It took Don Estes 15 years to collect the stories for his upcoming book because the subjects of those stories weren’t talking.

Estes, a local historian and former director of the Natchez City Cemetery, recently published his first book containing 118 of the most compelling stories from within the gates of “the south’s most interesting cemetery.”

The book, “Legends of the Natchez City Cemetery, tells the stories of those buried on acreage and even revels a few secrets of the cemetery’s residents.

“I picked the stories that I felt were the most interesting, compelling, had the most humor or beauty,” Estes said. “I had to leave out a number of really great stories, and I’m afraid that might sadden some Natchez families, but there is no way to get a comprehensive record of all the interesting tales.”

Estes, a native Natchezian, said he has always had an interest in history and storytelling and that interest was piqued even more when he began exploring the cemetery in great detail.

Estes has covered every inch of the cemetery at least once, but said no family, plot or area is more interesting than the next. For him, and many cemetery visitors, every story is worth hearing.

“At some point I realized the magnitude of the beauty and interest in the Natchez City Cemetery,” Estes said. “I knew these stories were unique and special and needed to compiled into a fairly comprehensive book just to preserve the history as well as capture the beauty of this place.”

Collecting the stories was the easiest part of the writing the book. Estes said the hardest part of this adventure has been the process of editing, because everything had to be edited.

“My writing had to be edited. The content had to be edited. The layout had to be edited,” Estes said. “I took me probably one full year to write the stories and then another two after that editing everything.”

Natchez City Cemetery was named the south’s most interesting cemetery in 2004 by Turner South Network.

Don Estes will have a “Legends of the Natchez Cemetery” book signing from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Natchez City Cemetery shelter house. He will also have a book signing from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 14 at Turning Pages Books and More in Natchez. The hardcover books are $39.95.

At that time Estes was serving as director of the cemetery, a post he had from 1998 until February of 2006. During his time as director Estes said he listened intently as family members of those buried in the cemetery recounted their family history and revealed the personalities of those at rest on Cemetery Road.

“There was a need to get the information — not just the stories — about the families,” Estes said. “I listened to anything family members told me and when necessary I would put pen to paper right away to capture and preserve the history.”

The first recorded burial in the Natchez City Cemetery was in January of 1822, but Estes said there were burials taking place several months before since the City Cemetery replaced the graveyard behind St. Mary Basilica.

“When the Natchez City Cemetery was formed, the church told people to move caskets from that graveyard to the new cemetery,” Estes said. “They said ‘Go dig ‘em up.’ So the first actual burial was in 1822 but there were many re-interments before that.”

Scattered among the stories, histories and legends are 200 photographs with a connection to the cemetery, 68 of which are in color. Many of the photographs are old black and white photos that give a glimpse of Natchez life during the cemetery’s early history, Estes said.

Other photographs are of the people buried there, and it is one of those that Estes said he was particularly proud to be able to include.

Mary Postlethwaite, a highly intelligent Natchezian who, after the tragic death of her fiancé, became known as the bag lady.

“After her fiancé died, that really blew her mind,” Estes said. “Her house became so filthy that she actually couldn’t live in it anymore and started living on the streets of Natchez.”

After Postlethwaite’s death, people began sorting through her belongings and Estes was involved in cataloging the items.

“I came across a young picture of her, like a school picture,” Estes said. “She was probably 15-years-old and a beautiful girl.

“It was hard to believe that was her in the picture.”

Of all the secrets Estes revels in the 208 pages, he said one is “the zinger.”

Bud Scott, “Natchez’s most famous musician,” who is buried in the cemetery, got a 15 year old Natchez girl pregnant in 1900.

“Her family sent her to New Orleans to live,” Estes said. “And her baby boy, he was Louis Armstrong.”

Estes said many of the people featured in the book are well known stories, but he said he “gives many rest of the stories that people are going to love.”

One “rest of the story” is that of Louise the Unfortunate. It is well known legend that Louise would not give her last name because she was ashamed of the life she lived as a prostitute. Even after her death, her tombstone still kept her secret with only “Louise the Unfortunate” being carved on it, but Estes said he has uncovered the secret.

“I found her death record,” he said. “And her last name is in the book. She was French.”

With so many other fascinating stories lying in the cemetery, Estes thinks people will be intrigued.

“I think people will be surprised with some of the things in the book,” he said. “I know I was when I was piecing it together.”