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Home/Central Louisiana/Missing Grave of a Louisiana Governor
grave monument and large oak tree Louisiana

Missing Grave of a Louisiana Governor

For decades, the gravesite of a former Louisiana governor has been missing. In the mid-20th century, a cotton field replaced the family grave of former Governor Joseph Walker, who died in 1856.

19th century picture of Louisiana Governor Joseph Walker
Portrait of Louisiana Governor Joseph Walker

Joseph M. Walker was a plantation owner from the central Louisiana city of Alexandria in Rapides Parish. Walker began his career in the military. He served in the Louisiana militia and likely fought in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. After the war he became general of the state militia. Walker held numerous elected offices. He served in the legislature as a Representative and Senator. He was also Louisiana’s state treasurer and served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1845. In 1850, he was sworn in as the governor of Louisiana.

grave monument for louisiana governor Joseph Walker with tree in background
Grave monument for Governor Joseph Walker

Walker only served three years as governor. While in office, the legislature adopted a new state constitution which ended Walker’s term in 1853. He returned to his family plantation in Rapides Parish where he died three years later. He and other family members were buried in a small graveyard behind their plantation home. But the graveyard fell victim to the plow and the land was planted with cotton. The headstones and monuments were taken apart and removed from the field.

solving a mystery

A couple of history enthusiasts from Alexandria decided to solve the mystery of the missing grave site. “The site is just lost and forgotten about and deteriorating”, says Michael Wynne. He and Paul Price researched the area.

two men stand in cotton field holding small pieces of bricks
Michael Wynne and Paul Price stand at the grave site

A friend showed them an aerial photograph from the 1950’s which provided an important clue to the graveyard’s location. Paul Price says the old black and white picture showed an odd-shaped piece of ground. “The ground was darker than everything else around it”, Price explained. It looked like a small graveyard. The team matched that picture to current satellite images, which took them about a hundred yards into the cotton field. There, they found many pieces of bricks, likely used above the family burials. “We finally solved one of the greatest mysteries of Central Louisiana”, said Wynne.

pieces of grave monuments on the ground
Pieces of grave monuments and headstones lie on the ground more than 100 yards from the cemetery
close up view of marble headstone for Joseph walker
The marble monument of former Governor Joseph Walker

epitaph to a louisiana governor

The marble monument that once marked Governor Joseph Walker’s grave has this inscription.

In Memory of Joseph Walker, born in New Orleans July 1, 1781. Died in the Parish of Rapides January 21st 1856. Aged 71 years 6 month and 21 days. From the year 1822 until near the period of his death, he was engaged in the public service, having been frequently elected a member of the General Assembly of the state, of which he was governor from Jan. 1850 to Jan. 1852. Whether a private citizen, legislator or chief magistrate, he won universal confidence and esteem. He died respected and regretted by all who knew him.

marble monuments in pieces near cotton field
Monument of Joseph Walker’s grandson who lived only 5 days in 1851

The monuments’ future is uncertain. Multiple heirs of Walker own them. According to Price, the family land was sold at a sheriff’s sale in 1873.

tv feature on finding governor walker’s grave

Watch this Heart of Louisiana TV story on Governor Walker’s grave

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        Written by:
        Dave McNamara
        Published on:
        October 5, 2021
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        Categories: Central Louisiana, Featured

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