Kaufman City Cemetery

Interment Places of African-American Persons in Kaufman County Texas

Donated by: Kathey Hunt, Co-Coordinator of Kaufman Co., Texas TXGenWeb Project

 

The following are all known marked burial sites that contain the remains of African-American persons buried in Kaufman County Texas. The words *FORMER SLAVE on any of the Kaufman County cemetery records denote persons proven to have lived a portion of their lives in bondage. We have so noted them as to pay homage to those individuals and as a reminder to all who see these pages that they will never be forgotten.

 

**NOTE: These burials all have tombstones or some type of inscribed marker – those graves of persons in   

                 Unmarked Graves are in another section

 

Kaufman City Cemetery, also known as Pyle's Hill & Shaw's Hill

 

It was determined in September 1999 that the names of African-American persons buried at this cemetery were not included on the enumeration of the Kaufman City Cemetery . Although Dr W H Pyle donated the land for this section and designated it's use exclusively for burials of black persons it was not considered part of the Kaufman City Cemetery until about 25 years ago. This portion of the cemetery was called "Pyle's Hill" by African-American persons in the County who had family members interred there. Some still refer to it as such today.

 

From the time the cemeteries were donated in the 1870's there was a fence which divided the black from the white areas. It was removed in the 1970's but not until after a lot of tension between the white & black communities of Kaufman. During that racially tense period of time there was a lot of damage done to tombstones in both the white & black portions of the cemetery, damage which is still evident today. There are only a few tombstones remaining within a 25 foot strip on either side of where the fence once stood. One particular plot which sustained heavy damage during this time in the black section is that of the Ezell Family - an old pioneering African-American family who were once slaves of Dr. Fredrick Ezell. Their tombstones were broken, turned over and removed by vandals. Ironically, a large monument that sustained damaged and was toppled over in the 1970's, is that of Dr. W H Pyle himself. His grave is within 15 feet of where the fence once stood. The 6 foot spire that should set atop the 4 foot base of his tombstone still lies where it was knocked nearly thirty years ago.

Also, in this section there are many graves of persons who had surnames of many white pioneering families - Nash, Ezell, Love, Johnson, Hill, Pyle, Daugherty & others and it is known these families were slave owners according to the 1850 & 1860 Slave Schedules & Tax Rolls of this county. Some birthdates on the tombstones of the persons interred within this section indicate they probably came here or were born here as slaves.

 

Since October 2000 this portion of this cemetery has been cleaned up considerably by the Kaufman City Cemetery Association. Brush and cane has been cut back, trees cut down, so that all the graves are now visible. However, with the removal of the brush and the spraying of herbicides, the old beds of iris, roses and lilies have all died and this has caused erosion of the soil. The erosion problem is now causing grave markers and tombstones to cave in or be washed down hill.

The area is on a hill that was once the dump for the Pyle family, Pyle's School and persons who lived in the area. On days after a heavy rain pieces of antique glass ware, metal utensils and bottles can be picked up on the site.

 

On the day the cemetery was enumerated, September 30, 1999 , there were 67 metal temporary markers in various piles, and

29 places where bricks and stones and shells marked burial sites. There were 4 separate places marked with metal poles, 1 bois d'arc stump marking a grave, 2 large pieces of pink & black Llano granite marking graves, 13 large rocks marking burials and 17 graves marked with nothing but plastic greenery and/or silk flowers.

 

The enumeration was done Sept 30, 1999 by Shane Hunt & Kathey Kelley Hunt.

Additional information was added by Kathey Hunt on June 27, 2000

 

Miss Bettie (hand made concrete stone)

1819 - 1906

"Borned A Slave" is written on back of marker *Former Slave

Allie Dennis

Charlie Dennis

Malissa Cumby

1899 - 1971

1885 - 1989

1877 - 1944

ALL ON ONE STONE:

Emma D Henry 
Wilson Lister 
Rebecca Lister 
Clem Smith Jr 

Mar 9, 1892 - Mar 9, 1974

Aug 23, 1895 - Nov 25, 1974

Feb 27, 1891 - Jul 30, 1956

Oct 25, 1894 - Jul 3, 1966

ALL ON ONE STONE:

INSCRIBED IN CONCRETE, HANDMADE PLOT CURBING

Willie Anderson

Oct 17, 1892 - Aug 1, 1979

Pvt U S Army WW I

Delbert Andrews

May 28, 1899 - Apr 10, 1971

"Father"

Verna Andrews

Nov 21, 1903 - Dec 26, 1989

"In Memory of Mother"

Julie Arradondo 

5 Jul 1851 - 17 Jun 1877

*FORMER SLAVE

Dovie Blackman

May 18, 1905 - Nov 10, 1967

 -

John R Blackman

Jun 4, 1896 - Jan 1, 1963

Pvt U S Army WWII

Clarence Blutcher

Jan 8 1940 - Feb 26, 1971

-

Gertha V Brown

1923 - 1975

-

Joe Cephus Brown

-

Military Marker Dates & info buried underground

Richard Brown

Mar 6, 1920 - May 14, 1981

Pfc U S Marines Corps WWII

Addie Burleigh

May 27, 1881 - Dec 22, 1927

-

I H Burleigh

Dec 27, 1865 - Jul 25, 1951

-

Nora Burleigh

Aug 31, 1886 - Jan 5, 1975

-

Ruby Lee Carlisle

Jun 24, 1918 - Sep 5, 1974

-

George Cole Jr

Apr 2, 1935 - Aug 1, 1977

U S Army WWII

Johnny Collier Jr

Sep 1, 1928 - Mar 8, 1967

-

Mr. John Collier

1896 - 1987

"In Loving Memory- Our Dad"

Mattie Collier

1889 - 1961.

-

Scearcy "Chick" Collier

Dec 3, 1932 - Mar 19, 1972

"Mother"

Clyde F Cornelius

Dec 1, 1910 - Jul 11, 1978

-

Virginia Ann Buchanan Crisp

Died 17 Oct 1913 - Aged 77 years

*FORMER SLAVE

Dave Daugherty

1889 - 1964

-

Laura Daugherty

1873 - 1935

-

H A Dawson

Jan 29, 1924 - Sep 6, 1958

Texas Tec 5 Med Det 1312 Engineers WWII

Betty Can Douglass

Died 17 Oct 1913 - Aged 77 years

*FORMER SLAVE

Ernest Ezell

Died January 28, 1934

Texas Pvt ICL 27 Balloon Co WWI

Brad Ezell

10 Apr 1876 - 10 Jan 1908

"Although he Sleeps
His Memory Doth Live
And Cheering Comfort
To the Mourning Give"

George Ezell

(No dates visible- stone is overturned)

"Husband of Martha"
Note: this stone was appx. 7.5 ft. tall when erect
One 20" tall limestone tombstone with "EZELL" at bottom
and "FATHER" inscribed across the top
no other inscription is readable

Mattie Ezell & Baby

28 Jun 1864 - 11 Mar 1885

Wife & Son of William Ezell
*FORMER SLAVE

Ezell Infant

-

One small limestone tombstone with lamb on top
stone is in 6 pieces - no other inscription

Willie Fields

Sep 7, 1883 - Apr 15, 1917

"Mother"

Babe Finnell

Jul 20, 1873 - Sep 24, 1945

"Mother"

Robert Ford

Dec 25, 1888 - Dec 15, 1968

-

Angelina Garmon

13 Mar 1962 - 16 Dec 1999

-

Tony Garmon

Apr 15, 1918 - Mar 31, 1983

"Rest in Peace"

Lillie Grant

Dec 25, 1903 - Jul 17, 1976

 

Evaline Greer

Born 1842 Nashville TN
Died May 29, 1892 Kaufman TX

*"Sacred to the Memory of my Mother"
"Wife of Ned Greer"

FORMER SLAVE

Texana Hardage

Apr 24, 1919 - Oct 4, 1978

"Our Darling Mother" Eastern Star Emblem

Clemmie Harris

Apr 10, 1914 - May 1, 1983

 -

George E Hawkins

Jul 22, 1947 - Sep 13, 1971

TX Spec4 U S Army Vietnam

Latiece Rena Hester

Mar 25, 1977 - Jul 8, 1977

-

David Hill

1905 - 1957

-

Mattie Hill

-

"Our Mother"Heart-shaped Homemade Concrete Marker

Whitaker Hill

1883 - 1966

-

Nellie Virginia Hillard

Mar 2, 1896 - Feb 27, 1966

"Rest in Peace"

Herbert D Hopkins

1901- 1976

"Beloved One- Farewell"

Eula Hughey

Feb 4, 1903 - Aug 22, 1977  

-

Abe Humphreys

Died Oct 31, 1927

TX Pvt ICL C M Corps WWI

Mattie Humphreys

Passed Away Mar 19, 1973  

-

David R Johns

1895- 1965 

-

Hampton Johnson

Sep 27, 1912 - Sep 6, 1970  

-

Mrs. Mattie Johnson

Aug 25, 1880 - Aug 1, 1931

"I am Going Home to rest"

Richard Johnson

1909 - 1991

"Married Myrtle Mar 3, 1938 "

Gatna Mae Jones

Apr 30, 1913 - Aug 9, 1992  

-

Hattie Jones

Died (dates & other info underground) 

-

L Mattie Jones

(all info buried underground) 

-

Will Jones

Born 1873 - Died 1961

(Handmade Concrete Stone) 

Willie Jones

1921- 1972

"At Rest"

Walter Judie

1893 - 1971

-

J A Kilman

28 Mar 1854 - 16 Sep 1940

*FORMER SLAVE

Manuel Lacey

Apr 15, 1897 - Mar 28, 1969

TX Pvt U S Army WWII

Verna L Lemmons

8-18-1920 - 3-24-1971

-

Mary Little

1869 - 1944 

-

David L Lloyd

Feb 19, 1944 - Jan 18, 1972

TX A2c U S Army Vietnam

Henry "Tebo" Love

1870 - 1949 

-

John H Love

Sep 21, 1907 - Apr 24, 1967

TX Pfc 323 Ord Co WWII  

Mary H Love

1881 - 1961  

-

Sadie McCullough

1893 - 1973  

-

Mary Elizabeth McElroy

6 Sep 1872 - 30 Apr 1940

Wife of O W McElroy

Anna Milburn

1868 - 1940

"From the Dean Children"

"In Loving memory of a Faithful Servant"  

Preddie Miles

Aug 9, 1917 - Nov 11, 1966

Pvt U S Army WW II  

J Clinton Morgan

27 May 1875 - 4 Sep 1938

-

Linnie L Moss

Sep 25, 1921 - Dec 8, 1963  

-

Hattie B Nash

1900-1975

"Mother"  

Cornelia Nix

1909 - 1966 

-

Hermia Nix

1909 - 1960

"Mother"  

William M Nix

1935 - 1972

"Son"  

Ray

Willie Mae 

May 11, 1905 - May 5, 1979

May 27, 1911 - Nov 8, 1985  

Nobles Family

Married Oct 25, 1931

Ray Nobles, Jr

July 25, 1935 - Nov 16, 1982

"Forever Loved"  

Ray Nobles, Sr

May 11, 1905 - May 5, 1979

"In Memory of Our Father"  

Fannie Norwood

Lincoln Norwood

1900 - 1972

1901 - ___  

"Together Forever"

Lee Martin Patch

(Dates underground)  

U S Army

R L  

Mattie H

1923 - 1927

1924 - 1930 

Children of L M & Rena Patch

Father- Sherley 

Mother-Willie Mae

Son - Eugene

Dec 25, 1895 - Sep 25, 1967

Jan 21, 1905 - Jul 14, 1978

May 1, 1932 - Jun 21, 1976

Perry Family

Daisey Peteet

12 Jul 1880 30 Apr 1920  

-

Charles Ray Phillips

Jul 4, 1951 - Aug 2, 1964  

-

Joe Phillips Jr

Jul 27, 1946 - Jan 23, 1976

His Mother- Maudie M Brown

His Father-Joe Phillips Sr 

Pyle Family Stone: Jeff Pyle 

1861 - 1938

*FORMER SLAVE

Florence Pyle 

Mary Pyle

Walter Pyle

Ola Pyle

Ezell Pyle

1867 - 1940

1865 - 1941

1886 - 1933

1890 - __

1909 - 193__  

-

Bruce Douglas Pyle

Sep 12, 1922 - Jan 4, 1999

Pvt WWII  

Ethel Byble Pyle

Jan 7, 1903 - Oct 24, 1994

-

Lee Pyle

Jul 20, 1887 - Dec 18, 1952  

-

D B Rankins 

7 Jul 1880 6 Jun 190__?

(broken stone)  

Alvin "P D" Salter

1910 - 1965  

-

Tommy Lee Sanders

Sep 12, 1926 - Jul 20, 1963  

-

John W Shannon

Nov 10, 1890 - Jul 22, 1969

TX Pvt U S Army WWI  

Harriett Sheltman

1822 - 26 May 1891

"Mother of Martha Ezell" **Former Slave  

James H Simpson

Jan 6, 1905 - Mar 13, 1963

TX Pvt U S Army WWI  

Lillie Singletary "Mother"

1896 - 1935  

-

Regenald Singletary

Feb 8, 1916 - May 6, 1967

"At Rest"  

Billie Sipriano

Apr 21, 1958 - Apr 8, 1972

-

Selinda Hubbard Stringer

Died 18 Jan 1938  

-

Ulysses Samuel Taylor 

1896 - 1978  

Pvt U S Army WW I

Chatman Thomas 

Died May 5, 1931

Texas Pvt US Army WW I

Linnie B Thomas

Mar 25, 1898 - May 1, 1972

-

Robert Thomas

B-11-5-1894 - D-6-28-1961

(Handmade Concrete tombstone)  

T J Thomas

Sept 17, 1887 - Mar 13, 1949

-

Gene L Tobble

Dec 5, 1935 - Nov 16, 1977

U S Army Korea  

Tynee Tubbs

No Dates  

-

William Tucker 

Jun 8, 1919 - Oct 15, 1958

"Husband"

Essie Warren

Died 1983

 

"Rest Here" (Handmade concrete wood- writing painted on )  

Serviena Wesly

1895 - 1968

-

Rosa lee Whites

1896 - 1970

-

Hattie Ezell Williams

28 Jun 1864 - 11 Mar 1885

"Wife of H Williams" "Fare Thee Well"  

Mae Ella Williams

1923 - 1973  

-

Rose Lee Williams

Feb 15, 1897 - Feb 3, 1961

-

Valaree H Wiliams

Oct 31, 1917 - Dec 20, 1947

TX Pvt 626 Ord AM Co WWII  

Bertha Wilson

1898 - 1979

"Aunt"

Billy Young

Aug 2, 1920 - Dec 31, 1977

Pvt U S Army WWII  

Hulon Young

Sept 11, 1908 - Jan 28, 1979

"Father"  

 

***No documents on this page may be copied or used on any other website without the expressed permission of Kathey Hunt of Kaufman Co., Texas TXGenWeb Project.