Calvary Cemetery
aka Lakeview or Plainview Cemetery
Abstracted Jan. 25, 2002
by Jane Keppler, Karen Lawless,
Darlene Lee and Bettye Pillbrow
 

Located north of Willis Texas on Calvary Road, approx. 3.5 miles west of IH45.  The cemetery is on the right  side of the road with the number 12896 on the fence by the gate.  It is not easily visible from the road. It is listed as Lakeview or Plainview Cemetery in the Montgomery County Texas Cemeteries, Volume VI, page 6.
 

The cemetery is located within a fenced area with a gated entrance. The gate was locked at the time of the abstraction.  We entered through a hole in the fence. It is overgrown, looking more like the surrounding woods that a cemetery. We were able to record grave marker inscriptions from 20 of the gravesites. There are many possible gravesites (sunken areas of the dimensions of a grave) as well as unmarked graves.  It appears there is no established pattern for burials as graves are scattered throughout the area. The oldest burial was in 1883 and the most recent in 1999. There are Civil War veterans buried here as well the "Two Infant Babies of Mrs. and Mrs. W. A. Rigell". Two graves are located within wrought iron fences, one identified and one unknown.
 

Even though the day was beautiful (blue skies and chilly temps – meaning no snakes), there were four ladies in their glory rooting around a place that many other people might steer clear of, there was sadness, not because of being surrounded by death, but because here were people being forgotten.  Their grave markers might be all that remain to tell the story of that person's sojourn on earth, or of parents' remembrances oat the passing of their daughter, Julia, "Our darling as sweet and fair as opening rosebud in the morning air".  If we don't make a concerted effort to record these "lost" cemeteries, how many more lives will be forgotten and history lost.
 

Anyone knowing the history of this cemetery, please contact
Jane Keppler, Karen Lawless, Darlene Lee or  Bettye Pillbrow.

Origin of Calvary Cemetery Property
 

From: Karen Lawless <klawss@mac.com>
Subject: Calvary Rd. Cem. property
To: relppek91@gmail.com, darmadlee@hotmail.com
Cc: "Anna Shepeard" <Marbil7164@aol.com>
Date: Thursday, January 22, 2009, 10:29 AM

From: Vol. 9:428-429, Montgomery County, TX Deed Records.

J. S. Collard to Trustees of Methodist-Episcopal Church South, 22 Jul 1878.
 

1 acre, Wm. R. Martin Survey (This is adjoining southwest corner of Joseph Lindley Survey and would appear to be the location of the Calvary Rd. Cemetery).

 

Beg. at SE corner near SW corner of Joseph Lindley League.

N15E 75 vrs. with West line of Lindley's survey.

N75W 75 vrs.

S15W 75 vrs.

S75E 75 vrs. to beginning.

 

Said premises to be used for a Church and School purposes provided that the house, now building, on said lot, a parcel of land, shall be free for every orthodox Minister of the Gospel to preach in and further provided that said house shall or may be used 5 days in each week for a Public School, and the said Trustees are to have and hold the property for the uses aforesaid free from all claim of myself or my heirs, executors, ...

Trustees:

W. F. Wood

J. D. Baker

J. A. Robinson

J. Sanders

FHM = Funeral Home Marker

Additional Information added by Tanya on May 2007

JOHN L. FERGUSON  1884   1-15-1886    
20 TEXAS INFANTRY    CSA    CO G

MATTIE OLIVER FERGUSON    3-28-1845    6-2-1925    
WIFE OF JOHN L. FERGUSON

JOSEPHINE CRADDOCK    9-30-1939    12-20-1999

WILLIE LEE CRADDOCK   6-19-1924    9-14-2002
TERESA CRADDOCK        10-18-1973    12-28-1973

JOHN WALTER RIVES        10-04-1917    4-8-1994
 

ALSO AS YOU WALK INTO THE GATE GO ABOUT 1/2 WAY THRU
AND TO YOUR RIGHT JUST A BIT S ANOTHER STONE WITH:

EMERY L. BUCKHOLT FERGUSON AND BABY GIRL

WIFE OF JOHN FERGUSON

MR. AND MRS J M TADLOCK

BABY BOY
BORN 1-20-1920
THAT IS ALL IT SAYS. THEY MUST HAVE DIED THE SAME DAY OR STILLBORN

ONE OF THESE WAS MINNIE MAUD MELTON - I FOUND HER STONE AND A FENCED IN AREA THAT THE SCOUTS ARE GOING TO REPAIR

Below are the photos taken by Tanya on the
May 5th Cleanup Day she organized: