McKenzie Cemetery, Limestone County, TX Submitted by Beth Shields Wilson ************************************************************************ 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/ *********************************************************************** To reach the McKenzie Cemetery, one must travel south from Groesbeck on FM 937 for 15 3/10 miles and turn onto LCR 740 going passed Running Branch Marina. It is about 3 1/10 miles to LCR 742 where the cemetery sign is posted at the turn. A large MCKENZIE sign was placed over the gate in 1994, the work donated by the Leon County Shop Students, Ronald Stone, and J. W. Shields. Nola McKenzie Shields' final project was to have all the gravesites marked with concrete markers. This was completed before her death in 1968. , Oletha School Teacher , Sibyle Shields, recorded the story which was the oral history of the beginning of the cemetery in 1963 as handed down from her great grandparents which is printed in the 1988 Edition of the Limestone County Cemetery Survey. The TEXAS STATE HISTORICAL MARKER was placed in the cemetery in June of 1995, a donation by Preston Shields. Application made by Beth Shields Wilson. The marker reads: McKENZIE CEMETERY THE AREA SURROUNDING THIS GRAVE YARD WAS KNOWN AS McKENZIE PRAIRIE, NAMED FOR JOSEPH S. McKENZIE AND HIS FAMILY WHO SETTLED HERE IN 1853. THE OLDEST GRAVE HERE IS THAT OF ELIZABETH ETEMON AND HER INFANT DAUGHTER WHO DIED WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH THE AREA IN 1865. THE McKENZIES SET ASIDE LAND FOR THE BURIAL. IT WAS MARKED WITH SANDSTONE CARVED BY ELIZABETH'S HUSBAND WHO THEN LEFT AND CONTINUED HIS JOURNEY. GRADUALLY THE ONE-ACRE PLOT BECAME A COMMUNITY BURIAL GROUND, THE FINAL RESTING-PLACE FOR THE McKENZIE FAMILY, THEIR NEIGHBORS, AND THEIR DESCENDANTS. (1995) This survey was done by Preston Shields and Aaron Shields in the Spring of 1989 to correct mistakes found in the Limestone County Cemetery Survey Book. The addition of those buried after 1989 was added in 1999 by Beth Shields Wilson. Al very large marker was placed in the cemetery by descendants which reads William J. Choate 1833/1900 Co C 17 Regt TEX Cav CSA. Archer, Lillie (Thomas) 5-30-1872/3-20-1914 wf of Saladin W. dau of L.. J. Mc K Archer, Nancy Sherrod 1858-1944 Archer, Saladin W. 12-4-1869/12-14-1951 Avant, Auther 1st Husband of Daisy Lynch Caldwell Beck, Dock Beck, Mrs. Dock Burks, Dick Burks, Eula Caldwell, Baby 1935/1935 Caldwell, Infant of J. W. 7-20-1904/7-20-1904 Carey, Cricket Cary, Clarence Cashom Cashom, Mary Castilow, Martha Nelson 1884/1969 Castilow, W. W. 7-3-1872/4-?-1923 Choate, Jenny Jane Crowell 1820/1894 born in Tenn dau of Wilesy Crowell, Fulton Co., Ill Choate, Jesse 1810/1893 born in Tenn son of David & Judy Sevier Choate Choate, Missouri Ann 5-14-1850/9-14-1910 Choate, W. J. 11-?-1848/7-29-1900 Defoar, Mrs. N. A. 8-?-1834/2-22/1897 DeLeon George 1895/1916 DeLeon, Baby DeLeon, Baby DeLeon, Jessie 1912/1918 DeLeon, Mandy 1891/1912 DeLeon, Paul 3-2-1847/1-22-1912 born in Mexico Duke, C. J. 3-12-1868/12-31-1919 Duke, T. A. 1844/1923 Etemon, Elizabeth 5-1-1865 First Grave in the Cemetery buried with infant Farris Twins Fike, Eliza E. (McKenzie) 12-25-1879/8-14-1904 wf of J. B. Fullen, George Gressett, Infant 1919 son of Mary C. & W. Jack Gressett, John Allen 3-2-1936/8-8-1936 Gressett, Mary Choate 1-?-1893/3-?-1919 Hartnet, Mrs Johnnie Heathely, Baby Johnson, Sarah N. Judson, J. N. Judson, John Sr CSA 17th Tex Cav 1824/1893 son of Nathan Judson, Talitha Shields (dau Joseph E. Shields) 1828/1893 sis of Isaiah Kerzie, Baby Knowles Land, Infant of Mr. & Mrs. Till Lang Dashie Lang, Sim Lindsey, Jim 1870/1932 Loftin, Berta Loftin, Bowden Lynch, A. J. Lynch, Andrew 2-5-1874/3-25-1900 Lynch, Fannie 9-13-1897/7-20-1899 Lynch, Ilari Lynch, Little Granny 3-?-1900 Lynch, S.E.E. 9-6-1854/5-3-1934 Martin, Alverta 12--24-1904/4-21-1921 dau Bob & Laura Martin, Andrew 1st husband of Bessie Martin Martin, Baby of Dee & Lizzie Martin, Dovie M. 3-13-1904/8-31-1971 wf Guy Sr Martin, Guy Sr 11-15-1902/6-7-1977 son of Bob & Laura Martin, H. Eugene 11-30-1924/9-18-1929 Martin, Infant of Bob & Laura Martin, Infant of Laura & Bob Martin, Infant of Laura & Bob Martin, Josephine Marie dau Bob & Laura Martin, Laura (McKenzie) 2-20-1883/11-14-1966 wf of Bob Martin, Nola Faye dau of Laura & Bob Martin, Robert (Bob) 4-14-1878/4-12-1963 Martin, Rob son of Laura & Bob Martin, Will R. (Billy) 3-7-1937/11-28-1983 McCollum, Baby McKenzie, Infant of Mr. & Mrs. R. A. McKenzie, Infant of Mr. & Mrs. R. A. McKenzie, Infant of Mr. & Mrs. R. A. McKenzie, Infant of Wille & Lula McKenzie, J. S. 10-14-1818/5-26-1886 (owner of the land) Mckenzie, Jodie 8-14-1857/9-11-1922 son of J. S. McKenzie, L. J. (Louisa Jane Blackwell Thomas) 1-11-1844/3-11-1890 2nd wf of J. S. McKenzie, Martha (Wageman) 1861/1926 wf of Jodie McKenzie, Pamelia 12-13-1863/7-21-1881 dau of J. S. & Permelia McKenzie, Permelia (Shipp) 12-5-1823/4-30-1876 wf of J. S. McKenzie, R. A. CSA Co D 6th TX Cav 11-27-1841/4-18-1891 son of J. S. McKenzie, W. S died 3-18-1885 bro J. S. McKinzie, Isabell 2-5-1890/11-3-1890 dau of J. H. & Josephine Mikie, Baby Mikie, Mrs. Mitchell, Baby O'Grady, Baby Poor, Charlie Poor, Emma Poor, Thomas H. 11-19-1901/11-30-1979 Ramey, Baby Robertson, Basheba Ferguson 3-8-1900/11-22-1918 Rogers, Baby Sadler, Amarillis C 1840 Sadler, Jim Cane 1833 son of John & Bash (Lindley) Sanders, Clara 1-?-1901/10-?-1934 Sanders, Infant twins of Evie & Dell Sanders, J. B. 5-1-1848/8-1-1921 Sanders, Mrs. J. B. 8-14-1860/11-7-1924 Sanders, Ocie C 1908/1928 Sherrod, Amanda (McKenzie) 3-3-1855/12-4-1887 wf of Richard Sherrod, Inez (wf of J. S.) 12-20-1875/3-15-1906 Sherrod, Maud Harris Sherrod, Mrs. S. Sherrod, Richard 12-9-1852/3-30-1894 Sherrod, S. W. 12-18-1855/2-14-1899 Sherrod, Vennyemay 5-13-1902/4-29-1910 Shields, Boy 10-27-1903/10-28-1903 son John & Mima Shields, Ellen wf of Bob Shields, Hattie (Dembaur) wf of Jim Shields, Ide 4-21-1872/10-2-1952 son of Isaiah & Tamer Shields, Infant of Ted & Ora Shields, Isaiah 12-3-1834/2-11-1897 CSA 5th Reg Co H Tex Inf Shields, Jack D. 2-7-1933/12-12-1935 grandson John Shields, Joe 11-?-1879/10-?-1935 son of Isaiah & Tamer Shields, Joel C 11-8-1914/4-3-1992 son of John & Mima Shields, John 2-27-1876/9-28-1941 son of Isaiah & Tamer Shields, John Weldon 4-11-1921/6-6-1995 son of John & Mima Shields, Mima 2-18-1886/10-16-1971 wf of John Shields, Myrtle M 7-15-1907/8-17-1907 dau John & Mima Shields, Nola (McKenzie) 3-14-1881/11-25-1968 wf of Ide Shields, Sibyle 1897/1983 dau of Ide & Nola Shields, T. A. 11-27-1840/8-8-1898 wf of Isaiah Shields, Troy C 12-16-1904/7-5-1923 son of Ide & Nola Shipp, Araminta Judson born 1869/died 9-13-1893 Shipp, William E. 7-18-1893/9-1-1893 son of Araminta Judson Shipp Singletary, John 2nd husband of Bessie Martin Smith, Talitha Jane Choate 1873/1894 Sutton, Baby 3-12-1913/3-12-1913 Sutton, Della D.(Dell) 3-19-1918/3-2-1999 Sutton, Ella 7-15-1884/6-9-1956 Sutton, Lee 1-1-1874/3-5-1933 Sutton, Little Oralee 11-22-1918/2-?-1920 Sutton, William 9-23-1908/5-23-1981 Sutton, William Wayne (Billy) 7-25-1973/2-8-1995 son of Bill & Barbara Thomas, Altha B. 11-29-1887/3-22-1889 dau HE & CL Thomas, E. J. 3-17-1888/6-4-1970 Thomas, Elizabeth (McKenzie) 1-30-1853/12-21-1931 wf of Jim Thomas, Infant of J. E. Thomas, Infant of J. A. & M. E. 12-6-1892/12-24-1892 Thomas, Infant of J. T. & M. E. 8-1-1883/8-2-1883 son Thomas, J. W. 8-5-1876/8-4-1877 Thomas, Jim 11-9-1847/3-3-1934 Thomas, Lemuel died 9-1880 age 6 Thomas, Loueler 11-17-1881/8-15-1890 dau J.T & M. E. Thommas, Rev. W. M. CSA 8-31-1837/2-1-1921 bro Jim Thommas, Sadie S. J. (McKenzie) 6-26-1845/2-20-1916 wf of Rev. W. M. Tyler, Autherine 6-16-1940/12-6-1941 Walker, Della 1-3-1899/1-9-1986 Walker, Johnnie 10-17-1900/8-4-1965 Walker, Johnnie Marie 2-28-1928/3-28-1928 Watkins, Sarah E. 10-?-1844/?-?-1921 Williams, Z. R.3-10-1847/7-1-1876 Willis, Mrs. E. L. 7-19-1877/7-25-1929 Willis, Roger M. 10-9-1915/8-12-1968 Wilson, Caralin 1900/1918 dau Paul DeLeon