Clear Creek Cemetery

COLORADO COUNTY, TEXAS

A HISTORIC TEXAS CEMETERY

List of Burials • Historical Marker • History • Cemetery Association

The iron fence and gate pictured are recent additions.

Historic Texas Cemetery Marker

CLEAR CREEK CEMETERY

Clear Creek Community formed in the 1850s near the route of the "Old Gonzales Road," which ran from San Felipe through Columbus, Oakland, and Gonzales on to San Antonio. A church organized in Clear Creek in the 1850s. In 1860, Edward M. Glenn officially deeded land to Methodist Episcopal Church South trustees Zachariah Payne, O. B. Crenshaw and John Tooke. The cemetery that grew up around the Clear Creek Church became the main burial ground for the area through the 1880s. Records indicate that several burials had already taken place at the site prior to the cemetery's formal establishment. Among the earliest burials are J. C. C. Barnett, son of Joseph and Mary Barnett, Cynthia Cleveland, wife of Horatio Johnson Cleveland, and Martha Miles Burgess, all interred in the 1850s.

When the railroad came to nearby Weimar in 1873, the population in the Clear Creek area began to decline. However, even though Clear Creek Church was torn down and used to build a new church in Oakland in 1886, families continued to use the Clear Creek Cemetery for several years. The last recorded burial was that of John Anderson Lamkin, who died in 1929.

More than a dozen veterans of the Civil War are buried here, as are members of the 19th century fraternal organization, the Sons of Temperance. Notable features include false crypts and iron and wooden fences for family plots, grave markers are made of marble or granite, with some of local sandstone quarried from Clear Creek. The Clear Creek Cemetery Association formed in 2007 to perpetuate the care and preservation of the cemetery.

Historic Texas Cemetery, 2007

To read more about this cemetery and those buried in the cemetery go to the article Clear Creek Cemetery written by Ernest Mae Seaholm

List of Burials

Tombstone photos were contributed by Ernest Mae Seaholm

Barnett, Dankrita Hayes; born: c 1852; died: Dec 28, 1883;
Daughter of John W. and Margery E Jordan, married Alonzo Barnett, Jul 1, 1868

Barnett, J. C. C.; born: Dec 25, 1841; died: Oct 24, 1855; [tombstone photo]
Son of Joseph and Mary A. Barnett

Bass, Elmira P.; born: Nov 5, 1827; died: Oct 18, 1906; [tombstone photo]
Daughter of William Burgess, married William P. Bass in 1850

Bass, George C.; born: Nov 19, 1858; died: Oct 13, 1870; [tombstone photo]
Son of William P. and Elmira P. (Burgess) Bass, Aged 11 yrs 10 mos 21 days

Bass, Myrtle Elmira; born: Sep 12, 1895; died: Jan 14, 1898; [tombstone photo]
Daughter of C.A. and Mattie Bass

Bass, W. T.; born: Jul 22, 1854; died: Oct 10, 1880; [tombstone photo]
Son of William P. and Elmira P. (Burgess) Bass

Bass, William P.; born: Jun 7, 1812; died: Nov 26, 1870;
Confederate veteran

Boahmar, J.; born: c 1807; died: Jul 20, 1886; [tombstone photo]
A music teacher from San Antonio

Boettcher, Clemenz August;born: Oct 15, 1840; died: Jul 18, 1865; [false crypt]
Confederate veteran

Britton, James A. [Brown]; born: c. 1839; died: Feb 3, 1892; [tombstone photo]
Son of Patrick and Lucretia Britton, Confederate veteran

Britton, unknown; born: unknown; died: unknown;
Son of James Brown and Emma Carrie (Henderson) Britton

Brown, Lizzie; born: Dec 13, 1877; died: May 2, 1879; [tombstone photo]
Daughter of J.D. and K.C. Brown

Brown, Mary Anna; born: Aug 12, 1833; died: May 28, 1865; [tombstone photo]
Daughter of Joshua Pritchard and Lucinda (Henderson) Mayes, married John Duff Brown

Burgess, Martha; born: unknown; died: Feb 18, 1858; [tombstone photo]
Née Miles, married Gideon Burgess

Calhoun, David; born: 1832; died: Feb 1911;
Confederate veteran

Carson, Elvy Ann; born: Aug 21, 1813; died: Jun 1, 1866; [tombstone photo]
Daughter of John and Zelpah Windrow, married James W. Carson Sr., Oct 6, 1831

Carson, James W.; born: Nov 1, 1801; died: Aug 31, 1861 [tombstone photo]

Carson, Josephine; born: unknown; died: Oct 8, 1889;
Daughter of Ethelbert Bruce and Mary (McClelland) Fowlkes, married James W. Carson Jr. Sep 14, 1869

Cherry, Sophie Jane; born: c. 1852; died: Jan 25, 1888;
Daughter of Patrick and Lucretia Britton, married James Ormand Cherry, Mar 1, 1877

Cleveland, Cynthia; born: Sep 19, 1796; died: Dec 26, 1859;
Née Carley, married Horatio Johnson Cleveland, Mar 18, 1813

Crenshaw, J.J.; born: Jan 29, 1862; died: Dec 5, 1862; [tombstone photo]
Child of Oliver B. and Mary Anne (Andrews) Crenshaw

Crenshaw, Oliver B.; born: Jan 26, 1823; died: Oct 8, 1863 [tombstone photo]
Mexican War Veteran [See pension application of his widow, Mary Ann (Andrews) Crenshaw] married Mary Ann Anthenet Andrews, Mar 11, 1847

Darby, Fannie A.; born: Mar 25, 1842; died: Dec 25, 1871; [tombstone photo]
Married James A. Darby (second wife)

Darby, Lou; born: Dec 12, 1869; died: Mar 18, 1870; [tombstone photo]
Daughter of James A. and Loucintha (Henderson) Darby

Darby, Loucintha; born: May 22, 1844; died: Dec 16, 1869; [tombstone photo]
Daughter of Thomas J. Henderson, married James A. Darby (his first wife)

DeGraffenreid, Thomas E.; born: Aug 9, 1825; died: Jul 31, 1867; [false cyrpt]

DeGraffenreid, Thomas Tscharner; born: May 6, 1832; died: Aug 15, 1875;
Confederate veteran

Ellis, Martha A.; born: Jan 14, 1853; died: May 9, 1875; [tombstone photo]
Daughter of C.J. and Mary A. Ward, married Charles C. Ellis, Dec 8, 1869

Ellis, unknown; born: unknown; died: Sep 25, 1883;
Married Charles C. Ellis (his second wife)

Ellison, Thomas Dryden; born: c. 1825; died: Oct 21, 1863;
Married Celia Dean, Confederate veteran died at home of Harriet Bryon Sledge

Fowlkes, Ethelbert Bruce; born: Sep 12, 1816; died: Mar 8, 1880; [tombstone photo]
Son of Edward Bass Fowlkes

Glaze, Lillian; born: unknown; died: before 1910;
Daughter of John E. and Nora E. (Britton) Glaze

Glaze, Mittie; born: unknown; died: before 1910;
Daughter of John E. and Nora E. (Britton) Glaze

Glaze, unknown; born: unknown; died: before 1910;
Child of George and Tommie (Britton) Glaze

Glaze, unknown; born: unknown; died: before 1910;
Child of George and Tommie (Britton) Glaze

Halbert, unknown; born: unknown; died: unknown

Halbert, unknown; born: unknown; died: unknown

Henderson, James T.; born: c. 1873; died: Oct 2, 1891;
Son of Albert N. and Sarah J. Henderson

Henderson, Martha; born: Jun 5, 1818; died: Oct 7, 1900;
Daughter of Jeremiah and Celia (Willeford) Hendricks, married Thomas J. Henderson Jul 5, 1831 in Lawrence County, Alabama

Henderson, Thomas J.; born: c. 1814; died: Feb 1878

Huggins, Anna J.; born: c. 1857; died: Jan 6, 1888;
Married Americus V. Huggins

Laidley, Thomas Mortimer; born: c. 1827; died: Dec 12, 1889
Son of John Osborne and Mary Scales (Hite) Laidley, married Hezina Beall in 1837, married Sarah Elizabeth Lackey in 1871

Lamkin, Ella N.; born: c. 1857; died: Oct 16, 1891; [tombstone photo]
Daughter of Thomas J. Henderson, married John Anderson Lamkin, Nov 8, 1872

Lamkin, John A.; born: 1884; died: Sep 14, 1885;
Son of John Anderson and Ella N. (Henderson) Lamkin

Lamkin, John Anderson; born: Dec 25, 1856; died: Jul 19, 1929;
Son of John L. and Mary (Stanton) Lamkin

Long, Abner W.; born: Dec 27, 1856; died: Feb 11, 1876; [tombstone photo]
Son of J.A. and Louisa J. Long

Long, Louisa J.; born: Feb 29, 1835; died: Feb 12, 1876; [tombstone photo]
Married J. A. Long

Mayes, Elizabeth Ann; born: Jul 7, 1841; died: Apr 23, 1901; [tombstone photo]
Daughter of Ethelbert Bruce and Mary (McClelland) Fowlkes, married Joshua Pritchard Mayes in 1860

Mayes, Joshua Pritchard Sr.; born: Dec 5, 1832; died: Jul 5, 1925; [tombstone photo]
Son of Michael Warren and Mary Waldridge (Henderson) Mayes, Confederate veteran

McKinnon, Murdock; born: Jun 8, 1859; died: 186?; [tombstone photo]
Son of Louison McKinnon

Mercer, Levi; born: Jul 22, 1815; died: Feb 14, 1865; [tombstone photo1, photo 2]
Son of Eli Mercer

In its neglected state, many of the cemetery's markers had toppled. This is one that has been repaired. Roll over the image of Irene Windrow's marker to see its previous condition.
Moore, Annie; born: c. 1869; died: Apr 25, 1892;
Daughter of J.T. Bowen, married Thomas Phillip Moore

Moore, unknown; born: Apr 21, 1892; died: Apr 23, 1892;
Daughter of Thomas Phillip and Annie (Bowen) Moore

Mullin, unnamed boy; born: unknown; died: Oct 6, 1882;
Son of John Halbert and Mary Alice (Farley) Mullins

Nunn, R.E.;born: Dec 21, 1831; died: Oct 15, 1861 [tombstone photo1, photo 2]

Overbay, San Antonio;born: unknown; died: unknown; [tombstone photo]
Son of Eugene L. and Sarah E. (Bass) Overbay

Overbay, Sarah E.; born: Aug 9, 1856; died: Jul 26, 1877;
Daughter of William P. and Elmira P. Bass, married Eugene L. Overbay, Nov 25, 18

Payne, Bashie; born: May 3, 1874; died: Jun 30, 1885;
Daughter of Josiah Frederick Turner and Basheba Winifred (Andrews) Payne

Payne, Don Fernando;born: Sep 29, 1823; died: Dec 6, 1871; [tombstone photo]
Son of Zachariah and Nancy (Turner) Payne, Confederate veteran

Payne, Josiah Frederick Turner; born: Oct 1, 1825; died: Feb 20, 1879;
Son of Zachariah and Nancy (Turner) Payne, Confederate veteran

Payne, Josiah Pembroke;born: Apr 23, 1859; died: May 3, 1865; [tombstone photo]
Son of Don Fernando and Sarah Elizabeth (Andrews) Payne

Payne, Nancy Turner; born: Mar 21, 1797; died: Jan 28, 1879;
Married Zachariah Payne

Payne, Zachariah;born: Mar 4, 1794; died: Mar 14, 1870; [false crypt]

Pierce, Lottie; born: c. 1886; died: Nov 17, 1889;
Daughter of Joe Pierce

Pierce, unknown; born: Apr 22, 1891; died: May 1, 1891;
Daughter of Joe Pierce

Powell, Amiddia A.; born: Dec 1857; died: Aug 8, 1866
Daughter of James Boyd and Pocahontas (Davis) Powell

This sandstone with the initials P. A. R. carved into it surfaced during the cemetery's recent restoration. It likely marked the grave of Pink A. Rutledge.
Powell, James B.; born: 1824; died: Mar 1, 1864; [tombstone photo 1, photo 2]

Powell, James D.; born: Mar 27, 1855; died: Oct 4, 1867
Son of James Boyd and Pocahontas (Davis) Powell

Rutledge, Pink A.; born: c. 1850; died: Sep 8, 1892;
Married Cornelia Henderson Nov 7, 1876 [tombstone photo?]

Ward, C. J.; born: Jan 4, 1814; died: Jan 1, 1872 [tombstone photo]

Ward, Junius P.; born: unknown; died: 1872; [tombstone photo?]
Son of C.J. and Mary A. Ward

Whitley, G. W.; born: Feb 29, 1856; died: Aug 14, 1875; [tombstone photo, footstone]

Whitley, Hardy L.; born: Oct 18, 1804; died: Jun 21, 1881 [tombstone?]

Whitley, Sarah; born: Aug 18, 1809; died: Aug 26, 1875; [tombstone photo]
Married Hardy L. Whitley

Williamson, Thomas W.; born: Mar 16, 1800; died: Dec 11, 1866

Windrow, Claude; born: Apr 22, 1874; died: Nov 15, 1875;
Son of Henry Zachariah and Margaret Ann (Mercer) Windrow

Windrow, Irene; born: Jul 2, 1856; died: Feb 26, 1871; [tombstone photo]
Daughter of Cleveland and Sallie Ann (Payne) Windrow

If you have any corrections, additions or obituaries pertaining to the Clear Creek Cemetery, please contact the county coordinator or Judy Talkington.

Clear Creek Cemetery Association

On 1 May 2007, with restoration of the cemetery well under way, a group of people interested in the old Clear Creek Cemetery met at the First Methodist Church in Weimar and adopted by-laws to establish the Clear Creek Cemetery Association. Officers were elected and goals were established to clean, restore, and preserve the historic cemetery. K. W. Johnson was elected president; Dorothy Albrecht, vice-president; Joye Payne Johnson, secretary; Joyce Stancik, treasurer; and Ernest Mae Seaholm, historian. Members of the board elected were Mildred Bissell, Kathryn Koliba Whitfill, Lee Everett, and Marlys Sampson-Barton. Work on cleaning the cemetery continues and restoration of some of the stones and crypts has begun.

Related Links

MERCURY REPORTER VISITS AN OLD OLD CEMETERY
A report of a 1926 visit to Clear Creek Cemetery

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