Lily Pad Travels: Kentwood, Louisiana - Stewart Family History - Cemetery

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Kentwood, Louisiana - Stewart Family History - Cemetery - Camp Moore Museum

April 1st, 2021(This is NOT an April Fool's joke)

Last year I found a book on the internet about Bryan's family history. I ordered a copy and we found it really fascinating. He is fortunate in that his ancestors have traced back his paternal line. The Kents had property in Over Wallop, Hampshire, England. I love that Bryan's parents carried the name down by naming their son Bryan Kent Stewart. He is known to his family as Kent but in the military went by Bryan.

In 1634 Richard Kent(Bryan's 10xGt.Grandfather, by my reckoning, but the number may change when we actually get around to completing the family tree) arrived in a port, that was later named Ipswich, on the south end of Plum Island, about 25 miles NE of present day Boston. He arrived from Over Wallop, Hampshire via Southampton on the "Mary & John".

Life is certainly very strange with lots of coincidences.

They landed on Plum Island. Plum is my mum's maiden name. We had planned on visiting this area this summer but the virus curtailed our travels to this State so it will be deferred until another year.

In 2017 we stopped very near to Over Wallop while touring the UK. We fell in love with a B&B we stayed at there called "The Fat Pigeon". If we had known we were so close to where Bryan's ancestors were from we would have done more exploring, maybe another day.

Anyway we found out that the town of Kentwood in Louisiana was founded by his Gt-Gt-Gt Grandfather Amos Kent and he is buried there. It is less than an hour from mom's and so we all got in the car and went for a drive.

We found the cemetery where they were buried and found the "Kent" family plot.

Bryan's Gt Gt Gt Grandparents

He took pictures of other family members gravestones and maybe one day we will find the link, probably distant aunts and uncles.

The family plots had the name of the family on a stepping stone into the area.

Gt Gt Aunt, she was the oldest child of Amos & Susan Fluker Kent

Youngest Gt Gt Aunt

We walked around for quite a while looking at the names and looking for Bryan's Gt. Grandmother.

Mom & Bryan in the Kent family plot.

After leaving the cemetery we stopped at the Kentwood Historical & Cultural Museum.

It's in a house and we had to call to get the lady to open the door. She was very helpful and showed us around, although the main topic here is Brittany Spears. There are 4 rooms dedicated to her as she was born in the town.

We explained that we were in town visiting the graves of the Kents who were relations. She showed us the items they had relating to the Kents and founding of Kentwood. She told us that the lady who had known all the history had passed a few years prior but she told us all that she had learned.

Pictures relating to the Kents and the homes they built when they arrived.

In 1853, Amos Kent & his wife Susan moved to what is now Kentwood. They built a sawmill and brick plant. Two years later they built a house, Oak Hill on W. Cools Creek. They raised 13 children here, 7 of them were born before moving here from St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. Other family members also built houses.

That was quite interesting but there was more to come....... Next stop Camp Moore Museum & Cemetery.

We were the only ones there and the museum guide walked round with us, explaining the exhibits. He quietly told me that there were some trying to get them closed due to being a Confederate Museum. I hope this doesn't happen. No matter what side you or your ancestors were on, it is history. Both sides fought for what they believed in. Eradicating it will not help to learn from it. At least there was no sign of vandalism that has happened at other confederate sites.

When he found out that we were researching the Kents he was telling us more about them. It seems he could be a distant relative but we didn't go to much into that.