history OF fREE hOME cEMETERY
         FREE HOME CEMETERY HAD ITS FIRST BURIAL IN 1909 AND   CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 2,600 GRAVE and grave sites. 
 

AUGUST 9, 1941

J. B. AND JULIA TROUP SOLD 2.5 ACRES TO FREE HOME MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.

AUGUST 2, 1956

J. B. TROUP SOLD AN ADDITIONAL 2 ACRES OF PROPERTY TO FREE HOME CEMETERY WITH THE RIGHT TO USE THE PROPERTY UNTIL IT WAS NEEDED FOR CEMETERY USE.  YEARS LATER, AS PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY APPROACHED WOODROW TROUP ABOUT PURCHASING ADJOINING PROPERTY FOR BURIALS, HE BEGAN SELLING BURIAL SITES.  SINCE MR. TROUP’S DEATH, THE CEMETERY BOARD HAS WORKED WITH HIS SON, JOHN, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BURIAL SITES.
 

                                                                               1980'S

IN THE EARLY 1980'S A PUBLIC MEETING WAS HELD TO ADDRESS THE NEED TO MOW AND MAINTAIN FREE HOME CEMETERY IN A MORE TIMELY YEAR-ROUND MANNER.  THE RESULT OF THIS MEETING WAS  THE FORMATION OF A COMMITTEE TO COORDINATE THE MOWING, MAINTENANCE, AND THE EFFORTS TO OBTAIN THE FUNDS TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.  THE COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF MEMBERS THAT SERVE TWO YEAR TERMS AND RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR THEIR SERVICE.  THE COMMITTEE TODAY WORKS AS AN INCORPORATED BOARD WITH A SET OF BY-LAWS THAT GOVERN ITS OPERATION.  OVER THE YEARS THE RULES AND REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED WITH SUGGESTIONS FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC, DIFFERENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE TROUP FAMILY IN AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY, APPEARANCE AND OPERATION OF FREE HOME CEMETERY.  ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO KEEP CEMETERY FAMILIES INFORMED OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS WITH THE SIGNS POSTED IN THE CEMETERY, HANDING OUT WRITTEN RULES/UPDATES AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY, AND NOW ON OUR WEBSITE (SEE RULES AND REGULATIONS PAGE).  COPIES OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE GIVEN TO PERSONS CONSIDERING BUYING PLOTS, THOSE BUYING PLOTS AND TO THOSE MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR BURIALS.  THE RULES ARE INTENDED TO IMPROVE THE SAFTEY, UNIFORMITY, APPEARANCE AND EFFICIENCY OF MOWING AND MAINTAINING THE CEMETERY GROUNDS.  PEOPLE THAT HAVE BOUGHT PLOTS HAVE DONE SO WITH THE UNDERSTANDING AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS BEING FOLLOWED BY EVERYONE.  THE BOARD RESPECTFULLY ASKS THAT EVERYONE EVALUATE THEIR PLOTS AND TRY TO MAINTAIN THEM IN ACCORDANCE TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS.

                                                              HISTORIC REGISTRATION
 

THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF DOYLE AND JEAN JACKSON, THE FREE HOME CEMETERY WAS PLACED ON THE ALABAMA REGISTER OF HISTORIC CEMETERIES. THE CEMETERY HAS BEEN THE FINAL RESTING PLACE FOR OUR LOVED ONES FOR OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS MAKING IT WORTHY OF RECOGNITION AND PRESERVATION.

PLANS FOR PERPETUAL CARE
 

AT THE TIME THE BOARD FORMED IT BEGAN WORKING TO SECURE FUNDING FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND MOWING TO MAKE FREE HOME A PERPTUAL CARE FACILITY.  PERPETUAL CARE CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY ESTABLISHING A FUND THAT CAN GENERATE ENOUGH MONEY IN INTEREST TO PAY FUTURE MOWING AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES WITHOUT DEPLETING THE FUND ITSELF.  SINCE 1984 THE INTEREST ON THIS FUND HAS PLUMMETED, THUS NOT EARNING VERY MUCH TO ADD TO THE FUND. AS FAMILY GENERATIONS PASS ON AND FAMILY MEMBERS BECOME MORE REMOVED FROM THEIR ANCESTORS BURIED EARLIER IN FREE HOME CEMETERY, IT BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT TO SECURE FUNDS FOR THE NEEDED CARETAKING.  ALSO, AS THE CEMETERY GROWS, THE EXPENSE OF MOWING BECOMES MORE  EXPENSIVE.  OUR HOPE IS TO SOMEDAY HAVE THE PERPETUAL CARE PROGRAM IN PLACE TO INSURE THAT FREE HOME CEMETERY IS MAINTAINED INDEFINITELY.

REMEMBER: IT TAKES EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE FREE HOME CEMETERY THE BEST IT CAN BE.