Griffis Cemetery, Lamar County, Texas

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Griffis Cemetery, Lamar County, Texas

LOCATION: Griffis Cemetery is located in the southeast quadrant of the county 3 miles southeast of Blossom in Block 43 of the Lamar County Road Map produced by American Drafting and Services revised December 1993. The 1989 General Highway Map of Lamar County, revised to May 1, 1992 incorrectly refers to this cemetery as Holt Cemetery.

DIRECTIONS: From Hwy 82 in Blossom turn south onto Young Street. Proceed south on Young Street to its intersection with Fairview Street. Take Fairview Street (which becomes FM 194) and proceed southeasterly for 3.7 miles and the private road to the cemetery is on the north side of the road. Take the private road for 180 yards north (approximately 1/10 mile) and the cemetery is on the right. It is fenced in.

GPS COORDINATES: 33° 38' 19.1394" N, -95° 19' 24.2754" W.
(33.63865 Latitude and -95.32341 Longitude)

OLDEST KNOWN BURIAL: The oldest inscribed grave is that of Isabella Griffis, daughter of T. E. and M. A. Griffis, who died 21 Sep 1861.

NUMBER OF GRAVES: There are 10 known graves in the cemetery. (July 2017)

SIGNS/MARKERS: There is a state highway marker for the cemetery.

LAST ENUMERATION: The cemetery was recorded on 20 Feb 1993 by Carmen Burks and Betsy Mills. Lawrence and Sue Dale revisited and recorded the cemetery in April 2014.

ADD'L INFORMATION: The following persons are known to be buried here. From North to South in the west row are:
Able Griffis 1807 - 1891
Sarah Griffis 20 Apr 1783 - 20 Apr 1866
Isabella Griffis died 21 Sep 1861
Margaret Adaline Griffis 14 Mar 1830 - 27 Oct 1873 (single marker)
Dr. T. E. Griffis 24 Dec 1817 - 7 Feb 1903, double marker with M. A. Griffis
Maggie Belle Tarrant 23 Feb 1893 - 7 Mar 1898.

North to South in the East row are:
Footstone M. E. G.
Johnnie Griffis 7 Sep 1918 - 17 Mar 1919 - double marker with Alice B. Griffis 20 Nov 1916 - 9 Mar 1918

Markers not found:

Ed Griffis (birth and death are not known)
Joe Griffis 29 Sep 1904

THE PARIS NEWS, Tuesday, August 15, 2000, page 5: "The grave marker for Dr. T. E. Griffis, M. A. Griffis and their daughter Isabella, sits in a small cemetery beneath two large oak trees, guarded by a wrought iron fence. - By Bob Merriman / Staff - Private cemetery holds family history - Someone who missed a turn onto a county road and then pulled up to a gate to turn around, might see the seven-foot-tall tombstone in a dusty field. Someone paying attention might see the edges of a wrought iron fence and the tall grave marker beyond a weathered barn and a bare wood shed, both with rusted tin roof. Getting to the old graveyard Monday required climbing over a section of barbed wire fence, then walking about 125 yards into the field. Black cattle stared, then ran off a distance, stopped and stared, as cattle do. The old graveyard sits beneath two massive oak trees, older than the people buried there. The wrought iron fence is low and has pointed tops, like fancy spear points. There is a gate, but baling wire holds the gate shut, and it's easier to step over the fence than to unwind the wire and then wind it back. All the tombstones but one carry the name Griffis. The earliest born was Abel Griffis, 1807-1891. The marker on his grave is the second tallest in the graveyard. The big marker has the name Dr. T. E. Griffis, and his span of life - Dec. 24, 1817-Feb. 7, 1903. Also inscribed on the big stone are the names M. A. Griffis, wife of T. E. (March 14, 1830-Oct. 27, 1875) and Isabella A. Griffis, daughter of T. E. and M. A. Isabella died Sept. 24, 1861, at age 4 years, 7 months and 3 days. Three other tombstones are almost unreadable. One appears to say 'Isabel' and March 30 (year not legible) and Feb. 27, 1875. In a corner of the small cemetery is a single stone for two children - Alice B., Nov. 20, 1916-May 9, 1918 - and Johnnie, Sept. 7, 1918-March 17, 1919. Left of the big stone is the only marker without the name Griffis - Maggie Bell Tarrant, Feb. 23, 1893- (month and day illegible) 1896. The cattle came back for a while, then went away again."

PICTURE(S):
Photographs provided courtesy of Lawrence and Sue Dale.

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LOCATION:	Griffis Cemetery is located in the southeast quadrant of the county 3 miles southeast of Blossom in Block 43 of the Lamar County Road Map produced by American Drafting and Services revised December 1993. The 1989 General Highway Map of Lamar County, revised to May 1, 1992 incorrectly refers to this cemetery as Holt Cemetery.
DIRECTIONS:	From Hwy 82 in Blossom turn south onto Young Street. Proceed south on Young Street to its intersection with Fairview Street. Take Fairview Street (which becomes FM 194) and proceed southeasterly for 3.7 miles and the private road to the cemetery is on the north side of the road. Take the private road for 180 yards north (approximately 1/10 mile) and the cemetery is on the right. It is fenced in.
GPS COORDINATES:	33° 38' 19.1394" N, -95° 19' 24.2754" W. (33.63865 Latitude and -95.32341 Longitude)
OLDEST KNOWN BURIAL:	The oldest inscribed grave is that of Isabella Griffis, daughter of T. E. and M. A. Griffis, who died 21 Sep 1861.
NUMBER OF GRAVES:	There are 10 known graves in the cemetery. (July 2017)
SIGNS/MARKERS:	There is a state highway marker for the cemetery.
LAST ENUMERATION:	The cemetery was recorded on 20 Feb 1993 by Carmen Burks and Betsy Mills. Lawrence and Sue Dale revisited and recorded the cemetery in April 2014.
ADD'L INFORMATION:	The following persons are known to be buried here. From North to South in the west row are: Able Griffis 1807 - 1891 Sarah Griffis 20 Apr 1783 - 20 Apr 1866 Isabella Griffis died 21 Sep 1861 Margaret Adaline Griffis 14 Mar 1830 - 27 Oct 1873 (single marker) Dr. T. E. Griffis 24 Dec 1817 - 7 Feb 1903, double marker with M. A. Griffis Maggie Belle Tarrant 23 Feb 1893 - 7 Mar 1898. North to South in the East row are: Footstone M. E. G. Johnnie Griffis 7 Sep 1918 - 17 Mar 1919 - double marker with Alice B. Griffis 20 Nov 1916 - 9 Mar 1918 Markers not found: Ed Griffis (birth and death are not known) Joe Griffis 29 Sep 1904 THE PARIS NEWS, Tuesday, August 15, 2000, page 5: "The grave marker for Dr. T. E. Griffis, M. A. Griffis and their daughter Isabella, sits in a small cemetery beneath two large oak trees, guarded by a wrought iron fence. - By Bob Merriman / Staff - Private cemetery holds family history - Someone who missed a turn onto a county road and then pulled up to a gate to turn around, might see the seven-foot-tall tombstone in a dusty field. Someone paying attention might see the edges of a wrought iron fence and the tall grave marker beyond a weathered barn and a bare wood shed, both with rusted tin roof. Getting to the old graveyard Monday required climbing over a section of barbed wire fence, then walking about 125 yards into the field. Black cattle stared, then ran off a distance, stopped and stared, as cattle do. The old graveyard sits beneath two massive oak trees, older than the people buried there. The wrought iron fence is low and has pointed tops, like fancy spear points. There is a gate, but baling wire holds the gate shut, and it's easier to step over the fence than to unwind the wire and then wind it back. All the tombstones but one carry the name Griffis. The earliest born was Abel Griffis, 1807-1891. The marker on his grave is the second tallest in the graveyard. The big marker has the name Dr. T. E. Griffis, and his span of life - Dec. 24, 1817-Feb. 7, 1903. Also inscribed on the big stone are the names M. A. Griffis, wife of T. E. (March 14, 1830-Oct. 27, 1875) and Isabella A. Griffis, daughter of T. E. and M. A. Isabella died Sept. 24, 1861, at age 4 years, 7 months and 3 days. Three other tombstones are almost unreadable. One appears to say 'Isabel' and March 30 (year not legible) and Feb. 27, 1875. In a corner of the small cemetery is a single stone for two children - Alice B., Nov. 20, 1916-May 9, 1918 - and Johnnie, Sept. 7, 1918-March 17, 1919. Left of the big stone is the only marker without the name Griffis - Maggie Bell Tarrant, Feb. 23, 1893- (month and day illegible) 1896. The cattle came back for a while, then went away again."
PICTURE(S):	Photographs provided courtesy of Lawrence and Sue Dale.