Victoria County, Texas - Midgett Family Cemetery, also known as Fordtran Cemetery ************************************************************************ 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 *********************************************************************** Submitted by Cynthia (Midgett) Shaffer cshaffer@houston.rr.com Submitted June 2002 Victoria County, Texas _ Midgett Family Cemetery, also known as Fordtran Cemetery ******************************************************************* Submitted by Cynthia (Midgett) Shaffer Submitted June 2002 SOME RECORDS IN THIS TRANSCRIPTION WERE TAKEN FROM A 1970 CEMETERY TRANSCRIPTION AND VERIFIED FROM AN ACTUAL VISIT IN MAY 2002. (Row numbers given, lot numbers given with names, all other lots assumed vacant). Comments in parenthesis are from the 1970 survey. Additional comments from May 2002 survey are in brackets. Every effort has been made to transcribe this cemetery as accurately and completely as possible; apology is made in the case of error. HISTORY: Fordtran Cemetery was originally called the _Midgett Grave Yard._ The first recorded burial was in Dec. 1898, that of Escar Buchanan. At least thirty-nine of the approx 140 of those interred here are related to the Midgett-Buchanan families (see the end of this transcription). Hugh Mack Midgett married Sarah C. Buchanan in 1877 in Wilson County, TN. The Midgett and Buchanan families (including parents, siblings and children) left Tennessee about 1882, headed for Missouri. Rains, flood, mud, and other hardships caused the families to give up their desire to locate to Missouri and they detoured to Marion, Williamson County, Illinois, where Minerva E. Badgett Midgett (interred in this cemetery) had a sister and other family. The Midgett and Buchanan families stayed in Illinois until ca 1898, when they located to the Fordtran area. These families were among the firsts settlers to the Fordtran area and many served as teachers, postmasters, store owners, etc. for the area. The first recorded land deeds in Victoria County for these families are dated November 1898 and can be found in the Victoria County Courthouse Deed Records. In 1898, Hugh Midgett bought 160 acres of land, which included the approximate / acre later set aside for the cemetery. In 1905, Hugh Midgett sold the land to Samuel W. McCollum, _save and except about one-half acre of land in North line of said tract which is reserved and is known as the Midgett grave yard._ Hugh and Sarah Midgett moved to Uvalde County, Texas, where their youngest son and his wife were residing. Many of the families remained in the Fordtran area. Both Hugh and Sarah Midgett are interred here. Since that time, many of the Midgett, Buchanan and associated families have been interred at the Midgett Grave Yard/Fordtran Cemetery. There is a Fordtran Cemetery Association that has jurisdiction over the cemetery. Mr. Delbert Maggard is the head of the Association at this time. Many descendants are still living in the Victoria County area. Directions: Traveling north to south on Highway 59, take the Inez, #444 exit (about 14 miles north of Victoria, Texas). Turn right onto FM 444. Travel about 17 1/2 miles, to Highway 77. Turn right onto Highway 77, travel about 2/10 mile, and then turn left onto Fordtran Road. Travel about 4/10 mile and the cemetery will be on your left. (If coming from Victoria, take the Inez exit, turn left under Highway 59, turn left for 2/10 of a mile, then turn right onto FM 444 and follow the remaining directions above.) Condition: There is not a sign indicating the cemetery name. It is immediately on the left side of the road and easy to find. The cemetery is fairly small, fenced with a chain-linked fence, and is well kept. Row 1. _ no graves Row 2 2.1 TORRES _ double stone TORRES, Paul Anthony, Apr 30, 1950 [no death date] TORRES, L. Gayle Powell, Oct 10, 1950 _ Oct 17, 1999 Loving wife and mother. Married Jan 31, 1986 Row 3 3.1 BOOTHE _ double stone BOOTHE, Horace W., Oct 20, 1935 _ Apr 17, 1999 BOOTHE, Sydney C., Feb. 18, 1938 _ Aug 5, 1998 Row 4 4.1 BATTS (double stone) BATTS, Clarence L., Mar 9, 1913, July 17, 1978. [At foot] BATTS, Clarence L., Sgt. US Army, WWII 1913-1978 BATTS, Lois Mae, Sept 3, 1919 [no death date] Row 5 5.3 PREWITT, John T., Dec. 30, 1852, Feb. 19, 1902 5.4 PREWITT, Mahala Ann, June 29, 1833, Dec. 2, 1906 5.5 PREWITT, Mary Catherine, Sept. 3, 1859, July 28, 1918 5.8 WAINSCOTT, George W., Aug. 8, 1910, Aug 14, 1990 5.9 WAINSCOTT, H. Marie, Nov. 18, 1914, May 19, 1987 5.15 MARTIN, Nancy E., Jan 9, 1865, Aug. 9, 1934 _Mother_ 5.16 MARTIN, George S., June 6, 1844, Aug 29, 1921 _Father_ 5.17 YOUNG, Mary A., Apr. 5, 1838, July 5, 1923 5.18 YOUNG, Lloyd, July 13, 1912, Jan. 30, 1923 5.19 YOUNG, George B., Sept. 17, 1867, Sept. 11, 1948 5.20 YOUNG, Nora Hart, May 29, 1880, Nov. 7, 1956 Row 6 6.5 Stone at head and foot. No name, unknown child. 6.12 HENSLEY, Infant of Mr. And Mrs. M. G. Hensley, Sept 15, 1927 6.13 HENSLEY, Harold D., Dec. 21, 1942, Apr 1, 1943 6.15 FAUNCE, Ruth M., Mar. 19, 1913, Apr. 13, 1934 6.16 MULLINS, Arizona C., 1873-1967 6.17 MULLINS, George M., 1862-1946 Row 7 7.2 STOEVER, Mrs. Anna, Mar 1, 1869, Sept. 20, 1910 7.3 STOEVER, Hermann, Aug. 9, 1865, Feb. 11, 1906 7.4 STOEVER, Katie, Sept. 19, 1896, Sept. 19, 1900 7.5 Infant son of F. J. & E. STROBEL (age 7 days) Nov. 1910 7.6 STROBEL, Emilie, July 24, 1871, Mar. 17, 1959 7.7 STROBEL, Hugh John Nov. 15, 1890, July 22, 1965, Texas Pvt., Infantry WWI 7.12 Stone marker, no name. (may be a baby son who died at a Christmas party in 1924 or 1925 _ Lane baby) [On the visit in May 2002, there is no stone marker to indicate this grave] 7.12 HENSLEY, Marlin G. Sr., Aug 12, 1934, Jan. 15, 1999 [On the visit in May 2002, this grave was marked by a funeral home marker, and was at lot 12. Charlie Marshall FH and Cematory, Aransas Pass/Rockport] 7.13-14 HENSLEY (double marker) HENSLEY, Morgan G. Feb. 16, 1891, May 14, 1987 HENSLEY, Morgan G., Pvt. US Army, WWI, Feb. 16, 1891, May 14, 1987 [additional military marker] HENSLEY, Ella E., Aug 30, 1902, June 29, 1997 7.15 HENSLEY, Clarence, Apr 25, 1931, May 2, 1997, Crpl, US Army, WWII Row 8 8.4 Baby Mahan (cedar tree at head) [On visit in May 2002, there is no marker and the cedar tree has been cut down, with only a stump remaining] [There is a curb around Lots 9-12 of Row 8] 8.10-11 BRADY (double marker) BRADY, Lenora A. 1878-1965 _Mother_ [dates for Lenora Brady are 5/5/1878-5/18/1965] BRADY, William J., 1879-1951 _Father_ [dates for William Brady are 3/24/1879-3/30/1951] 8.12 BRADY Infant son, 1905-1905 8.13 BATTS, Marcelle G., 1921, 1994 8.14 BATTS, Robert Edd, 1918-1956 [notes from 1970 indicate he was a Veteran of WWII] 8.15 BATTS, Mettie Cecil, 1892, 1977 8.16. MAGGARD, infant son of Delbert & Barbara Maggard, June 15, 1960, June 15, 1960 Row 9 [There is a curb around graves 1-15] 9.2 BUCHANAN, Mary G., Sept. 2, 1971, Sept. 11, 1954 [concrete slab over the grave] 9.3 BUCHANAN, Robert T., Sept. 20, 1866, July 21, 1956 [concrete slab over the grave] 9.4 BUCHANAN, Escar, son of R. T. & M. G. BUCHANAN, Jan. 19, 1897, Dec. 7, 1898 [this is the earliest recorded burial] 9.5 COCKRUM, Byford, son of R. G. & E. A. COCKRUM, Aug. 5, 1916, Aug 10, 1916 9.7 MIDGETT, infant of Mr. & Mrs. J.N.O. MIDGETT, Dec. 25, 1910, Dec. 25, 1910 9.8 BATTS, infant triplets of Mr. & Mrs. L. E. BATTS. (Concrete slab shows date of birth Oct. 5, 1921. Red granite headstone shows death in 1920. Possibly born in 1920 and died in 1921) 9.9 BATTS, infant daughter of Mr. & Mrs. L. E. BATTS, 1924-1924 9.11 BRANCH, Myrtle M., daughter of J. B. & M. E. BRANCH, Jan. 13, 1880, Dec. 4, 1904 9.12 BRANCH, Herby L., son of J. B. & M. E. BRANCH, May 10, 1901, June 10, 1904 9.13 BRANCH, Pvt. John R., son of J. B. & M. E. BRANCH, May 14, 1890, Dec. 28, 1917 (Veteran WWI. Died Camp Bowie, Ft. Worth, Texas, of flu) 9.14 BRANCH, Mattie E., June 23, 1858, Nov. 11, 1931 [photo on obelisk style stone] 9.15 BRANCH, Joshua B., Dec. 3, 1853, Jan. 25, 1928 [photo on obelisk style stone] 9.16-17 STEPHENS [double stone] STEPHENS, Veda B., Mar. 12, 1912, May 26, 1980 STTEPHENS, Carl H., Sept. 26, 1902, May 15, 1969 Row 10 10.2-3 MIDGETT [double stone] MIDGETT, America, _Mother_, Mar. 6, 1861, Apr 2, 1937 MIDGETT, Jessie B. _Father_, Feb. 27, 1857, June 3, 1945 10.4 MIDGETT, Horace L., son of J. B. & A. M. MIDGETT, May 7, 1895, Feb. 14, 1913 10.5 MIDGETT, Baby, Oct. 30, 1900, Nov. 4, 1900 10.7 NICKEL, James E., Jan. 7, 1881, Aug. 27, 1911 10.9 BORCHERS, Selma Ollie, Sept. 20, 1886, Sept. 29, 1961 10.10 BORCHERS, Edmund, Mar. 24, 1866, June 15, 1941 (James E. Nickel married Selma Ollie Midgett. After he died, she married Ed Borchers. She is buried between the two} 10.11 Baby grave, stone at head, lilies at foot. Unknown 10.12 Child grave, lily at head, stone at foot. Unknown. 10.13-14 NICKEL (double stone) NICKEL, Gladys, June 15, 1923 [no death date] NICKEL, Welton, Dec. 18, 1915, May 6, 1974 Married Aug. 10, 1939 10.15-16 NICKEL (double stone) NICKEL, Laura Edith, Apr. 30, 1892, May 17. 1956 NICKEL, Edd, Mar. 25, 1891, June 23, 1960 10.16-17 JETTON (double stone) JETTON, Christa Clare, Dec. 28, 1919, Apr. 19, 1987 JETTON, James Welton, Dec. 6, 1919 [no death date] Married May 28, 1942 Row 11 [Graves 1-7 are enclosed in a curb] 11.1 HAILEY, Kenneth Dahlgren, Mar 2, 1915, Dec. 22, 1934 11.2 HAILEY, Era, Sept. 1, 1882, Mar 17, 1946 11.3 HAILEY, Dahlgren, Mar. 20, 1880, Sept. 15, 1958 11.5-6 MIDGETT (double stone) MIDGETT, Sarah C., 1860-1952 [b. 26 Feb 1860, d. 21 Feb 1952] MIDGETT, Hugh M., 1853, 1932 [b. 23 June 1853, d. 12 June 1932] 11.7 MIDGETT, Elizabeth M. [or Minerva E.], Mar 26, 1835, May 17, 1912 11.9 Stone at head, Unknown (thought to be Sam Badgett) 11.10 Unknown (perhaps Mrs. Sam Badgett) 11.11 Two stones at head and one at foot. Unknown (perhaps a Grandma) 11.12 Brick at foot. Child. Unknown. (Daniels girl) 11.13 Grave (Daniels girl) (Graves 12 and 13 either children of Laura [Laura may be Lenora] and Sam Badgett, or sisters or aunts of Bill Daniels. Bill Daniels says this is the Badgett children's graves. These are not his sisters but are kin.) Row 12 (Graves 1-9 are in a Buchanan plot, curbed) 12.1-2 BUCHANAN (double stone) BUCHANAN, Cora, 1876-1963 BUCHANAN, Elijah J., 1870-1943 12.3 [the notes from the 1970 survey indicate Sabon C. Estes Buchanan is buried here; I think this was possibly an error; some of the information was taken from _cards_. See grave 12.4] 12.4-5 BUCHANAN [double obelisk style stone, top half broken but propped against the bottom] BUCHANAN, Laban E. (Veteran, Mexican War of 1845), Oct. 24, 1824, Jan. 8, 1910 BUCHANAN, Martha J., Nov. 29, 1833, July 24, 1910 12.6 BUCHANAN, Vedah E. (child) Aug. 8, 1906, Dec. 8, 1906 12.7-8 BROWN (double stone) BROWN, Alta Mae, Apr. 30, 1898, May 24, 1989 BROWN, Arthur, July 2 1892, Apr. 12, 1980 12.10 HAYNES, Martha Loraine Daniels (Mrs. Samuel H. Haynes) _Mother_ Apr. 3, 1892, Mar. 22, 1935 12.11 HAYNES, Samuel Hardin, Feb. 24, 1882, Nov. 23, 1969 [There is a stone between 12.10 and 12.11 with these names: William Henry Haynes, 1916-1918, Samuel Oscar Haynes, 1920-1920, James Clem Haynes, 1925-1929] 12.12-13 DANIELS (double stone) DANIELS, Lara Badgett, _Mother_, Feb. 11, 1872, May 15, 1949 DANIELS, James C., May 2, 1869, July 2, 1945 12.15-16 DANIELS (double stone) DANIELS, Lola, Apr 26, 1905 [no death date] DANIELS, J.L., June 26, 1902, Dec. 15, 1973 12.18 CHAMBERS, Lillie M., _Mother_, Oct. 23, 1914, Jan. 14, 1991 Row 13 13.4 SMITH, Fannie W., July 20, 1855, July 12, 1950 13.5 SMITH, Caldwell E., June 26, 1844, July 16, 1910 13.6 JACOBS, Dora Ann, Jan. 16, 1874, Mar. 25, 1949 13.7 JACOBS, Edward, July 13, 1872, Sept. 3, 1941 13.8 JACOBS, Mrs. Inez B., May 31, 1877, Dec.29, 1913 13.10 FOSTER, Robert Earl ([Assumed] Still living [as of the 1970 survey]). (This entry possibly incorrect and might be Robert Edwin Foster who is buried in space 16. In another notebook, this space is listed as vacant) [In May 2002, there was no stone at this site] 13.11 FOSTER, Irene Carsner, Dec. 4, 1858, Jan. 11, 1938 13.12 FOSTER, Kenard S., Nov. 25, 1844, Mar. 15, 1921 (Civil War Veteran, Co H, 6th S.C. Cavalry CSA) [Mr. Foster's marker does indicate his Civil War service] 13.14 FOSTER, Herbert Melvin, son of Mr. & Mrs. R. E. FOSTER, Dec. 10, 1921, Mar. 5, 1923 13.15 FOSTER, Matilda Ellen, Mar 30, 1892, Feb. 3, 1962 13.16 FOSTER, Robert Edwin, Oct. 20, 1888, May 13, 1982 Row 14 14.1 Stone at head. Unknown. (Mrs. Addie Breamfield's Aunt, ca 1920 ?) 14.2 BUERGNER, Friedericke, 1849 _ 1929 14.4 DOWLEARN, W.H., June 9, 1891, Jan. 28, 1914 14.5 JACOBS, Esther, Apr. 10, 1909 [only date listed] 14.6 JACOBS, Charley Y., Oct. 17, 1901, Dec. 12, 1990 14.7 JACOBS, Ethia V., Oct. 1, 1902, May 7, 1945 Lilies. Unknown grave. Row 15 15.1 BOYD, Clarance Finley, Jan. 4, 1917, Aug. 26, 1917 Row 16 16.2 SNEAD, Callie (Mrs. Tom Snead). _Our Mother_, July 13, 1877, July 21, 1936 16.3-4 BARNETT (double stone) BARNETT, Mary E., Oct. 23, 1925, Jan. 18, 1997 BARNETT, Freddie F., Aug. 14, 1930, July 9, 1977 [at foot] Freddie F. BARNETT, PFC US Army, Korea, 1930-1977 16.5-6 BARNETT (double stone) BARNETT, Elmer C., Nov. 19, 1885, Sept. 29, 1972 BARNETT, Viola P., Dec. 3, 1899, Aug. 17. 1981 16.8 SWARTZ, William A. (Age 89 yrs. 9 mos, 24 days) July 24, 1877, May 18, 1967 16.9-10 PRIEST (double stone) PRIEST, Nancy Carilyn, Jan 30, 1946 [only date] PRIEST, Joe Rodney, Nov. 19, 1942, Aug. 5, 2000 [at foot] Joe R. PRIEST, Sgt. US Air Force, Viet Nam, Nov. 19, 1942, Aug. 5, 2000 Wed Sept. 18, 1965 16.11 HEWITT, Minnie O. (Ola), Feb. 23, 1893, Dec. 20, 1970 16.12-13 REYNOLDS (double stone) REYNOLDS, Marguerite E., Mar. 22, 1916, Feb. 26, 1999 REYNOLDS, Ernest S., May 9, 1912, July 20, 1973 16,15-16 BALCH (double stone) BALCH, Billie L. _Mother_ Aug. 21, 1918, Dec. 8, 1987 BALCH, Willard D.,, _Father_ Mar. 15, 1919, Feb. 9, 1993 Married Dec. 8, 1940 MIDGETT, BUCHANAN and Associated Families Interred at the Midgett Grave Yard BADGETT, Minerva (Elizabeth M.), married Henry A. Midgett; mother of Hugh M. Midgettt, Jessie B. Midgett BARNETT, Mary Green married Robert T. Buchanan BATTS, Lee Edd married Mettie Cecil Buchanan, daughter of Robert T. & Mary Green Buchanan BORCHERS, Edmond married Selma Ollie Midgett, daughter of Jessie B. & America Sheppard Midgett BRANCH, John R , son of Martha E. _Mettie_ Buchanan & Joshua B. Branch BRANCH, Joshua B. married Martha E. _Mettie_ Buchanan, daughter of Laban Estes & Martha Saulmon Buchanan BRANCH, Myrtle Minnie, daughter of Martha E. _Mettie_ Buchanan and Joshua B. Branch BROWN, Arthur married Alta M. Buchanan, daughter of Elijah J. & Cora Hudgens Buchanan BUCHANAN, Alta M., daughter of Elijah J. & Cora Hudgens Buchanan BUCHANAN, Elijah John, son of Laban Estes & Martha Saulmon Buchanan BUCHANAN, Escar, son of Robert T. & Mary Green Buchanan BUCHANAN, Laban Estes, married Martha J. Saulmon; father of Martha _Mettie_, Sarah C., Robert T., & Elijah J. Buchanan BUCHANAN, Martha E. "Mattie", daughter of Laban Estes & Martha Saulmon Buchanan BUCHANAN, Robert Thomas, son of Laban Estes & Martha Saulmon Buchanan BUCHANAN, Sarah C. "Sallie", daughter of Laban Estes & Martha Saulmon Buchanan; married Hugh M. Midgett BUCHANAN,Vedah E., daughter of Elijah J. & Cora Hudgens Buchanan COCKRUM, Veda B., daughter of Ralph & Atah F. Buchanan Cockrum; Atah Buchanan was a daughter of Elijah J. & Cora Hudgens Buchanan DOWLEARN, Wm. Hays married Nannie Elizabeth Midgett, daughter of Nathaniel Henry & Sarah Raider Midgett FUDGE, Gladys married Welton Nickel. Welton Nickel was the son of Edd & Laura Edith Midgett Nickel HAILEY,DahlgrenH. Married Lillie Era Midgett, daughter of Hugh M. & Sarah C. Buchanan Midgett HAILEY, Kenneth Dahlgren, son of Dahlgren & Lillie Era Midgett Hailey HUDGENS, Cora married Elijah J. Buchanan JETTON, James Welton married Christa Clare Nickel, daughter of Edd & Laura Edith Midgett Nickel LINDSEY,Lenora A. married William John Brady [William Brady was a brother to Minnie Belle Brady. Minnie Belle Brady married Lacy Delphus Midgett, son of Hugh M. & Sarah C. Buchanan Midgett. Minnie & Lacy Midgett are interred at Nursery Cemetery, just a few miles from this cemetery] MIDGETT, Baby, child of Jessie B. & America Sheppard Midgett MIDGETT, Horace Lee, son of Jessie B. & America Sheppard Midgett MIDGETT, Hugh Mack "Huey_, son of Henry A. & Minerva E. Badgett Midgett; married Sarah C. Buchanan; set aside land for this cemetery MIDGETT, Jessie Badgett, son of Henry A. & Minerva E. Badgett Midgett; married America Sheppard MIDGETT, Laura Edith, daughter of Jessie B. & America Sheppard Midgett; married Edd Nickel MIDGETT, Lillie Era, daughter of Hugh M. & Sarah C. Buchanan Midgett; married Dahlgreen Hailey MIDGETT, Selma Ollie, daughter of Jessie B. & America Sheppard Midgett; married 1st James Nickel; married 2nd Edmond Borchers NICKEL, Christa Clare, daughter of Edd & Laura Edith Midgett Nickel; married James Welton Jetton NICKEL, Edd married Laura Edith Midgett, daughter of Jessie B. & America Sheppard Midgett NICKEL, James E., first husband of Selma Ollie Midgett NICKEL, Welton, son of Edd & Laura E. Midgett Nickel; married Gladys Fudge SAULMON, Martha Jane married Laban Estes Buchanan SHEPPARD/SHEPHERD, America M. married Jessie B. Midgett STEPHENS, Carl H. married 1st Ina Nellie Midgett, daughter of Lacy & Minnie B. Brady Midgett; married 2nd Veda B, Cockrum