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Red Hill Cemetery, Lamar County, Texas

LOCATION:	Red Hill Cemetery is located in the northeast quadrant of the county near the Midcity community on County Road 45080. It is in Block 9 of the Lamar County Road Map produced by American Drafting and Services revised December 1993. There has been one obituary found that referred to this location as the Maggard Family Cemetery.
DIRECTIONS:	From the intersection of Hwy 271 North and FM 906, proceed easterly for 1.9 miles to the intersection of FM 906 with CR 45080. There ia a road sign on FM 906. Take CR 45080 northerly for 2/10 miles and the cemetery is on the left.
GPS COORDINATES:	33° 50' 52.9980'' N, 95° 28' 44.7348'' W. (33.848055 Latitude and -95.479093 Longitude)
OLDEST KNOWN BURIAL:	The oldest inscribed grave is that of the Infant Son of J. T. and L. J. Daughtrey, who died 9 May 1874.
NUMBER OF GRAVES:	There are 845 known graves in the cemetery. (July 2017)
SIGNS/MARKERS:	There is a state highway marker for the cemetery. Historic Texas Cemetery: Yes - 10/25/2007    Texas Historical Commission Marker: No
LAST ENUMERATION:	It was recorded by Ron Brothers in August 1991.
ADD'L INFORMATION:	Red Hill Cemetery - Historical Background for Texas State Historical Commission Application 10/25/2007 Lamar County, Texas       The Red Hill Cemetery and the non-denominational Red Hill Church lies on the eastern boundary of the Robert Cravens survey in Lamar County, Texas.[1] This is approximately 15 miles north of the city of Paris, Texas.      Robert M. Cravens came to Texas in 1831 as a member of Stephen F. Austin’s second colony. In 1834 he opened a trading post on Sander’s Creek, even though the area was under the jurisdiction of Arkansas. Along with others he signed a petition to create a new township, but this did not happen, because Texas declared its independence from Mexico and Robert Cravens joined the fight. He served as a private in Company C, First Regiment of Texas Volunteers at the battle of San Jacinto. He returned to Lamar County after the war and died in 1838. The location of his interment is unknown.[2] Samuel Fulton, a possible cousin, succeeded in securing one league and one labor of land (4605 acres) for his heirs, a wife Mary and young son Robert Jr. [3]      The headright remained unchanged until the early 1850’s when Robert Cravens’ widow, Mary Cravens Ritchey May, began selling off tracts of land to arriving settlers; James G. Tinnin, Richard and Stephen Tanner, James Mebane, William Fulton, and W. J. Bonner.       A deed record in 1871 reveals that after the sale of three tracts of land (160 acres, 100 acres, and 550 acres) a balance of 1600 acres remained more or less, "reserving for a school and church purposes out of the NE corner a tract of 16 acres in a square"[4] The three previous mentioned tracts of land had been sold prior to 1861 to the Tanners, Tinnin, and Bonner. This leads one to believe that the widow Mary Cravens donated the 16 acres.      Census records confirm that Mary Cravens Ritchey and Robert Cravens Jr. were living in Lamar County in 1850. On the 1860 census Robert Cravens Jr. is married, with three small children, but is deceased by 1861 at the age of 29.[5] His untimely death could be the reason his mother set aside the 16 acres and it is possible that Robert Cravens Jr. is buried in Red Hill Cemetery in an unmarked grave. His widow, Louisa, married Jim T. Daughtrey on 11 October 1866.[6]      The 1870’s and 80’s brought more new families to the area. These settlers were the Harrisons, Whartons, Allisons, Gills, Gerons, Lockes, Westbrooks, Daughtreys, Bradleys, Cowards, Douglass, Spanglers, Horns, Pophams, Ashfords and Duff’s.[7] The community of Red Hill grew and in 1878 it became a voting precinct.[8] As the community grew so did the cemetery.      The site has a beautiful assortment of native trees on a sandy terrain. In the spring many dogwood trees can be seen in full bloom surrounding the outer perimeter of the grounds. The cemetery grounds are well cared for with routine mowing, tree maintenance, and fence repair. The cemetery can be entered though a front gate on a sandy road and driven through to an exit gate to County Rd.45080. Near the front gate is covered pavilion honoring Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Westbrook for all their work on behalf of the cemetery.      Today the cemetery has over 600 graves including the unknowns and is still in use by the community. Most of the early graves are near the front. The oldest marked grave is that of an infant son of J. T. and Louisa Daughtrey, who died 9 May 1874. There were seven Confederate, one Union, six WWI, twenty-eight WWII, and three Korean veterans in 1991. The cemetery has many Woodmen of the World markers and one Texas Ranger.[9]      In the late l960’s a Cemetery Association was established and trustees were elected to oversee a perpetual care fund. In 1971, J. E. Allison sold Red Hill Cemetery 3.1 acres of land, which is located on the west boundary line of the J. C. Lamb survey.[10] At this time, Red Hill Cemetery is holding true to the tradition that space is available free of charge to those living in the ommunity or have family members buried there. The Association meets annually the first Saturday in August. This date was set by the early pioneers; after having harvested their crops, they met at the cemetery to clean the graves and have lunch on the grounds. The meeting date and lunch tradition continues to this day, rain or shine.       Endnotes: 1. Texas Land Title Abstracts, Vol.1-A, pg.277, Certificate #359 2. Handbook of Texas Online 3. Patent date November 12, l845 and filed for record February 14, 1921, Book 189,pg 2, Lamar County, Texas 4. Lamar County deed records Book W, pg. 283, Book U, pgs.772-774 5. Lamar County deed records Book L, pg. 194-195 6. Lamar County marriage records 7. 1870 and 1880 census 8. Backward Glances, Vol, I 1929-30 A. W. Neville, pgs. 68- 69 9. The Death and Cemetery Records of Lamar County, Texas 1831-1998 by Ron Brothers, Paris, Texas (2734 E Cherry St.,Paris 75460); R. Brothers, C1999. 3 v.; 28 cm; LCCN;2001278820 10. Lamar County deed records Book 527, pg 204 ________________________________ The Northern Standard Feb. 13, 1845 pg 2. Col.4 In District Court of Lamar County Republic of Texas Samuel M. Fulton Vs James Richey and Polly Richey The petition in this case supported by affidavit of plaintiff _____ that plaintiff and Robert Cravens were previous to and during the year 1837, partners, residing in what is now Lamar County; that, during the _____?__of the partnership, plaintiff purchased the headlight land certificate of John C. Lamb for one league and labor of land; that the consideration paid to said Lamb was separate property of plaintiff, and that the certificate issued to Fulton and Cravens, that Robert Cravens died in 1837 and that the heirs and non-residence of the Republic. Plaintiff prays that said certificate be declared separate property. So on and so on. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- On the 1850 Census, Lamar Co., TX. Shows Lamb children living with separate families: Littleton? Lamb age 7 and John H. Lamb age 2 living with James Tinnin. Both boys were born in TX Eliza J. Lamb age 10, born TX, living with family of John Burnett - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - The 1860 Census, Lamar Co., TX shows the following: J.H. Lamb, age 10, born TX. living with Robert Cravens Jr. family. Lyda Lamb, age 15, born TX, living with J. Owen family. No Littleton Lamb found in 1860. _____________________________ Bibliography Red Hill Cemetery Texas Land Title Abstracts, Volume, 1-A, reprint, originally Comprised by the General Lane Office, Austin, Texas, Bascom Giles, Commissioner Lamar County Deed Records Lamar County Marriage Records Federal Censuses for 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 Backward Glances, Vol. I, 1929-30, A. W. Neville, Handbook of Texas Online, www.tsha.utexas.edu/Handbook/online The Death and Cemetery Records of Lamar County, Texas; Paris,75460); R. Brothers,C1999. 3 v.; 28 cm. LCCN: 2001278820. The Paris News, 29 Sep 1998, Tuesday, p. 11: Upon Red Hill By Bob Merriman News Staff Writer "[Picture Caption] Attached to an old cedar tree, a birdhouse, slat fence and fish cutouts are not what one expects in a cemetery; nor is the announcement “Gone fishin.” But attached they are, in the middle of Red Hill Cemetery near Midcity.      "MIDCITY—Attached to an old cedar tree in Red Hill Cemetery are: a small birdhouse; a piece of cedar fence with wooden fish cutouts; a sign proclaiming "Gone Fishing," and suspended by a string from the fence pieces a smaller birdhouse with wind chimes.      Someone has a sense of humor, or someone buried there found peace and tranquillity in fishing and now has attained that same serenity in an eternal sense.      Two gates lead through the cemetery chain link fence from the south side; one a double gate and with the cemetery name above. A metal pavilion is near the fence. The pavilion is new and painted two shades of gray, one light and one dark. Metal bench seats run the length of the pavilion on the north and south sides.      An old church building is to the southwest. The porch is new concrete. Four pew-type bench seats were on the porch Monday.      Inside the cemetery are several Woodman of the World markers, stone representations of trees with limbs sawn off. There also are 32 Veterans Administration markers, most of stone, but a few made of bronze.      The old days were difficult for women and children, as perhaps all times are. Just inside the cemetery is the grave of Minnie F. Williams, wife of S.G. Williams. She was born Oct. 8, 1891, and died Dec. 27, 1911.       Not too far away is a stone for Minnie C. Armstrong, who was almost three months past her 24th birthday when she died Dec. 13, 1889.      A lone marker, far from others, indicates the burial of Mirtle Brown, daughter of J. N. and T. E. Brown. Mirtle was born July 21, 1900, and died Jan. 14, 1913.      Throughout the cemetery are small purple flowers and a few white ones. The flowers grow in pastures and other places where mowers occasionally come.      In an open space is a white silk rose, apparently now belonging to no particular grave.      An obelisk sits between two closely grown cedars and next to a burned cedar. Much of the incising on the obelisk is illegible; sufficient remaining to show the burial of Bertie Carrier, 3-year-old boy.      Not too far away is a concrete marker with the name Jordan, and below that, "Papa," who lived from 1887-1952, and "Mama," 1888-195_. The last numeral is eroded by wind and rain.      Another concrete monument was incised with the name "Moody." The remainder is not readable.      Near that is a bronze VA tablet, alone, with an empty yellow-gold glass vase sitting atop.      There are two large square pieces of a pinkish rock with no inscriptions.      Inside a small area enclosed by cedar posts and iron rods is a white tombstone for Miedora K., described as "Wife of T.P. Kee." She was born April 8, 1860, and died May 13, 1883.      Small grave stones give only an indication of the short lives of Maryetta Armstrong (1899-1901) and Jack Henry Armstrong (1900-1905).      A VA tablet shows Robert S. Horn was a corporal with Co. I, 3rd Tennessee Infantry in the Civil War. Horn lived from 1841-1887.      Charlotte Meredith and Infant Daughter are buried together. Mrs. Meredith was 22 years and 11 months old when she died Nov. 10, 1925.      VA markers show Billy R. Richardson was a Tec. 5 with the Army when he died Aug. 18, 1944; Rex White was a Pfc. with 541st Parachute Infantry, died Jan. 19, 1946, and was a recipient of the Purple Heart; and Jesse T. Maxey, Sgt. 1st Class, 1879-1936, served with 827 Aero Squadron.      A U.S. flag of red and white plastic roses for stripes and white plastic stars is at the burial site of Master Sgt. A. H. Ford Jr. Ford was a veteran of World War II and of the Korean War.      A flat top stone with the top painted brown has in white letters the notation that John Franklin Martin was bom in September 1870 and died in January 1904.      Another VA tablet shows Newt T. Allison was a Pfc. with the 38th Infantry in World War II, and he was awarded the Bronze Star.      Then there is the old cedar with indications of the serenity of songbirds and fishing. Perhaps those are for everyone."
PICTURE(S):	Photograph courtesy of Lawrence and Sue Dale.

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