Freestone County, Texas Cemeteries Mt. Pleasant Baptist Cemetery (Plum Creek community area) (African American) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GPS Coordinates: 313354N, 0960024W Background: A truly rural church, nestled in the woods and reached by an ancient sandy road, is Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church with a tree-filled cemetery beside it. This cemetery is well over 120 years old. Frank and Liza Hayes gave the land for the church and cemetery, but the deed and records have been lost. Many of the oldest graves are unmarked. Others have illegible, broken or crumbling markers. Deriah Cunningham has been a non-paid caretaker for over 50 years in 1989, says when he and others dig a grave and find broken bits of wood and bone, the diggers move to another spot. The oldest legible marker is dated 1895. There are from 100 to 150 countable graves. Directions #1: From County road 489 take 1848. Go to County Road 335 and follow this dirt road about 2.5 to 3 miles. The cemetery will be on the right. There is a two-story old wood frame building there and Mt. Pleasant church sits next to it. Directions #2: From US Hwy 84, turn left onto Farm Road 489 going east and drive about 9 miles. A small sign points the way at a dirt road. Turn left and continue on this dirt road, always bearing to the right for about 2.1 miles. Directions #3: From I-45 (exit 90 if from Houston, exit 189 from Dallas) or Hwy 75, turn onto State Highway 179. Drive east 3-4 blocks, turn left at Dew store onto Farm Road 489. Continue 9 miles on 489 to dirt road. A small sign points the way at a dirt road. Turn left and continue on this dirt road, always bearing to the right for about 2.1 miles. There were 20 graves with either broken stones or metal name plates and just couldn’t read them. Oldest Marked Grave: Ante Collins June 1881 Mexia Daily News - July 29, 2010 issue: "Burial Club to hold memorial program The Magnolia Benevolent Association of Freestone County (Burial Club) is presenting its 2010 Memorial Program Saturday August 7, at 7:00pm. The program will be held at Pleasant Hill MBC in the Simsboro Community, six miles north of Teague and two miles east of Simsboro, where the Rev. Harry Thompson is the pastor. The speaker for the occasion is Rev. Paul Lawson of Mesquite, Jason Forge will direct the musical featuring choirs, soloist, and a variety of talent from the surrounding communities. We extend to you an invitation to come and celebrate with us and consider membership in the Association. This Association had its beginning in the early 1900 in the Simsboro community when African Americans faced financial difficulties when they had to bury a family member and were not able to pay the cost of a funeral.. The original name of the organization was Magnolia Burial Club. When it received its official charter in December 1939 it was chartered as the Magnolia Benevolent Association of Freestone County. Refreshments will be served following the program. Earnest Busby, President, Yvonne Sloan, Program Chairperson." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Banks, Mrs. Minnie 05/02/1898-09/24/1970 Banks, ???? 1906-10/26/1973 67 yrs Barnes, Infant Son 11/??/1898-11/??/1898 s/o Spenser & Isabella Barnes, Infant Daughter 09/??/1895-09/??/1895 d/o Spenser & Isabella Barnes, Infant Son 12/??/1897-03/??/1898 s/o William & Caroline Barnes, Amos 02/25/1822-06/19/1902 Barnes, Linda 1847-01/28.1892 45 yrs; w/o Amos Barnes, Bill 03/10/1879-07/05/1906 Barnes, Brice 01/22/1905-05/05/1948 Barnes, Earnest 05/28/1924-02/05/1948 TX Sgt 25th Inf WWII Barnes, Robert 12/10/1887-03/26/1931 TX Pvt 435 Serv. Bn Barnes, Robert 01/29/1906-11/30/1979 Barnes, Eddie Jr. 06/04/1931-12/29/1997 Barnes, Irene M. 12/22/1900-12/03/1972 Barnes, Earnest 05/28/1924-02/05/1948 SGT 25 Infantry WWII Barnes, Isabellar 11/22/1875-07/28/1955 Barnes, Springer 04/25/1860-05/10/1945 Barnes, Henry 10/02/1897-05/22/1952 TX Pfc Demol. Det WWI Barnes, Dorothy Lee 08/01/1927-06/04/1956 Beloved Mother Bass, Willie 10/12/1895-11/02/1895 Son Bigger, James 11/10/1895-08/09/1919 Bigger, Allie 02/28/1898-03/??/1926 Birdow, Jim 1874- 1954 At Rest Birdow, David 1906- 1960 Bonner, Arthur 06/18/1942- ?? Pvt Labor Bn. QMC Bonner, Ethel 11/21/1893-03/16/1984 Brown, Cora 06/19/1913-07/07/1991 Brown, Courtney 04/06/1907-02/08/1993 Brown, Mrs. Della 08/08/1893-06/22/1982 Canada, Atella 01/30/1885-10/11/1898 d/o D.H. & Sarah Canada, Isabella ??-07/19/1897 16 Yrs; d/o Harris & Sarah; w/o Ebb Jones Clay, Henry 1845- 1929 Foot Marker: Father Clay, Lucinda 1855- 1942 Foot Marker: Mother Clay, Ben 1880- 1937 Foot Marker: B.B. Collins, Ante 1786-06/05/1881 age 95 Collins, William Dewitt 01/23/1934-12/03/1986 PFC US Army Collins, Dewitt 06/03/1896-06/05/1968 (double stone) Collins, Artie L. 03/16/1903-08/21/1975 (double stone) Collins, Laura 1858- 1950 Gone, But Not Forgotten Craft, Infant Girl 01/04/1968-01/04/1968 Crow, Eliza Eudella 1902- 1937 Cunningham, Willie 03/13/1904-01/21/1969 Cunningham, Josie 12/15/1875-01/03/1968 Cunningham, S.C. 11/13/1897-03/17/1935 Cunningham, Hun 07/15/1896-08/19/1974 PFC US Army Cunningham, Brier ??-02/12/1935 Cunningham, Eadie ??-01/18/1903 Cunningham, Horace O. 06/28/1954-08/18/1957 Cunningham, Janie 12/25/1883-01/22/1966 MOTHER Cunningham, Julia 1890- 1966 (double stone) Cunningham, Zechariah 1886- 1964 (double stone) "One Worthy Of Remembrance" Cunningham, Warren C. 06/10/1922-03/03/1982 PFC US Army WWII Cunningham, Melvin D. 01/13/1917-01/11/1987 PFC US Army WWII Cunningham, Ellia 1900- 1979 Cunningham, Marvin 05/17/1917-05/24/1978 Gone, But Not Forgotten Cunningham, Eselene 01/23/1912-09/09/1925 At Rest Cunningham, Vivian 08/28/1900-01/04/1972 Married Dec. 23, 1923 Cunningham, Minnie O. 03/23/1904-? Married Dec. 23, 1923 Mother Cunningham, Viola 03/08/1904-09/15/1906 d/o Brice & Lear Eagans, Woodrow 1918- 1961 Eagans, Lottie ? 1893- 1961 Eagans, Nathan 12/04/1868-06/02/1950 Eagans, Janice 11/??/1975- ? Eliot, Willie T. 10/12/1895-11/02/1895 s/o Ann Bass Ellis, Ednie 02/10/1862- 1929 broken stone Ellis, William B. 08/25/1907-12/06/1963 Husband Ellis, William 1855-08/23/1895 40 Yrs. "May he rest in peace" Ellis, Anner 1900-05/31/1964 64 Yrs Felix, Harry 1890- 1973 Felix, Mary I. 1896- 1973 Ganada, Atella 01/30/1885-12/11/1898 Ganada, Sabella 1902-07/??/1918 age 16 Gibson, Maggie 08/30/1909-12/26/1934 Glover, Betty M. 07/27/1925-09/26/1953 Gone, But Not Forgotten Green, Stephen Lee 1939- 1976 Ham, Brice Cunningham ?-02/12/1935 Ham, Lear Cunningham ?-02/12/1937 Harrol, Annie Jewel 04/12/1940-09/19/1993 Hayes, Mr. Amos 04/04/1899-06/??/1971 Hayes, Ben 05/11/1848-09/20/1925 Hayes, Betsy 1872- 1955 Hayes, James 11/29/1881-02/19/1956 Hayes, Pierce 05/10/1900-03/22/1988 Hayes, Frank 03/19/1917-10/14/1982 CPL US Army WWII Hayes, Annie B. 06/13/1943-07/12/1984 Hayes, Mr. Laclyde ? 10/08/1945-10/02/1997 Hayes, Ben 01/??/1904- 1970 Hollins, Silva 10/20/1912-01/25/1978 Hollins, Geneva 03/16/1918-08/21/1998 Howard, Mrs. Mattie J. 07/28/1907-10/15/1989 Huchions, Meriah ??/??/1870-11/09/1912 Jackson, Mrs. Margaret ?-02/05/1956 77 yrs Jones, Emmer 01/16/1864-10/01/1938 court #300 Jones, Warren Alexander 08/15/1924-10/24/1965 USNR WWII Jones, Catherine A. 01/25/1907-07/17/1991 Jones, James Elige 04/17/1903-08/12/1941 Jones, Hub 1883- 1969 Jones, James E. 1881- 1939 Jones, Gracie 1884- 1973 Jones, James E. 04/14/1904-08/12/1941 Jones, Mary J.C. 1882- 1930 Jones, Warren Alexander 08/14/1924-10/26/1965 38 Yrs.; TX STM2, USNR, WWII Jones, German C. 02/26/1950-??/11/1950 Jones, Betty Dean 02/05/1931-12/01/1984 Jones, Joe Clark 08/08/1954-07/19/1991 In Loving Memory Jones, Clyde Lee 07/17/1926-07/20/1996 Jones, Mattie 1896-11/13/1969 73 yrs Jones, Hyman 12/02/1912-12/29/1943 TX Pfc 1962 Serv Unit; WWII Jones, Preston R. 07/10/1923-04/19/1982 Knowles, Malone 1895-06/07/1965 70 yrs Lacey, Melvin 08/10/1894-?? Lacey, Donnie 01/19/1900-11/28/1968 Madison, Infant Son no dates s/o James & Corene; Asleep In Jesus Malone, Zena 1911- 1966 McSwain Luther no dates s/o Emaline; age 11 months McSwain, Nancy no dates s/o William & Emaline; age 6 weeks Morgan, ?? age 70 yrs Moten, George 1886- 1953 Moten, Louise 1881- 1927 Perry, Addie 05/07/1907-03/18/1970 Mother; x2 stone w/Jerleen Tobert below Perry, Mr. Robert ? -07/24/1966 Rosamond, George 03/27/1840-10/??/???? Servance, Aunt Amer 02/14/1892-07/10/1991 Thompson, Alma Georgia 1897- 1926 Marker: Mother Tolbert, Jerleen 10/27/1927-04/01/1983 Daughter; x2 stone w/ Addie Perry above Underwood, Laura 03/17/1857-08/16/1893 Waldon, Angeline 1899- 1947 Gone, But Not forgotten Waldon, Garfield 03/27/1840-10/??/???? Waldon, Johnie 1910- 1919 (double stone) Waldon, Mattie Bell 1892- 1919 (double stone) At Rest Waldon, Willie 02/05/1887-07/22/1963 TX Pvt Co D, Svc. BN, QMC, WWI Williams, Linda Terrell 02/27/1969-08/16/2012 w/o Zearl Wright, Luvenia 09/18/1889-06/24/1944 Our Loved One Young, Webb 05/02/1892-05/01/1984 Young, Lonie 05/17/1905- ? Sacred To The Memory Of Charity Dad Of Thomas & Cherry ?? Aged 60 Yrs. Laura Daughter Of (Unable to read the rest) Foot Stone with the Initials C.E.