Mt. Tabor Starr Studded Event - April 9, 2005
The
Mt. Tabor Indian Cemetery
(Mount Tabor Indian Cemetery)
Rusk County, Texas
Buried there are mostly Cherokees, some Choctaws, some Chickasaws, and some Creeks
Latitude - Longitude
3219531N - 09454202W
A five-acre cemetery circa 1845 - 1866 that was destroyed by oil men in the 1950/60s
Created 2/27/2005
Updated 8/15/2013
by Paul Ridenour
After trying to find this cemetery since 2/13/2003, I finally found it on 2/27/2005. For Mt. Tabor Indian Community history, my journey in finding the cemetery, and a list of who is buried there, go to Mount Tabor Indian Cemetery
Update 2/27/2005
Bettie Rhodes and Gerald Cubine met Dottie Ridenour, Gary Malone, and myself at the Laird Hill Post Office. We followed them to the Mount Tabor Indian Cemetery.
I am not sure what town it is located in but it is between Laird Hill and Leverett's Chapel.
Before I give directions, I want to thank a number of people who helped me, encouraged me, emailed me, returned phone calls, and gave me good information:
Frank Williamson of Oklahoma - the
one who first told me about it and peaked my interest
Gary Malone - for two trips with me to the
area and documenting everything
Dottie Ridenour - for being there when we
found it
Jerry Charles "JC" Thompson of Seattle, now Oklahoma, and soon to be Texas - someone I hope to meet soon who put together a webpage
of who was buried there. He also said that two other cemeteries deserve
historical markers - Laird-Thompson Cemetery and Asbury Cemetery. Jerry
Charles Thompson verified that I did find the Mt. Tabor Indian
Cemetery.
Bettie Rhodes of Laird Hill - whose father-in-law lived by the cemetery and
whose husband Ray Dan Rhodes went out to the cemetery in 1969 and the experience
was recorded in the book Genealogy of "Old and New
Cherokee Indian Families" by George Morrison Bell, Sr. I could
not have found it without you and I really appreciate the time you took to show
us.
Gerald Cubine of Laird Hill - friend of
Bettie Rhodes who did not know about this cemetery until recently.
Gerald has relatives named "Fears" and so do I.
Jay Hannah of Oklahoma -
secretary-treasurer of the Cherokee Nation and a Starr descendant
Helen Hahn of Ft. Worth - a Starr
descendant who sent many emails and put me in contact with Bettie Rhodes
Linda Laminack of Longview - Longview
Public Library
Darla Hair of Tyler
Nancy Brown of Southwest City, MO
Gloria B. Mayfield of Rusk County
Virginia Knapp
of Henderson
Paul Harrison - married to Foster Bean's daughter
Mrs. Bean - spouse of Jack Starr Bean
Franz Spear
- son of Mrs. Bean
Lee Richardson of California
Larry W. Ward of Ft. Worth
Colleen
Chronister of Oklahoma
Jay Hannah and Helen Hahn have Starr ancestors buried there and have both been there when they were young.
Update 3/29/2005
Patti Haskins,
archeological steward with the Texas Historical Commission,
sent me the
E. Hobson and M. Y. Y'Barbo surveys (see survey below)
Lynda Jones, a
member of the Board of Directors of the Rusk County Historical Commission and
research volunteer,
along with
Patti Haskins are
presently working on securing a cemetery designation and historical marker for
Mt. Tabor
Directions and Map
A =
Dick Wells "B" Well #5 [from here you can see the water
tower at Leveretts Chapel High, B = Where John
Bell's house used to be, C = White oil separator tank, D =
Dick Wells "B" #6, E = Mt. Tabor Cemetery, F = Dick Wells "B" Well #18
Mt. Tabor Indian Cemetery was exactly as others have described, especially J.C. Thompson.
If all pictures do not appear, click on Refresh
Mt. Tabor Indian Cemetery according to Bettie Rhodes - two
small pine trees at the road
Latitude - Longitude from the driver's
door
3219531N - 09454202W
Sunken grave about 15 steps from the road
Sunken grave
From the first sunken grave to the road (Bettie and
Dottie)
White oil separator tank
White oil separator tank
looking towards E - about 63 paces from the tank to the cars is Mt. Tabor Indian
Cemetery
Working pump (noisy) to the right of the oil separator
tank.
Dick Wells "B" #6
Many sunken graves
The dark areas are sunken graves
The only stones or rocks in the area were found by the
sunken holes
10+ sunken graves
Latitude - Longitude
3219531N - 09454202W
Working pump where the road loops around - A sign reads
"Amoco Company" and "Dick Wells "B" Well #18"
Deep hole and a stone
Several sunken holes and a stone in the foreground with an
oil pipe in the background
Several oil pipes were laid on top of the ground in those
days and now many have settled under ground
Gerald Cubine and Bettie Rhodes
Original location of Philip Dan Rhodes' home
Working pump - Dick Wells "B" Well #5- where the road
loops
Updated 3/21/2005
Added the following pictures
At #5 pump, one can see the water tower at the Leveretts
Chapel School (left of the tree in the middle)