Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Milam County, Texas
Moss-Ragsdale Cemetery
1142 CR 412B
HISTORIC CEMETERY DESIGNATED - The historic Moss-Ragsdale Cemetery, owned by Steve and Lynn Young, off County
Road 412B, was designated a Historic Texas Cemetery Saturday by the Texas Historical Commission. From left are
the Youngs, Geri Burnett (chair) and Jackie Thornton of the Milam County Historical Commission and “Texian”
Randy Billingsley, one of several who attended the ceremony in historical period dress. Representatives of the
Daughters of the American Revolution and the Texas Historical Commission participated in the ceremony. The Moss
family first came to Milam County around 1845.
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Historic Milam cemetery dedicated on Saturday
Milam History by Joy Graham
Rockdale Reporter - 2012-04-05
Sitting on what some believe may be an Indian burial ground, just north of the confluence of Alligator Creek
and the San Gabriel River is a small cemetery on land owned by Steve and Lynn Young.
When the Youngs purchased the property, the cemetery was not protected from the cattle that ate grass
peacefully under the trees. Neglect had toppled over and tramped the 18 headstones.
The earliest burial was J. C. Ragsdale in 1852, who was born in 1802. The oldest person was Amanda Davis who
died at age 76. Perry Holder was the first to survey cemeteries. He died in 1992 and his daughter Norrine
Holder Hollman continued her father’s work and completed the priceless two volumes “170 Years of Cemetery
Records In Milam County.”
On Saturday the Steve Young family held a Texas Historic Cemetery Dedication honoring those 18 early residents.
Lynn Young was the driving force to preserve and protect this priceless history of the small but eloquent
cemetery.
The cemetery had been cleaned, trees trimmed, a new permanent fence installed and markers repaired. A number of
unmarked graves were also located .
Mary Belle Batte in “History of Milam County wrote about several of the Moss family, one of whom was a doctor
that went on to live in Maysfield. Surnames of families buried there are: Bonds, Davis, Harris, Murillo, and
Ragsdale.
Ms. Young, active in the Texas and national DAR organizations presided. Descendants of Matthew Moss (War of
1812), James Campbell Ragsdale (War for Texas Independence), David Green Davis, John Matthew Davis, James
Ragsdale Moss and L. E. S. Williams (Civil War) laid wreaths at the graves.
Marygraham99@yahoo.com
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Rockdale Reporter - March 22, 2012
Historic cemetery due designation from state
The Texas Historical Commission has designated the Moss-Ragsdale Cemetery near Rockdale as a Historic Texas
Cemetery. A commemoration ceremony is set for 2:30 p.m. March 31, 2012 at the cemetery, 1142 County Road 412B.
Speakers will include Lynn Forney Young, recording secretary of the National Society, Daughters of the American
Revolution (DAR), her husband, Steve, the landowners and representatives of the Historical Commission.
Representatives of lineage societies will place markers for veterans of 1912, the Texas Revolution and the
Civil War.
The public is invited to attend.
Rockdale Reporter - March 22, 2012
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email received via website - 2013-03-04
Hello, I stumbled across this site after searching for information regarding the Moss family on findagrave.com.
I would love to hear back from you regarding any information you might have or want regarding the Moss's.
"Captain" Matthew Moss (born 1776 in Virginia) is my 4x Great Grandfather. I have additional information
regarding the Moss family that settled in Southern California (including photos of burial sites at Rose Hills
Cemetery in Whittier, CA).
This is how I fall out of the family tree:
Keith Alan Taylor - Father
James Lynn Moss* - Grandfather
Dewey Lynn Moss - Great Grandfather
William Moss Jr. - Great-Great Grandfather
William Overton Moss - 3x Great Grandfather
Looking forward to one day paying my respects at this Moss Cemetery.
Thank you for honoring my family by restoring this site.
P.S. My grandfather (James) took the last name of his step-father (Ogilby) when his mother divorced Dewey. My
grandfather had three sons: Gary, Keith and James. My grandfather died when his sons were still young children.
My dad took his step-dad's last name (Taylor) when my grandmother re-married.
Ryan J. Taylor
rjtaylor@csu.fullerton.edu
Fullerton CA 92832
Phone : (562)397-4639
.
Photos
by
Dr.
Lucile
Estell
From Cameron: From the intersection of US 77 and State Hwy. 36, proceed one block west to N. Crockett St. (FM 1600) and turn left and drive approx. 10 miles to FM 487, and turn to the right. Go about two more miles to County Road 412 and turn to the left. The road will make a sharp turn to the right after about a mile and drive another 3/4 mile to the Hi Tension power lines. That will be CR 412B. Turn left and drive to the gate.