On September 16, 2019, we had a long, hot, interesting day as witnesses of the disinterments from the Durrett Cemetery and the reinterments of George and Elizabeth Durrett (Edgewood Cemetery), and the Strong Baby Girl, Nancy C. Strong (Hutchins Cemetery). This is the story from our leaving the Edgewood Cemetery to the Hutchins Cemetery.
From the Edgewood Cemetery in Lancaster, we followed the truck and backhoe of Metroplex Grave Services on back roads to the Hutchins Cemetery in Hutchins. As at the Edgewood Cemetery those in attendance included a descendant of the Strong family, two generations of the Durretts’ descendants, a Kaufman County funeral director, the attorney who handled the legal proceedings, the elegant lady harpist, the owner and son of the grave service, and Dallas County Pioneer Association members.
The backhoe operator gradually removed dirt from the 1914 grave of the mother of Nancy Strong, to make room for the small metal box containing Nancy’s remains. To avoid digging into the coffin of the mother, the funeral director kept his eyes fixed on the grave as each small scoop was removed. Then, as John Reid said during the memorial service, “Nancy C. Strong was placed in her mother’s grave, over the womb of her mother.”
John started by leading us in a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer. He read verses in the Old Testament about Abraham’s and Sarah’s graves, other patriarchs’ graves and Joseph’s bones. From the New Testament we heard that the tomb Jesus used was only borrowed because He rose from death to life.
Honor was given to all Dallas County pioneers. Gratitude was expressed for George and Elizabeth Durrett who cared for the parents of Nancy by giving them a burial place in their time of grief. The descendants of both families continued to show caring concern for each other, demonstrating the legacy of godly lives.
John read I Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
The closing prayer: “O LORD, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy grant us a safe lodging, a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen.” Everyone was silent for a few moments. Several listeners had tears in their eyes. The harpist continued her beautiful music.
This was the conclusion to the years-long efforts of Tim and Dottie Durrett. Dottie wrote in tribute to Tim, for his determination in “finding the Durrett Cemetery and in being the catalyst and seeing this through to completion. This is bittersweet but I am afraid all would have been bulldozed over into the creek if Tim had not stayed on this. The landowner had no clue the cemetery was there and it was thick in the brush.”
The Durrett Cemetery is no more, but not lost to history, thanks to pioneer descendants. The Edgewood Cemetery in Lancaster and the Hutchins Cemetery in Hutchins are richer since each has gained pioneer remains and the loving concern of descendants.
Kathy Ann Reid, Dallas County Pioneer Association, September 16, 2019
