Freestone County, Texas
Cemeteries





Anderson Willis Cemetery
(Africian American cemetery)

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USGS Map: Keechi Quadrangle


Status: Inactive since early 1940s.

Background:
  Originally known as the Willis Cemetery, now called Anderson Willis Cemetery
  based on its modern iron pipe gateway sign that has been painted white.   
  Willis Cemetery was an old Africian American cemetery dating back
  to slavery times. Many of its residence had Oakwood in Leon County as their 
  post office, even though they resided in Freestone County.  Willis Cemetery 
  is the burial place for Cornish and Willis families. In 1986, Betty Morrow 
  wrote that Mr. and Mrs. Creacy Bowman of Dallas are the overseers of the 
  cemetery.  Might be a cemetery for those descended or related to Anderson 
  Willis.
  
  "Anderson Willis settled in a little community named Rabbit Ridge which was 
  renamed Wilson Chapel and now Saint Hill community which is west off FM 489 S."
  
  Many of the descendants of those buried here are buried at Shiloh Cemetery.
  
Location:  Saint Hill Community.  Usually listed as Butler as its post office.
   Located north of Plum Creek.  Off FM-489 and on Sand Hill in a private pasture 
   with no road shown. Not far from Brooke Cemetery.

Directions: 

Oldest Marked Grave: 

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Carter, Keechi Denise      06/22/1990-12/28/1990
Cornish, Elizabeth "Lizzie"  About 1858-06/25/1918 *U*, *D* 
Cornish, F. C.             04/26/1871-04/09/1931 Mason; "We will meet again"; *D*  
                                                [s/o Sam]

Dawson, Caroline                   ?-04/08/1923 "At rest"                                                

Hambrick, Mr. James [Lee]       07/04/1950-02/27/2007 funeral marker

Lewis, Janet Cleo (Willis) 08/01/1954-08/15/2004

Malone, Baby               02/12/1925-02/12/1925
Malone, Eunice             03/31/????-04/20/????  [no years listed]
Malone, Fannie                      ?-?          
Malone, Jennie                      ?-      1902 w/o Rafe
Malone, Rafe                        ?-      1900 h/o Jennie 
Malone, Rafe               02/06/1860-06/08/1923  *D*; s/o Rafe
Malone, Rutha              01/14/1880-01/14/1922
Moss, Roxie                      1887-      1942 "Dear Mother"

Perry, Hazel Willis        06/06/1913-12/31/1997 "In God's Care"

Willis, Bird               02/09/1853-02/15/1933 *U*, *D* [s/o Anderson]
Willis, Cleo               03/10/1925-03/15/2001 "In Loving Memory"
Willis, Dan                      1869-10/08/1942 *U*, *D* [s/o Anderson]
Willis, East               10/11/1845-03/19/1919 "Father", "Gone but not forgotten"
Willis, Griswald           04/16/1891-11/16/1918 *U*, *D*  [s/o Alex]
Willis, Hessiki            07/30/1907-03/20/1999
Willis, Mary               04/15/1845-12/11/1936 *D*, age 80

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LEGEND FOR CEMETERY LISTINGS:

*O* = Obituary listed elsewhere on this site
*D* = Death Certificate listed elsewhere on this site
*U* = Unmarked grave
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
d/o = daughter of; s/o = daughter of