Victoria City Seal
VICTORIA COUNTY, TEXAS
(A part of the TXGenWeb project and the USGenWeb Project.)

History of Fordtran Cemetery Families buried at Fordtran
Mission Valley Cemetery Girdy Cemetery

FORDTRAN CEMETERY, Victoria County, Texas

This is also known as the MIDGETT FAMILY CEMETERY

We would like to thank Cynthia (MIDGETT) Shaffer for submitting the following information.

SOME RECORDS IN THIS TRANSCRIPTION WERE TAKEN FROM A 1970 CEMETERY TRANSCRIPTION AND VERIFIED FROM AN ACTUAL VISIT IN MAY 2002. (Row numbers given, lot numbers given with names, all other lots assumed vacant). Comments in parenthesis are from the 1970 survey. Additional comments from May 2002 survey are in brackets. Every effort has been made to transcribe this cemetery as accurately and completely as possible; apology is made in the case of error. Cynthia (Midgett) Shaffer, email.

Directions: Traveling north to south on Highway 59, take the Inez, #444 exit (about 14 miles north of Victoria, Texas). Turn right onto FM 444. Travel about 17 1/2 miles, to Highway 77. Turn right onto Highway 77, travel about 2/10 mile, and then turn left onto Fordtran Road. Travel about 4/10 mile and the cemetery will be on your left. (If coming from Victoria, take the Inez exit, turn left under Highway 59, turn left for 2/10 of a mile, then turn right onto FM 444 and follow the remaining directions above.) There is not a sign indicating the cemetery name. It is immediately on the left side of the road and easy to find. The cemetery is fairly small, fenced with a chain-linked fence, and is well kept.

The HISTORY and a FAMILY LIST is found below.


CEMETERY TRANSCRIPTION

See also a partial transcription by Kerry Renfrow Moody.

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HISTORY

Fordtran Cemetery was originally called the “MIDGETT Grave Yard.” The first recorded burial was in Dec. 1898, that of Escar BUCHANAN. At least thirty-nine of the approx 140 of those interred here are related to the MIDGETT-BUCHANAN families (see the end of this transcription). Hugh Mack MIDGETT married Sarah C. BUCHANAN in 1877 in Wilson County, TN. The MIDGETT and BUCHANAN families (including parents, siblings and children) left Tennessee about 1882, headed for Missouri. Rains, flood, mud, and other hardships caused the families to give up their desire to locate to Missouri and they detoured to Marion, Williamson County, Illinois, where Minerva E. Badgett MIDGETT (interred in this cemetery) had a sister and other family. The MIDGETT and BUCHANAN families stayed in Illinois until ca 1898, when they located to the Fordtran area. These families were among the firsts settlers to the Fordtran area and many served as teachers, postmasters, store owners, etc. for the area. The first recorded land deeds in Victoria County for these families are dated November 1898 and can be found in the Victoria County Courthouse Deed Records. In 1898, Hugh MIDGETT bought 160 acres of land, which included the approximate ½ acre later set aside for the cemetery. In 1905, Hugh MIDGETT sold the land to Samuel W. McCollum, “save and except about one-half acre of land in North line of said tract which is reserved and is known as the MIDGETT grave yard.” Hugh and Sarah MIDGETT moved to Uvalde County, Texas, where their youngest son and his wife were residing. Many of the families remained in the Fordtran area. Both Hugh and Sarah MIDGETT are interred here. Since that time, many of the MIDGETT, BUCHANAN and associated families have been interred at the MIDGETT Grave Yard/Fordtran Cemetery. There is a Fordtran Cemetery Association that has jurisdiction over the cemetery. Mr. Delbert Maggard is the head of the Association at this time. Many descendants are still living in the Victoria County area.

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MIDGETT, BUCHANAN and Associated Families Interred at the MIDGETT Grave Yard

BADGETT, Minerva (Elizabeth M.), married Henry A. MIDGETT; mother of Hugh M. MIDGETTt, Jessie B. MIDGETT

BARNETT, Mary Green married Robert T. BUCHANAN

BATTS, Lee Edd married Mettie Cecil BUCHANAN, daughter of Robert T. & Mary Green BUCHANAN

BORCHERS, Edmond married Selma Ollie MIDGETT, daughter of Jessie B. & America Sheppard MIDGETT

BRANCH, John R , son of Martha E. “Mettie” BUCHANAN & Joshua B. BRANCH

BRANCH, Joshua B. married Martha E. “Mettie” BUCHANAN, daughter of Laban ESTES & Martha Saulmon BUCHANAN

BRANCH, Myrtle Minnie, daughter of Martha E. “Mettie” BUCHANAN and Joshua B. BRANCH

BROWN, Arthur married Alta M. BUCHANAN, daughter of Elijah J. & Cora Hudgens BUCHANAN

BUCHANAN, Alta M., daughter of Elijah J. & Cora Hudgens BUCHANAN

BUCHANAN, Elijah John, son of Laban ESTES & Martha Saulmon BUCHANAN

BUCHANAN, Escar, son of Robert T. & Mary Green BUCHANAN

BUCHANAN, Laban ESTES, married Martha J. SAULMON; father of Martha “Mettie”, Sarah C., Robert T., & Elijah J. BUCHANAN

BUCHANAN, Martha E. "Mattie", daughter of Laban ESTES & Martha Saulmon BUCHANAN

BUCHANAN, Robert Thomas, son of Laban ESTES & Martha Saulmon BUCHANAN

BUCHANAN, Sarah C. "Sallie", daughter of Laban ESTES & Martha Saulmon BUCHANAN; married Hugh M. MIDGETT

BUCHANAN,Vedah E., daughter of Elijah J. & Cora Hudgens BUCHANAN

COCKRUM, Veda B., daughter of Ralph & Atah F. BUCHANAN COCKRUM; Atah BUCHANAN was a daughter of Elijah J. & Cora Hudgens BUCHANAN

DOWLEARN, Wm. Hays married Nannie Elizabeth MIDGETT, daughter of Nathaniel Henry & Sarah Raider MIDGETT

FUDGE, Gladys married Welton NICKEL. Welton NICKEL was the son of Edd & Laura Edith MIDGETT NICKEL

HAILEY,Dahlgren H. Married Lillie Era MIDGETT, daughter of Hugh M. & Sarah C. BUCHANAN MIDGETT

HAILEY, Kenneth Dahlgren, son of Dahlgren & Lillie Era MIDGETT HAILEY

HUDGENS, Cora married Elijah J. BUCHANAN

JETTON, James Welton married Christa Clare NICKEL, daughter of Edd & Laura Edith MIDGETT NICKEL

LINDSEY,Lenora A. married William John BRADY [William BRADY was a brother to Minnie Belle BRADY. Minnie Belle BRADY married Lacy Delphus MIDGETT, son of Hugh M. & Sarah C. BUCHANAN MIDGETT. Minnie & Lacy MIDGETT are interred at NURSERY CEMETERY, just a few miles from this cemetery]

MIDGETT, Baby, child of Jessie B. & America Sheppard MIDGETT

MIDGETT, Horace Lee, son of Jessie B. & America Sheppard MIDGETT

MIDGETT, Hugh Mack "Huey”, son of Henry A. & Minerva E. Badgett MIDGETT; married Sarah C. BUCHANAN; set aside land for this cemetery

MIDGETT, Jessie Badgett, son of Henry A. & Minerva E. Badgett MIDGETT; married America SHEPPARD

MIDGETT, Laura Edith, daughter of Jessie B. & America Sheppard MIDGETT; married Edd NICKEL

MIDGETT, Lillie Era, daughter of Hugh M. & Sarah C. BUCHANAN MIDGETT; married Dahlgreen HAILEY

MIDGETT, Selma Ollie, daughter of Jessie B. & America Sheppard MIDGETT; married 1st James NICKEL; married 2nd Edmond BORCHERS

NICKEL, Christa Clare, daughter of Edd & Laura Edith MIDGETT NICKEL; married James Welton JETTON

NICKEL, Edd married Laura Edith MIDGETT, daughter of Jessie B. & America Sheppard MIDGETT

NICKEL, James E., first husband of Selma Ollie MIDGETT

NICKEL, Welton, son of Edd & Laura E. MIDGETT NICKEL; married Gladys FUDGE

SAULMON, Martha Jane married Laban ESTES BUCHANAN

SHEPPARD/SHEPHERD, America M. married Jessie B. MIDGETT

STEPHENS, Carl H. married 1st Ina Nellie MIDGETT, daughter of Lacy & Minnie B. Brady MIDGETT; married 2nd Veda B. COCKRUM

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MISSION VALLEY CEMETERY
(most of older section)
by Sharron Torrence, as printed in Victoria Crossroads Quarterly, April 1980


1. ANGERSTEIN family block bordered by cement

  • ALFRED ANGERSTEIN - 1886-1959
  • SELMA L. ANGERSTEIN - 1880-1965
  • WALTER FREDERICK ANGERSTEIN - Our Son - June 18, 1910-Mar 29, 1949

    Large Family Headstone - DREYER

  • FRED J. - Sept. 25, 1864-Feb.22, 1950
  • LAURA - Sept 8, 1856-Apr. 14, 1933
  • BERTHA A. LASSMANN - Born Nov. 28, 1837-Died Dec. 12, 1920

2. Small cement bordered block

  • ANGERSTEIN
    • ALBERT C. - July 30,1861-Dec. 15, 1922
    • CAROLINE, wife of A.C. - Apr. 14, 1866-Sept. 13, 1927

3. ARTHUR G. LASSMANN - Apr. 3, 1886-Nov. 3, 1954

4. LASSMANN (Sm. Blk.)

  • WILLIAM - Feb. 8, 1866-July 10, 1931
  • ANNA - Sept. 26, 1878-Oct. 5, 1950
5. SCHLIEN (Lg. Blk.)
  • SYLVESTER J. - Sept. 18, 1897-Feb. 23, 1975
  • LULA MURPHY - Sept. 3, 1884-July 1, 1966
SCHLIEN
  • Mother - ANNIE - Sept. 13, 1874-Dec. 28, 1948
  • Father - JOHN - Jan. 26, 1873-Aug. 15, 1947
6. JOHNSTON (Lg. Blk.)
  • GLADYS L. JOHNSTON - Nov. 27, 1905
  • ALBERT SIDNEY JOHNSTON - PVT US Army, World War I - 1895-1978
7. Grave - No name or date

8. HEINRICH MUMBRAUER

9. & 10. Graves - No names or dates

11. MARIA HEIBEL - Geb. 14 Oct. 1869-Gest. 4 Juli 1886

12. (Lg. Blk.) back row - about 5 graves - no names or dates

  • CAROLYN - daughter of F.C. & JOSIE SCHLIEN - Mar. 19,1899-Aug. 13, 1899
  • BENJAMIN SPARKS - Jan. 16, 1816-Mar. 24, 1890 - Capt. of the Texas Rangers during the Civil War
  • FERDINAND G. SCHLEIN May 26, 1878-Oct. 16, 1923
  • IRVIN M. ADCOCK - July 28, 1900-Sept. 2, 1911
  • GILES A ADCOCK - Nov. 24, 1867-Apr. 23, 1930
  • EMMA, infant dau. of CHRIS & M. REINECKE - 1891
  • ELLEN C. ADCOCK - Sept. 6, 1858-May 29, 1928
  • WILLIAM J. ADCOCK - Sept. 17, 1850-Nov. 13, 1934
  • MARVIN ADCOCK - Jan. 5, 1890-Mar. 20, 1961
13. WM. DODD CRAWFORD - 1897-1979

14. JOHNNIE CLENDENNEN - 1903-1979

15. MARGARET WEAVER REDMOND - June 11, 1884-May 18, 1979

16. WEAVER, DOROTHY, dau.of Mr. and Mrs. SAM WEAVER - Apr. 28-1901-Oct. 7, 1928

17. large cedar tree marks grave

18. grave - no name or date

19. WEAVER, Mother, HENRIETTA, Wife of SAM WEAVER - Feb. 11, 1861-Jan. 19, 1953

20. DAVID D. WEAVER - May 31, 1891-Oct. 11, 1918 - Our Soldier Boy

21. WEAVER, in memory of, SAM WEAVER - July 13, 1850-May 23, 1928

22. (blk) DeDEAR

  • LINWOOD DeDEAR - 1914-1924
  • ADAM DeDEAR - 1903-1924
  • DeDEAR
    • EDWARD B. - May 3, 1876-May 17, 1941
    • ANNIE M. - Apr. 24, 1877-Jan. 9, 1962
23. Baby Boy DeDEAR - Nov. 1939

24. CATHERINE GOLLY DeDEAR - Oct. 15, 1852-Aug. 5, 1929

25. FREDDY JAMES DeDEAR - Sept. 13, 1920

25, & 26. graves marked by large cedar trees

27. (large block) EASON

  • JIMMIE EASON - born and died Aug. 7, 1907
  • ADELHEID SCHLEIN - May 20, 1885-Oct. 22, 1968
  • FRED SCHLEIN, Sr. - May 12, 1859-Mar. 28, 1931
  • ADELHEID SCHLEIN - July 31, 1868-Oct. 9, 1947
  • EASON
    • ANNIE C. - 1880-1973
    • JAMES - 1868-1919
28. (large block) MERNITZ
  • ALBERT MERNITZ - 1876-1901
  • PAULINE MERNITZ - 1841-1924
  • JOACHIM MERNITZ - 1835-1891
  • MARIE MERNITZ - 1811-1891
  • NORAH H. MERNITZ - 1877-1930
  • CHAS. MERNITZ, M.D. - 1879-1941
  • ALVENA MERNITZ - 1872-1945
  • ADOLPH G. MERNITZ - 1865-1935

29. (large block)

GISLER

  • GISLER, EDNA DeDEAR - Dec. 14, 1902
  • GISLER, FERDINAND L. - Jan. 19, 1903-July 22, 1977
GISLER
  • ROSA - Oct. 19, 1877-Aug. 3, 1959
  • JOHN L. - June 4, 1873-Jan. 4. 1952
  • FERDINAND GISLER - Dec. 11, 1932-Dec. 14, 1932
  • Infant Daughter - F.L. & E.D. GISLER - Aug. 18, 1924
GISLER
  • CHRISTINA J., his wife - July 24, 1849-July 17, 1929
  • FERDINAND - Jan. 18, 1846-August 13, 1924

30. CHRISTIAN REINECKE - 20 Aug. 1852-4 Aug. 1897

MARIE, wife of C. REINECKE - 23 Juni 1851-15 Jan 1936

31. Infant dau. of MR. & MRS. FERD DENTLER - 1928

32. ERNA, dau. of Mr. & Mrs. EARNEST GEBHARDT

33. (Lg. Blk.) LASSMANN

  • CHARLOTTE ROSE LASSMANN - Mar. 14, 1927
  • JO ANN LASSMANN - Jan. 13, 1934-May 8, 1935
  • CHRIS LASSMAN - Aug. 11, 1895-July 5, 1945

34. (Lg. cement border around old section) A lot of graves, no names or dates.