SAVE St. Mary Cemetery Rally – Saturday, September 1, 2012:

Save St. Mary Cemetery:
Over 5 months ago, on March 24, 2012, it was discovered that Creek Land & Cattle Company, a land development business registered in the State of Nevada, had encroached upon the old St. Mary Cemetery located on Hughes Cemetery Road between Italy and Avalon, Texas. They removed a fence on the west and north sides, as well as a portion of fence on the south side and bulldozed a road through a portion of the burial ground. Texas Cemetery Laws prohibit this type of activity. The intrusion upon, as well as the damage to St. Mary Cemetery was immediately reported to Ellis County law enforcement officials. A few weeks ago holes were dug into the gravesite to accommodate concrete for a newly constructed fence established so as not to interfere with the illegal road.

County law enforcement officials have, so far, failed to issue any type of injunction to stop Creek Land & Cattle Company from doing as they please at St. Mary Cemetery. The developer continues to use the road to transport trucks and heavy excavation equipment over the gravesite and the construction of the fence indicates that he plans to continue in blatant disregard of the laws of the State of Texas.

Local activist Elmerine Bell is asking all of us to Help us SAVE ST. MARY CEMETERY, an old graveyard which dates back to the 1870s and contains the remains of individuals who were vital in the transformation of this part of Ellis County.

A rally of family, neighbors, friends, historians, and cemetery preservationists from across the state was held on Saturday, September 1, 2012 at 12:00 noon in front of the cemetery on Hughes Cemetery Road. Bell, who has been tracking and taking on the problem for several months, has a basic message she is trying to promote, “Together we can save St. Mary Cemetery from the same plight of hundreds of other cemeteries that are destroyed each year by encroaching land developers who have no regard for the sanctity of the dead and from law enforcement officials who choose to look the other way.”

The Save St. Mary Cemetery Rally lasted about one hour at which time local activist Elmerine Allen Bell used a megaphone to explain to those attending about the misfortunes St. Mary Cemetery has been enduring at the hands of the Creek Land & Cattle Company while the local law enforcement continues to turn a blind eye. Bell hoped the rally would allow people to see just what has occurred at the cemetery and make a personal analysis of the situation.

Bell was able to point out how a fence line has been ripped out and an less-desirable chain-link fence was erected in a different location, surrounding what is left of the disturbed gravesite. Dangling tree limbs and vines offer residual proof that earth moving equipment had already cleared away 1/3 of the cemetery.

“A bulldozer was used to tear down the existing fence and remove trees and undergrowth, all the while, destroying burial plots and disrupting what was meant to be the final resting place of our ancestors. There is still a marker dating back to 1879 but who knows for sure what’s been lost forever due to the greed displayed by the Creek Land & Cattle Company,” explained a disappointed but highly motivated Bell. “This is my mission now. I’m dedicating myself to seeing this through and protecting those remaining burial sites here at St. Mary,” explained a spirited Bell.

Bell invited guests to register and then take a moment to walk the property and view the aftermath and areas of the cemetery still very much in jeopardy. Basically, St. Mary Cemetery is divided into three parts, the Black section, the Mexican section and the White section. As guests perused the Black section which received the most damage inflicted by the Creek Land & Cattle Company, It didn’t take very long to realize that the last names on the headstones are the same last names on our neighbors mailboxes today….Rankin, Clark, Herron, Davis, Shaw, Tarrant, Payne, Walker, Carson, Robinson, Williams and so many more. You can view a partial list of the confirmed burial plots at the conclusion of their article.

“This is our heritage and this land developer just isn’t concerned about us, but we need to be! Our local officials MUST uphold state cemetery laws, do what is right and be accounted for as well,”+ added Bell as she sat in a lawn chair facing the WEST cemetery long after the rally had ended and the dust had settled along the one road accessing St. Mary Cemetery.

NOTE:
There are two (2) cemeteries—referred to as St. Mary (old) and St. Mary (new). St. Mary Cemetery (old) is located to the WEST which is the black section and St. Mary Cemetery (new) is located to the EAST of Hughes Cemetery Road.

Perhaps, Naomi McKinney, a 3rd grader from Blooming Grove participating in the rally who has ancestors buried at St. Mary Cemetery, said it best, “They need to stop tearing it up….God made this cemetery for us.”

Below are the names and affiliations of some of the cemetery preservationists who were on hand for the SAVE the St. Mary Cemetery Rally to see for themselves the level of destruction and disregard displayed by the Creek Land & Cattle Company towards our hard-working ancestors who helped forge our community and this land:

Sylvia Smith
President
Ellis County Historical Commission

Rex Carey
Cemetery Preservationist
Ellis County Historical Commission

Frances James
North Texas Cemetery Preservation
Dallas, Texas

Deborah Franklin
Franklin Graveyard Preservation
Sunnyvale, Texas

Press Release — From: Elmerine Bell
There were more than 70 participants at the SAVE St. Mary Cemetery Rally on Saturday, September 1, 2012. Everybody could see for themselves how the encroachment and desecration of graves by Creek Land & Cattle Company has caused extensive damage, reconfigured the soil and forever altered the landscape at St. Mary Cemetery. Additionally, the new fence they constructed is inside cemetery boundaries on both the north and west sides and the fence sits atop the remains of the dead so that the path of their recently constructed road through the graveyard is not altered. The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office has turned the matter over to the Ellis County District Attorney. We don’t want this matter buried in bureaucracy or otherwise covered up for any reason.

If you would like to be a part of this movement which includes cemetery preservationists, extended family and concerned neighbors of those buried at St. Mary Cemetery, please commit to writing a letter to the Ellis County District Attorney urging him to send our complaint to the Ellis County Grand Jury. The contact information is: The Honorable Patrick Wilson, Ellis County District Attorney, 109 S. Jackson Street, Waxahachie, TX 75165 (OR) FAX 972 825-5047 (OR) email [email protected].

For any questions or concerns regarding in this matter, please contact: Elmerine Bell at [email protected].

Partial List of Burials:

St. Mary Cemetery – WEST
Hughes Cemetery Road
Ellis County, Texas

Attached is a list of verified burials at St. Mary Cemetery WEST. You can find biographical information on all of the burials at www.findagrave.com.

St. Mary Cemetery has been ‘read’ by the Ellis County Genealogical Society at least twice, in 1990 and 2001. Names from headstones recorded during the ‘read’ can be found in Ellis County Historical Records at the Sims Library in Waxahachie. Additionally, cemetery preservationists have been documenting burials at the four (4) cemeteries on Hughes Cemetery Road for as long, or longer.

This list is updated as new information is located through death certificates, obituaries, and family narratives such as Holy Bible or other written data. Family connections from census data and placement of visible headstones are used to estimate location of family plots.

Key:
Grave marker with photo available^
Grave marker once existed – documented by (researcher) v
Verified by death certificate*
(The majority of graves have no marker)

Partial List of Burials:
Grant Adams 1868-1932*
Tommie Hazle Blair Alexander 1919-1953*^
Valma Alexander Anderson 1916-1950*
Freddie Lee Andrews 1918-1919*
Jones Andrews 1892-1910*
Robert Baker 1948-1948*
(Infant Male) Bass 1918-1918*
J. Ewell Bass 1893-1926*^
James Malon Bass 1890-1964*^
Velma Rankin Bass 1898-1994^
Mary Warren Battle1872-1916*
Andrew B. “Andy” Bell 1850-1910^
Andrew Walter Bell 1886-1951*
Dock Bell 1875-1961*^
Ethel Bell 1892-1957*^
Ida Edwards Bell 1893-1949*
Manervia Freeman Bell 1856-1920*^
Mary McBride Bell 1845-1924*
Mattie Bell 1881-1973^
Maude L. Bell 1880-1915*
Okelly Bell 1868-1899^
Ross Bell 1889-1896^
Lela Bradford Benjamin 1894-1920*
R.B. Berkley, Jr. 1917-1919*
Sarah Sims Birdsong 1826-1910*
Daniel Lothlen Bishop 1910-1911*
Henry Bishop 1892 –1912*
Susan Lawson Blackwell 1849-1930*
Annie Bollin 1860-1930*
(Infant Female) Bond 1925-1925*
R.L. Brewer 1922-1923*
Virgel Britton 1916-1918*
Arilla Sims Bunkley 1894-1926*
Mattie Hooks Caldwell 1875-1930*
Annie Baker Calton 1874-1935*
Will Calton 1868-1937*
Issie E. Carson 1855-1925*
James Carson 1886-1917*
Thornton Carter 1887-1941*
Riley Chandler 1887-1926*
Josephine Graves Clark 1869-1922^*
James Lee Clark 1886-1954*
Ollie Russell Clark 1894-1920*
Viola Clark 1878-1960v
George Clayton 1857-1910^
John Coats 1885-1924*
Dora Collins 1912-1931*
Curtis Colton 1953-1953*
John Cotton 1850-1969*v
Jaine Darcos 1864-1914*
D. D. Darton 1862-1905^
Annie Lee Holiday Davis 1909-1935*
G. E. Davis 1890-1896v
George M. Davis 1896-1896^
Herman Davis 1917-1918*
Jasper Davis 1890-1890^
Lonnie Davis 1879-1916*
Benjamin Franklin Devereaux 1900-1915*
Madeline Jones Devereaux 1887-1928*
Wallace Joe Devereaux 1886-1927*
Edna Mae Dodson 1918-1921*
John Doneson 1859-1924*
Mary Echols 1910-1926*
Annie Mae Bird Edwards 1912-1937*
Charles Edwards 1938-1944*
Dose Edwards 1874-1921*
Joe Edwards 1851-1921*
Mary Edwards 1895-1924*
Robbie Joe Edwards 1937-1939*
Charlie Ellis 1856-1940*
Maxie Hardeman Emerson 1897-1923*
Bessie Johnson Fair 1907-1931*
David “Dave” Flanagan 1864-1914*
James L. Franklin 1943-1943*
Willie B. Myers Frazier 1909-1954*
Forrest Furrey 1888-1914*
Heywood Gamble 1908-1914*
Lorine Gee 1914-1915*
Rosa Lulean Gooden 1879-1916*
Will Gooden 1882-1920*
D. A. Graham (death unknown)v
Alex Graves 1837-1915*
Dee Graves 1894-1924*
Mary J. Graves 1849-1914*
Jack Gray 1907-1923*
Everett Green 1908-1935*
Dina Brown Griffin 1892-1931*
H. D. Griffin 1922-1933*
William Hadley 1886-1939*
William T. Hadley 1913-1935*
Mattie Lou Haliburton 1915-1916*
Jack Hardaman 1864-1908^
Celina Flakes Hardeman 1890-1927*
Sarah (Arey) Hardeman 1841-1916*
William Hardeman1875-1929*
Harriett Hardiman 1865-1899^
Leonard Hardman 1855-1918^
Ardonia Hardeman Tarrant Harris 1894-1933*
Otto Hardeman Harris 1933-1933*
George W. Hawkins 1851-1939*
Katie Hawkins 1860-1889^
Katie Hawkins 1889-1890^
Pierce Hawkins 1849-1952*
Polly Hawkins — d. 1893^
Portia W. Hawkins 1920-1921*
Taylor Hawkins 1849-1910*
Emma M. Herron 1903-2000^
Joseph Lee Herron 1866-1930^
Josie P. Herron-Henry 1895-1982^
Maggie Lee Talley Herron 1886-1969^
Mollie D. Herron 1871-1941^
Osceola Herron 1898-1935^
Junior B. Hill 1925-1925*
George Hines 1832-1912*
Fannie Mae Hodge 1910-1919*
Rhody Holman 1850-1937*
Eddie Holt 1895-1935*
Eddie Lee Holt 1933-1937*
George Holt 1912-1936*
George Holt, Jr. 1912-1936*
Jimmie Holt 1907-1926*
Charley Hood — d. 1929*
Laura Belle Hooks 1865-1943
R.B. Hooks 1924-1929*
Wilson Hooks 1838-1936*
George W. Howard 1864-1906^
Georgia Howard 1899-1913*
Nathan Hughes 1903-1931*
Elle Hunt 1916-1935*
Mattie Lou White Hunt 1914-1935*
Julia Jackson 1867-1922*
Rosette Dreaks Jackson 1875-1914*
Virginia Jackson 1939-1939*
David James 1881-1919*
(Infant Male) Johnson 1922-1922*
Irma King Johnson 1901-1929*
Lugene Johnson 1923-1923*
Robert Johnson 1848-1928*
Willie T. Johnson 1924-1925*
Callie Hobb Jones 1887-1926*
Julius Jones 1897-1914*
Lillie Mae Jeffries Jones 1892-1920*
Mary Simpson Jones 1884-1926*
Jase (Dave) Kenney 1826-1911*
Mollie Kidd 1863-1910*
Marsi Kay Floyd Kilsney 1830-1920*
Lucretia King 1889-1918^
Vertie King 1912-1952*
(Infant Female) Kingsbury 1918-1918*
(Infant Male) Kingsbury 1919-1919*
John Henry Knox 1871-1937*
Valton Lawson 1919-1920*
Bertha Bishop Lewis 1893-1937*
Cicero (Cisro) Lewis 1898-1928*
Coral Lewis 1918-1921*
Ella Mae Bunnie Lewis 1924-1924*
Katherine Lewis 1922-1923*
Lucy Lewis — d. 1922*
Monroe Lewis 1863-1937*
Nancy Adeline Wallace Lewis 1872-1915*
Namon R. Louder 1922-1956^
Viola Greer Lowe 1897-1940*
Harriet Mays 1881-1916*
Ima Mays 1919-1936*
Welton Mays 1901-1935*
Welton Mays, Jr. 1916-1935*
John H. “Hop” McBride 1856-1939*
Mary Perry McDonald 1893-1927*
Willie Lee McKean 1922-1923*
Grady McKissic 1897-1915*
Ruthie Ann Spurlin McKissic 1865-1916*
Jerry Milas 1939-1939*
Jerry Daniels Milas 1938-1938*
Oma Mays Milas 1919-1936*
Collie Greer Miles 1876-1916*
Elsa Mae Miles 1924-1925*
L. C. Miles 1923-1923*
Marcus Miles 1890-1938*
John Miller 1890-1929*
Trudie Dees Mills 1890-1917*
Addelee Williams Mitchell 1885-1923*
Lara Moore 1924-1925*
Mary Esther Davidson Moore 1885-1929*
R.T. Moore 1902-1962^
Edith Rodges Myers 1826-1913*
Jim Myers 1843-1943*
Chester Nolen 1925-1926*
Lizzie Obey 1867-1931*
John Odell 1871-1919*
Carline Parris1880-1917*
Alice Marie Roberson Payne*
Benjamin “Bennie” Payne 1897-1980^
Emma Payne 1861-1951^
Julius P. Payne 1861-1911^
Lerlean Payne 1923-1938*
(Infant Female) Pierce 1920-1920*
Bettie Pigues 1840-1934*
Josephine Daniel Pope 1900-1937*
William Pope 1875-1911*
Austin Queenan 1870-1935*^
Callie Tabb Greer Queenan 1867-1931^
Birdie Alice Rankin 1929-1932*
Ernest Rankin 1887-1953^
Henry Rankin 1864-1907^
Katie Rankin 1892-1892^
Leroy Rankin 1892-1941*
Mattie Myers Rankin 1867-1927*
Taylor Rankin 1856-1930*
Ada Henderson Williams Reed 1875-1949*
Ike Reed 1863-1953*
Bertha Rice 1907-1924*
Taylor Richards 1862-1927*
Lettie Ann Ferrell Richie 1899-1921*
Mable Richie 1913-1929^
Wilburn Richie 1915-1934^
(Infant Male) Robinson 1916-1916*
Irene Robinson 1902-1984v
Annie Hines Robinson 1862-1936*
Charlie Lee Robinson 1928-1930*
Johnson Robinson 1867-1939*
Zonnie Robinson 1918-1935*
(Infant Male) Roberson 1922-1922*
Andrew Roberson 1894-1920*
Ellen Roberson 1864-1911^
George Roberson 1861-1920*
Hattie Payne Roberson 1892-1923*
Joseph Waddie Roberson 1889-1952*
Willie Roberson 1901-1929*
Minnie Hays Rogers 1887-1938*
Frank Shaw 1904-1917*
George Shaw 1861-1950*
Marie Shaw 1909-1917*
Fannie Sims 1848-1917*
Gilbert Sims 1844-1926*
Jettie Mae Sims 1902-1923*
Josephine Sims 1889-1911*
Oscar B. Sims 1895-1921*
Otto Sims 1897-1927^
Willie U. Sims 1868-1939*
Artha Smith Smith 1903-1927*
Catheline Smith 1919-1920*
Ed Smith 1867-1921*
Elroy Smith 1932-1935*
Nick Spears 1873-1929*
Pearl Stafford 1913-1918*
Addis Earl Stell 1902-1917*
Lillian Sykes 1914-1939*
Emma Tarrant 1870-1955*
Lucian Tarrant 1865-1956*
Oddie J. Tarrant 1887-1944^
Earnest Taylor 1914-1940*
Maggie Coffey Taylor 1877-1931*
Mary M. Thomas 1885-1972^
Maud Thomas 1868-1936*
Rufus Thomas 1931-1940*
Thelma Thompson 1901-1972v (P. Kemper)
Anderson Tinnell 1861-1936*
Ida Turner Tinnell 1887-1922*
Will Tinnell 1899-1931*
Willie Tinnell 1919-1926*
Mary Turner 1903-1919*
Clyde Valentine 1919-1919*
George Venson 1861-1921*
Callie Adams Wade 1897-1926*
Joe Wade 1923-1925*
Cora Lamicy Walker 1895-1960*^
Erven Walker 1950-1951*
Nick Walker 1893-1933*
Leo Walters 1895-1911*
Delia Thomas Warren 1883-1916*
Elizabeth Clark Washington 1881-1924*
Tenecia Hawkins Washington 1908-1926*
Georgia Myers Watson 1870-1930*
Horace Watson 1900-1936*
George White 1884-1947*
Myrtle Lee McCovey White 1886-1938*
Robert White 1900-1927*
Rossie Bell White 1834-1927*
Daisy Duberry Wilks 1899-1935*
Adline W. Powell Williams 1857-1909^
George Williams 1877-1949*
Ida Wyatt Williams 1883-1921*
Jonethan Williams — d. 1976v (P. Kemper)
Lorene Williams 1917-1918*
Margarette Williams 1924-1924*
Mary Williams 1818-1918*
Mary Rankin Williams 1850-1921*
Nelson Williams 1866-1931*
Minnie Murry Woodson 1904-1937*
Cornelius Young 1921-1921*
K. C. Young 1923-1924*

Follow St. Mary Cemetery on Facebook. You may also view the website www.findagrave.com to locate a map of St. Mary Cemetery on Hughes Cemetery Road in Ellis County, Texas.

For any questions or concerns regarding in this matter, please contact: Elmerine Bell at [email protected].

Help SAVE St. Mary Cemetery