Rucks Family Cemetery

Latitude: 32.3026582
Longitude: -94.1668575
USGS GNIS FID: 1345737

Panola Co. Cemeteries of TX

 Photos and Notes by Gloria B. Mayfield 2003   Map (2009)

Submitted by Gloria B. Mayfield, Panola  Co. Coordinator

  This small family cemetery is located in DeBerry in the northeastern portion of Panola County. It faces State Hwy 31, approximately 30 yards south of the intersection of U.S. Hwy 79 N and State Hwy 31. Although the last burial there was evidently in 1921, it can not be classified as an abandoned cemetery as it is maintained by Carthage attorney Tommy George Davis, a descendant of those buried there. Data from this cemetery is not included in the "Index to the Cemeteries of Panola County, Texas 1836-1964" as that was a survey of the larger cemeteries.

(2003) This cemetery has  small shrubs and trees enclose the area and is hardly visible from the road.  

A stand of old and young cedar trees shades the cemetery on the west and south sides. Under one of the older, larger trees there are these two graves:

John Rucks Oct 27, 1846-- Apr 20, 1921

Delia Bird,  2nd wife of John Rucks,  Married Mar 26, 1893 Died Aug 2, 1893

 Just east of those graves there are six graves enclosed inside an ornate iron fence. These graves are:

A broken unreadable headstone, partially broken footstone with the initials "__L.A."  ( H.L. Anderson)

No headstone, but a footstone with the initials "M.E.A." (Myra Emma Anderson b. Sep 22 1854-?? (d/o Holland L. & Elizabeth English Anderson)

Ella, wife of John H. . Rucks,  Born Mar 21, 1856 Died October 04 1902  (This grave is curbed with scalloped concrete edging, and has a large marble headstone featuring a draped cloth and a trailing vine of morning glories.)  "Ellen "Ella" is the daughter of  Holland Livingston & Elizabeth English Anderson (M: Mar 26 1893 Panola Co. Tx)

In Memory of W.L. Rucks, son of John & Ella Rucks Oct 3, 1888-- Sep 28, 1898

Sacred to the Memory of Elizabeth English, wife of H.L. Anderson Sep 15, 1822 Sep 4,1902 

(Elizabeth is the daughter of William K. English and Myra Anderson English)

Sacred to the Memory of H.L. (Holland Livingston) Anderson Aug 19, 1808 Jan 24, 1881 Age 75 yrs 5 mo 3 d  (Holland Livingston Anderson is the son of Vincent & Mary Terry Anderson Spartanburg, SC)

(The last two inscriptions are on either side of a granite block base to a tall tapering shaft. The marker is set between the two graves and both graves are covered by solid slabs of white granite. The slab covering Elizabeth's grave is approximately the size of the grave, while the slab covering H.L.'s grave is noticeably much longer and wider.)