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A Juneteenth celebration was held at the Bertha Tryon/Hendrick Arnold Cemetery in 2024.
Photo by Jessica Nohealapa'ahi
June 17, 2025
Bandera 94-year-old requests permission to be buried next to wife in historic cemetery
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
The last burial to take place at the Bertha Tryon/Hendrick Arnold Cemetery was in 1993, when Bertha Mae Tryon, wife of Ural Cal (Buddy) Tryon, was laid to rest. Now 94 years old, Buddy has requested to be interred next to her, when his time comes.
“His wish is to be buried next to his wife in the historic cemetery,” Lynn Palmer told Bandera County commissioners.
Advocating for Tryon, Palmer said Bertha was interred when the burial site was known as the Black Cemetery, a solemn remnant from the days of segregation. The one-acre parcel of Hendrick Arnold Survey no. 59 was formally established in 1922 (Freedman and soldier Hendrick Arnold [1804-1849] was awarded land following the Texas Revolution for his service and bravery in the Siege of Bexar and the Battle of San Jacinto). The first burial recorded on the land was that of John Benson, born in 1885 and died April 4, 1890.
Nearly forgotten, the cemetery became a priority in 1993, when Tryon requested permission to bury his wife there. A multi-year restoration project followed, with the Bandera County Historical Commission taking the lead clearing weeds, locating graves, and applying for an Historic Texas Cemetery designation.
At the time Texas Historical Cemetery Marker No: 18801 was dedicated, only 12 names of those interred were identified, including John Benson (d. 1890), (unknown) Wellencrane (d. 1890), John Coats (d. 1903), Leonor Benson (d. 1905), Maria Jackson (d. 1912), Baby Cooksey (d. 1917), C.D. Cooksey (d. 1920), Jeff Cooksey, Jr. (d. 1924), Andrew Jackson (d. 1925), Mary Jackson (d. 1925), Everett Robinson (d. 1926) and D.W. Leonard (d. 1944).
Since then, more gravesites have been confirmed, including those of Mary E. Arnold, Jeff Cooksey, A.H. Hubble, Maria Jackson, Amanda Lee, Mrs. S.F. McClung, Elizabeth Moore, Joseph Moore, Mrs. William Moore, Martha A. Phillips, Mary Ethel Taylor, Wife of Jim Walker, and Bertha Mae Tryon.
Pct. 3 Commissioner Jack Moseley said there is no fee to be buried in the cemetery, however a county application must be submitted, and the deceased must be a direct descendant or spouse of someone buried there. Dawn Foster, of the Bandera Funeral Chapel, said she met and visited with Tryon, and has offered to donate a marker after his passing.
“We are thrilled to be a part of this,” Foster said.
Palmer said Tryon thanked everyone in the community, and especially the commissioners. She also said he would love to visit with any old-timers who remember him. He is a resident of Bandera Nursing and Rehabilitation.
“He said it gets pretty lonely there,” Palmer said. “He is very grateful that the community is watching out for him.”
The Bertha Tryon/Hendrick Arnold Cemetery is located off Hwy. 16, on Old Medina Highway and Houston Street.
“His wish is to be buried next to his wife in the historic cemetery,” Lynn Palmer told Bandera County commissioners.
Advocating for Tryon, Palmer said Bertha was interred when the burial site was known as the Black Cemetery, a solemn remnant from the days of segregation. The one-acre parcel of Hendrick Arnold Survey no. 59 was formally established in 1922 (Freedman and soldier Hendrick Arnold [1804-1849] was awarded land following the Texas Revolution for his service and bravery in the Siege of Bexar and the Battle of San Jacinto). The first burial recorded on the land was that of John Benson, born in 1885 and died April 4, 1890.
Nearly forgotten, the cemetery became a priority in 1993, when Tryon requested permission to bury his wife there. A multi-year restoration project followed, with the Bandera County Historical Commission taking the lead clearing weeds, locating graves, and applying for an Historic Texas Cemetery designation.
At the time Texas Historical Cemetery Marker No: 18801 was dedicated, only 12 names of those interred were identified, including John Benson (d. 1890), (unknown) Wellencrane (d. 1890), John Coats (d. 1903), Leonor Benson (d. 1905), Maria Jackson (d. 1912), Baby Cooksey (d. 1917), C.D. Cooksey (d. 1920), Jeff Cooksey, Jr. (d. 1924), Andrew Jackson (d. 1925), Mary Jackson (d. 1925), Everett Robinson (d. 1926) and D.W. Leonard (d. 1944).
Since then, more gravesites have been confirmed, including those of Mary E. Arnold, Jeff Cooksey, A.H. Hubble, Maria Jackson, Amanda Lee, Mrs. S.F. McClung, Elizabeth Moore, Joseph Moore, Mrs. William Moore, Martha A. Phillips, Mary Ethel Taylor, Wife of Jim Walker, and Bertha Mae Tryon.
Pct. 3 Commissioner Jack Moseley said there is no fee to be buried in the cemetery, however a county application must be submitted, and the deceased must be a direct descendant or spouse of someone buried there. Dawn Foster, of the Bandera Funeral Chapel, said she met and visited with Tryon, and has offered to donate a marker after his passing.
“We are thrilled to be a part of this,” Foster said.
Palmer said Tryon thanked everyone in the community, and especially the commissioners. She also said he would love to visit with any old-timers who remember him. He is a resident of Bandera Nursing and Rehabilitation.
“He said it gets pretty lonely there,” Palmer said. “He is very grateful that the community is watching out for him.”
The Bertha Tryon/Hendrick Arnold Cemetery is located off Hwy. 16, on Old Medina Highway and Houston Street.