Freestone County, Texas Cemeteries Oak Grove Cemetery (north of Stewards Mill community) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- African American Cemetery Coordinates: Latitude: 31.856N; Longitude: -96.216W Status: Still Active, But Not Often Background: Oak Grove cemetery is a former slave cemetery of William Bonner's blacks. Now their descendants are buried here. It is on the old William Bonner's parcel. His William Bonner's home site (now nothing but some foundation and a glazed brick cistern well) was the other side of the road from the current white Bonner Cemetery then south about 500 to 800 yards. The land was probably transferred to mulatto descendants of white Bonners. This is a sister cemetery to "Old Anglin" cemetery which was a mulatto cemetery of white Oliver Alexander Bonner and the black Eliza Burks Young who had mulatto Bonner kids. Cemetery Description: The cemetery is behind the fence on Pyramid Ranch near where the formal entrance to Pyramid closest to Bonner cemetery is. The cemetery has a gated entry way that is not obvious except for a lead pipe sign that says "Oak Grove" on the roadway made by Carl Yates Bonner. The actual cemetery is located on a barely visible rise surrounded by lots of fields and has a tree-lined path. One of the old death certificates of Rhubin Hunter lists this place as "Oak Grove Church", but there is no church or indication that is was there in modern times. Historical Marker project: Brent Polk, Patsy Green, and Miles Bradford are trying to get a historical marker for the cemetery. This is a long project, but helps preserve the history of the place. Problems: Unfortunately about 8 huge iron rocks (each one marked a different grave) were consolidated into 2 piles for easier mowing. Left behind are indentations in the ground, where the rock was for years. They look more like a cairn than what they were originally. Unfortunately many of the markers have been pushed down. Could be vandals as well. About six markers were face down and too heavy to fix. The fence has a section that has fallen down, that would allow cattle to enter. One of the markers has writing going opposite direction. It has bigger top and skinner bottom and thus is prone to toppling. A few markers do not even have the concrete foundation piece, and so are prone to toppling. Many of the tombstones are "home made" and done with concrete. Concrete markers usually do not last as long as marble or granite, especially the writing. Churches: Some of the modern people buried here went to the Macedonia Baptist Church, located on the Corner of Ross and Marsh Street in Streetman. Location: Located 3 miles north of Stewards Mill. Directions: From Stewards Mill community, take Ranch Rd 2547 northward. After a few miles, turn right on fork that is not someone's private drive. On right. Oldest Marked Grave: Laura Gafney 1912. However, this cemetery is likely started in about the late 1850s. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOMBSTONES THAT WERE UPRIGHT AND READABLE [UNLISTED ONES COULD BE AMONGST THE ABOUT 6 FACE DOWN] Anderson, J. W. 01/16/1846-05/06/1913 [H of FC II lists born in 1909] Ballard, Charles S. 05/07/1934-12/21/1997 US ARMY KOREA Bonner, Elizabeth (Davis) 1878-09/26/1926 *D* Bonner, Ida B. (Gafney) 09/18/1904-12/23/1993 Carroll, Janie (Talley) 01/15/1869-08/20/1952 *D* Coleman, Mary J. (Talley) 01/28/1884-07/30/1968 *D* Gafney, Fletcher 03/12/1912-05/09/1970 *D* Gafney, Irvin 08/10/1884-04/02/1956 [tombstone just says "Died 1957" instead of these specific dates] Gafney, Laura (Armstrong) 05/04/1854-03/31/1912 Gafney, Texanna (Talley) 01/29/1879-05/16/1961 *D* [death certificate says birth year is 1883 rather than 1879 on tombstone] Gafney, Thomas H. 06/06/1875-01/16/1952 *D* Grant, Mamie (Gafney) 1898-1915 Grayson, Ernest 04/04/1917-12/24/1978 *D* Grayson, Martha (Young) 04/28/1910-02/16/2003 Hervey, Inez (Keeton) 08/07/1923-06/08/2010 *O* Jackson, Gwendolyn Denise 08/24/1972-08/24/1984 Jackson, Lydia [Armstrong]) 1870-[01/10/]1953 *D* Jones, George Sr. 1871-05/06/1929 *D* Keaton, Bessie (Gafney) 08/08/1894-08/13/1972 *D* Keaton, Edna Mae 1932-01/07/1981 Keaton, Ervin 10/06/1924-08/04/1964 [Irvin?] Marsh, Clarence Otis 02/08/1943-02/06/1984 "Beloved Son" McCray, Edith Elizabeth (Grant) 02/02/1919-06/30/2016 [musical notes across top] *O* Mills, Elizabeth Perkins 01/26/1891-11/27/1963 *D* Packer, Willie Arnold 07/08/1930-09/27/1980 US Army 1947-1949 *D* Perkins, Alex [Elex] 11/19/1900-05/15/1956 *D* [death cert says name is Elex while tombstone says Alex] Perkins, Eliza (Green) 02/02/1883-10/16/1946 Perkins, Oliver [Jr.] 08/10/1893-10/23/1931 *D* Perkins, Ollie 09/23/1873-04/10/1943 *D* [Oilver Sr.] Perkins, Osby 06/03/1910-03/27/1990 *D* Scott, Bertha 08/07/1895-10/16/1980 Talley, Levi 1881-09/21/1955 *D* [death certificate says 1883 for birth year while tombstone says 1881. Death cert says 18 Jul 1883-21 Sep 1955] Washington, Ada E 1891-1961 ---------------------------------------- UNMARKED GRAVES FROM DEATH CERTIFICATES OR OBITUARIES Carroll, Janie (Talley) 1846-09/15/1931 *D* Cyrus, Alice McCreary 1886-04/30/1931 *D* Davis, Pearl B. ????-04/02/1935 *D* Gafney, Charlie 01/08/1890-09/26/1967 *D* [s/o Paul Gafney and Laura Armstrong] Gafney, Willie 06/20/1893-12/27/1948 *D* Green, "Sister" E[llen (Washington)] [08/27/1878]-06/12/1940 *D* Green, Luellen “Lucy” (Marsh) 1876-07/23/1926 *D* Hunter, Bailey R. Jr. 03/15/1872-01/23/1953 *D* Hunter, Rhubin 10/31/1879-07/19/1919 *D* Jackson, Ben 08/14/1883-08/16/1956 *D* Jones, Wilma Averyheart 12/25/1909-01/07/1978 *D* Keeton, Roger [08/13/]1912-[12/31/]1973 *D* Keeton, Walter Irvin 07/18/1918-09/18/1920 *D* [s/o Walter Keeton & Janie Steward] McCreary, Al ?-06/16/1913 *D* Perkins, Annie Lee 08/17/1905-05/27/2008 *O* Perkins, Joe Oliver 11/01/1923-05/03/1924 *D* [s/o Oliver Perkins and Catherine Rischer] Perkins, Louella (Stewart) 1902-10/13/1912 *D* Stewart, Henderson 1853-04/13/1920 *D* Stewart, Patsy Ann (Griffin) 1862-08/01/1903 *D* Talley, Andrew 02/??/1865-06/18/1925 *D* Talley, John 01/10/1875-10/06/1955 *D* [FCC I lists born 1881] Young, George Jr 04/04/1912-07/??/1978 *D* *S* ---------------------------------------- UNMARKED GRAVES FROM ORAL-TRADITION OR OVERLOOKED MARKED Armstrong, Annarette Presley 05/??/1850-1937 Armstrong, Wash 1853-??? Ballard, Booker 1910-1972 Ballard, Myrtle 1917-01/13/1977 Betts, Bertha 08/07/1895-10/16/1980 Davis, A. V. 1911-1981 Gafney, Annie 1875-1917 Gafney, Elishia 04/??/1883-1926 Gafney, Laura Mae ?-1928 Gafney, Mattie ?-1918 Gafney, Porter 1913-1931 Hunter, Van 10/??/1895-??? Packer, Infant 01/06/1936-01/06/1936 s/o Oda Belle & Will Talley, Amanda Medie (Maddocks) 07/??/1848-1922 Talley, Birdie Lee 1901-1924 Talley, Jacob 08/??/1834-1920 Talley, Louisa 06/??/1872-??/??/1904 ---------------------------------------- [Additional Unmarked graves - Source H of FC, Vol II] Anderson, Amie Anderson, Annie Anderson, Dave Armstrong, Dan Armstrong, Quenn Armstrong, Wash Bluitt, Harvey Bonner, John Bonner, Lizzie Burks, Eliza Carroll, William Cyrus, Alice Davis, George Davis, Grady Gafney, Walter Govan, Lady Green, Alex Green, Luellan Green, Wash Hillary, Penny Hunter, Bailey Sr Hunter, Reuben Hunter, Van Jackson, Dan Jr Jackson, Dan Sr Keeton, Hilly Keeton, Janie Keeton, Joe Keeton, Lee Keeton, Lottie Keeton, Millian Keeton, Susie Patten, Lou Perkins, Luella Smith, Edd Steward, Henison Steward, Lady Babe Steward, Patsy Talley, Booker Talley, Lucy ============================================================= [COULD BE HERE: 70 year old Patsy Madox living with Jacob Talley in 1870 and then appears with the couple in 1880. She has died before the 1900 census. Also "Mandy" (Maddocks) Talley could be related.] Mildred K. Byrd Schroeder is not buried here, but rather in Wortham Bend, McLennan Co., TX. Her obit has a lot of missing and misleading information. ============================================================= LEGEND FOR CEMETERY LISTINGS: *O* = Obituary listed elsewhere on this site *D* = Death Certificate listed elsewhere on this site *B* = Biography listed elsewhere on this site *P* = Photo of tombstone on this website *S* = Social Security death index listed elsewhere on this site *C* = Calculated date based on death date - age given in years and months and days. y = year; mo or m = month; d = day(s); h/o = husband of; h1/o = first husband of; h2/o = second husband of w/o = wife of; w1/o = first wife of; w2/o = second wife of m = married to d/o = daughter of; s/o = daughter of ? = unknown birth date or death date (based on position) x2 marker = single marker for two graves, typically married couples TX = Texas; Cav = Cavalry CO = Company; Reg = Regiment; WWI = World War I; WWII = World War II; CSA = soldier in the Confederate States of America f.h. = funeral home marker h&f = husband & father