Charlie H. Seelke, 85, a long time citizen of the Rockdale vicinity, died last Thursday night in Johns hospital in Taylor. . . . Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon from Phillips and Luckey chapel where the Rev. F.T. Sager of Peace Lutheran church officated. Burial followed in the old Murray cemetery near Rockdale. . . . Rockdale Reporter, September 1958
On this date . . . the 29th day of August . . . in the year 1899 . . . occurred the death of little Audrie Lee Rhodes . . . she was not yet one year old, having been born on the 1st day of November in the year 1898 . . . her brief life is memorialized with a tombstone located in the Murray Cemetery . . . she was the only daughter of Thomas Robert Rhodes (1868-1963) and Lela Murray (1867-1943) . . . sister of Forest Alton Rhodes (1895-1943) . . . and granddaughter of James Wesley Rhodes (1831-1912) and Sarah Ann LaGrone (1830-1908), and Madison Murray (1821-1897) and Luvina Powell (1826-1876) . . .
On Saturday, August 26th, just as the sun was sinking in the western horizon, the beautiful spirit of Mrs. Louise Moody passed out into the Life Eternal, at the home place five miles north of Rockdale.
Mrs. Moody has been in delicate health for some time, but was active up to three weeks ago when the progress of the malady that resulted in her death confined her to her home. Although everything possible was done for her, death gained the mastery.
Mrs. Moody, whose maiden name was Louise Kuhn, was born in Michigan City, Indiana, April 28, 1849. On January 9th, 1886 [sic], she was united in marriage to Oscar L. Moody, also a native of Michigan City, who died suddenly while attending to business in Rockdale on September 13, 1918.
Deceased had been a resident of Milam county for 43 years and was a consistent member of the Baptist church for 42 years. Far from the home and kindred of her youth and when bereft of husband and two children, she faltered not, but bore herself cheerfully, and dwelt at the home place surrounded by her children and the people she loved.
Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon [August 27th] at 5 o'clock at the Murray cemetery where interment was made at the side of her departed loved ones. Friends from Rockdale united with relatives and friends of the community in paying their last sad tribute and the flowers which were sent bore testimony in their profusion and beauty to the regard in which she was held. Rev. W.E. Copeland long time friend of the family, assisted by layman E.A. Camp, delivered the eloquent funeral address, expressive of the love and reverence in which Mrs. Moody was held.
Deceased was the mother of eighteen [sic] children: Albert Moody, who died September 14th, 1910; Clara Banzhaf, wife of Milam county Agricultural Agent, George Banzhaf, she dying November 16th, 1919; Mrs. Cora Saunders, Dallas; Mrs. Lotta Jacob, Houston; O.L. Moody, Jr., Robstown; Wallace Moody, Cameron; Harry Moody, Rockdale; Mrs. Josephine Mackey, Rockdale. One sister and two brothers also survive: Mrs. Cena, Currey, Chicago, Jule and Geo. Kuhn of Michigan City, Indiana. Several grand children survive, among them Miss Lottye Banzhaf, a former member of the Rockdale High School faculty, and Clayton Banzhaf, who saw service in the A.E.F. during the World War.
The active pall bearers were: Hood Caldwell, O.K. Phillips, Lon Hudson, B.W. Baldridge, E.A. Camp and W.H. Fletcher. -- Rockdale Reporter
As published in The Cameron Herald on the 7th of September
One hundred and twenty years ago today . . . on the 24th day of August . . . in the year 1894 . . . little Willie May Mathews took her last breath on this earth . . . and was laid to rest in the Murray Cemetery in Milam County, Texas . . . she was just shy of her first birthday . . . and is buried beside confederate veteran, R.G. Matthews, who is presumed to be her grandpa (or possibly her great-grandpa) . . . her parents are unidentified at this time . . .
Rockdale, Tex., Aug. 21. -- Two children of August [sic] Kraatz, a German farmer living three miles northwest of this city, became violently ill on yesterday afternoon at about the same time. A physician was hastily summoned, but before his arrival one hour later both children [Amagrit and Minna] were dead, their deaths occurring within fifteen minutes of each other. Cause of their death was due to congestion. Galveston Daily News, August 22, 1905
On this date . . . the 21st day of August . . . in the year 1972 . . . Frank William Seelke is laid to rest in the Murray Cemetery . . . Frank was born on the 16th day of March in the year 1899 . . . and died on the 18th day of August . . . he was survived by his second wife, four sons, a stepson, four daughters, a brother, two sisters, 22 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren . . .
FYI . . . this email went out to all known email contacts on this date . . . please do let us know if you did not receive this email . . . and /or if you would like to be added to the contact list for receiving these messages in the future . . .
Howdy to all y'all Murray Cemetery kith 'n kin!
As of 2007, this little country cemetery in Milam County is officially recognized by the State of Texas as an "Historic Texas Cemetery" . . . you will find more info about the Murray Cemetery on our website at . . .
http://murray-cemetery.blogspot.com
The Murray Cemetery Association (MCA) was organized to ensure ongoing care and upkeep of this cemetery . . .a membership meeting is held annually on the 3rd Saturday in September . . . the next meeting is exactly one month from today . . .
WHEN :: 10 o'clock a.m.
Saturday, September 20th, 2014
WHERE :: Rockdale, Milam County, Texas
Rockdale General Store Community Room
1201 West Highway 79
(west of downtown Rockdale, near the funeral home;
enter from outside on east end of building)
Paying an annual perpetual care fee of at least $20 assists in covering the cost of regular upkeep and maintenance for this burial ground . . . and entitles you to a single vote at the membership meeting . . . you are welcome to submit your contribution in person at the annual meeting . . . or it can be mailed to . . .
Murray Cemetery Association
P O Box 649
Rockdale, Texas 76567
If you send a contribution in the mail, please be sure to provide your current contact information . . . including your preferred email address.
Contributions to show your support for the final resting place of your kith 'n kin are welcome in any amount. Any and all monies received by the MCA will be used for the care and upkeep of the cemetery as a whole (unless specifically designated by the contributor for other projects, e.g., fence or tombstone repair).
MCA OFFICERS will be elected at the 2014 meeting. They will serve a two-year term which will begin October 1st, 2014. The current MCA Officers are Bill Gross, President, and John E. Fischer, Vice-President. Shirley McIrvin has resigned from the joint position of Secretary / Treasurer effective July 28, 2014. We will consider electing one person as Secretary and one person as Treasurer. The Treasurer must reside in Milam County.
*** ONLY those who have paid the minimum $20.00 Annual Perpetual Care Fee will be eligible to vote at the meeting. That fee must be paid prior to or at the time of the meeting (before votes are counted). ***
If you would consider being an MCA Officer, or would like to suggest someone for an office, please respond to this email with name(s) and contact information.
POT-LUCK LUNCH will be shared following the business meeting. Please bring your favorite dish and join us. Plates, napkins, utensils, cups, ice, tea and coffee will be furnished by the MCA.
Please respond via email no later than the 12th of September to let us know how many will be staying for the meal.
MURRAY CEMETERY ONLINE . . . we now have a permanent email address . . . and a cemetery website (blog) . . . we also have photo albums online . . . and two facebook pages (one is public and and one is private . . . do let us know if you would like to be added to the private one) . . .
MURRAY CEMETERY EMAIL
murray.cemetery@gmail.com
MURRAY CEMETERY BLOG / WEBSITE
murray-cemetery.blogspot.com
MURRAY CEMETERY BURIALS
http://murray-cemetery.blogspot.com/p/burials.html
There is a lot of history in this old country cemetery . . . and we are hoping to establish and maintain contact with as many descendants as possible . . . please DO feel free to forward this to other kith 'n kin . . . and / or send us names and emails and we will contact them . . . we would also like to have names and mailing addresses for any who do not use email . . . we look forward to "meeting" new kith 'n kin . . . and are hoping to see some of y'all in Rockdale in September! . . . e-y'all later . . .
On this date . . . the 19th day of August . . . in the year 1917 . . . little Emory Seelke is laid to rest in the Murray Cemetery in Milam County, Texas . . . he was born in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas on the 9th day of November in the year 1916 . . . and passed away in Rockdale on the 18th day of August at the age of one year nine months and ten days . . . his parents were Henry Seelke and Susie Ann Jones . . .
On this date . . . the 17th day of August . . . in the year 1901 . . . James Watson dies, presumably in Milam County, Texas . . . and is laid to rest in the Murray Cemetery near his wife, Katherine Watson nee Hamilton, who had died the year before . . . his name would be inscribed on a double marker with Katherine . . .
On this date . . . the 14th day of August . . . in the year 1887 . . . it is recorded in the cemetery records that a baby by the name of Johnnie R. Wood has died . . . this little one was laid to rest near his father in the Murray Cemetery in Milam County, Texas . . . also nearby is the grave of his young aunt, Ellen Christian . . .
On this date in the year 1978 . . . the 9th day of August . . . Tonie Annie McLain nee Seelke is laid to rest in the Murray Cemetery in Milam County, Texas . . . survivors including the following children . . . Joe Brown of Rockdale . . . Alton Hunt of North Carolina . . . Mrs. Tony Wensein of Temple . . . Mrs. Edith Eickenhorst of Thorndale . . .
Four years ago today . . . on the 7th day of August . . . in the year 2010 . . . Margret Neuenschwander nee Savage is laid to rest in the Faust family plot at the Murray Cemetery in Milam County, Texas . . . survivors include the following children . . . John Heltne . . . Joann Faust . . .
