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JOHN DENSON CEMETERY
This cemetery, located on property owned by B. F. Gardner, is about three miles
east of Grapeland off FM 227 on the banks of Bennett Creek. In June, 1998, Bob
and Wanda Brimberry Winter discovered the cemetery while searching for the
remnants of the old John Denson log home. With the aid of Eliza Bishop, Ernie
Barnes and Charles T. Skidmore, it was reclaimed from the brush and damage
caused by logging. An area 50 feet by 30 feet of the cemetery was fenced. With
this discovery, some burials that were assumed to be in the Joseph Denson Family
Cemetery are now known to be in this, the John Denson Cemetery.
From HOUSTON COUNTY, TEXAS, CEMETERIES (2nd edition), 1978; and from the
text for a proposed historical marker, we have: "Originally from Anson Co., NC,
Thomas C. and Polly Denson, with their eight children, emigrated to Texas when
it was still a part of Mexico. Their oldest son, 0 'Conner Denson (1813-1869)
served in Capt. Reed's Company during the Texas Revolution. Thomas c., his son
John, and father, Shadrach Denson, signed the petition in 1837 to create Houston
County.
One of the first families to settle in this part of tlle county,
the original Denson homeplace was a fortress-type structure with
portals for protection against Indians. John Denson married a
young widow, Mary Ann Crawford Houston (1817-c1874), whose first
husband was killed by Indians. John and Mary lived out their
lives on the site and are buried nearby in the John Denson
Cemetery. John's younger brother, Joseph W. Denson (1823-1889)
married Mary's daughter by her first marriage, Caroline Houston
(18361918). Joseph and Caroline lived in the same vicinity and
are buried in the Joseph Denson Cemetery."
The following is the listing of names of persons buried in the
John Denson Cemetery, compiled from information in a letter from
Boyd Skidmore to his brother Arwine Skidmore, from Ruth Colkin
Shaver, and from tombstones found in the cemetery.
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BRIMBERRY
Aunt Polly (Mary); b. 1-12-1846; d. 1933; w/o
Elbert Brimberry; m/o
Miles, Zack, Lucy
Dotson; d/o John & Mary Ann Crawford Houston
Denson
Miles; b. 1876; d. 1916; s/o Polly & Elbert
Brimberry
Zack; b. 1880; d. 1955; s/o Polly & Elbert
Brimberry
Matthias; b. 1799; d. 1854; s/o Peter & Dicey
Walker Brimberry; f/o
George A Brimberry
Elizabeth Minto; b, 1809 (in GA); d. 1860;
d/o Joseph & Lucretia
Brimberry; m/o George A Brimberry
Elbert Brimberry; no dates; h/o Mary (Polly)
Denson Brimberry
DENSON
John; b. 1815 (in NC); d. No date; s/o Thomas
C. Brimberry
Mary Ann Crawford Houston; b. no date; d. no
date; d/o Joseph &
Mary
Coble Crawford
Thomas; b. no date; d. no date; age: 18 yrs.;
s/o Mary Ann & John
Crawford
Denson
Thomas C.; no dates; father of John Denson
Mary Denson; no dates; mother of John Denson
Simon Denson: no dates; s/o John Denson
Shadrack (Shady) Denson; no dates; s/o Joseph
& Caroline
Denson;
may have been reinterred in the Joseph Denson
Cemetery.
Shadrack Denson; no dates; gf/o John Denson
Elizabeth Denson; no dates; w/o Shadrack
Denson; gf/o John
Denson
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LANGSTER
Rachel Denson; b. no date; d. no date; d/o
Mary Ann & John
Denson
Infant; b. no date; d. no date; ch/o Rachel
Denson Langster
SKIDMORE
John Turner; b.4-9-1846; d. 10-26-1936; Co.A,
2 TX Cav., CSA; h/o
Elizabeth Ennson; s/o Clayton Daniel & Mariah Yarborough
Skidmore
Elizabeth Denson; b.8-6-1848; d.5-18-1913;
w/o John Turner; d/o
John & Mary
Ann
Crawford Houston Denson; half-sis/o Caroline
Houston, niece of
Joseph
Denson
Baby; b. 1-13-1888; d. no date
Luna L. ; b. 4--19-1883; d.9-3-1899; d/o John
T. & Elizabeth Denson
Skidmore
Unknown man; ,no dates
Clayton Daniel Skidmore; no dates; f/o John
Turner and Thomas
Skidmore
Thomas; no dates; brother of John Turner
Skidmore. He was
accidently shot and killed by John Chapman.
William T.; s/o Clayton Daniel Skidmore
Cynthia; no dates; d/o Clayton Daniel
Skidmore
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