Stonewall County by Gloria B. Mayfield- Cemeteries of Texas

Oriana Cemetery

Photos by Sheriff Jerry Hicks

Inscriptions by Nancy G. Hough, June 11, 2001. Nancy is a descndant of John Crouch Bilberry and third wife, Elizabeth Jane (Walker) Wilson Bilberry. Elizabeth Jane Walker first
married John Roden Wilson and had Maggie (Margaret) Roden Wilson (married John William Peacock) and Susan Wilson Henderson. Elizabeth Jane Walker- Wilson then married John Crouch Bilberry and they had Leondous and Martelia Bilberry.

Location: Southwest of Peacock, Texas in Stonewall. There are several ways to reach the cemetery. I include only two here. The first way is traveling off the main highway going EAST into Aspermont. (Off highway 62/180). There is a green sign on the highway, simply saying "Oriana Cemetery". If you cross the Salt Fork of the Brazos River traveling from the west, you have gone too far. From Aspermont: Travel WEST on hwy. 62/180, past the town of Peacock turn off, it's about 4 miles to the cemetery sign. Turn left (south) onto (dirt road) county road #439. Approximately 3.7 miles, on the left, you will see two houses with a windmill in between them. On your right, opposite the windmill, there will be a country lane, and a very small (about 8" X 10") white sign with black letters saying simply "Oriana Cemetery". Youwill have to look closely for this sign, because it sits off the road a very short distance, and is almost hidden by trees. (There was a small travel trailer a little to the right and behind of the small white sign when I was there.) Turn right onto the little country road and follow it about 1/2 mile, until you see the cemetery on your right. It sits about 50 feet or so off the country road, and there is no sign to mark it, but you will see the fenced area containing the cemetery, and one of the larger headstones. Enter the gate, at the southeast corner, making sure you close it behind you. Directions from the town of Peacock. Peacock is located about two miles off the highway 62/180 on county road 2211, and approximately 10-15 miles west of Aspermont. You can also get to county road. 2211 from an intersection in Aspermont. Consult your map. In the town of Peacock, where the road forks, take a little county road to the right (east) marked (459?) and follow it until you cross the new Brazos River Bridge. (The old wooden one is still there, but for how long?) (Turns into dirt road after road leaves Peacock) Turn right at a fork, onto county road 459, and watch for the two houses and windmill on the right. Follow the directions above, except you will watch for the small white sign on your left, instead of the right. It is approximately five miles from Peacock to the white sign.

Note: The following listing is a list of readable headstones in the cemetery. Nancy did not have time to plot, photograph or otherwise record other inscriptions on the stones. There are many unreadable, unmarked, or marked by blank sandstone markers here. I did not investigate what might lie underneath the very few bushes in the cemetery. There might possibly be other stones lying underneath. I did look closely, but did not find any other visible stones. I did not feel that it would be considerate for me to prune any of the vegetation, because in June pruning the vegetation might well kill it. Temperatures were in the 100's and local residents told me they are "in a drought".In the cemetery, I worked from the Southwest corner to the Northwest corner, and then from the Northeast corner to the Southeast corner, which divided the cemetery in half. The unlocked gate is located at the Southeast corner of the cemetery. I did not have my compass, so am not certain of the direction in which the graves lie. The cemetery is parallel to the county road.

History: The earliest grave recorded: Infant daughter of W. A. and H. V. KIDD, born and died June 14, 1898. 103 years ago from when I visited the grave...almost to the day! The cemetery is a very well kept, fenced area, covered with mowed grass and with only a few bushes and trees. There is no sign to mark the cemetery itself. It is approximately two acres square, and the terrain is flat. At the KIDD plot there are large cedar trees, which are the only trees in the cemetery, and shelters the oldest marked grave in the cemetery. The other vegetation is low growing (3-4 feet high) cedars and some brush which I cannot identify. Some of the graves have been covered with cement, the edges being rounded off. There are a lot of sandstone markers, and only a few are readable. The stones are not smooth, therefore I made no rubbings. Many were simply marked with names, and no dates. There is evidence that there are frequent visitors to this cemetery. Time did not allow me to visit the courthouse to verify burial information.

THE CEMETERY LISTINGS
DS= Double Stone ** = Cement covered graves ( ) = Notes of the compiler

IDA E. MILLER June 20 1884 - Feb 7 1914
Tall marble marker/looks like a tree trunk/with crossed axes/Woodsmen of the World?

LIHUE M. KIDD August 7 1855 - August 5 1936

J. J. HILL Feb 7 1843 - July 22 1917

(DS) KIDD
J. H. KIDD Dec. 6 1876 - Dec. 25 1958 (John Kidd-per records of Margaret_______)
ELMIRA BILBERRY April 16 1884 - Aug 31 1948
(This is Queen EsterElmina -(Bilberry) sister to Honor (Bilberry) KIDD, daughters of Esau & Susan (Bilberry) Bilberry. Footstone says "EBK"

(DS)
J. A. KIDD June 6 1842 - Jan 12 1909
DREWSILLA Oct. 28 1842 - Jan 18, 1906

JANE BILBERRY - no dates (Note: This is third wife of John Crouch Bilberry, Elizabeth Jane (Walker) Wilson-Bilberry, mother of Margaret "Maggie" Roden (Wilson) who married John William Peacock, one of the founders of the town of Peacock. Jane is the g-g-g-grandmother to Nancy Hough) Plain sandstone marker, hand pecked in relief.(She was b. 1837 in Arkansas, died Sep. 1913) Married John C. Bilberry, Feb 24, 1870, Cooke Co., Tx.-marriage record on file, NH)

(tall marble stone to the right of Jane Bilberry)
JOHN C. BILBERRY April 12 1829 - June 13 1907 (There appears to be a design on the stone, but I couldn't make it out.)

NS son of ES and SA BILBERRY Jan 22 1890-Feb 14 1906 (Note: ES and SA Bilberry are Esau and Susan Adaline Bilberry-Bilberry, son of John Crouch
Bilberry and first wife, Martha Crews, and Susan d/o Henry and Delilah Cannon Bilberry).This stone is marble and fenced with wrought iron & appears to be the only grave inside)

Two stones, grouped together, almost hidden in bushes, with no legible dates

W. J. BILBERRY (A possible son of John Crouch Bilberry, d. 6-9-1921 in Stonewalll County)
HB (Hunter? Bilberry?)Almost unreadable sandstone marker...looks like a "6: 50" hand carved in it.

M E BILBERRY 1850? 1880? - June 1907
Sandstone marker, lying flat west of the bushes, almost unreadable, dates not clear.Could this be wife of Livingston Severe Bilberry?? (A possible daughter of
John Crouch Bilberry???The year is right for her, b. Jan 28-1850 d. May 6, 1907)

(DS) Three upright marble stones, grouped together under the big trees
W. A. KIDD Mar 27 1872 - Feb 5 1951
(Note-this is William Alexander "Alek" KIDD) Page 276, "Between The Forks of the Brazos"
Honor V. KIDD Feb 1 1881 - Aug 2 1953
(This is Honor Verain (Bilberry), daughter of Esau and Susan Adeline (Bilberry)-Bilberry, sister to Josephine "Josie" Victoria Bilberry who married Lafayette Monroe PEACOCK, son of John William "Bill" and Maggie (Roden) Wilson Peacock...Maggie was step-daughter of John Crouch Bilberry/daughter of Elizabeth Jane (Walker)-Wilson-Bilberry)
Infant Daughter of WA and HV KIDD Born and died June 14 1898
(Oldest stone in the cemetery)

VIRGINIA HOLLIS June 24 1859 - Oct 22 1936

WILLIAM SIDNEY, son of WB and SM TERRY Aug 14 1899 - June 25 1900

(DS)
MYERS
GLADYS MERLE Dec 25 1903 - Dec 6 1989
WILBURN PORTER MYERS Jan 26 1903 - Jan 3 1988
Married May 29 1921
Infant of Mr. And Mrs. L. R. ( MEYERS or Myers?) Died Feb 1924

"MOTHER" VIRGIA MYERS 1899 - 1937

L. B. MYERS July 11 1921 - Dec. 6 1924 "At Rest"
(Son of M. C. and Mittie (Bell) Myers, per Maxine Meyers Englis, p. 245 Stonewall Conty History)

MYERS Harney 1856 - 1935

MYERS (Susan) Wife of Harney 1856 - 1928
(Susan's maiden name was STRALEY)

A. J. STRALEY 1829-1908

REBECCA PARKS STRALEY 1826 - 1908

Infant, LOIS MYERS, Born and died 1910

K D MYERS 1852 - 1971 (Son of Harney)

IDA MAE MYERS 1885 - 1935

(This next stone is located way out north of the Myers family plot, all by itself.)
SAM H. HAINES Aug 15 1896 - June 11 1918

Infant Son of RB and LAURA CORDER 1903

VELMA LEE
Daughter of JN and Vina PATTERSON Jan 8 1905 - Aug 22 1913

(DS) PATTERSON
SARAH JANE Apr 24 1883 - Jan 3 1951
WJ Dec 25 1880 - Dec 24 1973
(This might be Wilburn Patterson who married " Jennie" Bilbrey.)

(separate stones)
Martha W. wife of G. Q. PATTERSON 1855 - 1930
G. Q. PATTERSON 1850 - 1942
(Parents of Wilburn Patterson)

MARY ISABELLE TOWNSEND July 9, 1811 - Dec 4 1974

Infant son of Mr.& Mrs. L L ROGERS
MELVIN LESLEY ROGERS Born and died May 6 1931
("LL" stands for Leslie Lamar Rogers)

EDNA GWENDOLYN DONALDSON March 9 1892 - Aug 11 1911

(DS) with cement curb enclosure
KIDD
BULAH MYRTLE June 3 1906 - Oct 2 1988
"BUD" WILLIAM ARTHUR, June 10 1904 - May 3 1970
(Bulah was dau. Of Alex Morrow and Bertha E. Smith Rogers, & William was son of William Alexander and Honor Verain Bilberry KIDD)

PATSY RUTH KIDD May 30 1935 - Oct 7 1937

(DS)
MYERS
MINNIE McMICKIN Oct 29 1887 - Sep 28 1968
CHARLES NOLAN May 23 1886 - Feb 12 1950

Military Marker
JAMESMcMICKIN Co C 58 Reg Ala Inf CSA 1846-1936

CENTHA ANN HENDERSON 1874 - 1925
(per Margaret...married Richard Henderson.she married second? to Camel (Campbell?) Bilberry "CW". Another record (Willett) says d/o H. H. and Delilah Bilberry)?????

Sandstone marker
JH and LE BILBERRY "BABY" (No dates)

HATTIE wife of CM GEORGE Mar 2 1895 - Jan 30 1921

MIRANDA wife of WA JAMES 1874 -Dec 10 1857-Sep 16 1923
(Note: This is the widow of "Will" James, killed by the San Saba Mob. Miranda was Martha Amanda "Sis" Bilbrey, daughter of Henry and Delila Cannon Bilbrey. Her first husband was Frederick "Fed" Nelson, and Will James was second husband.)

(DS) outlined with cement curb, and white stone
BILBREY RUFUS EDWARD Feb 11 1895 - Jan 3 1968
FANNIE MARIE Dec 3 1903 - Feb 18 1963

BENJAMIN E. KEETH 1868 - 1964

The following graves with ** are with rounded cement covering graves
**FLORA B. KEETH Mar 11 1879 - Jan 17 1933 (There is a Littlepage (now McCoy?) temporary marker in addition to the stone on this grave. )

**Military Marker
CARROL RAY McKENZIE Texas S 2C US NAVY WWII Jan 8 1925 - Dec 15 1942

** Military Marker
GROVER C. McKENZIE Texas PVT. US ARMY March 12 1896 - Oct 10 1935

**STELLA E. KING (nee BILBREY) 1895-1921
(daughter of Campbell and Lovey Bilberry-per Margaret____)

**BERTHA J. BRUCE (nee BILBREY) 1900 - 1928

**HERMAN BILBREY Dec 29 1909 - Aug 11 1940

**SOLOMON C. WILSON Mar 6 1879 - Jan 30 1940

Cement edging with white rock
JOHNNIE E. MANSEE Aug 28 1912 - Jan 3 1942

**(DS) Cement covering graves
BILBREY SARAH L. June 8 1869 - Mar 1 1955
W C Jun 19 1865 - Sep 30 1943 (William Campbell Bilbrey, This is Doris Tucker's family)

(DS)
BILBREY JUANITA B Sep 1 1923
CURTIS C. April 12 1916 - Mar 19 1976 (father of Doris Tucker, son of WC)

Seperate graves, but both covered with cement
**BILBREY OSCAR C. Dec 2 1891 - Oct 27 1951
**ZADIE DORA BILBREY May 19 1891 - Aug 12 1946 (Maiden Name "Lewis", page 111 of "Between The Forks of the Brazos")

THIS IS THE END OF THE RECORDING OF THE LEGIBLE STONES IN ORIANA CEM.
NOTES FROM COMPILER
Most of the BILBREY family graves are the closest to the gate into the cemetery. I was told by a local townsman that the Double Mountain Cemetery (also located off county road 2211) was used after the town of Oriana ceased to exist, but I did find burials at Oriana into the 1980's. If you are looking for relatives from the Peacock, Texas area, these were the two earlier cemetaries, as well as the Aspermont Cemetery, established in 1890. There was never a "Peacock Cememtery" that any of the locals knew about. Another early cemetery was the Brazos Valley Cemetery but is located a few miles away and closer to Jayton, Stonewall County, Texas. Some Peacock residents are known to have been buried there as well. At the courthouse at Aspermont there is a War Memorial with inscriptions, WWII, BILBERRY, MARVIN R., and BILBREY, CHARLES, CLARENCE, ELLIS E. There are other markers there for WWI , Viet Nam, Korea, Desert Storm, which I did not copy. Plain paper zerox copies (NOT certified copy!) of death cert. can be ordered for $1.00 plus postage from: BETTY L. SMITH, COUNTY CLERK, P.O. DRAWER P, ASPERMONT, TX. 79502. Inquire about other pricing for certified copies.

JOHN CROUCH BILBERRY

Wife # 1
Martha CRUCE/CREWS
Their son,
ESAU BILBERRY married to Susan Adeline Bilberry
(cousins)
d/o Henry and Delilah Cannon Bilberry.
Their daughter,
JOSEPHINE BILBERRY married Lafayette Monroe PEACOCK, son of Bill and
Maggie (Wilson) Peacock
(see child of Wife #3, Eliz. Jane (Walker) Wilson )

Wife #2
VIAN WILLSON
Daughter,
MARY TENNESSEE BILBERRY
Married
MATT MOORE

(Family legend: Vian was killed by Comanche's, the family legend says that Eliz. Jane Walker-Wilson was captured at the same time, and that John C. and Esau followed until they found Eliz. in Oklahoma, and returned with her. After her return , John C. married her. ) Source: Leondous Bilberry, word of mouth to Fred Hooper

Wife #3
ELIZABETH JANE (WALKER) WILSON
Daughter of Felix Walker
(Married first to John Roden Wilson )
Married second to:
John C. Bilberry and Eliz. Jane had:
(1) LEONDOUS Walker BILBERRY married to Ethel Butts
(2) MARTELIA BILBERRY married to (1) Ables (2) Henderson.
Elizabeth Jane and John C. Bilberry are buried at ORIANA Cemetary near Peacock, Texas. Jane's stone is a plain sandstone marker, and John's is a tall marble marker. Graves located June, 2001 by Nancy Hough

John Roden Wilson and
Eliz. Jane Walker had:
(1) Susan C. Wilson Henderson
(2) Maggie Roden Wilson married
John Wm. PEACOCK
Their son,
Lafayette Monroe PEACOCK married Josephine Bilberry (see child, Wife #1 of John C. Bilberry) Josie was daughter of Esau Bilberry and Susan (Bilberry) Bilberry. Susan dau. Of Henry and Delilah Cannon Bilberry.