Measles Cemetery Sebastian Co., Ar
Measles Cemetery
Picture and listings submitted by Jack James

(Source: The Key. Seaton, Virginia Cole.
South Sebastian Historical Society. Volume 29. 1996)


The Measles Cemetery is located in the east side of Lavaca on Highway 96. It was a private family cemetery until 1960 when it was opened to the public.

Emil A. Measles, a young man just under 23 years old, was the first to be buried in the cemetery on January 14, 1891. Mrs. Virginia Cole Seaton writes that he most likely died as the result of a fall from a horse. His young wife, Lula Seward Measles, discovered that she was expecting after his death and named the baby Emil A. after his father.

The cemetery is on land that was owned by John W. and Martha C. Measles. They came to Lavaca from Tennessee in the 1880s. At one time, the cemetery was shaded by magnificent old oak trees but they were destroyed when a storm came through town in 1996. A road travels directly into the cemetery with graves lying to its east and west.


Row 1

Brown, Mays Howard (middle name from death record & WWI record) Feb. 13, 1886- Mar. 24, 1947 son of Mary E. Brown; husb of Maggie L. Marker Photo
Measles, John Doniven (mid name from WWI cards May 8, 1874 – Nov 13, 1965 husb of Emily L. Wilkerson m. Mar 11, 1896 Marker Photo
Measles, Emily Lou Mar. 28, 1875 – Feb. 18, 1963 wife of John D. Marker Photo
Measles Babies Fieldstone Markers    
Newman, Gearld June 16, 1918 – May 23, 1975    
Newman, Louise June 24, 1922 - Oct 30, 2004 (SSDI index) wife of Gerald  
Shelby, Wilsons Nov. 9, 1938 -    

Row 2

Wilkerson Babies   Fieldstone Markers  
Miles, Clay J. April 30, 1853 – April 18, 1940   Marker Photo
Miles, Julia P. Nov. 30, 1847 – Mar. 16, 1931 Wife Marker Photo
Seven Unmarked Graves      

Row 3

Measles Infant Jan. 12, 1910 – Jan. 12, 1910   Marker Photo
Measles, Emil A. Mar. 18, 1868 – Jan. 14, 1891 husb of Lula Seward - m. Dec 19, 1888 Marker Photo
Measles, John W. 1841 - 1914   Marker Photo
Measles, Martha 1849 - 1911 wife of John W. Measles Marker Photo
Chapman, Wheeler Aug. 13, 1898 – Jan. 31, 1918 son of Robt & Lily Chapman Marker Photo
Chapman, Lillie V. Aug. 18, 1881 – Mar. 1, 1918 wife of Robert Marker Photo
Chapman, Robert L. Aug. 31, 1864 – Aug. 3, 1922   Marker Photo
Chapman, Lucille Nov. 6, 1916 – Sept. 12, 1937   Marker Photo
Chapman, Perry J. Feb. 1910 – Nov. 21, 1986 Husband of Maude; son of Robt & Lily (Edwards-Van Buren marker)  
Chapman, Maude M. Nov. 1, 1903 – June 22, 1930    
Blankenship, Vera April 4, 1903 – June 22, 1930    
Rankin, Claude May 14, 1895 – June 22, 1928    
Blankenship Infant June 20, 1930 – June 20, 1930 Putman Funeral Home Marker  

Row 4

Puckett, Jim Bill. Nov. 25, 1958 – Oct. 15, 1980   Marker Photo
Puckett, Bill G. Nov. 24, 1930 – Sept. 4, 1969 Mil. Private-US Army Marker Photo
Puckett, Ginger Susan 1952 - 1952    
Stem, Anne 1877 - 1967   Marker Photo
Stem, John 1873 - 1950   Marker Photo
Unmarked Grave      
Johnson, T. L. Feb. 1, 1841 – Jan. 1908   Marker Photo
Kidd, Emma Dora Feb. 2, 1872 – Aug. 21, 1923 wife of Benjamin Kidd  
Kidd, Benjamin L. June 15, 1865 – Aug. 24, 1939 husb of Emma Dora; son of Marie C. Kidd  
Smith, Sidney July 24, 1924 – April 5, 1967 Mil. WWII- Private- US Army  
Smith, Oscar 1890 - 1944    

Row 5

Johnson, Sallie L. Aug. 10, 1883 – Jan. 22, 1970   Marker Photo
Johnson, Thomas L. May 23, 1874 – Mar. 6, 1960   Marker Photo
Johnson, Ollie Oct. 9, 1877 – Aug. 5, 1916 wife of L. Johnson(Woodman of the World Marker) Marker Photo
Johnson, Audry April 8, 1903 – July 13, 1905   Marker Photo
3 Unmarked Graves      
Kidd, Doris Sept. 2, 1925 –Feb. 10, 1926 Double Stone/ Infant daughter of Dora and Ben  
Kidd, Dorothy Sept. 2, 1925 – April 10, 1928 Double Stone/ Infant daughter of Dora and Ben  

Row 6
Last of the Old Part

Degen, Rosalie 1855 Ohio - 1933 wife of John  
Williamson, Isaac N. Oct. 6, 1838 – Aug. 31, 1917 husb of Susan Marker Photo
Williamson, Susan E. Oct. 12, 1844 – Aug. 18, 1915 wife of Isaac N.  
Williamson, Emin L. Mar. 24, 1881 – Nov. 16, 1915   Marker Photo
Williamson, Sidney Albert Mar. 5, 1876 – June 12, 1940   Marker Photo
Line of Unmarked Graves      
Flanagan, John Addison Oct. 4, 1887 – June 25, 1993    
Flanagan, Essie Irene Nov. 27, 1886 – Feb. 15, 1944 Daughter of George H. Carson  
Maddux, Ewing Nov 12, 1905 - Oct 1980 (SSDI index)    
Maddux, Dorothy Jun 27, 1910 - Jul 1993 (SSDI index)    
Roth Emma G. 1905 - 1980    
Roth, Hans 1903 – 1977 Smith Mortuary Marker  

New Part…Graves from south to north

Hearing, Lewis 1903 - 1977    
Hearing, Beulah McGuire 1902 - 1984    
Douglas, Bertha L. Mar. 2, 1931 -    
Douglas, Edward H. Oct. 19, 1920 -    
Douglas, Donnie E. 1847 - 1974    
Douglas, Victoria Mar. 23, 1900 – Aug. 19, 1987    
Mackey, Billie J. Dec. 16, 1950 – Jan 8, 1986    
House, Jesse Delphia June 30, 1915 – Feb. 6, 1990    
House, Clara E. Mar. 5, 1920 -    

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