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. Most of these cemeteries were visited by Kathy Carter, Helen Muras and Annette Ruckert in the late 1980s and early 1990s. 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.All cemetery photos by Rox Ann Johnson unless otherwise noted. If you have a photograph or information about a cemetery you'd like to contribute to this site, please contact Rox Ann.
Taylor Family Cemetery
La Grange
29°53'14"N 96°54'00"W
According to Norman Krischke this site is just NW of Buckner's Creek 1 1/2 miles WSW of La Grange. It is 1/2 mile SE of the old Guenther Airfield on the north bank of Buckner's Creek.
Joe Cole reports on July 12, 1958 that the site has an iron fence and only one monument with three names on it (Celia E., Flora, & J.O.). Mr. Cole gives complete birth and death dates. The cemetery sits about 200 yards from Buckners Creek on a sandy knoll. At one time there was a large live oak tree just outside the iron fence but it has been cut down. [Joe Cole Survey #090W]
According to Taylor family papers in the Freytag Collection and research done by Kathy Carter in 2/93 & 12/98 other names have been added to this cemetery as probably buried here. John W. Taylor's obituary in the La Grange Journal of 10-8-1903 states that he is buried in the family burial grounds.
Freytag papers state that Celia Chew Taylor's parents, Benjamin S. and Mary Kirk Chew are buried here. They have not been located in any other cemetery that we know of. Benjamin Chew's second wife, Elizabeth, preceded him in death and is probably here too. It is probable that John W. Taylor's second wife Laura Lowd is buried here as well as his 3rd wife Annie Lewis.
The 1880 Fayette County Census lists J.W. and Laura with 8 children: Wesley, Warren, Johnny, Annie, Fannie, Laura, Hattie, & Willy. All of the children except Laura & Willy are later mentioned in J.W. Taylor's will, so it is probable that Laura and Willy died young and are also buried here. Willy died at age nine on 8-7-1887 according to his newspaper obituary in the La Grange Journal, 8-18-1887.
Contact the archives for Taylor & Chew family abstracts.
Sign on pedestal at cemetery:
Here on the quiet bank of Buckner's Creek none of La Grange's early settlers lie in peace. Burials began in the early 1800's and continued until the turn of the century.
Included is John Wesley Taylor who arrived from Tennessee at an early age, near the time of the bloody battle of the Alamo. He became a major property owner, ran La Grange's first cotton gin which was located about a mile from where you are standing. He operated the first ferry that crossed the Colorado River where the river bridge is presently located. John became a partner in founding La Grange's first utility company. His wife, Celia, was the daughter of famous Virginia Indian fighter Benjamin Chew and the granddaughter of Kentucky born Captain William Mosely Eastland, Texas war hero in the fight for independence from Mexico. William is buried and honored on Monument Hill, the high bluff to your immediate left as you face this sign. Prior to his death, William built Fayette County's first sawmill.
These enterprising early pioneers who stood up for their rights, fought for our freedom from Mexico, battled marauding Indians, endured the Civil War and the difficulties of day-to-day unpleasantness associated with life on the frontier are remembered and appreciated by their family and friends. God bless their souls.
Known burials at the Taylor Family Cemetery:
Taylor, J. O., 6 Aug 1866 - 17 Sep 1867, child of J. W. & C. E. Taylor
Taylor, Flora A., 26 Nov 1860 - 1 Sep 1862, daughter of J. W. & C. E. Taylor
Taylor, Celia E., 31 Dec 1836 - 25 Jan 1875, wife of John W. TaylorResearch of Fayette County probate records by Walter P. Freytag suggests the following people probably buried in the Taylor Family Cemetery:
Chew, Benjamin, died 17 May 1861
Chew, Mary Kirk, died 11 May 1845, first grave in cemetery
Taylor, John Wesley, Mar 1835 - 30 Sep 1903
Taylor, Laura (Lowd), 1855 - 17 Jun 1882, second wife of John W. Taylor
Taylor, Laura, 1877 - after 1880, daughter of J. W. & Laura Lowd Taylor
Taylor, Willy, 1878 - after 1880, son of J. W. & Laura Lowd Taylorfrom leaflet, Taylor Family Cemetery, Fayette County, Texas, by Norman C. Krischke, 1995
Thulemeyer Graves?
Freyburg
Taken from Graves, Graves, Graves, copyrighted 1999, with the permission of the author, Norman C. Krischke:
Mrs. Willie Lobpries, High Hill, reported by telephone 7 August 1973 that there are two graves on the Charles Roeder place once owned by Joseph Dittrich. Charlie A. Prilop's wife, Louiserine (Bremer) Birdwell who married Charlie Prilop 19 December 1948, and her aunt Minnie (Bremer) Lange, who married William Lange 21 February 1905, visited the graves some time ago. The graves are of twins but I have no name for them.
Fred and Ed. Dittrich provided this information 18 August 1973: Joseph Dittrich, our father, bought the place from Theodore and Selma Thulemeyer in 1908. Thulemeyer said, at the time, "There are two graves on the property, graves of twins." Father cleaned out the [thicket] of live oak and hackberry saplings southwest of the barn near the west fence, when he bought the place. He left the cedar tree there. At the time he told us, "Twins are buried here."
Fayette County Deed Record, Vol. 85, page 156: "Theodore and Selma Thulemeyer for $4177.60 by payments, sell and convey 119.36 acres ($35.00 per acre) in the Richard Smith League to Joseph Dittrich on 29 October 1908."
Louiserine was a daughter of Henry and Selma (Leifeste) Bremer and Minnie was a sister of Henry Bremer. Their visit to the graves could mean the children buried there are of the Bremer family.
Most likely, the graves are children of Theodore and Selma Thulemeyer since the graves were there in 1908.
Trousdale Grave
Mullins Prairie
According to the Joe Cole Cemetery Survey of 1958:
We will call this cemetery Trousdale as this was the only marker that I could find that had a name and date. I was told how to locate this cemetery by Mr. Garlin Polasek and Willie Jackson, a colored man. The graves are on a very high bluff on the west bank of the Colorado River on the Brown estate 1 1/2 miles north of Mullins Prairie. The graves are enclosed by a rock wall 2 feet high at present. No doubt but the wall was several feet higher at one time. There must be at least 10 or 12 graves. The only one that is left with a name and date is (see below). Here I found the first wild pepper I have seen in several years. It grows waist high on this grave. I could learn nothing about the Trousdale family in this neighborhood.
Only marked grave:
Trousdale John, 8 Aug 1808 - 21 Apr 1870, born in Murry County, Tennessee
Unknown Grave
Park
Taken from Graves, Graves, Graves, copyrighted
1999, with the permission of the author, Norman C. Krischke:
There is a single grave in a wood grave frame on Lakeview Road off FM-159 about 3.5 miles west of Fayetteville. A private sign at FM-159 proclaims this road as "The Bluebonnet Trail" and has names on it of some people living on the trail. There is no tombstone, however, there is a wooden picket grave fence 4.5. feet wide and 7 feet long. There is a 2-feet gate at one end. The fence is put together with mortise & Tenon joints which are pegged. The pickets are nailed on with square nails. The top rail is 2" X 4" and the bottom rail is 2" X 10". There are three live oak trees at the site.
Photo contributed by Michelle Crider
Joe Cole recorded this grave 20 August 1959:
"A lone grave on the Joe Kirsch estate, property owned by C. W. Harlfinger at present. This is the grave of a child, no marker. The grave is in a picket fence under a large live oak tree near a well. The grave is 4 miles east of Halsted, Texas. I was told the child was of the Speckels family."
Please contact Rox Ann if you know the identity of the person buried here.
Unknown Graves
Schulenburg
Taken from Graves, Graves, Graves, copyrighted 1999, with the permission of the author, Norman C. Krischke:
Frank Hradnicky, who lives about four miles west of Schulenburg on the south side of State Highway 90, state 15 August 1970 that his father, Vinca (Jim) Hradnicky spoke of a grave, possibly a slave, in the first field east of his house. The grave was seen 2 to 300 yards east of the house. This house is located 3.5 miles west of Schulenburg on a south side of the highway. Also Vinca spoke of a slave grave down on Brushy Creek. At this same house was a molasses press; the ruins of which can still be seen.
August Beck, who lives several miles to the north says that he heard talk of a slave buried in a field. "Watch you don't plow over a Negro grave" was the admonishment to Vinca Hradnicky.
Also Beck says there are graves of white people farther west. He personally saw two graves there while hunting when he was youngster about 1925. The graves had wooden headboards 2" thick, 14" wide and 6' erect in the soil.
Wagner Children's Graves
5 miles south of Round Top
According to the Joe Cole Cemetery Survey of June 10, 1959, these two graves on Mrs. Reginald Hackemack's farm are the children of Oscar Wagner. The graves are near a large cedar tree near a field. Mr. Cole located these graves with the help of Henry Wagner. -- Joe Cole #71E
Waldeck Cemetery
Texas Historical Commission Marker
View list of grave sites in the Waldeck Cemetery.
Old Warda Lutheran Cemetery
Also known as Old Holy Cross Lutheran Cemetery
Joe Cole [#38E] visited this site on 2-17-1959 and stated: "Henry Dunk Farm. Two miles west of Warda, Texas. Old cemetery of Holy Cross Lutheran Church; partly destroyed; badly neglected; a few stones broken. One child grave: Carl August Kasper, infant, 2 months old."
A listing has been taken from the book, A History of Lee County, page 416. It gives the cemetery the title of "Holy Cross Cemetery, 1873 - 1881." Located near Lee-Fayette County Line on Highway 77.
Webb Cemetery
Mullins Prairie
This new cemetery at 7010 Anton Salas Loop contains the graves of Mark A. Webb, 22 Jan 1958 - 27 Feb 2001, and his wife, Sharon Dopslauf Webb, 17 Jun 1958 - 10 Nov 2004.
Weber Grave
Originally located near Biegel Settlement
The following is taken from Norman C. Krischke's booklet, Biegel Settlement, copyrighted 1999:
"Not much is known about Adolph Daniel Weber [born 1875]. He died 30 April 1887 and was originally buried on land south of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad and west of a branch of Cedar Creek eight tenths of a miles almost due south of the Kroll Place at Biegel Settlement.
His remains were disinterred in 1975 in preparation to build the Fayette power Plant and moved to Lot 375 in the new La Grange City Cemetery. His grave does not have a tombstone, however, the location immediately south of Albert and Amelia Webber, was determined by Diving Rods."
The following can be found in the files of the Fayette Heritage Museum & Archives:
"According to the Joe Cole Cemetery of 1959 this is possibly one of four sites as follows:
#117E "Two and one-half miles northeast of Halsted, Texas on property of Edgar Roitsch is a family graveyard. On August 20, 1959, we made a search for this cemetery for several hours; no location made. No info. Some evidence of a cemetery on a little branch but not positive. Was told of this cemetery by several different people in that neighborhood."
#121E "On the Joe Kirsch estate, property owned by C.W. Harlfinger at present there is a grave of a child, no marker. A picket fence around the grave under a large live oak tree near a well. The grave is four miles east of Halsted, Texas. Was told the child was of the Spieael (Speckels?) family.
#122E "Three miles west of Park, Texas on the Bennie Schmidt farm is a very old cemetery. No info about this cemetery. There are no graves with dates or names. This cemetery has been destroyed and the stones taken away."
#123E "Three and one-half miles southwest of Park, Texas in a pasture on land owned by Mrs. Bernice Zapalac. There are seven graves in an iron fence, no markers, no info of the graves. Very old. The graves are south of a dirt road leading from Park to Halsted on a little creek bank. Very thick underbrush, hard to locate. August 23, 1959." [Joe Cole #117E; 121E; 122E; or 123E]
In 1973-1974 the Lower Colorado River Authority of Austin purchased land in Fayette County for the construction of the Fayette Power Project. Several cemeteries were in the boundaries of the project acreage. All the affected burials were disinterred and moved to new sites. Descendants of the deceased were contacted and signed permits were obtained to allow the work to proceed. More than 125 burial sites were involved in the relocation project. The bodies were moved to the New La Grange City Cemetery; Old La Grange City Cemetery; New La Grange Black Cemetery; Fayetteville City Cemetery, New Biegel-December Family Cemetery (on LCRA property); Nordheim Cemetery in De Witt County; and the New Spring Hill Missionary Colored Baptist Church Cemetery.
Research done by LCRA identified the grave of Adolph Daniel Weber in the project area. He was moved to the New La Grange City Cemetery into the Weber family plot."
Weyand Cemetery
Round Top/Winedale
See a photo and annotated list of burials in the Weyand Cemetery.
Williams Family Cemetery
Winchester
This cemetery is located on the Williams farm 2 1/2 miles east of Winchester off FM 153. The site is under several large oak trees and is fenced. Joe Cole Survey says there are 9 graves plainly seen and possibly several others. Kathy Carter visited this cemetery 9/14/1989 with Cynthia Mueller and Dr. Stephen Williams. There were two marked graves, an unmarked double plot outlined in rock 2 1/2 feet tall and a one foot tall stone that could be a footstone at another grave.
Deborah Smith adds to this information that Dr. William Marshall Love, who died in 1869, and his first wife, Elizabeth Blair English Love, who died in 1856, are among those buried in the Williams Family Cemetery. Marc Conan Wood is in possession of a journal which contains a letter written October 20, 1925 by Leslie D. Williams of Bastrop to Miss Inez Wood. In the letter, Williams wrote: "Dr. Love and his wife (I believe Elizabeth K. Love) are buried about three miles from Winchester, Tex. on the old Blair place. Their graves are marked with suitable markers. The place on which they were buried is now owned by William Estill Williams, who is my father's brother." Evidently, the markers have since disappeared. The Blair place referred to was that of Jonathan Blair, Elizabeth Love's father, who bought the property of 400 acres from John Ingram and passed away in 1842. Elizabeth "Minerva" Williams, whose grave is marked, was a granddaughter of Jonathan Blair. Her parents were Sarah Blair and Rev. John Miller. Stephen Williams was the father of William Ulysses Williams, Minerva's husband.
The text from the historical marker at the cemetery:
STEPHEN WILLIAMS
A veteran of the War of 1812, Stephen Williams left his native North Carolina and followed the path of a major migration movement to Georgia and Alabama before coming to Texas in 1832. In 1843 he received a Texas land grant in Washington County, where he established himself as a prominent landowner and ardent member of the Baptist Church. He is best remembered for his role in the early development of the Baptist faith in Texas as a founding member of the Texas Baptist Education Society. Williams' Fayette County farmstead remained in his family for over 115 years. [1992]
Marked Graves:
Williams, Stephen, 1786 - 1846, Pvt. 6 Regt. Miss. Militia, War of 1812
Williams, Elizabeth Minerva Miller, 16 May 1830 - 10 June 1868, wife of W. U. Williams
Williams Creek Cemetery
Bluff Area
Winchester Lutheran Cemetery
Winchester Public Cemetery
Winchester
See photos and information about the Winchester Public Cemetery.
Windmeyer Family Cemetery
Bluff
According to Joe Cole who found this site on June 20, 1958 it is located: "On a dirt road leading from Monument Hill to Cedar Cemetery on the south side of the road across from the Gus Hausmann place on Mrs. Louis Eck's place there is a spot with two graves with evergreen gowing on them. No markers. Was told by Mrs. Eck that they were graves of the Windmire family. Gus Hausmann and wife also told of these graves."
In December 1992, an oil landman doing deed research brought us copies of papers that referred to a deed transferred in 1883 that stipulated "... a small portion of the aforesaid premises to a family burial ground, now under enclosure, the same is to be in future respected a such burial ground ..."
According to her probated will, Louise Sophie Windmeyer died in 1874 and is assumed to be buried here. According to her husband's will, Hermann Heinrich Windmeyer died in 1890 "while in San Antonio, Bexar County where he was seeking medical treatment" probably for blindness. He is possibly buried here. Additional census and probate research done by Kathy Carter in December 1995 is available at the Fayette Heritage Museum & Archives.
David Austin, a great-great-grandson of the Windmeyers, adds that Herman Heinrich Windmeyer, 30 Nov 1810 - 4 Nov 1890, and Louise "Sophie" Windmeyer, 23 Jun 1807 - 5 Jul 1874, (the latter born in Minden, Germany) came to Texas around 1857 with five children. Mrs. Louis Eck, mentioned above, lived on the south side of Creamer's Creek Road, just west of the entrance to Panorama Estates. The property is now owned by James Elias and there are several houses built across the road from there.
Winter Family Graves
High Hill
According to a report and mapping done by Norman Krischke (1/26/1973) the graves are located 1 mile north of St. Mary's Catholic Church on James Vecera's property which is on the west side of FM 2672.
A Winter descendant, Mrs. Isabella Nordhausen, told Krischke about the graves. The Winters settled in the area around 1869 and shortly after they arrived Henrietta gave birth to stillborn twins. At that time the road in front of their place was only 20 feet wide and near the road was a grapevine and they buried the twins under the vine. Later the road was widened and the grave is now in the road. After the twins, Karl and Henrietta had 9 more children.
Mrs. Nordhausen told Krischke that the grave on the Winter place next to the fence is that of Karl and Henrietta Winter's 4th child, daughter Emma who died at age 2 from whooping cough and was buried on the home place. The grave was first marked with a cedar tree which had grown quite large but was blown down during a storm and a post was used to mark the site. there never was a stone with her name on it. Krischke found evidence of the grave in a grove of hackberry trees along a fence line north of Vecera's home. It was located 77 paces south of the north property line and 63 paces west of their east fence.
Krischke reports that other members of the Winter family are buried at High Hill Protestant and Salem Memorial at Freyburg cemeteries.
According to census research done by Kathy Carter on 1/26/1993 a Charles (age 36) and Henrietta (age 23) Winters were living in Washington County in 1870. The census is dated 8-17-1870. No children were listed. He was born in Saxony and she in Hanover.
In 1880, a Chas. (age 49 & born in Saxony) and Henrietta (age 29 & born in Prussia) Winter were living in Fayette County with their children: August, age 9; Henrietta, age 7; Mary, age 5; Lena age 3. The census is dated 6-28-1880.
The ages of Karl (born 8-17-1829) and Henrietta (born 2-24-1850) o not match up with their birth dates in 1870 but are closer in 1880. August was born 11-25-1870 and if the 1870 & 1880 census are of the same people, the twins had to have been born after August but Mrs. Nordhausen's statements dispute that. There is no written proof that any Winter family members are actually buried at these sites.
Wolle Family Cemetery
near Halsted, Texas
This family cemetery is located on the (1999) property of Mr. and Mrs. Terry Stewart whose cattle guard is located on the Halsted road 0.7 miles east of the railroad tracks at old Halsted. The cemetery is 0.3 mile from the gate on the right side of the entrance drive. The house, barn, smokehouse, and well date back to 1861 when Carl and Agnes Wolle had the house and outbuildings constructed by contractor Grassmeyer. The oldest graves is dated 1861 when Agnes Wolle's mother Christine Wertzner Plietzsch died. The house burned about 1930 but has been restored. It was often referred to as the Rock House.
See Norman C. Krischke's 1999 report "Carl W. and Agnes (Plietzsch) Wolle" for more family information. It is located in the WOLLE CEMETERY file in the Fayette Heritage Archives. [Joe Cole #114E]
According to Norman C. Krischke's booklet, Biegel Settlement, copyrighted 1999, the following are buried in the Wolle Family Cemetery:
Plietzsch, Christine B., 3 Apr 1790 - 10 Jan 1861, mother of Agnes C. Wolle and sister of Christian G. Wertzner
Michel, Gottlieb, 26 Oct 1834 - 15 Oct 1868, friend of Wolle Family
Wolle, Agnes C., 31 Jan 1821 - 2 Jul 1907, wife of Carl W. Wolle
Wolle, Anna E. H., 28 Aug 1862 - 25 Aug 1885, nee Vogelsang, wife of Carl Wolle, Jr., died of slow fever
Wolle, August, 1869 - 1869, aged 2 weeks, son of Carl & Agnes Wolle, marked only by a sandstone rock
Wolle, Carl W., 28 Feb 1823 - 4 Jun 1870
Wolle, Emilie L., 7 Dec 1867 - 24 Oct 1885, daughter of Carl & Agnes Wolle, died of slow fever
Wolle, Hermann C., 4 Feb 1865 - 29 Jul 1866, son of Carl & Agnes WolleOn a metal plaque affixed to the iron fence of Michel's grave: "Carl Gottlieb Michel, b. 1834, weaver, wife Johanna Christiana Louisa Ro[e]ssler, b. 1837, dau. Augusta, b. 1861 and son Ernst Gustav, b. 1866, left Spitzkunnendorf, near Dresden, Germany, sailed 13 weeks on the "Bark Texas" from Bremen, Arr. Galveston Dec. 1867. Carl died Oct. 1868 at Biegel's Settlement, Fayette Co, TX. Son Ernst Louie b. Jan 1869, Louisa m. Botlumier Charpentier; issue: Minna, Emil, Emma and Ernst Herman. Louisa d. 1880, buried Nordheim, Texas." [See Charpentier Family Cemetery]
Woods Prairie Cemetery
West Point, TX
View photos, description, and a list of grave sites in the Woods Prairie Cemetery.
Wroe Family Cemetery
Six miles east of Winchester
According to the Joe Cole Cemetery Survey of Feb. 17, 1959, this site is on the Albert Walther farm on the west bank of Boone's Creek on a little gravel hill. This farm was owned by the Wroe family in 1880. There are three graves with stones enclosed by an iron fence. There are four other graves with no markers."
Wroe, H. S., 1803 - 1880
Wroe, Mary, 1813 - 1875
Wroe, Marye, 1875 - 1876
Zachery Family Cemetery
Seven miles SE of La Grange
Joe Cole states: Seven miles southeast of La Grange on what is known as the old Amberg farm owned at present by time (1959) by Rudolph Giese of La Grange can be found some graves under a large oak tree near a gravel pit. Possibly 12 to 15 graves; only three with dates. One is marked JZ; other is MZ; the other stone has the name Honie Martin scratched on a sandstone. Could get no other information about this old cemetery only that it had been there before this generation came along. Location made August 20, 1959 through the help of Joe Syptak and E.R. Katrola. [Joe Cole #113E]
Research done by Kathy Carter in March 1999 indicated that this could be the graves of the Zachery & Martin families who lived in this area according to the 1870 & 1880 Fayette County Census. They were African American.
Zion Lutheran Cemetery
Also known as the Kaase Family Cemetery or Kiesling Family Cemetery
Swiss Alp
29°46'55"N 96°56'11"W
Historic Texas Cemetery
The Zion Lutheran Cemetery, also known as the Kaase Family Cemetery or Kiesling Family Cemetery is located at the intersection of FM 3171 and Swiss Alp Hall Road about 2 miles west of Swiss Alp. It sits on a hill. The church building sat to the west of the cemetery. The building was moved to Schulenburg in December 1946. A chain-link fence surrounds the cemetery with the entrance on the west side.
On January 7, 1879 George Knippa sold 22 3/4 acres of land to Edward Umlang, Adam Ritter, & George Knippa acting as trustees for the Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church and School. The oldest marked grave is for Adam Heinrich Ritter who died March 27, 1872 at age 5 1/2.
Kathy Carter and Helen Muras surveyed this site on November 17, 1986. Norman Krischke resurveyed and researched it on February 25, 1998. See his booklet "Zion Lutheran Cemetery" c1998 in the Cemetery file for additional information. [Joe Cole #111W]
