Powell-Tull Cemetery
Chilton, TexasGPS Coords 31.291401, -97.028485
Directions to Powell-Tull Cemetery Located East of Chilton, Falls County, Texas about five miles. From Chilton proceed Eastbound on State Highway #7 and turn onto County Road #419 (also Post Oak Blvd). Go .3 miles to the first road to the left (unmarked in 1996), which is the road just before the C. W. Whitaker place. Go North .1 mile to the cemetery entrance. The cemetery proper is located about fifty yards West down into the post oak grove of trees and is surrounded by a barbed wire fence and has a metal gate.
The cemetery was first called POWELL Cemetery because the land was donated by the POWELL family and John POWELL, who died March 28, 1889, was the first person to be buried there. Over the next fifty-four years about twenty-two other persons were buried there.
Charles Roy TULL, son of William Abraham TULL and Georgia Etta Ferguson TULL, died in 1896 and was the first TULL to be buried in this cemetery. William Abraham TULL, died September 4, 1943, was the last person to be buried there.
For the next forty years the cemetery was neglected. Weeds, briars, shrubs and trees began to invade the cemetery. In the early 1980’s, Sam TULL, George Edwin TULL, Audry and Wesley McKEE, Durwood VASSER, James L. TULL, Hollie TULL, Bertie BAXLEY and Netom STEED met to discuss cleaning, fencing and maintaining the cemetery. There was also a discussion about organizing a Cemtery Association and calling it the POWELL-TULL Cemetery Association. Sam TULL later met with attorney Robert CARTER in Marlin, Falls County, Texas to discuss legal requirements to form a Cemetery Association. Legal notices were posted in the newspapers. On June 19, 1983, at the TULL-HICKS reunion, the POWELL-TULL Cemetery Association was organized. Hubert McKEE was elected President; Netom STEED as Vice-President; and Beatrice JOHNSON as Treasurer. The following were elected Directors: Sam TULL, Hollis VASSER, George Edwin TULL. Hollie TULL donated $100 to open a bank account. Beatrice JOHNSON also donated $1,000 from the sale of her book of family records. Money has been added to this fund from family and friends through the years. A meeting was called for May 17, 1987 for the purpose of electing Durwood VASSER as Vice-President to replace Netom STEED who has resigned. Mary Ann COHN was also elected Treasurer. At the June 18, 1989 meeting, Hubert McKEE, Sam TULL, Hollis VASSER, George Edwin TULL and Hollie TULL met to discuss the type and cost of fence to be put around the cemetery with a gate at the entrance.
A group representing the POWELL-TULL families has worked several years to clean the cemetery and put it back in an honorable condition. In February 1996, a group of family members, under the direction of Hollis VASSER, put up a five wire barbed wire fence around the entire cemetery and a metal gate at the entrance. Work was also begun clearing all the underbrush. They met again in March and April to continue working and cleaning the cemetery. Some damaged headstones have also been repaired. Every effort will be made to maintain the cemetery in the best manner possible using volunteer help.
The research on this cemetery was done by Clayton HICKS on February 9, 1996 with help of his wife Selma CRAWFORD HICKS, Hubert McKEE, Roy JUCH, Isabell TULL WELCH and Mary Nell HELFER.
A numerical index showing the grave locations is included as a part of this project in order to assist in locating the graves of those buried there. The #1 grave identification begins with Thomas Marion TULL.
There were twenty-three graves located and all but one was identified. Any misleading information of unmarked graves is unintentional. Their identity and location was determined by word of mouth and family history. There may be other unmarked graves that were not found or identified.
Researched and compiled by Clayton Hicks - 1996
John Powell (1826-1889) was the first to be interred here in 1889. It was this event that caused the Powell family to set aside this land as a burial ground that was to serve them, as well as the Bolton, Busby, Greer, McRae, Sims, Suggs, Sylvester, Taylor and Tull families. One of the Tulls, Thomas Marion (1836-192?1), was a Confederate veteran who, with his wife, Amy Caple (1835-1919), came here from Arkansas, where he had served in the state legislature and as a justice of the peace. The lives of these Falls County pioneers are remembered by descendants who continue to care for this site that chronicles their families' heritage. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2001
Sam Tull worked very hard to get the state to authorize this honor for the Cemetery and then he installed the post and marker all by himself.
| Last | First | Birth | Death | Notes/Inscriptions | |
| 1 | TULL | Thomas Marion | Nov 11 1836 | Mar 04 1921 | Civil War Marker
info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 2 | TULL | Amy CAPLE | Aug 10 1835 | Jan 30 1919 | Wife of T. M. TULL
info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 3 | TULL | William Abraham | Jul 1 1854 | Sep 4 1943 | Oldest Son of T. M. & Amy CAPLE TULL
info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 4 | TULL | Georgia Etta (FERGUSON) | Dec 21 1854 | Apr 04 1925 | |
| 5 | GREER | Sophia A. (TULL) | Dec 02 1998 | Wife of Eliza Greer
Aged 51 years 11 months "She is at the beautiful Gate waiting and watching for us" info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
|
| 6 | SYLVESTER | Hattie Roberter | Dec 26 1890 | May 17 1894 | Daughter of C.T. & E. V. SYLVESTER
info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 7 | SIMS | Baby Daughter | Jul 04 1931 | Baby Daughter of John Oliver SIMS
Informant: Mary N. SIMS HELFER |
|
| 8 | SIMS | Child | Sep 27 1931 | Sep 27 1931 | Child of Flem & Dorothy GREEN SIMS
Informant: Mary N. SIMS HELFER |
| 9 | SIMS | Dorothy GREEN | Sep 27 1931 | Informant: Mary N. SIMS HELFER | |
| 10 | UNKNOWN | Unknown | No Date | No Date | Unmarked rock for a headstone
info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 11 | TULL | Mattie L. | Aug 14 1882 | Nov 19 1901 | "Wife of M. L. TULL"
info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 12 | POWELL | Nancy C. | Oct 09 1832 | Jul 28 1901 | "Wife of John POWELL"
"As a wife devoted As a mother affectionate As a friend ever kind & true" info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 13 | POWELL | John | Dec 08 1826 | Mar 28 1889 | "In memory of husband of N. C. POWELL Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God"
"Made by C. G. Matthews, Marlin, Texas" info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 14 | SUGGS | W. M. | Mar 11 1908 | Aged 48 years
"Called Higher. Prepare to meet me in Heaven" info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
|
| 15 | BUSBY | Mulisia | Jan 09 1850 | Sep 15 1902 | "Wife of J. M. BUSBY"
"Not lost. Blessed Thought But Gone Before Where We Shall Meet To Part No More" info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 16 | SUGGS | Martha | Mar 30 1901 | Aged 80 years
"Wife of Eli SUGGS" "Not Lost But Gone Before" info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
|
| 17 | SUGGS | Elick A. | Jul 08 1864 | Dec 21 1889 | "We Love Him"
info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 18 | TAYLOR | Earnest Lee | Apr 25 1897 | Sep 27 1898 | Son of P. T. & D. A. TAYLOR
info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 19 | TAYLOR | Wm. Ennis | Feb 21 1898 | Can Not Read | Son of P. T. & D. A. TAYLOR
"Asleep in Jesus blessed sleep From which none ever more to weep" info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 20 | BOLTON | William | Sep 1855 | Oct 01 1898 | "In Memory of William Bolton Husband of Louisa Bolton"
info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
| 21 | McREA | A. R. | Cement marker with no writing
Informant- Isabell TULL |
||
| 22 | McREA | Mrs. A. R. | Informant- Isabell TULL | ||
| 23 | TULL | Charley Roy | Feb 27 1896 | Aug 1896 | Headstone with initials "CRT"
Son of William Abraham & Georgia Etta FERGUSON TULL info submitted by Clayton Hicks |
