Gary Cemetery Comments

Gary, Panola Co  Cemeteries of TX

August 27 2004

Between August 31 2003 and August 27, 2004, Jerry & Carolyn Ford Mayo and Leta Mae Smith Beasley, walked the Gary Cemetery, on four separate occasions in the attempt to bring the internet listing up to date, by adding new names and locating lost graves.  We are not stating that this is all correct, but we have enjoyed the undertaking.

There are 551 graves identified and 40 graves that are unknown or unidentified, and there may be more.

I.   Grave located east of Smith, Perry Wayne , twin, now has a marker, "Malinda Cariker, Jan 22 1958, she is the infant daughter of Mac Cariker & Betty Wallace.

II.  In the east section, east of Hiram Cozart and west of Lenox Hinton and at the foot of Louis Bramblett, Sr.  there seems to be 2 unmarked graves, one of these may be Francis Hinton July 05 1905-July 8 1931, s/o William & Cordie Tingle Hinton that was previous listed, but is not on the new map, we can not locate it now. 

III.  South of O'Dell Langford is twin daughters of his wife, Anice Lorine Wells Whitley Langford.  this information was given by Ada Essery & Ruby Gibbs, sisters to Anice Langford.

IV.  To the south of Mrs. R. J. Adams, in earlier years were several piles of rocks that have been moved with one pile left with 6 unmarked graves and to the east is 6 unmarked graves.  These are shown on the new map.

V.  Claude M. Brown's grave is located west of the west loop road.  There are 3 unmarked graves.  Lois Lampin Brown is located to the north of Claude M Brown with son Barney located to the south of his father with Carl Neer Brown south of Barney.  Carl Neer Brown is a brother to Claude M. Brown.  This information was given by Bob Brown.

VI.  To the south of Mr. & Mrs. Johnny James Smith located between the loop road are 2 unmarked graves,, a mother and her child, that may be some kin to the Pierces or Cozarts.  Annis Bertha Smith McDonald gave Vernon Dickey 2 plastic bottles filled with sand to mark the graves.

VII.  Hopson- Infant July 0, 1951 s/o Robert E. Hopson listed, we are unable to locate and is not on the map

VIII.  Mary Minter  1941 listed maybe one of the unidentified in the Minter plots, located west side of loop road.  It is not on the map and we were unable to locate.

IX.  Outside or inside the south curve of the loop road a hobo is buried.  Several older Citizens of Gary told us a hobo was kicked off the train in Gary.  Several of the residents of Gary tried to nurse him through pneumonia.  When he died they didn't know his name or who to notify.

X.  We were told by older citizens that a black man died in the town of Gary.  No one claimed the body so they buried him in the Gary Cemetery.  As young boys they remember several rock graves on the old fence north of the railroad that were Indian graves.

XI.  In the south curve of the loop road to the west of Edd Rhodes and Jimmy Lofton are 10 unmarked graves shown on map.

XII.  There are 2 cement blocks between Edd Rhodes and Ila May Jennings.

XIII.  Between Elbert Smith and James A. Downing located south of road across from loop road, John Henry Smith and Jerry Mayo dug up a brick.  There were trying to find S marks.  In earlier years bricks were used to mark graves.  This maybe an unidentified grave.

Guyler Ford donated land to enlarge the cemetery.  A gazebo to house a map of the cemetery is located between the loop road, a new fence, front gate and parking lot have been completed.  Robert Williams has drawn a new map that has been updated.