1939 :: Burial of Smiley Hook

Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 for S.L. Hook, 55, who died early Saturday, November 25, after a long illness. Dr. Ed Gunn of Lilac delivered the funeral sermon and interment was made in Murray Cemetery with Green Funeral Home of Cameron directing. Cameron Herald, November 30, 1939

1945 :: Burial of Annie Seelke

Mrs. Annie Kraatz Seelke, 82, wife of Charlie Seelke, died early Tuesday morning in Kings Daughters Hospital at Temple where she had been taken following a stroke. 

Funeral services were held this afternoon at 2:00 o'clock in the chapel at Phillips and Luckey Funeral Home with Rev. E.C. Elzey of the Lutheran Church officiating. Burial was made in the Murray Cemetery four miles north-west of Rockdale. 

Mrs. Seelke was a native of Washington County, Texas, but when very young came to Milam County and spent the remainder of her life in Bethlehem Community. 

She is survived by her husband, Charlie Seelke, three sons, Frank of Rockdale, Ed Seelke of Thrall, John Seelke of Austin; two daughters, Mrs. Tony Hunt of Rockdale and Mrs. Dora Jones of Thrall; two brothers, Will Kraatz of Cuero, Otto Kraatz of Rockdale. There are twenty-one grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Rockdale Reporter, November 28, 1945

1901 :: Burial of H.V. Grayson

Mr. H.V. Grayson, who resided in Hearne, Texas, died last Sunday night at 12 o’clock, and was brought to Rockdale Monday for burial. He had been sick about four months, and his ailment baffled the skill of the physicians. Mr. Grayson was a brother-in-law to Mrs. J.C. McGuyre of this city. He was a member of the order of Knights of Pythias and the order of Rockdale took charge of the remains on arrival here and conducted the funeral services. The remains were taken to the Murray school house burying ground, and Rev. J.B. Sears, of the Methodist church, held prayer services at the grave. He leaves a wife and four children, to mourn his loss. They are now temporarily stopping at the home of Mr. McGuyre. Rockdale Messenger, Thursday, November 14, 1901

1982 :: Death of Jack Cummings

Rockdale - Services for Jack Cummings, 70, were at 10 a.m. Thursday in Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Rockdale, with the Rev. Gene York officiating. Burial was in Murray Cemetery near Rockdale. Mr. Cummings died Tuesday in a Temple hospital after a lengthy illness. He was a Rockdale native and a retired pipe fitter. . . . Cameron Herald, October 24, 1982

1925 :: Death of Miss Lottie Banzhaf

Rockdale, Texas, Oct. 15. -- Miss Lottie Banzhaf died [on the 12th day of October] at the Van Ormi Sanitarium [Bexar County]. Her father is George Banzhaf, Milam County farm agent. Miss Banzhaf's body was brought to Rockdale and the funeral services were held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hood Caldwell, four miles north of Rockdale. Burial was made in the neighborhood cemetery. Miss Banzhaf has for several years been one of the Rockdale High School teachers. Dallas Morning News, October 16, 1925

1904 :: Death of Mrs. Thomas Phillips

Death - Mrs. Thomas Phillips died at home, three miles from town last Wednesday. She was buried in the Murray School House cemetery. Rockdale Messenger, October 7, 1904

1914 :: Burial of Little Ida Watkins

One hundred years ago today . . . on the 29th day of September . . . in the year 1914 . . . little Ida Watkins was laid to rest in the Murray Cemetery in Milam County, Texas . . . she died of diptheria . . . and her forlorn tombstone stands in Section C Row 4 Plot 26 . . . according to the death certificate of her father, he is also buried in this cemetery, but in an unmarked grave . . .

1904 :: Death of Frank Laird

Frank Laird, age about 28, of Tracy, died on Thursday of last week from black jaundice. He was only sick four days. He leaves a wife and three children. . . . Frank Laird died after a brief illness at his home September 22nd [sic] with black jaundice, he was buried in the Murry school house cemetery. . . . Rockdale Messenger, October 7, 1904

1926 :: Burial of Ruby Osborn

On the 15th day of September in the year 1926, one-year-old Ruby Osborn is laid to rest in the Murray Cemetery in Milam County, Texas . . . her burial location is unknown . . . little Ruby had died of dysentery in Rockdale on the 14th . . . and was survived by her parents and a number of siblings . . .

1918 :: O L Moody Laid to Rest

Rockdale, Tex., Sept. 21. -- The funeral of O.L. Moody, who was stricken with heart failure while transacting business in the office of Justice of the Peace Edward Gunn last Friday, was held Sunday afternoon at 5 o'clock from his home north of Rockdale, Rev. W.E. Copeland officiating. The remains were laid to rest in the Murray community cemetery, near the Moody home, many from the town and county being in attendance. he was born in Allegan County, Michigan, July 4, 1842. He enlisted in the army during the Civil War in April, 1861, and after three years of service was mustered out at Detroit. He went to Michigan City, Ind., where he was married on January 9, 1866, to Louise Kuhn. They came to Milam County thirty-eight years ago, settling on the farm on which he lived and died. He was a member of the Baptist Church for thirty-four years. Mr. Moody was the father of eight children, seven of whom survive: Albert S. Moody, Oren Moody of Rosebud, W.N. Moody of Minerva, Harry H. Moody of the United States Navy, Mrs. George Banzhaf, Route 3, Rockdale; Mrs. Lottie Jacob, Houston; Mrs. W.A. Saunders, Dallas, and Mrs. R.W. Mackey, San Antonio. His widow, sixteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren survive also. San Antonio Express, September 22, 1919

1910 :: Burial of Albert S. Moody

On the 15th day of September in the year 1910, Albert S. Moody was laid to rest in the Murray Cemetery in Milam County, Texas . . . his memorial marker is located in a curbed family plot, and near the tombstone of his parents . . . his mother survived him, as well as a number of siblings . . .

1920 :: Burial of Beatris Murphy

On this date . . . the 12th day of September . . . in the year 1920 . . . six-year-old Beatris Murphy is laid to rest in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery [i.e., Murray Cemetery] in Milam County, Texas . . . she died of typhoid on the 11th day of September in Rockdale . . . she is survived by her parents, Thomas and Zulda (Gray) Murphy, and several siblings . . .

1936 :: Burial of Sam Fergeson

On this date . . . the 8th day of September . . . in the year 1936 . . . Sam Fergeson is laid to rest in the Murray Cemetery in Milam County, Texas . . . his Texas Certificate of Death was signed by Dr. T.S. Barkley of Rockdale . . . the following obituary was said to have been published in a local but unidentified newspaper . . . 


"Samuel Washington Fergeson was born in Tyler County, Texas December 27, 1850. At the age of 4 or 5 years he moved with his parents to Washington County, Texas. His father died [11 March 1863, location unknown] when Samuel was about 12 years old. He moved [before 1860] with his mother [and father], four brothers, and a sister to Milam County, Texas. He was married to Elizabeth Holder at the age of 25 years and to this union were born three sons. He is survived by two sons, John and Dan of Rockdale; five [?] grandchildren, Mrs. Bernice Hurley and Sam Houston Fergeson of Rockdale; and one great grandchild, Idella Mae Fergeson of Lubbock; one brother, J.F. of Rockdale [and a sister]; and several nieces and nephews. His wife died June 3, 1932. He was a native born Texan and proud of the fact that he was never out of Texas."

1941 :: Burial of Thomas E Murphy

Following an illness of long duration, Thomas Evan Murphy, 59, died at his home in Deanville Tuesday morning. Funeral services, under the direction of Phillips-Luckey, were held Wednesday afternoon at the Murray cemetery near Rockdale, with the pastor of the Rockdale Baptist church officiating.

The deceased was born in Mississippi, where he lived until 1919, when he moved to Milam county. He had been a resident of Deanville eight years.

Survivors include his widow; two daughters, Mrs. Milton Brandstetter of Sharp and Mrs. Oden Dockall of Rockdale; four sons, Paul Murphy of Deanville, Clyde Murphy of Rosenberg, Homer Murphy of Brenham, and Clarence Murphy of Corpus Christi. 

The Caldwell News and The Burleson County Ledger (Caldwell, Tex.), Vol. 56, No. 9, Ed. 1 Friday, September 5, 1941

1958 :: Burial of Charlie Seelke

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

1922 :: Burial of Mrs. Louise Moody

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

1972 :: Burial of Frank Seelke

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 . . .

1917 :: Burial of Emory Seelke

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 . . .

1978 :: Burial of Tonie McLain

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 . . . 

2010 :: Burial of Margret Neuenschwander

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 . . .