County Farm, Eaton, Elebey, Loftis, Owens Pasture & Price Cemeteries
 6 small cemeteries in the southeast part of Wise County, Texas
Directions, Tables of Information & 
Links to Headstone Pictures are below on this page

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(Click Here to go to Listing & Pictures of All Wise County Headstones)

County Farm Cemetery

    The County Poor Farm Cemetery was located northeast of the Reunion Grounds (Rodeo arena) in Decatur.
    Go southwest out of Decatur on Fm Rd 51. Turn left on Old Reunion Rd. In about a mile you will see the historical marker on the right.

  

Historical Marker

Site of Wise County Poor Farm and Cemetery

Operated 1885 – 1962 to support and employ dependent or needy citizens and as place for county convicts to work out fines.

First superintendent of the 320-acre farm, R. Suffert, managed all land and activities and his wife cooked, washed, and sewed for both inmates and guards.

Of inmates buried in the now-leveled cemetery at bend of Center Creek, only names known are Steve Abbey, Sarah McCain, Jim Wilson, Jim M. Goodner, Bill Hodge: Rankin, Owens (surnames); Della, Edna, Ike, and Mariah.

In 1969 county sold buildings and 12 acres of farm at auction.

(1971)

    No headstones were found at this site, but Rosalie Gregg, Chairman of the Wise County Historical Commission, examined census records and other old records to give us a list of the following burials that were made at the cemetery.
    The Hobbs information came from Shirley A. Garcia Shirlgar@fnbnet.net 

# Name Born Date of Death Information Notes No Pictures of Headstones
Not Found Abbey, Steve   Jan 1, 1910 Aged 52 years County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found Deering, Jessie or Jno. 1879 After 1920   County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found Dingle, Mariah       County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found Edwards, Lucy       County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found Edwards, Mary 1875 After 1920   County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found Goodner, Jim M. or "M." Oct 22, 1839 Feb 11, 1931   County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found Hobbs, William, "Willie" or "Bill" Apr 30, 1876 Feb 2, 1940 (Was mentally impaired and lived at the Poor Farm from abt.1910 to 1933. He was moved to the State Hospital in Wichita Falls and is buried in their cemetery, grave #623) County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found McCain, Sarah 1855 Mar 4, 1924   County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found McCaslin, Ike 1855 After 1920   County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found Moseley, Edna 1880 After 1920   County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found Owens, ?   Jan 30, 1924   County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found Rankin, ?       County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found Thompson, Della 1870 After 1920   County-Farm-No Picture.jpg
Not Found Wilson, Jim or Jack       County-Farm-No Picture.jpg

Eaton Cemetery

   Eaton Cemetery is southeast of Decatur out toward Blewett. From Hwy 287, south of Decatur, turn east on Fm Rd 2264. Turn left on CR 4530 (McCurdy Rd). Turn right at a tan pumper station (PR 4531 but there was no sign at the time). Go south across a cattle guard and across Oliver Creek to the old Askey house. From the house cross a cattle guard on the east and go down a gravel road about a half of a mile. The cemetery is to the left in the pasture under a large oak tree.
    Thank you to Carla Womack for helping us find this cemetery, and to Jerry Askey for taking us there.

  

  
    The first picture below was provided by Ina Askey. It shows the two Eaton headstones and an arch that may have been over the top of both stones at one time. In October 2001 we only found these 2 headstones, but there may have been as many as 30 burials at this cemetery.

  

# Name Born Date of Death Information Notes Link to Headstone Picture
1 Eaton, James H. Feb 8, 1846 Feb 1, 1879 Husband of S.E. Eaton-01.jpg
1 Eaton, James H. Additional Picture     Eaton-01a.jpg
1 Eaton, James H. Additional Picture     Eaton-01b.jpg
1 Eaton, James H. Additional Picture     Eaton-01c.jpg
1 Eaton, James H. Additional Picture     Eaton-01d.jpg
2 Eaton, James S. Oct 21, 1877 Nov 21, 1877 Son of J.H. & S.E. Eaton-02.jpg
2 Eaton, James S. Additional Picture     Eaton-02a.jpg
2 Eaton, James S. Additional Picture     Eaton-02b.jpg
2 Eaton, James S. Additional Picture     Eaton-02c.jpg
Not found Thomas, Seth       Eaton-No Picture.jpg
Not found Walker, M.       Eaton-No Picture.jpg
Not found Miller, ?     Miller Valley is to west Eaton-No Picture.jpg


Landon@asapwash.com Landon Esquivel recently (2023)emailed us with some information and pictures --
My name is Landon and I live in the subdivision of Highland Meadows. I recently have seen what is called the "Icarian Cemetery" on what I believe is the Askey Farm. It is not on your list and I was wondering if it could be documented.
Hey Also just pointing this out if it was an “Icarian Cemetery” there is some history on the Icarians in Justin.
Please feel free to give me a call
9727415654.
Kerry Clower wrote back. - -
I am not familiar with the cemetery you mentioned in your email.  I know that Jerry Askey had at least three of what he thought were cemeteries marked on his property.  One was the cemetery where he and Ina were buried that had the Eaton headstones. He had two other places marked with metal cutouts and other things that he claimed were grave spaces that he located with his divining rods, but they had no carved headstones to mark any graves that I remember.  The metal works in your pictures could well have been what he thought was a cemetery that he marked.
Thanks, 
Kerry Clower, Chairman
Wise County Historical Commission


Elebey Cemetery

   Elebey Cemetery is located south of Decatur. From S Fm Rd 51 turn right on Preskitt Rd. Turn left on CR 3051 and go south. As the road turns west there is an aluminum oil field gate (Boring #2) on the left. The cemetery is in the brush just inside the gate.
  
We could not find any records of burials or any headstones in October 2001.
  
Thank you to J.E. Haynes for taking us to this cemetery, and to Ronald & Carla Womack for searching the brush.

     

  

Donna Weeden researched the Elebey family (many different spellings) and wrote this:

    Yes, Howard Ellerby, (born between 1820-1830 in Virginia) was the head of household for the black Ellerby family.  His wife, Missouri, and 8 children lived on that place in 1880 through at least 1900 (had 10 children by 1900).  The Ellerby's sold out and moved in 1901.  I have followed some of the children forward through the years.  Missouri died in 1909 in California.   I haven't found Howard's resting place.
     Their oldest son, Henry, was buried in Oaklawn in 1884.  
    According to a WCM article in 1885, there were two 'colored' schools in Wise County.  Could one of them been near the Ellerby's?  Seems that most of the Ellerby children could read and write during their adult years, so they may have received some schooling while in Wise County.
    P.S.  The name "Ellerby" with two "L's" seems to be consistent throughout the family genaeolgies, however newspaper articles, census records, and other types of records  spell the name in various other forms, as Sue's previous email will attest.

Loftis Cemetery

    Loftis Cemetery is between Paradise and Boyd. It’s about 3 miles west of Boyd on the north side of Hwy 114. It’s on the property owned by Robert Ratliff. The cemetery is in the woods, set back about a mile on the property, but no markers remain today.
  
Thank you to Judy Johnson Erickson of Boyd for telling us about this cemetery.
  
According to a relative, Ann Hill, of Granbury, there are at least 2 graves at the site. She has an old diary belonging to Joseph Loftis, and gave us the following information. She hopes to set stones at the graves in the near future.

Name

Born

Date of Death

Information Notes

Loftis, Joseph Santford, Jr.

Bradley Co., TN

Nov 6, 1892

Mason - Moved from TN to Corsicana and then to this land in 1875 – Daughter, Texas Ann Loftis married James Oscar Brown - Had several other children who are buried at Cottondale Cemetery - Porter's and Easley's are in-laws

Loftis, O.F.

 

 

Second wife of Joseph Santford (See Note Below)

2011 Email from Kerry Clower kerryclower@embarqmail.com 

My great/great grandfather had a sister, Olivia F. Hodges Miller Loftis. She was born in Alabama in 1833 and died in Paradise on July 19, 1890. She married (1st) Hugh M. Miller (born about 1809 in Alabama) on 4-7-1851 in Sumter Co., Alabama. They had 2 sons: Tew and Tobe Miller. She married (2nd) Joseph Santford Loftis on Oct. 2, 1881 in Paradise, Tx. I know nothing of what happened to Mr. Miller or the sons.

Wise County Messenger, July 26, 1890: "... We regret that the wife of Uncle Joe Loftis, who lives on the south bluff of Salt Lake Valley died on last Saturday. She was some years known to many of our readers as Mrs. Miller, who made her home for some years with Major Jones, a near relative in this place......"

I am fairly sure this is the 2nd wife of Joseph Loftis listed as buried in Loftis Cemetery as O. F. Loftis.

Owens Pastures Cemetery

   Owens Pasture Cemetery is just to the west of Aurora. From Hwy 114 turn north on Hillside Private Road. The 2 headstones are on the left about 100 yards down the road. They are inside a small rock wall that’s about two feet high.
    When we were there in October 2001 the woods had been cleared away around the wall. The two headstones were broken and partially buried.
    Thank you to Carla Womack for taking us to this cemetery, and to Rosalie Gregg for finding it.

  

  

  

# Name Born Date of Death Information Notes Link to Headstone Picture
1 Rowlett, William C. Feb 16, 1818 July 14, 1876   OwensPasture-01.jpg
1 Rowlett, William C. Additional Picture     OwensPasture-01a.jpg
2 Rowlett, William Dec 2, 1851 Jan 16, 1878 Son of Wm. & C. OwensPasture-02.jpg
2 Rowlett, William Additional Picture     OwensPasture-02a.jpg
2 Rowlett, William Additional Picture     OwensPasture-02b.jpg
2 Rowlett, William Additional Picture     OwensPasture-02c.jpg
2 Rowlett, William Additional Picture     OwensPasture-02d.jpg

Price Cemetery

Price Cemetery is shown on the old maps to be northwest of Boyd and somewhere to the west of CR 4481.
  
There are no records of the burials there, and we did not find this cemetery in October 2001.