Peebles Cemetery Roster, along with color photographs of all headstones, debuts on the Internet via the USGENWEB WEBSTER COUNTY, MISSISISPPI site. The Peebles Cemetery Roster can be viewed at the following address:

http://www.rootsweb.com/~mswebst2/peebles.html

OCTOBER - The Diary of Celia L. E. C. Peebles Bailey debuts on the Internet via the USGENWEB CHOCTOW COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI site. Celia Peebles Bailey's Diary can be view at the following address:

http://www.rootsweb.com/~mschocta/celiapeeblesdiary.html

Also, in October, the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History officially issued a certificate of historical significance in regard to an application submitted on behalf of the Peebles Cemetery. This makes the Peebles Cemetery eligble for discretionary funding at the county level for preservation and restoration efforts.

And also, in October, the Mississippi Department of Transportation officially included the Peebles Cemetery on its Webster County map. This constituted the first known official mapping of the cemetery.

NOVEMBER - The United States Geologic Survey notified me that my application to have the Peebles Cemetery included on the official Kilmichael Quad 7.5 map had been approved. For the first time in history the Peebles Cemetery will appear on the official USGS Quadrangle map.

DECEMBER - The USGS added the Peebles Cemetery to their GNIS database. The Peebles Cemetery GNIS information can be viewed at the following address:

http://mapping.usgs.gov:8888/gnis/owa/gnisprod?f_name=Peebles+Cemetery&variant=N&f_state=MS&f_cnty=webster&f_type=&pop1=&pop2=&elev1=&elev2=&cell=&tab=y

If you scroll down on the above USGS GENIS Peebles Cemetery page and click on the link below, you will be able to view a black and white aerial photograph of the Peebles Cemetery site in Webster County, Mississippi.

View USGS Digital Orthophoto Quadrangle (DOQ) covering this feature from TerraServer. A DOQ is a black-and-white, aerial photographic image map. (Click on this link on the USGS GNIS page to see the aerial photograph of the Peebles Cemetery site.)

YEAR 2001 GOALS!

JANUARY - I received the application package from the U. S. National Park Service to apply to have the Peebles Cemetery listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. I will advise all later on the progress of this important registration.

Also, in January, letters soliciting support for the Peebles Cemetery project went out to President George W. Bush, Governor Ronnie Musgrove, United States Senator Thad Chochran and United States Senator Trent Lott.

Senator Chochran's Washington office called me early this morning to inform me that his office will be happy to issue a formal letter of support for this project and will also be pleased offer what support they can to help with any future efforts to save the Peebles Cemetery.

I am pleased to report all of the above and look forward to what all of us can accomplish together to save the Peebles Cemetery during the year 2001.

Sincerely,

James Wiley Bailey, Jr.
3216 West Esplanade Avenue #276
Metairie, LA 70002
PHONE: 504-669-8650
EMAIL: neworleans59@hotmail.com

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