Jasper County, Texas -- Bessmay Cemetery (African -American Section) ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Bessmay Cemetery, near Buna, Jasper County, Texas by Monica Petty & Karen Gilchriest This cemetery is located approximately two miles from the red light on hwy 96 North, turn right at Temple- Inland Lumber Co. sign. Go 1/4 mile and turn left on dirt road,go through first Hunting Club gate, drive through 2nd gate past oil rig pumping station, 1/4 mile is Bessmay Cemetery on left. This is the African American section of the cemetery. (Note: The Bessmay Cemeteries originated in the turn of the century during the sawmill era. The town just died after the mill burned in the 1940's, school and all the houses were moved out or rotted down long ago. Bessmay Cemetery , Buna, Jasper County, Texas (African American section) with notes on the Tombstones condition Asberry, Stella A. 9 Feb.1905-30 Dec.1980 (good condition) Bell, Elmer 15 Dec.1924-13 Oct.1975 (poor condition) Bell, Oscar 12 Oct.1893-26 Sep.1959 Louisiana Co. B. 318 Labor Brv OMC WWI (Military marker) Bluitt, Alberto Jerome 8 Jun 1976-16 Sep.1998 age 22 (Robinson Fun.Home) Blunt, Emma 11 May 1925-29 Dec.1999 age 74 (funeral Home marker only) Boardman, Elouise 29 Jan.1885-20 Sep.1940 age 54 (deteriorated,sunken, tilted, weathered) Boggess, Jimmy 5 Mar.1930-19 Jul.1975 (excellent cond.) Bracken, Henry A. 1907-1977 PFC-US Army WWII (Military marker-good cond.) Brown, Joseph D. 12 Feb.1902-25 May 1968 "Gone Home" (good cond.) Cauley, Eliza Scott 20 Oct.1900-31 Mar.1982 "In Loving Memory" (excellent cond.) Cauley, Joe 14 Apr.1905-3 Jan.1989 (Poor cond. Fun.Home Marker only) Cotton, Columbus 29 Jul.1929-22 Feb.2001 (Fun.Home Marker) Dial, Emma 1882-26 Jul.1927 "Daughter" (good cond.) Evans, Frank .. May 1895-25 Jan.19?? PVT 1 Co.162 Depot Brig. WWII (Poor cond. Illegible, sunken , weathered) Fobb, U.B. 27 Mar.1930-9 May 1947 "Our Baby -Only Sleeping" (good cond. but sunken) Garrett, Levi 28 Jun.1890-25 Feb.1973 PVT US Army WWI (good, tilted,weathered) Grant, Ben PFC Co. B. 122 Service BN OMC..... (this military stone is sunken dates are below ground) Hadnot, Ben F. 5 May 1888-5 Dec.1938 "Dear Father Though We Miss You Much We Know You Best With God" (poor cond. sunken, detached) Harris, Felix 1909-1976 PVT US Army WWII (good cond.) Harrison, M.K. 15 Feb.1883-29 Mar.1962 (good cond.) Harrison, Zula 24 Sep.1884-29 Apr.1935 (good cond.) Holman, Eliza Bell 10 Jun.1913-18 Sep.1998 age 85 (Funeral Home Marker Only) Hopkins, Willena Jones 27 Nov.1916-19 Feb.1991 "Mother" (excellent cond.) Jack, Gloria D. 17 Apr.1950-19 Jul.1975 (excellent cond.) Jeffery, Richard Willie 10 Aug.1960-1 Oct.1989 (excellent cond.) Jeter, Lance 21 Aug.1909-2 Nov.1980 US Army PFC WWII (good cond., weathered) Johnson, Billy Mack no dates Texas PFC US Army Vietnam (fair cond. military marker , sunken) Johnson, Dave Jr. 17 Mar.1980-28 Jul.2000 (funeral Home Marker only) Johnson, Samuel 21 Aug.1932-8 Apr.1976 PFC US Army Korea (Poor condition,sunken, broken, weathered) Jones, Beatrice 15 Nov....-21 Aug.1943 (deteriorated, sunken) Jones, Henry 12 Dec.1899-26 Oct.1976 (excellent, sunken) Jones, Mary L. 16 Jan.1921-1 May 1975 (excellent, sunken) Jordon, Musie 7 Aug.1880-4 Dec...... "At Rest" (excellent, sunken) (note: Texas death records on Rootsweb shows she died in Jasper Co. on 12-04-1971, a widow) Kibbles, Jessie 16 Mar.1921-21 Dec.1968 PVT 318 Base Unit AAE WWII (Military stone, good cond.) Martin, Mamie 29 Sep.1903-20 Sep.1978 (good cond.,tilted) Martin, R.H. 6 Jan.1904-4 Mar.1972 (good cond.,tilted) McCain, Kenneth D. 4 Jul.1975-4 Jul.1975 (funeral home marker only,poor cond.) McDaniel, Dan 1 May 1892-28 Dec.1973 Texas PVT US Army (military marker, sunken and chipped) McMahon, Kathleen 9 Jul.1959-19 Jul.1975 (excellent cond.) Mitchell, Eugene Jr. 7 Mar.1937-22 Jun.2000 (fair cond.) Mitchell, Eugene Sr. 9 apr.1902-24 Feb.1990 (fair cond.) Mitchell, Willie Bell 21 Dec.1924-18 Sep.1998 (fair cond.) Pearson, Mr. Gary Lee 29 May 1922-3 Mar.1990 (fair cond.) Porter, Myrtie V. 1 Dec.1943=24 Aug.1963 (excellent cond.) Renfro, Flossie Mitchell 25 Oct.1900-4 Oct.1900 (poor cond.) Renfro, Lee Sr. Edward 19 ...1921 - 16 Jul.1999 age 77 (funeral home marker only, poor cond. Rootsweb Soc.Security index shows he was b.19 Jun.1921) Renfro, Semore 2 Feb.1885-9 Nov.1979 (unable to read inscription, poor condition, weathered) Robert, John 22 May 1887-19 Apr1965 Texas PVT US Army WWI (Military marker, poor condition, sunken, weathered) Robinson, Ella 8 Aug.1881-5 Jul.1951 "Only Asleep" (poor cond.) Ross, Frank 10 Jan.1886-12 Jan.1970 Louisiana PVT US Army WWI (fair cond. ,weathered) Ross, Rosa Lee 1902-1947 (good cond, chipped) Scott, Virgil Ray 9 Feb.1945-15 Nov.1990 (good cond, tilted) Smith, Flora Wagner 27 Dec.1927-2 May 1993 "Not My Will But Thine Be Done, Married 11 Sep.1958" (excellent cond) Smith, Lottie 15 Mar.1905-6 May 1971 "Mother" (excellent cond) Smith, Meredith Jr. 14 Apr.1915-31 May 1997 "Not My Will But Thine Be Done" (on stone with Flora Smith) Smith, Oscar C. 16 Nov.1901-25 Jul.1969 "Rest in Peace" "Father" (good cond.) Spikes, Frankie 24 Apr.1924-24 Nov.1970 "Asleep with Jesus" (good cond., sunken) Spikes, Mary 13 Apr.1904-19 Nov.1975 "At Rest"(excellent cond) Thames, Katie B. 4 Oct.1890-5 Jan.1965 (excellent cond) Thomas, Silena died 4 Apr.1925 "Mother, In God We Trust" (good cond. , sunken, weathered) Thompson, Nina M. 20 May 1926-22 Jan.1978 (Poor,deteriorated cond) Walker, Charles Ray 3 Jun. 1947-22 Dec.1976 (excellent cond.) Walker, Leroy 1902-1985 age 83 (funeral home marker only) Walker, Lindsey 1899=1947 (good cond.,sunken) Westbrook, Edgar Ray 7 Mar.1936-28 Jul.1942 (excellent cond.) Westbrook, Verlene 6 Mar.1957-13 Jan.1997 "In God's Care" (excellent cond.) White, Emma 1852-1948 (poor cond.) Williams, Mike Gus 13 Jan.1894-26 Aug.1956 Texas PFC Co D 522 Engineers WWI (military marker, good cond., tilted, sunken) Wilson, Lee V. 1 Sep.1914-11 Aug.1995 "Loving Daughter and Son -in -Law" (excellent condition) Wilson, Lucy 2 Jul.1918-16 Jun.1999 on stone with Lee Woods, John 28 Jul.1891-7 Dec.1968 "At Rest" (fair cond.,sunker) Woods, Madelyn McMahon 26 Jul.1915-30 Nov.1992 "Mother" (excellent cond) Woods, T.R. 14 Dec.1913-13 Jun.1981 (wooden cross & funerl home marker, poor condition)