JACKSON RANCH CEMETERY
Hidalgo Co. Cemeteries of Tx
Submitted by cshaffer@houston.rr.com
(typed from records provided by surveyors)
JACKSON RANCH CHURCH CEMETERY
HISTORY: Jackson Ranch was founded in 1857 by Nathaniel Jackson (1800-1865) who arrived from Alabama in five covered wagons bringing his wife Matilda, his seven grown children, their families and 11 freedmen.
He purchased Porcion 71 (5535 acres), which had a river frontage of .7 mile and extended north 13 miles. Jackson paid 36 cents an acre. He raised livestock, and grew corn, sugarcane, yams and pinto beans close to the river.
After high waters washed away the little Methodist Church in nearby Hidalgo, in 1884 his son Martin deeded an acre of land for a church, believed to be the first Protestant church in Hidalgo County. Methodists met there for 15 years.
The church building also served as a ranch school. A cemetery was established in the churchyard when Nathaniel’s oldest son Columbus Jackson (c1806-1896) died. (Nathaniel himself was buried in the adjacent Eli Jackson Cemetery.)
After the 1909 flood filled the church half-full of water, the congregation removed to McAllen, Pharr and Edinburg. Members who remained at Jackson Ranch were served by a circuit minister, and later by missions from established churches in Pharr.
HISTORY: Deed Record Book D, pages 249-251
The State of Texas
County of Hidalgo
Know all men by these presents, that I, Martin Jackson, in consideration of the sum of one ($1.))) dolars to me in hand paid by the Board of
Mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South of the County of Davison, State of Tennessee, have granted, bargained, sold and released and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell and release unto said
Board of Missions and their successors in office all that certain lot or parcel of ground herein after described. Said lot is about two leagues
nearly east of the town of Hidalgo in said County and State aforesaid, in Porcion #71 originally granted by the King of Spain to one Narciso
Cavazos in the year 1767 to him and his heir confirmed by an act of the Legislature of the State of Texas, entitled an act to relinquish all the
rights of the State in and to certain lands therein mentioned approved Feb. 10, 1852. The said lot shall commence to run and begin for a starting point on the line between the land now owned by myself on the west, and the land now owned by Eli Jackson on the east, and from a point fifteen (15) varas
north of a certain line post which is on the north side of and very near to the public road running from the town of Hidalgo to Brownsville, and
lieing about one hundred and fifty varas west from the residence of said Eli Jackson. From said point running about north on said line between the land now owned by Eli Jackson and that owned by myself as before men
tioned, fifty varas thence at a right angle about west twenty five varas thence at a right angle about south, fifty varas thence at a right angle
about twenty five varas reaching the place of beginning. (final paragraph mentioned only the Methodist Episcopal Church, then)
Witness my hand at Hidalgo this 9th day of February A.D. 1884. By Martin Jackson "X" Mark.
[NOTE: Eli and Martin Jackson were brothers.]
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1. KEITH HUNTER - 1915-1970
2. LUCINDA RUIZ - Died 12 Oct 1976 Age 85 yrs 1 mo 11 days
3. MAURICIO RUIZ - Died 6 Dec 1974 Age 82 yrs 9 mo 29 days
4, RUIZ, RAMIRO - no dates
RODOLFO - no dates
5. GUILLERMO Y. CUELLAR - 17 Nov 1925 30 Nov 1971
Texas SS NL 3 U.S. Navy
6. ANITA JACKSON - Enero 31, 1896 Enero 29, 1965
7. RITA J. HERNANDEZ - 1947 - 1989 Our Mother
8. MARTIN JACKSON - 5 Jan 1837 17 Apr 1913 Born in Alabama
9. ESPERIDIONA C. VDA DE JACKSON - Nacio Enero 17, 1865
Fallecio Enero 10, 1960
10. FRANCES CLARK - 5 Aug 1912 23 Mar 1913
11. MATILDA JACKSON - 8 Jan 1894 9 Sept 1955
12. BEN JACKSON - 2 Feb 1905 20 Mar 1967
13. RAMIRO JACKSON - 25 Mar 1951 31 Dec 1970
Un recuerdo de su Madre y hermanos y hermanas
Bien Aventurado los de limpio corazon porque ellos veran a DIOS.
Mateo 5:8
14. MARY JACKSON - 20 Dec 1887 29 Jan 1972
15. Funeral marker - empty
16. FERNANDA BENZIA (?) - Died 11 Aug 1973 Age 20 yrs
17. Unmarked grave
18. GUADALUPE CRUZ - 10 Sept 1974 Age 1 day
19. COLUMBUS JACKSON - 1896 Age 80 years
20. NANCY C. JACKSON 1 Jan 1890 25 Jan 1962
In memory of her 3 sons.