This information is taken from the booklet, Cistern Black Cemetery, by Norman C. Krischke c1999:
This cemetery is located in the town of Cistern and fronts on Manchester Street and encompasses two city blocks; Blocks 14 and 15. The cemetery is 198 feet wide on Manchester Street and 430 feet deep. It is situated between the Cistern City Cemetery and Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church & Cemetery. There are twelve graves marked with concrete, marble, or granite stones. Six possible graves have lilies on them and one grave is marked with a funeral home marker. The first burial, according to tombstone dates is that of B.H. Bratcher in 1900 and the last to be buried here was Willie Jones in 1997.The Black farmers came to Cistern when it was known as Whiteside's Prairie in the later part of the 1850's. The place was later named Cockrell's Hill; Milton; and in 1863, Cistern, after the many cisterns in town needed because the well water was bad. Black farmers brought their cotton to the Marburger and Knight Gin. They grew vegetables, corn, sugar cane and fodder for the animals. They raised their families here, schooled them, worshiped here and some were buried here.
|
NAME |
BIRTH |
DEATH |
COMMENTS |
|
Bratcher, B. H. |
16 Apr 1832 |
29 Sep 1900 |
Concrete marker; born a slave |
|
Bratcher, Elmira |
9 Feb 1839 |
25 Aug 1916 |
Concrete marker; born a slave; probably wife of B. H. Bratcher |
|
Caesar, Isiah |
------------- |
23 Sep 1923 |
Military marker: Texas, Pvt 1st Cl, 12 Reserve Labor BN, QMC, WWI |
|
Clark, Frank |
8 May 1878 |
12 Sep 1923 |
Concrete marker |
|
Fikes, Joe |
8 Oct 1859 |
6 May 1942 |
Shares concrete marker with Mary Fikes and Sallie Howard; "Grandparent"; born a slave; Fayette County death record, 8/86: Farmer, died of coronary occlusion. |
|
Fikes, Mary |
1 Jan 1856 |
21 Apr 1937 |
Shares concrete marker with Joe Fikes and Sallie Howard; "Grandparent"; born a slave; FCDR, 6/531: Daughter of William Clark who was born in Virginia. Died of heart disease. |
|
Howard, Sallie |
------------- |
------------- |
Shares concrete marker with Joe and Mary Fikes; "Mother" |
|
Hubbard, Hanna |
------------- |
1913 |
Concrete marker; Aged 36 years |
|
Jones, Willie
|
1943
|
1997
|
Funeral home marker
|
| McCook, Alma | 12 Dec 1907 |
15 Jul 1990 |
Unmarked, married Shelley Howard, info from obituary |
|
McCook, Jurde
|
1 Feb 1882
|
4 Apr 1955
|
Concrete marker; FCDR, 10/439: Farmer. Son of Tom & Beckie (Clark) McCook
|
|
McCook, Laura
|
24 Apr 1924
|
20 Apr 1992
|
Granite marker
|
|
Williams, Ellen
|
1862
|
1917
|
Concrete marker
|
|
Williams, Gim
|
1866
|
1924
|
Concrete marker
|
Thanks to Yvonne Chambers for providing information on Alma McCook's grave.
