Hettie Adger Cemetery cont.
Not only can cemeteries serve as the only evidence of a persons existence, they can tell an untold story. Based on the data we’ve collected for Hettie Adger cemetery, there are 3 tombstones over 100 years old. 
The oldest one, laid in 1906 making it 103 years old is of, Dora Adger, no doubt kinsman to Hettie Adger. Her gravemarker said she was born in 1886 which made her 20 years old at death. She was obviously very beloved to her family based on the inscription “Aged 20 yrs, 3 mos and 9 days”. There’s an emblem with a hand holding the bible embedded at the top of the marker and for this gravestone to be over 100 years old it is still very legible although it has fallen over through the years. What happened to her…how did she die at the young age of 20 and who were parents?
Here’s a brief snapshot of all 243 visible markers at Hettie Adger:
Hettie Adger graveyard statistics
There are at least 8 metal pipes used as gravemarkers in this cemetery. The metal pipes would bring the total to 251 gravemarkers. The metal pipes are always daunting to look at because we will never who those individuals are. I have come across death certificates that claim persons buried at this cemetery but we can not find the gravemarkers. 
Folks in the community also claim there are many graves buried on top of graves which isn’t surprising if you think about soil erosion. This area was once flanked by constant flooding prior to the raft removal of the Red River so the soil is naturally susceptible to sinking.
There are clusters of families, particularly the Bradfords, who have at least 26 markers that are identifiable by surname in addition to other Bradford kinsman who do not carry the name due to marriage. Another popular family buried here are the Thomases with 13 markers, the Jeffersons with 13 markers and of course the Adgers with 20 markers. Who were these people and how did their existence help shape the surrounding communities?
to be continued…