Youree Chapel and Scott Cemetery - Part 2

Two of the large Scott tombs in the Scott Cemetery near Marshall, Texas

The above photo illustrates the meticulous grooming of the cemetery grounds.  

This group of graves has had concrete borders poured around them

with space for planting within the forms.  

They each had fresh pansy plants and also were decorated with greenery and red berries 

in observance of the recent Christmas season.

A sweet angel stands vigil over the grave of Mary Rose Scott who died in 1909 at the age of 16.

A closeup showing more detail of the statue shows that the fingers of the angel's right hand have broken off.  She is, after all, over 100 years old and resides in a very moist and warm climate.

There seems to be some confusion in the details of this tomb's inhabitant.  The Texas Escapes website states  that this is the grave of Mary Smith, a widow from St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, who married W.P. (William Pinckney?)  Rose in 1817.  However, the inscription on the carving states 

"Mary Rose Austin, Beloved Wife of Edward H. Randolph, 

whom she loved with her whole heart

April 24, 1919"

Maybe my next trip to the cemetery will resolve my curiosity as to who was this lady's husband, Mr. Rose or Mr. Randolph?  Or perhaps she wed Mr. Randolph after Mr. Rose died in either 1850 or 1851 (again some confusion).

But what about the 1919?  A woman who was a widow and married again in 1817 would not be alive in 1919.  Or was the monument erected in 1919?  

I'll probably never know the answers to these questions.

Whoever Ms. Austin's husband was, Mr. Rose or Mr. Randolph, she has earned a prominent spot at this beautiful East Texas cemetery.

The Youree Chapel and the Weeping Angel statue (also known as the Angel of Grief) featured in yesterday's post were both constructed in 1904 after the death of William Scott Youree in Monterrey, Mexico.

Perhaps I'll return in the spring because there are several tulip trees (sometimes called Eastern Magnolias but we call them tulip trees here in Texas; although beautiful, they bear absolutely no resemblance to our huge Southern Magnolias) and I'd love to see them in bloom amongst all these breathtaking monuments.  You can see a few remaining dried blossoms on the tree on the left.

Several of you asked if I went inside the chapel.  The answer is no because it is locked.  There is a number to call for information and I believe it is often used as a venue for weddings.

Youree Chapel and Scott Cemetery - Part 1

A few weeks ago when returning from a shopping trip to Shreveport, Louisiana, I took a small detour off I-20 near Marshall, Texas, in search of the Scott Cemetery, which I had read about on a website called texasescapes.com.  I followed the directions I found on Google maps meticulously but was unable to locate the historic burial ground.  Upon returning home I went back to the Internet and decided I had been in the right place all along but maybe the small church and family cemetery must have been hidden by woods, because how could one be in the right place and not see monuments like the ones pictured below.

Last week I returned to the area in search of the cemetery and still could not find it!  I finally flagged down a motorist on a small farm to market road who at first seemed to be totally confused as to what I was talking about.  He finally remembered a small cemetery a couple miles back from where I had come so I backtracked, made a left-hand turn instead of a right and literally stumbled upon this masterpiece!

The Scott and Rose families joined each other in marriage prior to their arrival in Texas in 1840.  They later were joined by the Yourees, Austins, and Randolphs.  The repetition of names in the cemetery can be very confusing to all but genealogists or family members.  They were obviously a family who remembered their dead monumentally.

The centerpiece of the cemetery is the weeping angel at the grave of William Scott Youree, erected in 1904 at a cost of a reported $40,000.  It is considered to be the most artistic creation of sculptor Frank Teich.  It is ten feet tall and is carved from Carrera marble.

There are four other known weeping angels in Texas cemeteries.  As you can see this one has sustained damage to both arms, the work of vandals!  It's twin in Houston's Glenwood Cemetery has suffered the same vandalism to the left arm and authorities are keeping a close eye on the statue and as of yet it has retained the right arm.

Above is the huge tomb that marks the gravesite of Henry Hudson Youree.  The grieving angel can be seen in the background.  The afternoon I was there the temperatures were below freezing and winds were brisk.  I only had on a light-weight coat so I really could not comfortably stay longer than about 20 minutes.  I'm determined to return however to capture more of the beautiful tombstones and the 50-foot memorial to the Confederate soldier which marks the entrance to the cemetery.  It is larger than most Confederate monuments found in courthouses throughout the South.

I have another post planned for tomorrow with more pictures of this one-of-a-kind cemetery which some say is one of the most beautiful in Texas.  I don't know how many graves are resident but I would estimate somewhere perhaps around 200 so it is fairly small as cemeteries go.  It is definitely a breathtaking site.

Giraffe Feeding Time

Phoenix Zoo

44/100 Dogs - Unknown Breed

I fell in love with this little fellow when I spotted him at one of the numerous festivals held here in East Texas in the fall.  I loved his colors, his expressive face, the softness and well-groomed appearance of his coat.  But he was one of the shyest dogs I've ever seen.  He would not make eye contact and hovered in between his owner's legs.  I wanted to take him home with me and teach him -- well, something.  I think he is well-treated because of  his good physical condition but I couldn't help but feel there was something missing in his life that seemed so much like an overwhelming sadness.

Creepy Crawly

My phobia about lizards is getting better.  I don't scream and run away when I see them (I never screamed but I frequently ran away) but I still don't want to hold one.  For some strange reason, the smaller they are, the more creeped-out I get.  So I was pretty proud of myself for hanging around long enough to take a photo of this little guy.  I was exploring in my cousin's back yard recently taking pictures of fall foliage and dried plants.  I was concentrating on a dying hydrangea bush when I saw a tiny bit of movement.  My eyes are not the best and at first I thought it was just a bug but as I focused more I saw this little tiny lizard trying to be invisible.  I hadn't really intended to do anything with this photo but early this morning I saw a picture of another itty-bitty lizard on the Mad Snapper's blog so I wrote her and told her she had inspired me to publish my photo of this big old mean lizard.  So, Sandra, here it is!  (Okay, so yours is cuter than mine.  So what!)

This Old House

Jacksonville, Texas

Here I Come ...

... ready or not!

A Gang of Three

The Famous Ben Wheeler Sign

Some of you who are everyday visitors to this blog may remember back in August I featured a portion of ghost sign which can be found in the tiny hamlet of Ben Wheeler, Texas.  I had made a special trip off the beaten path to see and photograph this sign for myself, only to find a large portion of the sign blocked by a local tinkering with his car.  On a recent trip back to that area with some friends, I cajoled them into detouring our planned route since we were in the vicinity of Ben Wheeler (unlike me, most people would rather travel interstate highways rather than the back roads) so I could have another chance.  This day I was luckier - only a rather inobtrustive motorcycle stood in the way of the complete sign.

Link to the original post

Revisiting the Tweedles

For those of you who remember the Tweedles (Tweedledum and Tweedledee, twin Kelso roosters) they're still around, still crowing at all hours of the day and still roosting in trees.

43/100 Dogs - Chihuahua Mix

Full of sweetness!

Today and Yesterday

Delray, Panola County, Texas

Living as I do out in the boonies of rural East Texas and frequenting the back country roads I'm sometimes struck nostalgic by the incongruity of the timing that I find in one photographic frame.  This one is a perfect example of which I speak.  An old house or perhaps even a small barn sits quietly and slowly decomposing within feet of a cell phone tower.  A graphic illustration of how technology has changed and is changing our lives.

Even the community of Delray is more on the pendulum side of yesterday.  Its post office closed in 1905 and today it has a dispersed community of 40 residents.

A commenter from New Zealand yesterday asked "Are there just 30 people here?" in response to the sign at Moodyville BBQ.  If you've ever traveled through the great expanse of rural Texas, it's obvious the answer to that question is yes..  

What's in Moodyville You Say?

A darned good barbecue joint, that's what!

Shelby County, Texas

I had lunch in Moodyville today as a group of family members got together to celebrate an aunt's

90th birthday.  The place was clean, cutely decorated, the food was good,

the service was excellent.

If you're in Moodyville, it's the only place to go!

I've Said Goodbye to Autumn

Many of you have remarked how lucky we are that our autumn lasts so long.  You must understand, however, that fall colors don't start manifesting themselves in Eastern Texas until well into November.  Last year, according to the photos I took, our color peaked on December 17!  Here it is December 14 and ifall finally disappeared within the last couple of weeks.  This photo was taken on December 4th and it was the last picture of the autumn season.  I was on my way to Shreveport, Louisiana, and had just passed through a small town near the border when I spotted this brilliant yellow tree.  I had been looking all season for a tree whose leaves were just as beautiful underneath as they were on the branches.  I spotted this beauty out of the corner of my eye as I was zipping by and I  had one of those slam-on-the-brakes moments which is then followed by a U-turn!  Since we seldom get snow in these parts (and if we do it's just a dusting) that means our roadsides, outside of the pine forests, will be glum and dreary until springs peeks her lovely head through the woods sometime in March.

Daddy's Girl

Sweetness, Love, Trust

Moo-La

Erath County, the Dairy Capital of Texas

Courthouse Square in Stephenville, the county seat

Love Signs?

Check out many others at Lesley's Signs Signs

The Fisherman

The one that didn't get away

Lake Striker

Near Henderson, Rusk County, Texas

East Texas Hay Barn

Joining fellow barn enthusiasts at 

Barn Charm

If you're wondering what the photo of the old fire engine on Barn Charm's Linky list has to do with this post, the answer is absolutely nothing!
I linked the proper URL but I guess my brain was someplace else when I posted the photo.
It was obviously the wrong photo!  I wrote Tricia and asked her to please remove it and I'd post a new one.  But Linky won't let you post twice with the same URL so I've left it as is.
If Tricia corrects it, fine.  If not, I hope you can laugh at my mistake!

The Conductor

All he needs is a baton!
Prairie Dog Village Symphony

Wise County Courthouse - Texas No. 28

The Wise County Courthouse in Decatur is one of Texas' most beautiful courthouses, at least in my opinion.  You can see how large and imposing it is as it sits atop a small rise in the center of the downtown square and how it dwarfs the surrounding vehicles.

Constructed in 1897 and designed by noted San Antonio architect J. Riely Gordon, the final cost of construction was a whopping $110,000!

Similar to Gordon's nearby Ellis County Courthouse, its architectural plan is based on a cruciform (a Greek cross), and a Romanesque Revival style so successfully utilized in Gordon's designs.

The exterior is of two colors of Texas granite and the turrets and friezes are crafted from terra cotta.

These photos were taken in August 2012 during a courthouse trip I made to the Dallas area.

Wise County has a population of 59,000.  The LBJ Grasslands partially lie within the boundaries of Wise.
Decatur, the county seat, is located 25 miles northwest of Ft. Worth and has a population of only 6,000.

The New Kids on the Block - Adventures of Linda Llama

  A few days ago I announced that my friend Linda Llama, the star of my Adventures of Linda Llama series, was going to be getting a new companion.  Well, jeepers creepers, not only did she get one, she got three!  May I take this opportunity to introduce you to Dolly Llama (not to be confused with the guy who wears the orange robe) and her baby daughter Molly!  Dolly and Molly are staying in a separate corral for the next few days with a friendly horse, who is also new to the Powers That Be.  They will be transported in a few days to another area of the farm after they've had a chance to get used to their new surroundings.  I understand that the third new addition is presently residing in the goat pen down at the barn.  I have not yet had the opportunity to meet him, although I have chosen a name for him already but I'll have to wait to make sure his name fits his personality.  I think it will be the best name of the new llama family.  So here we go, folks!  Drum roll!

When I went up to introduce these gals to the neighborhood, Molly called out to Dolly:  Hey, ma, we got a visitor.

DOLLY:  I don't know about her,. Molly.  Remember what I've told you a dozen times.  Don't talk to strangers.  We don't know these people here and who knows what their intentions are.

DOLLY:  You stay here, Molly, and I'll go check her out.  She's got two black boxes that she holds up to her face and they make clicking noises.

DOLLY:  This person is a sneaky so-and-so.  She's come up behind us, Molly, on the other side of the fence.  I don't know about her.  If she gets any closer, I'm going to spit on her!

MOLLY:  (to me)  My ma hasn't taught me how to spit yet.  I can't wait till I can do that.

MOLLY:  I think she's harmless, ma.  Isn't it about time for lunch?  I'm getting hungry.

 DOLLY:  Come on, Molly.  Let's go over here where we can have some privacy.  Let's put a couple more fences between us and that sneaky lady.  We'll have to talk with the Powers That Be to find out if she's okay to talk to.

 Linking to CAMERA CRITTERS

Squirrel Antics

A source of daily entertainment

Eighter from Decatur

Building in downtown Decatur, Texas, Wise County

The phrase "Eighter From Decatur" is said to have originated in Decatur, Texas.  It is a slang expression of craps shooters who are hoping to roll an eight.  There are a couple different local legends concerning how the phrase was coined in the early 1900s and how it spread throughout the world.  Rather than repeating a long rendition of the stories, if you're interested you can find them at this link.

Joining in on one of my favorite memes, Lesley's Signs, Signs.  

Go on over and take a look at some of the other signs.

Obsessed with Orange

and red

and yellow

and green

Photographed in and around Appleby, Texas

42/100 Dogs - Catahoula Leopard Dog Pup

Sit

Good Boy!

Autumn Leaves in East Texas

Anxiously Awaiting - The Adventures of Linda Llama

Now what could Linda be waiting for while she's watching herd over the herd?  Powers that be (you don't know it but this is somewhat of a pun since Linda is owned by the Powers family) say that Linda may be getting a new mate!  The big day just might even be tomorrow.  The new guy may be a little shy at first so all you bloggedy-blog bloggers will probably have to wait a while until he's ready for his coming-out party.