Crayton Cemetery
The Crayton Cemetery in Guadalupe County,
Texas is located beside Lehmann Rd. It
is 2 miles from Hwy.1979 on Lehmann Rd. It
is also known as the Mulkey-Crayton Cemetery. The
deed to the cemetery has not been found although a conscientious search
has been made of the deed records in the Guadalupe County Courthouse in
Seguin. It
is believed by several family members and an adjoining property owner, Mr.
Lehman (age 90 years), that the land for the cemetery was donated by Will
/Bill Jones who died in 1915.
Crayton Cemetery is a family cemetery. James "Jim" and Jane Bell Spruill Crayton and their descendants are buried in this cemetery.
The cemetery is named
for James "Jim" Crayton. Their daughter Tennessee
Crayton Mulkey and
some of her children and grandchildren are buried in this cemetery, hence
the second name of Mulkey-Crayton.
Jim Crayton was born a slave on 16 April 1854 in Martindale, Caldwell Co., Texas the son of John Crayton
and Riley Kimble. John Crayton was an Anglo Saxon,
a widower for thirty years and the owner of forty slaves when he begat Jim. Riley Kimble was one of several Indian slaves John Crayton purchased from a man who brought the Indian
slaves to Martindale from Oklahoma. Jane Bell Spruill's mother Sarah "Sallie" Allen
was one of these slaves.
His father acknowledged Jim Crayton. He was taught ranching, farming and how to break wild
horses. He went on several cattle drives to Kansas. He and Jane Bell
Allen Spruill married June 14, 1872 in Caldwell County just as he started
on a cattle drive. Their sons were also cowboys. Their son Bruce took cattle up the Chisholm Trail to Kansas City.
Born in slavery and living through Reconstruction, Jim and Jane Bell
Crayton lived a prosperous and contented life.
According to deed 516 & 517, dated 16 August 1887, in Guadalupe County
Courthouse, they built a two room dwelling of pine lumber with gallery on
land leased from P.G. Sowell, (son of A.J. Sowell of the Texas Revolution
and a writer). They had 18 children, 9 boys and 9 girls.
11 of these children have been located and at least 9 of them are
buried here.
Historic pioneers are buried in the Crayton Cemetery. Honorable
and hard working, they have left a memorable legacy.
KNOWN BURIED
JAMES “JIM” CRAYTON
SR.: Born: April 16, 1854 in Martindale, Caldwell County, Texas. Married:
June 14 1892 Caldwell County, TX to JANE BELL ALLEN,
dau. of Sarah Allen
and Ben Spruill. He died: June 1, 1916 in Hays County, TX.
SARAH “SALLIE” ALLEN
SPRUILL:
JANE BELL ALLEN
SPRUILL CRAYTON: Born: March 11, 1857 Married: JAMES CRAYTON
SR. Died: March 31, 1951
JAMES CRAYTON JR: Born: March 1874 in
Caldwell County, TX. Married Oct. 6, 1892
in Guadalupe County, TX to wife #1 LEANA KILGORE Married:
wife #2 Lillie WARREN Nov. 3, 1906 in San Marcos, Hays County, TX,
#3 Francis Williams, they had one child Cleopatra. Wife
#4 Lettie Cheatham on August 2, 1930 in Hays County TX. Died: 1952
ELIZABETH “LIZZIE”
CRAYTON: Born: 1875 in Caldwell County, TX. Married: Feb. 22,
1892 in San Marcos, TX to Bill (WILL) JONES They had four children; T. Van, Willie (Gal
Will), Frankie and Ophelia. Died: June 6, 1934
BILL (Will) JONES:
Married:
Feb. 22, 1892 ELIZABETH CRAYTON Died: March 14, 1915. My paternal great-grand
father was Bill (Will) Jones of Kingsbury, TX, he was married to
Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Crayton) Jones, and they had four children T. Van, b
1/31/1897, Willie (Gal Will),
b unknown, Frankie, b unknown and Ophelia, b unknown.
T. VAN JONES: Born: Jan. 31, 1897 T. Van Jones married
Liral Barnes of York Creek, Comal County, TX. T. Van and Liral had two sons Bill, b 1925 and Webb, born 7/19/1928. T. Van died 2/20/1954, buried in the Crayton cemetery, Guadalupe County, TX. Liral died in 1975 was buried in Ft. Sam Houston military
cemetery in San Antonio, Bexar County, TX.
Died: Feb 20, 1954 T. Van served in military
(Mich. 34 Engr. Service Co. WWI).
MINNIE CRAYTON: Born: Jan 15, 1879 in Caldwell County, TX. Married:
Jan. 17, 1904 to TOM NICHOLS, next
married <unknown> WILLIAMS. Died of consumption on June 4, 1927 in Hays County, TX. Buried June 5, 1927 Mother of J.A. MULKEY
and M.L. CRAYTON.
DOCK CRAYTON: Born: Nov. 24,1880 in Guadalupe County, TX. Died: Feb. 1, 1942 in Hays County, TX. He
was killed while digging a well. The well digging
machine fell on him. Unknown if he was married.
TENNESSEE “TEENIE”
CRAYTON: Born: Oct. 1886 in
Guadalupe County, TX Married: Jan.
26, 1903 to JOHN MULKEY, they
had 4 children. Died: Dec. 16, 1928
GLADYS MULKEY: Born: Dec. 24, 1904 Married: WILLIE NICHOLS
they had one child. Died: Dec. 26, 1932.
OTMAR MULKEY (NICHOLS): Son of Gladys and
Willie Nichols
GURTRUDE “GURTIE” CRAYTON:
Born:
Sept. 1890 in Guadalupe County, TX Married: <UNKNOWN> Black, They had
2 children Died Prior 1916
BRUCE CRAYTON: Born: May 19, 1894 in Guadalupe County,
TX Married 5 times, no issue, Died: Jan. 26, 1983 in Hays County.
BAYLOR CRAYTON: Born: April 6,1896 in Guadalupe County, TX Married: LOVIE
BARNES July 27, 1931 Died: June 3, 1991 in Comal County, TX
LOVIE BARNES CRAYTON: Born: May 27, 1899 Married: BAYLOR CRAYTON
July 27, 1931 Died: March 29, 1983. Mrs. Lovie (Barnes) Crayton,
the wife of Baylor Crayton, is the sister of
Mrs. Lireal (Barnes) Jones. Mrs Lireal Barnes Jones
was married to T. Van Jones.
BENJAMIN H. CRAYTON:
Born:
Jan. 12, 1898 in Guadalupe County, TX Never Married,
Died: June 10, 1978
JANE BELL ALLEN CRAYTON: Born: March 11, 1857 Married: James Crayton Sr. Died: March
31, 1951
Mr. WILL JONES: Born: 1891 Died: 1976.
Husband of Mrs. Willie
(Gal Will) Jones. Mr. and Mrs Jones had two daughters Alma and Edna.
Mrs. WILLIE (Gal Will) JONES: Born: April 14, 1915. Died: June 6, 1992. Daughter of Bill and
Lizzie Jones.
ALMA ECFORD: Born: Feb. 4, 1917. Died:
May 13,
1937. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Will
Jones
EDNA JONES, daughter of Will
and Willie Jones. Birth and death unknown.
ZIM “JIMMIE” CRAYTON: Died: Aug 15, 1951