A Supreme Forest Woodmen Circle AND a Gold Star Mother grave marker honor the final resting place of Ellen Wymann Cherry. Beside her is her son William R. Cherry (97th Company, 6th Regiment, 2nd U. S. Division, U.S. Marine Corps.) who died from the Spanish Flu while serving in Germany.
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FUNERAL SERVICES HELD FOR MRS. ELLEN CHERRY
Father George F. Elmendorf Conducts Services.
Funeral services were conducted at the Holy Cross Catholic Church Monday morning at 8 o'clock, for Mrs. Ellen Cherry who expired at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Allen E. Stinnett, Saturday evening. Father George F. Elmendorf conducted the services and interment was in Eagle Lake. Walker-Matchett were in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Cherry, who was 74 years, 1 month and 29 days old, was born in Albany, N. Y. Her parents, Albert Sidney and Olive Wyman moved to Eagle Lake, Texas when she was a small child. Then later she was married to Philip Highland, owner of the first gin in Colorado County, and to them was born four children of which Mrs. Stinnett of this city survives. Following the death of her husband, several years later she was married to the late William Richard Cherry [Stephen William Cherry] who was frozen to death in Alaska during the gold rush. To them were born, one son, William Richard Cherry, Jr. [William Richard Cherry] , who was killed in France during the World War.
Moving to Bay City at the beginning of the War, Mrs. Cherry has made her home with her daughter since that time. She had not been well for the past five years and for the past year had been confined almost entirely to her home. Wednesday she became ill, growing weaker and weaker until Saturday evening when she passed quietly away in her sleep.
Mrs. Ellen Cherry was a fine woman. In spite of the tragedies of her life she remained cheerful and strong. She was a devout Catholic, taking active part in the church work as long as her health permitted. She was a Gold Star Mother, the Eagle Lake Post being named after her. Her whole life was centered around her home. She was devoted to her children and grandchildren.
She loved flowers and was so often seen working in her yard. Her family and friends shall miss her devotion and to the following survivors sincere sympathy is extended.
A daughter, Mrs. Allen Stinnett; four grandchildren, Dr. Allen E. Stinnett, Parker Stinnett, Billy Stinnett and Mrs. Roy Moore; three sisters, Mrs. Etta Kavanaugh of Port Arthur, Mrs. H. L. Reese of Port Arthur, and Mrs. P. W. Goodman of DeQuincey, La.
Among those who attended the burial services in Eagle Lake were: A. E. Stinnett, Billy and Parker Stinnett, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Moore, Mrs. J. I. Carson, Miss Florence Stinnett, Mrs. W. H. Stinnett, Mrs. Mae Brunner, Mrs. E. E. Scott, Drs. A. E. and Beatrice Stinnett of Brenham, Mr. John Reese of Lake Charles, La., Mrs. Pearl Baumgardner of Lake Charles, La., Mrs. Etta Kavanaugh of Port Arthur, Mrs. H. L. Reese of Port Arthur and Mrs. P. W. Goodman of DeQuincy, Louisiana.
Matagorda County Tribune, December 16, 1937
Nesbitt Memorial Library - Colorado County Cemetery Records About the Cemeteries (
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On June 2, 1902, Arabella Dorigan deeded one acre, less "three Graves sold at the N. E. Corner to a colored family," adjacent to the "Freedman Grave Yard" to be used "for a Catholic Burying Ground" to the Galveston Diocese of the Catholic Church. Her deed also reserved three lots for the burial of Ellen Cherry and family, and twenty lots for "poor and destitute Catholics without charge" (see Colorado County Deed Records, Book 24, p. 447). The Catholic cemetery never developed, and Mrs. Cherry and her family were eventually buried in the Eagle Lake Masonic Cemetery. The land sold to the church by Mrs. Dorigan is apparently now part of the Eagle Lake Community Cemetery.