Hazeldell Cemetery: The Resting Place of Many Johnston Family Members

On a trip in the Spring of 2024, I made a research trip to Texas, spending time researching my mother’s family in Comanche, Dallas, Erath, and Rockwall Counties. This was my second trip to Texas. I had previously made a visit to Stephenville in Erath County with my grandmother in the late 1990s, and had taken photographs of resting places of her side of the family. This trip, I spent time visiting the cemeteries in Comanche County for the gravesites of my grandfather’s side of the family.

Most of the Johnston family were buried in Hazeldell Cemetery. There is a discrepancy about the spelling of the name. The sign at the entrance spelled it Hazledell Cemetery.[1]

Hazeldell Cemetery, Comanche Co, Texas

Find a Grave spells it as Hazeldell or Hazledell Cemetery.[2] Wikipedia has Hazel Dell Cemetery.[3] This is probably the original spelling and the sign is just missing the extra space to support it.

Hazel Dell was a small community in southeastern Comanche County. It had a school from the 1870s to the 1940s, when it joined the Gustine Independent School District.[4] Hazeldell Cemetery is located not far from Gustine. This map shows its location in relationship to Gustine.[5]

I am not sure where my Johnston family attended school, whether at Hazeldell or Gustine. However, they chose Hazeldell Cemetery to be buried in. The cemetery was a bit rundown with paths between the markers covered in weeds but being there in spring, the grounds were covered in wildflowers. Most of the family were buried in the same general location.

Burials at Hazeldell
Reuben Mack Johnston, my 2x-great-grandfather was born 18 April 1841 and died 4 May 1924.

Olevia J. Johnston, wife of Reuben M, was born 22 February 1859 and died 11 December 1914. Their stones are similar with the same inscription, “Resting in hopes of a glorious resurrection.”

Reuben’s mother, Elizabeth McCormick Johnston, was born 5 July 1814 and died 4 November 1894. The inscription reads “A home without a mother.” There is similarity with this stone, too.

Reuben and Olevia’s children buried there:

Lloyd Strickland “Nig” Johnston, born 7 February 1903 and died 13 October 1956. He had served as a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps during WW II.

Reuben Hardee Johnston, born 22 August 1888 and died 18 October 1938. Inscription reads “Rest is thine, and sweet memories ours.”

Loice S. Johnston, born 21 September 1902, died 6 July 1903. The bottom of his stone has missing parts and the inscription is illegible.

Fannie B. Johnston, born 24 July 1896, and died 22 February 1912. The inscription reads “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.

Reuben was married before Olevia to Catharine Skull. Two of their children are buried in Hazeldell.

Ocia C. Johnston King, born 27 November 1877, died 12 March 1937. She is buried with her second husband, Joe P. King. She was previously married to Walter Evans Bogart, and their son, Ardee, is buried there. But I missed photographing his stone.

Lola Johnston, born 28 March 1874 and died 24 March 1920. Her inscription reads, “Resting in hopes of a glorious resurrection.”

Olevia’s sister, Bettie E. Jones, was married to George W. Knox. Their son, Bennie W., is buried in Hazeldell. He was born 21 October 1878, and died 17 May 1881.

Conclusion
It was nice to visit my family’s final resting place. It was serene and peaceful there. The wildflowers added a nice touch, too. Although I have permission from Ken Jones, who took many of the photos on Find a Grave, I like to have my own photos. It is also nice to have a short visit with my ancestors and their kin.

#52Ancestors: Week 23 – A Place That Matters

This is my ninth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe. I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or My Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

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[1] Photo of sign, taken by Lisa S. Gorrell, May 2024.

[2] “Hazeldell Cemetery,” Find a Grave (https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1991311/hazeldell-cemetery : accessed 4 June 2026).

[3] “Hazel Dell, Comanche County, Texas,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazel_Dell,_Comanche_County,_Texas : accessed 4 June 2026).

[4] Ibid.

[5] Map showing location: “Texas Historic Sites Atlas,” imaged, Texas Historical Commission (https://atlas.thc.texas.gov/Map : accessed 4 June 2026), searching on “Hazeldell.”

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