Magnolia Creek Cemetery

701 Apple Lane, League City, Texas
aka Butler Cemetery
Coordinates: 29.484972, -95.149911
Magnolia Creek Cemetery is on private property, you must obtain permission to visit.

This cemetery was previously listed as being in Algoa (it was on our list twice). The USGS-GNIS lists its map as Algoa - this is a map name, not a location.

Surveyed by Betty Dunquez, Melodey M. Hauch and Lanny Martin on November 8, 2006
    Photographs by Floyd "Lanny" Martin
    The following description was taken from the Texas State Historical Marker at the entrance to the cemetery.
    "Named after the watercourse that forms one of its boundaries, this cemetery traces its establishment to the settlement of Willis and Hepsibah Perkins Butler and her mother, Martha Morgan Perkins; Samuel J. and Rebecca Ann Coward Perkins; Allen and Margaret Perkins Coward; and Needham and Elizabeth Perkins Coward in this area in 1855. The descendants of these four families account for most of the people buried here and include four veterans of the Civil War. The first recorded burial was that of Samuel J. Perkins in 1859. The first legal record of the cemetery appears in a deed executed in 1884 by Rebecca Ann Coward Perkins to M. R. Hays. Provisions within this deed reserved 4 acres here for graveyard purposes. During the 1870s and 1880s George Washington Butler arranged to have several family members interred in the cemetery grounds. Butler’s prominence in the community and burial here in 1921 is believed to have led many local citizens to refer to this graveyard as the Butler Cemetery. An agreement was reached by the Magnolia Creek Cemetery Association and developers of the land adjacent to this graveyard site in 1982 guaranteeing its preservation for future generations."
    The cemetery is very close to Magnolia Creek, and a Butler descendant reports that tombstones have disappeared over the years due to flooding as well as vandalism. Several of the graves in the following list are unmarked and were burials known to have taken place through family records or by obituary. John R. Derrick and his wife Elizabeth were also area pioneers who were friends of the Butler and Perkins families. George W. Butler, Hardy J. Coward, Needham Coward, Richard A. Coward, and Samuel J. Perkins were members of the Magnolia Rangers, one of the earliest Texas Confederate units, formed on January 17, 1861 which was several weeks before Texas seceded. Their unit was Company D, 1st Brigade of the 1st Texas Cavalry, called into service to patrol frontier forts in west Texas. The Magnolia Rangers were disbanded after six months, and the men joined other Confederate units. Three other members of the Magnolia Rangers were buried in nearby Fairview Cemetery.
    Obituary of Thomas Benton Perkins from The Mainland Messenger, 11/4/1914, page 1, column 3: "T. B. Perkins was born in Calcasieu Parish, La., October 15, 1846, and died October 30, 1914, at 11:30 a. m., at the age of 68 years and 15 days. Deceased was taken sick about a year ago, with congestion of the heart and lungs, and since that time his health has rapidly failed him. During the last sickness he was confined to his bed for two weeks. The greater part of his life was spent in Galveston County. He was at one time superintendent of the poor farm, and for the last ten years has been engaged in the nursery business and orange industry. He is survived by his wife, and six children: Miss Iva Perkins of Los Angeles, Cal.; Mrs. Jas. Hatfield of Galveston; Mr. Kimey Perkins of Port Arthur; Mrs. J. S. Scott; Mrs. T. M. Snell, and Mr. Bert Perkins of League City, and by two sisters, Mrs. Payne of Humble, and Mrs. Smalley of League City. Interment took place Saturday at 11 a. m. in the family burial ground at Magnolia, near the old home. The services were conducted by Rev. Mitchell. Among those from out of town attending the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Perkins, Mrs. L. J. Perkins, Mr. W. Fuqua, Mr. Dal Mimms, Mr. and Mrs. W. Howard, Miss Josephine Howard, Mrs. A. Dennison, Mr. S. D. Forman, Mrs. W. Mimms, Mrs. W. Andrus, all of Houston, and Mrs. Ada Payne of Humble, Texas."
    Please contact Melodey M. Hauch at rhauch@houston.rr.com with any additions or corrections.
 
Last Name First Name Birth Date Death Date Remarks Photo
Magnolia Creek Historical Marker Photo
Magnolia Creek Historical Marker Photo
Magnolia Creek Historical Marker Photo
S _______ E _______ No dates Footstone with initials Photo
Butler Andrew D. Oct 11, 1878 Jan 26, 1916 Middle initial damaged, Woodman of the World Memorial Photo
Butler Andrew D. Oct 11, 1878 Jan 26, 1916 Photo
Butler Andrew D. Oct 11, 1878 Jan 26, 1916 Photo
Butler George W. Jan 11, 1845 April 30, 1921 Born Louisiana, died League City, Magnolia Rangers, 1 Brig., Texas Mil. CSA, two headstones Photo
Butler George W. Jan 11, 1845 April 30, 1921 Photo
Butler George W. Jan 11, 1845 April 30, 1921 Photo
Butler George W. Jan 11, 1845 April 30, 1921 Photo
Butler George W. Jan 11, 1845 April 30, 1921 Photo
Butler George W. Jan 11, 1845 April 30, 1921 Photo
Butler Mary M. June 10, 1850 Jan 12, 1936 Photo
Butler Mary M. June 10, 1850 Jan 12, 1936 Photo
Coward Hardy J. April 19, 1845 Sep 4, 1864 Magnolia Rangers, 1 Brig., Texas Mil., CSA Unmarked
Coward James J. Dec 13, 1847 Sep 5, 1876 Photo
Coward James J. Dec 13, 1847 Sep 5, 1876 Photo
Coward Needham 1815 1866 Magnolia Rangers, 1 Brig., Texas Mil., CSA Photo
Coward Needham 1815 1866 Photo
Coward Needham 1815 1866 Photo
Coward Richard A. April 11, 1806 May 19, 1867 Magnolia Rangers, 1 Brig., Texas Mil., CSA, aged 61 years, 1 month, 8 days, two headstones Photo
Coward Richard A. April 11, 1806 May 19, 1867 Photo
Coward Richard A. April 11, 1806 May 19, 1867 Photo
Coward Richard A. April 11, 1806 May 19, 1867 Photo
Derrick John Robert About 1800 1858 Unmarked, birth date from census, death date from county probate records, "Old 300" Texas colonist Unmarked
Derrick Elizabeth About 1813 Jan 28, 1868 Unmarked, birth date from census, death date from county probate records Unmarked
Dow Baby No dates "Sweet little babe" on stone next to Letticia Dow Photo
Dow Letticia Sep 20, 1880 Wife of Andrew Dow, died in Houston at age 23 Photo
Dow Letticia Sep 20, 1880 Photo
Dow Letticia Sep 20, 1880 Photo
Grissom Louisa J. July 6, 1849 No death date Stone is broken with death date missing Photo
Grissom Louisa J. July 6, 1849 No death date Photo
Mims William C. Sep 15, 1850 Nov 12, 1903 Woodmen of the World Red Oak Camp No. 95 Photo
Mims William C. Sep 15, 1850 Nov 12, 1903 Photo
Mims William C. Sep 15, 1850 Nov 12 1903 Photo
Mims William C. Sep 15, 1850 Nov 12 1903 Photo
Perkins Martha Morgan 1780 June 8, 1865 Born in South Carolina Photo
Perkins Martha Morgan 1780 June 8, 1865 Photo
Perkins Rebecca A. Jan 24, 1823 April 18, 1890 Stone is broken Photo
Perkins Rebecca A. Jan 24, 1823 April 18, 1890 Photo
Perkins Rebecca A. Jan 24, 1823 April 18, 1890 Photo
Perkins Samuel J. Sep 11, 1810 Jan 12, 1869 Magnolia Rangers, 1 Brig., Texas Mil., CSA, two headstones with oldest showing
death year as 1859. Civil War military stone showing death in 1869.		 Photo
Perkins Samuel J. Sep 11, 1810 Jan 12, 1869 Photo
Perkins Samuel J. Sep 11, 1810 Jan 12, 1869 Photo
Perkins Samuel J. Sep 11, 1810 Jan 12, 1869 Photo
Perkins Samuel J. Sep 11, 1810 Jan 12, 1869 Photo
S. J. P. footstone Photo
Perkins Thomas Benton Oct 15, 1846 Oct 30, 1914 Unmarked, dates and burial verified by his obituary in the 11/4/1914 Mainland Messenger Unmarked
Smalley Benjamin A. May 15, 1841 April 2, 1917 Shared stone with Harriet Smalley Photo
Smalley Benjamin A. May 15, 1841 April 2, 1917 Photo
Smalley Benjamin A. May 15, 1841 April 2, 1917 Photo
B.A.S footstone Photo
Smalley Harriet V. Nov 6, 1853 April 20, 1924 Shared stone with Benjamin Smalley Photo
Smalley Harriet V. Nov 6, 1853 April 20, 1924 Photo
Smalley Harriet V. Nov 6, 1853 April 20, 1924 Photo
Smalley R. Perkins Jan 29, 1886 Dec 9, 1898 Photo
R. P. S. footstone Photo