Wreay akaWray aka Wrey Cemetery
Henderson County Texas

To encourage settlers to come to Texas, an act granting vacant public domain pre-emption privileges was approved 22 Jan. 1845.  Many families including 

Virginia native, William Wreay , his son, Isaac C. Wreay, and his son-in-law, William Davis applied for and received some of this free land located in 

Henderson Co.  William, his wife Susannah and their young son, Alfred  along with William’s daughter Naomi and her husband, William Davis

and their two children, Stephen Elbert and Martha left Carroll Co., Georgia and settled on this land in 1851.  Isaac C. and his wife Mary A. and their 

children also came in 1851 after living in Alabama for a number of years. The Wreay families applied for and received 320 acres each and Wm. Davis 

 applied for and received 67 acres.  All 707 acres of this land joined. Isaac C. Wreay died in 1856 and is believed to be the oldest grave in the 

Wreay Cemetery which is located on the original Wreay land grant.   In 1861, Texas joined with the other southern states and seceded from the 

Union. William Davis and Alfred Wreay served with the Confederacy.  During the war, William obtained the rank of Sergeant and also lost his right 

arm in battle.  After the war ended William Davis served Henderson Co. for 12 years as the Sheriff and 2 years as tax collector.   Alfred farmed the land 

that he had inherited from his father, William, who died in 1862, and is believed to be buried along side of his son, Isaac.  Also buried in this family 

cemetery are William and Naomi Wreay Davis, Alfred Wreay, Stephen E. Davis, Martha Davis Martin, her husband, George, and several of their 

children. This cemetery that began as a family cemetery has been serving the family and area settlers ever since.   What started as an annual graveyard 

cleaning day became an association in 1983 and in 1995 donated land made a full acre.