FAYETTE COUNTY, TEXAS
Notes from the Fayette Heritage Archives and Museum:
Joe Cole visited this cemetery in 1958 and stated: "Barton Cemetery. Public. On the east bank of Barton's Creek one mile east of Kirtley, Texas south side of Hiway 71. The two graves covered with concrete and sea shells are the graves of the Grasmeyer family as told by Huldy Hulcher of Kirtley. There is also a Negro graveyard at the same location but the graves were washed away by floods. (1958 Joe Krenek, Buck Hulcher, & Bill Richards)."
The following was taken from Barton's Creek Cemetery, copyrighted 1998, with the permission of the author, Norman C. Krischke:
Barton's Creek Cemetery is located on the league of William Barton 0.7 mile south southeast of Kirtley, Texas, Fayette county, on the east bank of Barton's Creek named after William Barton, original land owner. It is 0.35 mile south of State Highway 71 on a small hill among mesquite, cedar and oak trees. The property is presently, 1998, owned by F. J. Weishuhn. There is a barbed wire - cedar post fence around the cemetery.The graveyard was recorded by Joe Cole of Smithville in 1958 which was located for him by Joe Krenek, Buck Hulcher and Bill Richards. Huldy Hulcher of Kirtley stated to Cole that the graves covered with sea shells are of the Grasmeyer Family, F. W. Grasmeyer, and an old lady who lived with him.
The cemetery contains 25 graves with tombstones; most burials were during the horse and buggy days. The earliest grave, according to tombstone inscriptions, is that of Frank Richards, 7 February 1882 - 7 September 1882. The last burial there was Edward Richards, 5 December 1845 - 30 August 1920. There are 3 graves covered with sea shells, 2 iron fences, 7 dilapidated wooden fences, 1 rock, 1 grave lined with bricks and 10 depressions suggesting graves. The depressions were checked with divining rods which gave a positive reading that there are remains at those sites. Most likely there are more graves here but locations cannot be determined.
Photos above and linked below were taken by David Collins in December 2014.
inventory of Graves
1. Starr, Albert 7 Dec 1886 - 21 Jan 1887
2. Kellar, Lillie, 24 Oct 1887 - 27 Aug 1913, Mrs.
3. Unknown
4. Grave covered with shells. According to Joe Cole, who was told by Huldy Hulcher of Kirtley in 1958, this is the grave of F. W. Grasmeyer. [Note: There is a tombstone for Friedrich W. Grasmeyer in the La Grange City Cemetery.] Fayette County Probate Case No. 1619 Vol. G, Pages 290 and 306, shows he signed his will 27 February 1886. He died in San Antonio 2 May 1887. He was worth $40,000.00 and had an interest in two mines in Arizona and New Mexico Territories in partnership with Leopold Balbach. The mines were named: "Oro y Plata" and "Balbach." He owned a quarter league of land south of the Colorado River on the Fayette-Bastrop County Line. In 1831 he established a ferry known as Grasmeyer's Ferry at the point where the Colorado flows from Bastrop County into Fayette County. His will states he was a native of Hamburg, Germany. He willed money to 16 people, to the Asylum for the Blind in Hamburg, and $2,000.00 to the La Grange Library. John Schuhmacher was Executor of his estate. His will does not name a wife or children: it is assumed he never married. Leonie Weyand and Houston Wade's book titled "An Early History of Fayette County," 1936, page 93, gives the metes and bounds of Fayette County when it was created 14 December 1837. The narrative starts with: "Beginning at Grasmeyer's Ferry on the Colorado . . . and ends with the words: " . . . to the place of beginning so as to leave Grasmeyer's in the County of Mina." It is quite possible F. W. Grasmeyer is buried at Site 4.
5. Unknown. Sea shells cover grave. Divining rods show a female is buried here. According to Huldy Hulcher this is the grave of an old lady who lived with Grasmeyer. [photos for 4 and 5 may be reversed]
6. Unknown. Many scattered bricks.
7. Unknown
8. Urner, Charley, 2 Sep 1870 - 29 Apr 1905; name on south side of central stone; footstone: "C. U."
9. Urner, Ludmilla, 16 Feb 1875 - 12 Aug 1909, name on east side of central stone; footstone: "L. U."
10. Andrisek, Mary, 21 Apr 1885 - 8 Sep 1911, name on north side of central stone; # 8, 9, and 10 on same stone; footstone: "M. A."
11. Unknown, shaped stone base for monument, no monument present
12. Unknown
13. Unknown, shell covered grave
14. Richards, ___, infant of Ruben C. and Doshie (Freytag) Richards; marble stone
15. Richards, Doshie, 4 Jul 1885 - 22 Mar 1902. Gravestone epitaph: "She was a kind and affectionate wife. A fond mother and a friend to all." Fayette County Marriage Record, Vol. 9, page 432: Doshie Freytag married Ruben Richards 5 November 1901 by H. C. Ledbetter, Justice of the Peace. She was only 16 years, 8 months and 18 days old at the time of her death. Tombstones show she had two children, both dying as infants. She probably died of childbirth. Fayette County Death Records, Vol. 7, page 214: Ruben C. Richards was born 24 October 1877 to Edward and Margereth (Kellar) Richards. After Roshie died, he married a woman whose first name was Frances. Ruben died 30 January 1939 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Smithville, Texas.
16. Richards, Margereth, 10 Sep 1850 - 12 Nov 1903, Fayette county Marriage Record, Vol. D, page 131 shows Margereth Keller married Edward Richards 30 December 1871 by J. E. Woods, Ordained Minister
17. Richards, Edward, 5 Dec 1845 - 30 Aug 1920, dual granite stone with wife, Margereth. Last burial according to tombstone record.
18. Richards, ___, infant of R. C. And Doshie Richards. Divining rod shows: Male
19. Unknown
20. Unknown
21. Unknown, 4' X 8' broken down picket fence
22. Unknown, 4' X 7' delapidated picket fence, sandstone at foot
23. Habermann, Thresia, 10 Feb 1887 - 10 Feb 1887,
24. Unknown
25. Pavlas, Indrich, 9 Jan 1899 - 28 Aug 1902
26. Bischof, Lillie, 7 Mar 1893 - 2 Jun 1900
27. Ramsch, 1 Jan 1868 - 25 Jun 1892, wife of John Ramsch
28. Richards, Charley, 6 Apr 1886 - 6 Sep 1887
29. Richards, Frank, 7 Feb 1882 - 7 Sep 1882, earliest grave according to tombstone record
30. Richards, Alma, 2 Jul 1897 - 7 Aug 1899
31. Richards, Edward, 1 Apr 1907 - 14 May 1908
32. Richards, Teddy, 11 Apr 1894 - 5 Mar 1903
33. Unknown, Depression marked with a brick. Possibly "Etta" (Hall Roper who died in 1918 of Spanish Flu. Fayette County Marriage Record: Henrietta Hall married J. A. Roper 30 December 1894
34. Unknown. Possibly Ralph Hall, Fayette County Marriage Record: Ralph Hall married Lena Miller 9 November 1905. Died 19 Oct 1918.
35. Unknown. Possibly Andrew Jackson Hall who died about 1912 or 1914.
36. Unknown. Possibly Mary (Stone) Hall, wife of Andrew J. Hall, She died in 1918 of Spanish Flu. Rosie (Hall) Crepon stated her mother and father, Andrew and Mary Hall were buried next to their grandson, Billy Hall, son of Ed. Hall. She also stated that her mother, along with Ralph Hall and Etta (Hall) Roper died of Spanish Flu in 1918.
37. Hall, Billy, 31 Dec 1900 - 9 Jun 1902, son of Edward Hall
38. Unknown. depression marked with brick
39. Sheuer, August, 15 Jul 1856 - 19 Jul 1890
40. Unknown; broken iron fence
41. Pausewang, Friedricke, 30 Oct 1842 - 3 Jun 1900, nee Kanengisser
42. Pausewang, Esta, 11 Aug 1903 - 17 Jan 1904; dilapidated picket fence
43. Pauswang, Ida, 31 Jul 1875 - 30 Nov 1904, "Frau" on stone means she was married; dilapidated picket fence
44. Horak, Willie, 25 Dc 1899 - 6 Jul 1900, son of Frank and Josephine Harak
45. Unknown, Large boulder. Divining rods confirm there are remains here. Possibly Henry Hall who died prior to 1918.
