JOLLY CEMETERY

Narrative By Karen R. Thompson

Texas Historical Commission & Williamson County Historical Commission

On the second day of January, 1854, Elisha Prewitt purchased one hundred (100) acres of land from pioneer settler Elisha Rhodes. This acreage was part of the 1/4 league of land granted to Elisha Rhodes father Henry Rhodes.  [1] According to a deed recorded in Travis County Clerk’s office, Volume 70, pages 612 through 616, this 100 acres of land, situated in both Travis and Williamson counties, was purchased by John G. Jolly from Elisha and Fanny Prewitt on August 20, 1867 for $400. 00. When John G. and Nancy I. Jolly sold 53 acres of this property in October of 1886 the following designation was recorded " Excepting and reserving in the above described boundaries one half acre now used and to be used and set apart as a grave yard and to be laid off so as to cover within its dimensions all the graves." [2]

John Grey Jolly was born on January 31, 1825 in Tennessee. He had three brothers and four sisters. Nancy Isabel Eskew was born October 14, 1825 arid she married John Jolly on July 29, 1847 in Tennessee. In about 1851 the Jolly family moved to Travis County. Between 1850 and circa. 1862, Nancy had seven (7) daughters; Martha Ann "Matt", Rachel , Mary Tennessee "Tennie", Emma, Bell, Jane Dean, and Julia John. Martha married Will Lee, "Tennie" married Milton Ashford Thorp, Rachel married Byram Jenkins, Emma married a cousin, James Jolly, Jane Dean married Edward A. Hudson, Julia first married George Milam and second a Mr. McDonald. Bell never married. According to granddaughter, Evie Hudson Glenn who was born on June 16, 1884 in Jollyville (and still living on January 15, 1986) a set of twins were also born to the Jolly's but they died soon after birth and they are buried in unmarked graves near their parents in the Jolly Cemetery. [3]

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, a group of men organized the " Travis Mounted Rifles " on the 6th of July at the Little Walnut Schoolhouse, Travis County. According to Texas in the War 1861-1865 edited by Colonel Harold B. Simpson, the Travis Mounted Rifles became Company G, 6th Texas Infantry. The Muster Roll for Travis Mounted Rifles listed John G. Jolly as a private. [4] According to the Confederate Pension Application of Nancy I. Jolly filed October 9, 1899, John G. Jolly served in Company F. 31st Texas Dismounted Cavalry and was discharged at the end of the War. Jolly died March 8, 1899 and Nancy started receiving Confederate Widow's pension March 21, 1901. Nancy received pension until her death January 3, 1921. [5] Both John and Nancy Jolly are buried in the Jolly Cemetery that they deeded to the community.

In 1866 when John G. and Nancy I. Jolly moved to the area they put chased a 160 acre farm primarily located in the southwestern corner of Williamson County, with a portion being in Travis County. The area became known as JOLLYVILLE. Jolly ran a blacksmith shop and a general store. [6] They built a single pen lag cabin with a rock fireplace. This well built log cabin has a rifle peg by the front door where John Jolly could easily grab his gun when leaving. [7] This fine log cabin has been restored on private property about ten miles away from the original site at Jollyville on Highway 183.

The Jolly Cemetery is about 1/2 acre in size and located in Williamson County, just a few yards from the Travis County line. It was enclosed in a chain link fence in the 1950's by Mrs. Evie Glenn. [8]

The first burial in the Jolly Cemetery was Margaret Evergreen Robinson, an eleven year old girl who died in 1872. Her grave is one of the fourteen that have nice engraved tombstones. The second burial was Hosea Johns (6-22-1808 - 12-22-1877) whose large four foot tombstone has a Masonic emblem. Other graves with nice tombstones are :

Thomas V. S. Strode and his wife Emaline Fields Strode came to Texas in 1841 in a covered wagon. The Strode's s settled in the area and in 1845 he purchased land in the W. S. Baker Survey, land grant 1-267. [10] T. V. S. Strode was one of the early Postmasters of nearby Pond Springs, serving in 1857. [11] He was also active in the Round Rock Masonic Lodge #227. [12] In the October, 1880 edition of the Round Rock Reporter a Masonic Memorial "announced that Rev. Thomas V. Strode, an old, zealous and faithful member of that lodge, had died that morning at his residence near Jollyville, in this county, at 2 o'clock, a. m. and that before his death he had requested that he should be buried by his Masonic brethren, according to the usages of the ancient order; and that he had convened the lodge for the purpose of making the necessary arrangements for complying with Rev. Strode's request." The article went to say that the Worshipful Master, Wardens and brethren of Round Rock Lodge No . 227 of the Free and Accepted Masons carried out plans according to his wishes.

Mrs. T. V. S. (Emaline) Strode (1813-1885) is buried next to her husband. When the Strode's came to the Republic of Texas from Hannibal Missouri they brought two baby daughters, Missouri age 2, and Virginia, 6 months. A son, Charles Edward (Charlie) was born in 1845 which of course  was the Republic of Texas era, and would become Williamson County in 1848. They had a total of eleven (11) children but so me did not live past infancy. [13] Missouri Strode (1839-1922) and Virginia Strode Taylor (1840-1921) are buried in the Jolly Cemetery next to their parents. The fifth Strode family member buried in the Jolly Cemetery, and another Confederate Veteran is Charles Edward (Charlie) Strode. At the age of 18 years he volunteered to fight for the Confederate Army. He served in Company H, 5th Regiment, Texas Cavalry, Sibley's Brigade. He was wounded at Fort Butler, Louisiana on June 28, 1863 and captured the same day at Donaldsonville. His right leg was amputated on that date " in the field" as a Rebel prisoner. He was only 18 years old. 0 After returning to Jollyville after the Civil War ended in 1865 he continued to live there until his death at age 84, on January 12, 1929. He never married. His obituary in the Austin  Statesman on Sunday, January 13, 1929 reads:

" C. E. Strode, 84, pioneer resident of Williamson County and Civil War veteran died at his home in Jollyville Saturday morning. Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. Burial was in the Jollyville Cemetery. Surviving him is one sister of Aus tin, Mrs. J. W. Thorp, besides a large connection of relatives in Williamson and Travis counties." [15]

Others buried in the Jolly Cemetery are: Jennie Thorp (1848-1881), Sadie

Hudson (1892-1909), Margaret Venable (1807-1883), Joseph Elmer Venable (1879-1912), and Mary Johns (1827-1899). Two footstones that do not match tombstones are " EAKY" and 'NJK". Several obvious grave sites have only loose stones.

The Jolly Cemetery has been cared for by Karen Thompson since 1977. Due to rapid urban growth in the area, vandals have broken many of the tombstones. Restoration of the Jolly Cemetery is the primary project of the Jollyville-Pond Springs Historical Association of which Thompson is president.

Jolly Cemetery end-notes.pdf