Cross honors Texas Ranger buried in Rockvale Cemetery
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — As sixth- and seventh-generation descendants of William F. Alderson formed a semicircle around his grave at Rockvale Cemetery, Ethen Reynolds and James Curry unveiled the Texas Ranger Memorial Cross during a dedication Feb. 14.
It didn’t matter that Alderson died 79 years ago, not to his grandson Tim Alderson or to his great-grandsons James and Myron Alderson.
James and Myron Alderson read a history of their great-grandfather as their father, Tim, was surrounded by other family members.
Three members of the Former Texas Rangers Association fired rifles, while others fired a cannon as part of the event.
The ceremony occurred because of James Alderson, who said he began reading a history of the Texas Rangers when a relative in his wife’s family, who was a Ranger, received the cross.
“I’d always been enamored,” he said.
As he began researching his own family history, he discovered that his great-grandfather served under Capt. L.H. McNelly’s Company of the Washington County Militia of Special State Troops of the Frontier Battalion of the Texas Rangers.
In addition to the cross, family members leaned a rifle belonging to William F. Alderson on his granite headstone. The rifle is on the fifth generation, passing to the oldest son each time, James Alderson said.
The crosses are one duty of the Former Texas Rangers Association, which exists to preserve the true history of the Rangers and to have landmarks.
FTRA President Joe B. Davis noted he was especially pleased to see specific family members at the dedication.
“I especially like to see the kids involved because it’s something they need to see and know those guys who served the state of Texas,” he said. “Even though (William Alderson) has been gone a good while, we’re here to honor him. When a person passes away, there’s nothing else you can do for that person but (this) to keep him alive.”
The FTRA has performed more than 640 ceremonies across the state.
jfierro@thepicayune.com
William Franklin Alderson (June 1, 1850-Nov. 14,1936)
- The only son of William B. and Louisa Alderson, which makes William F. Alderson the ninth generation born in the United States
- Served in Capt. L.H. McNelly’s Washington County Volunteer Militia Company of Special Forces of Texas Rangers, July 25, 1874-Feb. 25, 1875.
- Married Sarah Ellen Griffith on May 8, 1884, in Hill County, Texas.
- Moved to Burnet County around 1885 and settled in the Double Horn community, where friends nicknamed the couple Billy and Sally.
- Seven of their nine children (five sons and four daughters) were born in Burnet County
- Cared for an elderly couple, the Simpsons, who did not have children of their own or other relatives
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The honey creek cemetery on county road 308 in Llano county, has two grave sites with the Texas ranger markers. One of which is for my wife’s great-great-grandfather C.C. Roberts who homesteaded there in 1857. I believe he served with the Texas ranging companies who preceded the actual rangers, and were called together on a temporary basis to deal with the Indian raiding problem. His service was probably during or shortly after the civil war. I do not remember the name on the other marker, but it is a name local to that area during the same period.