Hester Cemetery - Houston Co., TX

HESTER CEMETERY

Directions: From Loop 304 North, travel north on FM2022 for 6.5 miles; turn left (west) onto CR1630; continue for 1.3 miles to new gate on the left, with sign denoting “ Burns Family Cemetery”. Cemetery is about 100 yds north on drive. Property now owned by Gary Burns, and has been re-activated.

This family burial ground was started on land owned by William S. and Elizabeth J. Hester in the 1890's. The Hester children who are listed as their heirs were William, Stephen, Robert, Charlie, and Margaret Hester and ME Hester West Leediker. J. M. and Greta Fowler signed the deed for the purchase of the land from Stephen Hester on January 15, 1908, though the mortgage lien was arranged in September, 1907. A part of the W. J.

Ashmore Survey, the plat map indicates one and one-half acres designated as a cemetery; this same acreage is also mentioned in the deed (DR 54, p.192). Upon the deaths of the Fowlers, the property was divided among the nine Fowler heirs, with the portion containing the cemetery going to a daughter, Myrtie Esther Fowler Hearn. In 1991, her children sold it to Gary A. Bums.

Mrs. Nell Fowler Payne, another of the nine Fowler heirs, recalled that as a child at the Jones Schoolhouse, she walked with the entire class and teacher to the cemetery to attend the funeral of Grover West, though no marker is there for him today. In visiting the cemetery with her, the markers were re-read by Bettie Sarver of the Historical Commission.

The graves of Elizabeth and Will am are marked by large rocks for headstones; between the two is a granite obelisk marker bearing the inscriptions on opposite sides: "Eliza J. Hester,1843-1902, Mother" and "W. S. Hester, 1812-1877, Father"; also, there are granite footstones bearing their initials. The next grave in the row is marked by large rocks for head and footstones, without identification.

The fourth in line was originally marked by a large rock, child later with a homemade concrete marker, incised with" Thos. Hester, Mar 4, 1895-Nov 11, 1898", and a footstone bearing an "H". Next in line is a small broken granite monument: a square base topped by a carved seashell decoration on a short pillar. The last grave in the row is also marked by a large rock and then a concrete marker, bearing the inscription ''Willie Tippett, Sept 3, 1887, March 27, 1906" and a footstone bearing a '1". There is one large rock in the position of the second row of graves.

BURNS,
Lori Ann McCurley; b. ; d. May 10, 2004; w/o Gary A. Burns

HESTER

Elizabeth; b: 1843; d: 1902; w/o W. S. Hester

W. S.; b: 1812; d: 1877; age 77 Travis; no dates

Thomas; b.3-4-1894; d. 11-11-1898

Two footstones: WSH possibley for W. S. Hester and EJH possibly for Elizabeth Hester

TIPPETT

Willie; b.9-3-1887; d.3-27-1906

WEST
Grover; b. no date; d. abt 1920; no marker