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WOW markers – There are 35 Woodmen of the World markers located in
Sections 1 & 2. They vary from carvings of trees to only logos on a
conventional marker. The Latin motto “Dum, Tacet Clamat” means
“Though silent, he speaks.” The sawn log represents ended life.
1. Cedarvale
Historical Marker on entrance wall.
2.
Curtis G. Hamill
(1872-1973) was standing on a derrick
platform 40 feet off the ground January 10, 1901, when the gusher
hit at Spindletop Hill. The full force of the stream hit him in the
face and he landed on the derrick floor below, miraculously
uninjured. He is buried beside his wife,
Eva Smith Hamill
(1878-1961).
3.
Richard C.
Gusman (1904-1984) held the longest tenure of any
mayor of Bay City, serving from 1947 to 1979. After his retirement
he was honored with the title of Mayor Emeritus. At that time he was
the only mayor in the United States to be so honored. His wife,
Florence Craddock Gusman (1911-1966), is buried at his
side.
4.
Victor Lawrence “V. L.” LeTulle (1864-1944) came to
Matagorda County in 1890 with his bride
Sallie Bell LeTulle
(1868-1933). He was involved in rice farming, ranching
and banking. As a philanthropist , he donated LeTulle Park and the
gas company to Bay City and built the sanctuary for the First
Baptist Church in memory of Sallie.
5.
John Lawson Matthews (1890-1891), son of Jesse and
Sallie Lawson Matthews has the earliest death date at Cedarvale even
though he wasn’t the first burial. His body was moved to Cedarvale
after the cemetery was established.
6a.
Doyle O’Hanlon
Coston (1843-1922), a Private in Co. C, 5th Texas
Infantry Confederate Army, was wounded during the battle at
Gettysburg, PA in July 1863. He is buried beside his wife,
Hannah
Wyatt Coston (1859-1940).
6b. Johann
Conrad Franz (1831-1904) moved to Texas in 1845. He
married
Demis Mariah Baxter (1838-1921)
in 1856. He was a ship
carpenter, bridge builder and Matagorda County Sheriff 1872-1874.
7.
John Lee (1828-1907) served in the United States Army
during the Mexican War between 1846 and 1848 on the border between
Texas and Mexico. He has an ornate zinc marker.
8.
Louisa “Grandma” Schrader (1825-1913) was also born in
1825 in Germany, and died at the age of 88. She has the earliest
birth date at Cedarvale.
9.
John “Uncle John” Sutherland (1864-1965) was married to
Estella Anderson (1864-1922) in 1886 and they were members of
First Baptist Church. “Uncle John” owned Alamo Lumber Company and
was mayor of Bay City 1907-1915 and 1917-1919.
10.
David Thomas Crockett (1849-1918) was the grandson of
David “Davy” D. Crockett and Elizabeth Patton Crockett.
He never knew his famous grandfather, Davy Crockett, because Davy
was killed at the battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836. David Thomas
is buried beside his wife,
Sanfran Cisco Faris Crockett
(1849-1918).
11. Max G.
Klein (1873-1917) was elected mayor in 1915. He was
killed in a gunfight which he started on April 7, 1917, while
attempting to collect a $3.00 past due water bill. He is buried
beside his wife,
Mamie Kilbride Klein (1877-1960).
12.
The Confederate Group Marker
A group marker was dedicated on May 3rd,
1997 for nine Confederate soldiers who are buried in lost graves at
Cedarvale Cemetery. They are Lieutenant Archelaus C. Craft who died
in 1912, and Privates Evander Hubbard, died 1903; George W. Lewis,
died 1903; William R. Lewis, died 1903; Felding S. Presley, died
1911; John W. Roach, died 1902; H. L. Wilson, died 1919;
Fountain
Winston, died 1902 and William O. Woffard, died 1903. On
the back of the marker is written: Confederate Soldiers from
Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Texas and Virginia
whose final resting places in this cemetery are known but to God.
A cast iron Confederate Cross of Honor was placed at the foot of the
grave. The property was donated by Kenneth L. Thames and gift
deeded to the E. S. Rugeley Chapter No. 542, United Daughters of the
Confederacy, Bay City, Texas.
13. The beautiful
carillon bell tower was donated
to Cedarvale Cemetery by William “Bill” H. Jr. and Jeanette
Frontz in 1996 in memory of their beloved children
Leigh Ann
Frontz (1975-1990) and
William Wesley Frontz
(1978-1996).
14.
Merlin Arthur Vogelsang (1895-1971), the son of
Nicholas M. and Myrtle Collins Vogelsang, was the first
baby to be born in the new town of Bay City. His wife, Mabel Hamill Vogelsang
(1895-1971) is buried in Sec. 4A. beside their son, Merlin C.
Vogelsang (1920-1942) who was in the US Army Air Forces and was
killed in a bomber crash in Florida.
15.
Dolph Phineas “D. P.”
Moore (1852-1928) sold the land on which Bay City is located and
donated the first 4 acres for Cedarvale Cemetery. He is buried
beside his wife
Louise Wendel Moore (1863-1939).
16a.
Dr. Christopher Harris “Kit” Williams (1838-1916) was
the first white baby born in Matagorda County and the only doctor in
the Gainesmore area. As a Confederate soldier, he participated in
the last battle of the Civil War at the Battle of Palmetto Ranch,
near Brownsville, Texas on May 12-13, 1865.
16b.
Dr. Baxter “Bat” Smith (1845-1916) attended Tulane
Medical College in New Orleans. He was a Confederate soldier and a
surgeon in the US Army during the Spanish-American War in 1898. He
and his wife,
Helen Dabney Smith (1845-1911), then moved to
Bay City where he practiced medicine until his death. Mrs. Smith was
a grand-niece of Patrick Henry of Revolutionary War fame.
17.
Tenie Holmes
(1874-1952) began teaching at the age of 16 at Saluria Pass and in
Bay City public schools in 1898. After retiring, she opened a
kindergarten in 1936 where she taught until her death in 1952. Tenie
Holmes Elementary was named in her honor in 1952.
18.
Elizabeth Elmore Rugeley (1846-1923), wife of
Dr. Henry
Lowndes “H. L.” Rugeley
(1838-1925), was the first president of the E. S. Rugeley Chapter
542 UDC and served for 21 years until her death in 1923. The chapter
was named for her husband’s half-brother. The Confederate monument
on the courthouse square was erected during her tenure.
19.
Rufus A. Mathis (1869–1896), the architect for the new
county courthouse and jail building in Bay City accidentally shot
and killed himself while deer hunting. His was the first burial at
Cedarvale, which he was helping to organize.
20.
Mary Frank Carr Burnell (1921-1996) was the
granddaughter of Sheriff Frank Carr and the daughter of
Thorton “Tony” Francis and Mildred Walker Carr. She was born in
the Sheriff’s apartment in the jail--the only child ever born in the
Matagorda County Jail. She is buried beside her husband, William
Lloyd Burnell (1920-1963).
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