Cemeteries |
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Cemeteries |
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We are indebted to Kathy Carter, former director of the Fayette Heritage Archives and Museum, for the following cemetery information. In addition, the Archives staff will check their extensive cemetery database for you by e-mail. All you need is a surname. You do not need to know the name of the cemetery.If you have a photograph or information about a cemetery you'd like to contribute, please contact Rox Ann Johnson.
Pagel Cemetery
Willow Springs
Historic Texas Cemetery
See background information, photos, an annotated list of burials and a map of the Pagel Cemetery.
Parr Family Cemetery
Winchester
According to the JoeCole Cemetery Survey of 9/4/1958, this site is "two miles south of Winchester on the north bank of Spring Branch just above the spring. Property owned by Rudy Mitschke. One lone grave. Has had a galvanized wire fence; the fence is missing. Large pecan trees. Info from Louis Null, M. V. Harris. Across a little branch 100 yards east is the Parr Cemetery. This is a large cemetery with only 5 monuments left standing; others are all broken and falling down."
According to a report by Norman Krischke of 8/20/1968, the site was established on the Parr farm, later owned by Rudy Mitschke and in 1968 known as the Zilss farm. Krischke states: "Covers large acreage on hill NW in confluence of ___ Creek and old bed of Colorado. One grave with iron fence under large live oak tree. Many bricks scattered on ground indicating grave sites. Graves are scattered over a large area." Mr. Krischke lists the Jerrells grave, Cole does not.
List of marked burials:Jerrells, Fanoria A., 7 Aug 1871 - 16 Sep 1876, Daughter of A. H. & A. V. Jerrells
Parr, Elizabeth, 24 Sep 1832 - 18 Oct 1891
Parr, F. G., 16 Oct 1834 - 19 Jan 1871
Parr, Marshall H., 15 Jul 1828 - 20 Nov 1867
Parr, Mary J., 26 Dec 1855 - 17 Oct 1867, Daughter of T. T. & M. M. Parr
Parr, Sarah A. D., 11 Jan 1862 - 26 Jun 1868, Daughter of T. T. & M. M. Parr
Peeler Cemetery
High Hill
The following is taken from Graves, Graves, Graves, copyrighted 1999, with the permission of the author, Norman C. Krischke:
Squire Peeler died in 1854 and his estate was probated in March 1856 dividing the land among his wife and the seven children. Squire Peeler and Jane Peeler, who died during the latter part of 1883, are supposed to be buried in Peeler Cemetery about 200 yards east of Martin Guentert's house east of County Road 432 which was the old Peeler Road. Their graves were marked with tombstones as late as 1939 but the stones cannot be found today. Jane Peeler's estate of 400 acres in the Counself League was auctioned to her sons, Richmond and William Peeler 2 December 1884 for $14.45 per acre.
The cemetry is mentioned in Fayette County Deed Record, Vol. Y, page 614: John H. and Mary E. Forester, daughter of Squire and Jane Peeler, sold 149.3 acres of land in the H. S. Counsel League to Joseph Ripple for $2700.00 on 28 October 1872. The deed states: "We reserve one-half acre of land where the graveyard is, the boundarly lines to be established by us so as to secure the graveyard to ourselves."
Joe Cole, Smithville, Texas recorded this cemetery 20 July 1958 in his survey of Fayette County cemeteries. PEELER FAMILY CEMETERY 2 1/2 miles west of High Hill on a farm owned at present by Martin Guentert is the Peeler Cemetery. The graves are about 200 yards east of the Guentert house in a cotton field. I visited these graves 20 Jul 1958 along with Henry Beier and Martin Guentert. They said that about 20 years ago there were some monuments here and that some of the Peeler family came and cleaned the grass and brush from the stones. I could find no trace of the graves and no markers.
The cemetery was visited 25 October 1971 by the author and no tombstones could be found.
Picker Cemetery
Also known as Voelkel Cemetery
See photos, a list of burials and other information about the Picker Cemetery.
Pin Oak Cemetery
Also known as the Old Black Jack Springs Cemetery
Pine Grove Black Cemetery
WardaThis cemetery is located about a mile and a half from Warda at the end of county Road 154. It is fenced in about a 2 acre plot. There are probably many unmarked graves as there are a lot of sandstones, fieldstones, petrified wood and bricks throughout the site. Joe cole reports that the church had fallen down in 1958. We found no signs of a church but the outhouse was falling down when Kathy Carter and Helen Muras surveyed this cemetery on 9/25/1989.
Pine Springs Cemetery
View background information, photos, and a list of grave sites in Pine Springs Cemetery
Piney Creek Cemetery
Warda/Winchester
The Piney Creek Cemetery at 3031 Piney Creek Road was created as a family cemetery in October 2010. It lies about 1/4 mile from the road. At this time the only graves are those of Jack Dies Pyburn, Jr., August 19, 1930 - October 24, 2010, and his son, Clinton Pyburn.
Pitman Cemetery
Muldoon
See a description of the cemetery and photos of over 100 markers in the Pitman Cemetery.
Plum Catholic Cemetery
Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery
The Victoria Diocese searchable database includes Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery.
See photos of tombstones at Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery taken by Jessica Sims.
Old Plum Catholic Cemetery
Also known as Saints Peter and Paul Old Catholic Cemetery
View listing of gravesites in the Old Plum Catholic Cemetery.
Plum Grove Black Cemetery
Adjacent to Plum Grove Cemetery, West Point, Texas
29°57'01"N 97°01'23"W
This cemetery is located 4/10 mile off of County Road 109 on private property past an old house and a fenced area. The cemetery is 1/10 mile past the fenced area and is adjacent to the cemetery surrounded by hurricane fencing.
Norman Krischke surveyed and mapped this site in 1979. He recorded 81 burial sites with many being unidentified. See his booklet, "Old Plum Grove Cemetery 1839 & Criswell Family Cemetery," in the Plum Grove Cemetery, West Point folder in the cemetery files of the Fayette Heritage Archives.
Plum Grove Cemetery
Plum, TexasTexas Historical Commission Historical Marker
View list of grave sites and photos, including historical markers, at Plum Grove Cemetery near Plum.
Plum Grove Cemetery
West Point29°57'01"N 97°01'23"W
From the Historic Texas Cemetery marker:
OLD PLUM GROVE CEMETERY - WEST POINT
Old Plum Grove Cemetery began as a family burial ground. Texas pioneer John Y. Criswell buried his wife, Eleanor, on this site. The Criswell family was part of Stephen F. Austin’s Third Colony, which arrived in Texas by 1830. In 1839, the Plum Grove Baptist Church, which would become linked to the cemetery, formed. This was one of the earliest Baptist churches in the state of Texas. In 1851, John Click deeded land for the church and cemetery to the congregation. Church participation declined in the 1860s, and by the end of the decade, the congregation moved its place of worship. Soon, though, the nearby community of West Point started to grow and began using the burial ground. The earliest grave here dates to 1835. Other graves include those of military veterans involved in conflicts dating to the Texas Revolution. The cemetery had two sections – one where whites were interred and the other for African American burials. Today, as one cemetery, the site serves as a monument to the history of the surrounding communities. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2006
T.H. Johnson and Norman C. Krischke have conducted extensive research on this cemetery. Excerpts from their papers are below. Both researchers' papers are located in the Fayette Heritage Archives, La Grange, TX.
According to T.H. Johnson, compiler of data in 1975 concerning Old Plum Grove Cemetery near West Point, this cemetery had its origin on the grounds surrounding a church within a few months of the establishment of the Plum Grove (Hopewell) Baptist Church in April 1839 the first funeral and burial were held just a few feet away. The church building, 3/4 mile east of present day West Point, was located near the center of the cemetery. The size and shape of the building is not known. The oldest marked grave is for Albert Owen Scallorn who died August 11, 1839, 117 marked graves were found and others were marked with rocks or no identification. The actual number of graves is not known.
According to Norman Krischke, whose research and survey was done in 1979 and updated in 1996, the Old Plum Grove Cemetery is located in what was called Woods Prairie on the Norman Woods Survey and on the east edge of West Point, Texas.
Krischke states that the Criswell Family Cemetery is located within the church cemetery and that the site was established by John Y. Criswell, Sr. upon the burial of his wife, Eleanor, between July 1835 and February 1836. Krischke states that the Criswell site outdates the Plum Grove Baptist Church and Cemetery by one to four years. The area in which the cemetery is located was called Woods Prairie until someone discovered the initials J.D. carved into a plum tree. After that, the area was known as J.D. Grove and later Plum Grove. The church was named after the community. Rev. Z.N. Morrell preached his first sermon in Fayette County in William Scallorn's log cabin during the winter of 1838. This first service led to the organization of the church in April 1839 with Asiel Danser as the first pastor. The burial ground became the church cemetery soon after.
Krischke's report has much information about the people buried in the cemetery. Two of the most interesting are given here:
Colonel Cy Wilson, Dec 17, 1912 to Dec. 28, 1954, married Charleen Thornton, daughter of West Point, TX doctor Lyle G. Thornton, on June 30, 1938. They had 2 children: Texas State Representative John Thornton Wilson (now deceased) and Judy Wilson (Mrs. Mark) Walsh. Lt. Col. Cy Wilson was reported missing in action in Europe Aug. 27,1944. His plane was shot down but a friend wrote to Col. Wilson's wife and reported seeing him bail out and float down on a parachute over enemy waters. He had flown 78 combat missions over enemy territory. He was a POW for nine months. Col. Wilson was killed in a plane crash in Mississippi in December 1954. He was enroute to his base after spending the Christmas holidays in West Point. A dining hall at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas is named after him.
The other story is about Noah Karnes whose probable wife, Elizabeth Karnes 3-1-1802 to 2-3-1868, is buried in the cemetery. In 1836 just prior to the Battle of San Jacinto, Noah Karnes was with Sam Houston's Army as a rear guard somewhere between the Colorado and Brazos Rivers, probably near Round Top, Texas where the army was camped. During bayonet practice, Wayne Barton accidentally shot and killed Noah Karnes who was buried on the spot. The location of the grave is lost. Olivia Tuttle Willrich, a grandchild of Elizabeth Karnes, states: "Grandmother died in 1868 and is buried in a cemetery near West Point."
Mr. Krischke also mapped the cemetery. Names in the report with a "*" in the notes sections do not have tombstones. Their probable burial here is based on Krischke's research and theory. Krischke also mapped and surveyed the Negro Cemetery adjacent to the Baptist Cemetery. It is listed in the report entitled: Plum Grove Black Cemetery
According to site visit by Kathy Carter and Helen Muras on 10-20-1986: This cemetery is located 4/10 mile off County Road 109 which is off old Hiway 71 at West Point. It is on private property past an old house and a fenced area that may have at one time enclosed a church building. The cemetery is 1/10 mile past the fenced area and is surrounded by hurricane fencing. It was very overgrown and unkempt; due to these conditions we did not go into the cemetery but could see the stones. Kathy Carter visited this site again in the spring of 1992 and at that time the site was overgrown with tall grass and wildflowers. She did not do a full survey but did find some additional dates. [Joe Cole #018W]
View list of grave sites in Plum Grove Cemetery near West Point.Surnames include Allen, Aubrey, Belsha, Breeden, Browning, Bush, Cain, Carter, Collum, Criswell, Daniels, Darby, Dunn, Easterling, Faires, Faries, Farouhar, Farris, Flora, Folkes, Frierson, Gorden, Gregory, Guess, Hall, Hamilton, Harper, Hatfield, Hubbard, Jackson, Jakesch, Johnson, Kahn, Karnes, Kidd, Kirk, Kocurek, Lewis, Marshall, Maxwell, McDonnel, Miller, Moore, Morris, O'Daniel, Rhem, Sawyer, Scallorn, Simpson, Solenburg, Spier, Swenson, Taylor, Thomas, Thornton, Tolbirt, Underwood, Williams, Wilson, Young.
R. R. Criswell included Krischke's booklet as part of his family history, Criswell Family Among Early Settlers and Heroes of Texas History. View this history online at the Brigham Young University Library Web Site. Click on "Old Plum Grove Cemetery" to view the pertinent pages. The title page from the cemetery booklet was not included, but you can see copies of most pages from the booklet.
Post Oak Cemetery
The Post Oak Cemetery is enclosed by a fence about a quarter mile south of Post Oak Road at a location 1.5 miles west of FM 2145. There once was a church about one hundred yards north of the cemetery. The oldest marked grave belongs to Henry Heinecke who died in 1901.
Praha Catholic Cemetery
St. Mary Cemetery
See photos and a partial list of burials at the Praha Catholic Cemetery.
Photo courtesy of Fayette Heritage Archives & Museum
Praha S.P.J.S.T. Cemetery
Also known as Slavonic Cemetery
See list of burials at Praha S.P.J.S.T. Cemetery.
Prairie Valley Cemetery
Prairie Valley Road, West Point
See text of historical marker and list of burials in the Prairie Valley Cemetery.
Primm Black Cemetery
Kirtley
This site is near Primm Family Cemetery [Joe Cole #015W], on the west bank of Barton's Creek. It was a large Negro cemetery but no signs of it can be found today [Feb 1958]. It was the burying ground for the slaves of Dr. William Primm. It was located just a little north and east of Anton Elias house about 50 yards in a field. Joe Cole was told of this cemetery by Doug Stoglin who said his grandfather, Lewis Stoglin is buried here and that Lewis Stoglin was a slave of Dr. Primm and was brought to Texas from Wildsville, La. when he was a young boy. -- Joe Cole #045 W, Feb 1958
Primm Family Cemetery
Kirtley
This cemetery is located near Kirtley. It is surrounded by an iron fence on land originally owned by Dr. William Primm. It was once in the middle of a pasture, however Kathy Carter and Helen Muras could not locate this site on October 26, 1986. All they found was a large gravel pit. Since then, the cemetery has been located approximately 3,000 feet East of the intersection of Hwy 71 and Kirtley Rd., at 29°57'58.3"N 97°05'17.7"W.
There are still four headstones in various states of repair. The names listed below were compiled from Joe Cole's Survey in 1958 and from Norman Krischke's report in 1965. There must be many more burials at this site as Dr. primm may be buried here as well as more of his children.
List of burials
Primm, Alice 22 Jan 1902 - 24 Aug 1904, daughter of V. H. & Minnie
Primm, Frances, died at age 12 from yellow fever, sister to Jim
Primm, Jim, died 24 Dec 1915
Primm, Seelia, died 12 Jan 1868, age 63 years
Primm, St. John, died 11 Oct 1880, died at spring water, Fayette Co., TX age 50 years
unidentified, 20 May 1865 - 12 Jan 1868Psencik Cemetery
Cistern, Old Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Cemetery
View listing of grave sites in the Psencik Cemetery.
Rabb Family Cemetery
Chapman Ranch, Rabb's Prairie
In 1958 Joe Cole reported: "Oswald Hobratschk Farm, Rabb's Prairie This cemetery is called Masa Donia Hill. It shows to be a fairly large cemetery with a wire fence which has fallen down. There is only one monument left; it is: Adam Reagan, died Feb. 24, 1894, age 69 years. This cemetery is on a very high hill, very thick brush and I could find no road that would lead to this cemetery. The only way I found it was to walk which is about 0.5 mile from the road that leaves Rabb's Prairie leading to Highway 77. I think this is where William Rabb and his wife are buried. Adam Reagan had married a Rabb or wether his mother was a Rabb. Anyway Reagan was related to the Rabb's and from what I was told, I feel certain that William Rabb is buried here. This is one cemetery that would be impossible to find without some person to direct you to it as the only stone is completely covered by brush." [Joe Cole #033E]
Mr. Cole wrote the following to Walter Freytag in a letter dated 2-2-1959: "No. 33 (Rabb Family Cemetery) is the most forgotten and lonesome place I ever visited and I have a queer feeling I think here is where some of our oldest settlers are buried. The Croff (Croft) sisters think this is where their great-grandparents, the Rabb's, are. I wish there was some way to tell just who is buried here. The old Negro Henry McEntire who lives on Miller Creek said that Virge Croft once while passing buy this cemetery with him went up to the cemetery and told him that the Rabb's were buried here."
Rabb Cemetery in 2006, photographed by Gary McKee
In 1997, Kathy Carter visited the cemetery with Ada & Victor Wegenhoft and Betty Newman Wauer, descendants of the Rabb family. It is located on private property belonging to Wayne Chapman and there is a gravel road near the site. The gravel road leaves off of Schubert Road. The Reagan stone is still standing. Two funeral home type markers have been placed for Melissa & Ulysses Rabb.
The report lists family relationships taken from the book, Rabb Odyssey, by Victor C. Wegenhoft. The book is available in the Fayette Heritage Archives.
Francis Rabb Grave
Ryza Farm, Rabb's Prairie
According to the Joe Cole Cemetery Survey of 1958, this grave is on the Joe Ryza farm at Rabb's Prairie. Cole states: "It is impossible to say if there are other graves here. I made a close examination of the location and found no other evidence of other graves. Francis M. (Marion) Rabb was the third son and the fourth child of John & Mary Rabb. John & Mary had 10 (9) children. This grave is on the west bank of a little branch. The stone has been taken up and laid by a tree at present. There has been a cedar picket fence around the grave. The grave is 150 yards from the John Rabb log cabin northwest across the road from the old John Rabb home. This little grave will be washed away in the future if the branch does not change its course." [Joe Cole #031E]
He later stated in a letter to Walter Freytag dated 2-2-1959: "No. 31 (Francis Rabb Grave) is the little child of John & Mary Rabb. Just why they put this child here is a mystery that may never be solved. But it looks like they would of taken him 1/2 mile further and placed him with the others. I think the Rabb's would do something for this grave if they knew where it is."
The grave is located in a pasture now owned by Ron and Carolyn Osborn. More information about the Rabb family can be found in the book, Rabb Odyssey, by Victor C. Wegenhof at the Fayette Heritage Archives.
Reaves - English Public Cemetery
Muldoon
Joe Cole states (ca 1958): "Reaves or English cemetery, Public, on Jack Young Creek on the old Lightenburg place. Very old, one graved marked 1845. Three marble stones; one is John Walker Williford."
Blane Scott Byler of La Grange, whose family has property in the area of this site, knows where the cemetery is located.
Only identified grave:Williford, John Walker, 21 Feb 1820 - 28 Feb 1875, grandfather of Mrs. Lee Hart of Muldoon
Rector Family
Cistern, also known as Grays Cemetery, Richter Cemetery, Compton Cemetery, Comfort Cemetery, Old Hardshell Baptist Cemetery
See listing of grave sites at the Rector Cemetery.
Richters Cemetery
Also known as Richter Hill Cemetery
Round Top
See photos and information about the Richters Cemetery.
Rigsby Family Cemetery
Colony
According to Joe Cole's report [#004W] of March 9, 1958, this site is: "Two graves 2 1/2 miles east of Colony across the road from the old Russell Allen place near an old house where the Rigsby family once lived. The graves are in a rock vault which has fallen in now."
Juan Rios Grave
Muldoon
The following is taken from Graves, Graves, Graves, copyrighted 1999, with the permission of the author, Norman C. Krischke:
There is a railroad worker's grave located about three miles north of Muldoon, west of Farm Road 154 and the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks and just north of County Road 3-140. The site is situated on the M. Muldoon League #5.
Joe Cole recorded this grave in his Spiral Notebook No. 1, West of the Colorado River, Site No. 20 as follows:
"20. A lone grave of a Mexican killed by a train 3 miles north of Muldoon, Tex., on the West Point road at a road that leads west from the main road. West side of a railroad near a post oak tree. G. W. Cole (Joe's grandfather and J.P. at Muldoon) held the inquest over this Mexican in 1895."
An attempt was made in May 1970 to located the grave near the post oak tree without results.
Emil Farek stated on 28 March 1972 that the Mexican worked for the railroad and died of heat exhaustion.
Dr. Ira Syler, Schulenburg, said he saw a grave marker there about November 1971 which was closer to County Road 3-140 than to the post oak tree.
Another attempt was made in April 1972 to locate the grave with positive results. There is a broken headstone in the shape of a cross lyingon the ground with the name: JUAN RIOS. Also there is a footstone without markings of any kind. There were no dates on the headstone.
Juan Rios' grave is located 90 feet north of County Road 3-140 and 35 feet west of the fence along the Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way.
The post oak tree is situated 270 feet north of County Road 3-140.
Itasca Rives Grave
La Grange
Information for this burial is taken from a funeral notice for Itasca Rives, daughter of N. C. & S. E. Rives. Funeral to take place at 4 o'clock from the residence of P. V. Shaw. Burial services at the house. La Grange, May the 9th 1876.
From Kathy Carter's research, July 1995, Itasca Rives must have been born between Feb 1870 and 9 May 1876. Her parents, Natt C. and Seymoura Shaw Rives are buried in the Old La Grange City Cemetery.
Robinson Family Cemetery
Also known as the Old Rutersville Cemetery
See background information and photos of individual markers in the Robinson Cemetery.
Ross Cemetery
Ellinger/Ross Prairie
The Joe Cole Cemetery Survey of June 12, 1959 reports this site to be "about twelve miles south of La Grange on Ross Creek on land owned by Joe Syptak [S. A. Anderson League]. There are no dates but a few sandstones in a thicket of briars and brush. About 14 graves here. Here is where Captain James J. Ross is buried. He was killed about 1/4 mile across Ross Creek from the cemetery. The Ross log house is still in use but has been moved up creek about 1 1/2 miles and at present used for a barn. Ross was not the first grave here." E. R. Katrola, John Divin, Orange Gay, Jr. provided Cole with information.
Names and dates for a list of probable burials in the Ross Cemetery was taken from extensive research done by O. G. McClain (gg-grandson of James J. Ross). McClain's research was done in order to get a Texas Historical Commission marker for James J. Ross. This marker is located at the intersection of Highway 71 and FM 955.
JAMES J. ROSS
Born in South Carolina in about 1787, James Jeffres Ross was a member of the "Old Three Hundred." He arrived in Stephen F. Austin's colony in late 1822 or early 1823, moving onto the league granted him near Eagle Lake in Colorado County. In 1828 he moved to the S. A. Anderson League and built a home about one mile southwest of this site. Col. Ross, as he was known, soon assumed a position of leadership as captain of the militia of the Colorado District. He was a delegate to the second convention at San Felipe in 1833 and was one of those appointed in 1834 to help obtain Austin's release from imprisonment in Mexico. He helped establish a stage line and a stop that became the town of Fayetteville. An important figure during the early years of settlement in this part of the state, Ross was a successful farmer, rancher, trader, and merchant. Ross Prairie and Ross Creek, both in this vicinity, bear his name. He was killed by angry neighbors in January 1835 for sheltering Indians at his home and was buried in nearby Ross Cemetery. His home, which came to be known as the Ross/Martinek House, was owned by Czech immigrant Joseph Martinek and his descendants for nearly seventy years.
All of Mr. McClain's research is available in the Fayette Heritage Archives.
This picturesque cemetery lies just east of Hwy 159 at Rutersville on Old College Road.
Rutersville Cemetery
Rutersville College Cemetery
The cemetery is located on the scenic hill where Rutersville College once stood. From Rutersville, take Old College Road one mile east. The cemetery is enclosed within a chain link fence.
The pictured marker reads
RUTERSVILLE COLLEGE, the First Methodist and Protestant College in Texas founded 1840. On this site Rutersville College was founded. Its first President was Reverend Chauncy Richardson whose body lies buried near here. Born in Vermont 1802. Died in Fort Bend County, Texas April 11, 1852. The marker and cemetery inclosure [sic.] erected by the Southwest Conference of the Methodist Church in 1949.
See more about the Rutersville College and Cemetery.
