WILSON CREEK CEMETERY

aka HADDEN - MOORE CEMETERY
&
ST. MARY'S BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY

The Wilson Creek Cemetery is located on private property
behind a locked gate in the Wilson Creek Community.

DIRECTIONS

The Wilson Creek Church and School Building
1891
St. Mary's Missionary Baptist Church
 

Antone (Anthony) Deadrick, a Frenchman who came to America before the Civil War, made his way to Matagorda County, found work on the Grimes Ranch and married Martha Robinson, a black woman. In 1882, Antone acquired 48 acres from A. H. and J. E. Pierce on Wilson Creek. He donated an acre of land for the church and school which was built in 1891. Antone made sure the small school had qualified teachers to educate the black children in the Wilson Creek and Ashby area.

St. Mary's Baptist Church on Wilson Creek Road was given to the Matagorda County Historical Society by owners David and Vickie Garcia on condition that the Society would move the building. The building had originally been erected northwest of the Moore Cemetery and was later moved to Wilson Creek Road. The Society accepted the offer and took on the project to move the church one half mile back to the Moore Cemetery property.

Roosevelt Reeves, whose father was once a minister of St. Mary's Church, agreed to move the church for $3600. The church was relocated east of the  cemetery that is still used by the black community. Most of the people buried in the cemetery are descendants of Antone Deadrick and attended St. Mary's Church and School. After the move the roof, windows and doors were replaced. The marble marker that once was part of the front of the church could not be found. It was hoped that the church building would be less vulnerable to vandalism in the more isolated area.

Ben Hadden, pastor of Free Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Blessing, and his brother, Ercel, with the help of their members agreed to maintain the small historic church. The plan was to use the church for funeral services and other gatherings. Hadden planned to contact the District Association to have St. Mary's church reinstated.

Thelma Smith, the marker chairman of the Matagorda County Historical Commission researched the history of the church and planned to submit an application for a Texas Historical Commission historical marker. Later, rather than submitting an application only for the Wilson Creek community, an application was submitted and approved for Ashby and Wilson Creek.

Unfortunately, the church building was not safe from local teenage vandals who broke out all of the windows. Attempts to protect the building were futile and soon it was left to deteriorate. The landowner used the building for storage and later demolished it.

The cemetery still remains as a testament to the lives of the members of St. Mary's  Missionary Baptist Church and the Wilson Creek area.
 

Unmarked Graves at Wilson Creek Cemetery

* Information in brackets from the Social Security Death Index
+ Information in brackets from the Texas Death Index
# Information in brackets from the Texas Birth Index
% Matagorda County 1900 Federal Census
 

Campbell, Annie Bell Aug 15, 1925 - Dec 17, 1992

Campbell, Clinton, Jr. Mar 23, 1918 - Nov 23, 1992

Edwards, Jessie Mae Hadden Nov 20, 1931 - Aug 31, 1997
 

Faniel, Dora Hadden Campbell  Apr 4, 1900 - Oct 7, 1988
d/o Jim and Easter Temple Hadden

w/o Frank Faniel
m/o Clinton Campbell, Jr.
m/o Melvin Faniel
m/o Infant daughter Faniel

Faniel, Infant daughter of Frank & Dora Hadden Campbell Faniel

Farris, Rosa "Aunt Rosa" b c [Aug 1859]% died Sep 1899 [obit]

married Thomas "Tom" Farris on Jan 11, 1890 (MC Book B p68)
Rosa is listed at Rosetta Grice
 

Gardner, Sabrina Day - Sep 5, 1955 - Jan 20, 1996

d/o Moses & Doris Day Gardner

Gordon, Ira, Sr., [Mar. 23],1904 - [Aug. 9, 1976] - located to the S of Mr. Lacy

Hadden, John Henry Jul 29, 1889 - Dec 18, 1992

s/o Jim and Easter Temple Hadden

Hasley, Ellen Temple b 01 Jan 1870* - 09 Sep 1942*

s/o Ben Hasley - married Sep 24, 1874 (MC Book A p 229)

Kincheloe, Christina Temple

Lacy, Mr. _____ - located to the S of Mary Rebector

Lacy, Althea

Lacy, Emily, child of Jane Temple Lacy
Lacy, Henrietta, child of Jane Temple Lacy
Lacy, Herbert, child of Jane Temple Lacy

Lacy, Jane Temple  

Lacy, Jenkins, child of Jane Temple Lacy

Lacy, Mattie, child of Jane Temple Lacy

Lacy, Rose

Moore, Anthony b c [Dec 1844]%

h/o Charlotte Temple Moore - married Aug 25, 1865 - (MC Book A p 96)

Moore, Charlotte Temple d 7 Oct 1903

w/o Anthony Moore - married Aug 25, 1865 - (MC Book A p 96)

Morgan, Hester  Jul 7, 1913 - Sep 30, 1987
d/o Sam & Emiley Lacey Beverly
 

Morgan, Lester [Samuel]#  [Jan 30, 1951]#

s/o Hester Annie Beverly Morgan & Enoch Morgan- located to the N of Hester Morgan

Nelson, Rose, Nov 21, 1895 - Jan 21, 1976

Rebector, Mary Hebert Mar 5, 1900 - Apr 20, 1997

w/o Ira Gordon, Sr. - located at the foot of husband

Rivers, Emmitt, May 9, 1895 - Sep 8, 1976

b/o Dora Hadden Faniel

Rivers, Infant daughter of Easter Temple Rivers

Roberts, Florence Jan 24, 1906 - Oct 5, 1997

d/o Joe Roberts & Mary Dorsey Roberts

Thomas, Betty Temple

Thomas, Josiah

Ward, Charlie, [Jan 15, 1900]* - Feb 15, 1979 , Age 78 years & 11 months  

Ways, Tom, [Jul 28, 1894]* -  Dec 7, 1969