Rector Cemetery

The street address assigned to the Rector Cemetery is 16555 St. Hwy 95 N. Flatonia, TX.

According to Norman Krischke this cemetery was officially established November 3, 1868 when K. K. Rector donated three acres of land to the Trustees of the Orthodox Church and School. It was for their use as a church house for all Orthodox denominations (the Northern Methodists excepted) and as a school house for the white race.

There was at least one burial here prior to the actual acquisition of the property, that of Aron Burleson who died 4-15-1868. If Jonathan & Abigail Gage Burleson were buried here they would have been the first burials as they died in 1865 & 1864, respectively.

The cemetery is located on State Highway 95 4.3 miles north of the store at Cistern, or 1.7 miles south of the Highway 95 - Anchor Ranch Loop intersection. The site sits 200 yards east of Highway 95.

Rector cemetery is so named after K.K. Rector who donated the land. Other names that have been applied to the cemetery over the years are:

• RICHTER—Probably a corruption of Rector.
• COMPTON—Probably after Aaron Compton who purchased 460 acres around the cemetery in 1869.
• COMFORT—Probably a corruption of Compton.
• GRAYS—So listed on the US Geological Survey map "Cistern" dated 1965.
• OLD HARDSHELL BAPTIST—Listed as such by an anonymous person who surveyed the site in 1980.

Most likely the correct name for the cemetery should be "ORTHODOX CHURCH CEMETERY"; however it is called RECTOR CEMETERY in the Fayette County Cemetery Survey. See "Rector Cemetery" booklet by Norman C. Krischke, March 16, 1999; in the Cemetery Files of the Fayette Heritage Archives for his full report with maps. [Joe Cole #006W]

Back in 1999, Mr. Krischke had written that a yellow sign at the gate "reads: POSTED No Trespassing. KEEP OUT." However, much as changed since that time. The new owners of the surrounding property have worked hard to remove brush and keep the cemetery clean and make it hospitable for visitors with a new drive and entry gate to the cemetery.

Taken from Rector Cemetery, copyrighted 1999, with the permission of the author, Norman C. Krischke.

 

Baker, Blake, Apr 16, 1850 - Feb 13, 1870, son of T. H. & Annie Baker

Burleson, Aron, Nov 24, 1805 - Jul 15, 1868, son of Joseph Burleson, shell covered grave inside iron fence with Marilda Burleson

Burleson, Marilda, Oct 8, 1808 - Aug 1, 1888, wife of Aron Burleson

Buttrill, Ann S., Jul 2, 1818 - Nov 14, 1892, born in Bibb County, Georgia, wife of Jno. Buttrill

Buttrill, Lillie Aurora, Nov 5, 1883 - Nov 10, 1883, daughter of J. W. & Xina M. Buttrill

Buttrill, Murry A, Jan 31, 1887 Mar 6, 1893, son of J. W. & Xina M. Buttrill

Buttrill, William A, 1832 - Jun 21, 1894, Born in Bibb County, Georgia, son of John & Ann S. Buttrill

Carrell, Minnie, Jul 1, 1880 - Jan 4, 1882

Carson, Joseph J, 1843 - 1881

Carson, Mary E, May 19, 1852 -Mar 2, 1926, born in Mississippi, daughter of John Buttrill, married Joseph Carson Nov 22, 1876

Collinsworth, Ellar, Jul 13, 1882 - Dec 10, 1885

Gage, M.A., Jan 31, 1853 - Jan 3, 1897

Grumpler, Robert L, Sep 4, 1875 - Feb 22, 1895

Hamlett, Johnie Wroe, May 14, 1887 - Aug 11,1889

Harrison, Mary, Nov 11, 1794 - Mar Jul 1875, wife of William Harrison

Harrison, Nancy, Nov 17, 1833 - Feb 14, 1888, daughter of Aron and Marilda Burleson, married O. P. Harrison Sep 16, 1849

Hart, Nowell A., no dates, married Abigail J. Gage Sep 9, 1855, military: Co I, 5 Tex Cav, CSA

Hart, Willie, Jan 22, 1872 - Oct 17, 1899, married Ida Mills Oct 18, 1893

Holcombe, Daniel Amsi, Nov 5, 1890 - Oct 23, 1892, son of C. K. & F. E. Holcombe

Lehmer, Cora, Jan 11, 1864 - Sep 6, 1873

Middleton, Cordia, Jan 13, 1860 - Oct 22, 1881

Priest, Persia, Feb 7, 1868- May 11, 1894, daughter of Louisiana Graham Slack, wife of D. A. Priest

Renfroe, James A, May 20, 1864 - Jan 22, 1880, son of W. J. & S. F, Renfroe

Slack, Greth B, Oct 12 1900 - Apr 28, 1901

Slack, Louisiana T,, Dec 3, 1834 - May 11, 1891, nee Graham, married George J. Slack Sep 20, 1856

Slack, Lucy, Apr 15, 1893 - Feb 01, 1901, daughter of G. J. and S. M. Slack

Slack, Walter J., Dec 26, 1894 - Jan 12 1895, so of J. T. & Sussie Slack

Smith, Comalia, 1850 - Aug 12, 1880, "Aged 30 years."

Votaw, Lando J., Jun 7, 1834 - Aug 11, 1876

 

Walter P. Freytag researched the Burleson and Gage families and recorded the possibility that the following were buried in the cemetery:

Burleson, Abigail Gage, 1772 - 1864

Burleson, Jonathan, 1799 - 1865

Burleson, J. B., Jan 9, 1839 - Nov 20, 1903

 

Further information and maps can be found in Rector Cemetery at the Fayette Heritage Museum & Archives.