Copyright © 2005 All rights reserved by Susanna Clark-Smith.

HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION:

Established in 1848, The Horton Family Cemetery was originally 11 acres square set aside for family burials. It was about 4 acres as late as 1960. We have no legal record as to how 7 acres are no longer part of the cemetery.

The cemetery was part of the original 320 acres James Horton received as a single man as part of the Peter’s Colony (Land Certificate 489). At the time of his death, his land holdings had grown to over 4,000 acres. Originally located nearby was his log home and the home he built in the 1852 - a large two story home which burned in 1956. (In 2004, the new Arcadia Park School was built where the Horton home once stood). The lane which ran from the house to the cemetery was lined with wild roses. The first burial was James’ sister, Martha Horton Horton, wife of William Horton. While her exact death date has not yet been established, we know it was around 1848.

James Horton arrived in the Dallas area with his parents and nine of his siblings on November 29, 1844. One married sister remained in Virginia until after 1870. His father, Enoch Horton, established his 640 acres and began a ferry across the Trinity River. He called it "Eagle Ford". James and two of his brothers began their farms, but yielded to the call of the California Gold Rush. James and John returned after some success in their gold seeking. Robert died in California. James established the Eagle Ford Grist Mill in 1857 which was his primary business interest until his death.

Since the 1960’s, there has been increased vandalism in this cemetery. The cemetery was never abandoned by the family, but because of the vandalism, family members have been reluctant to be buried there since 1956. We always visit the cemetery when we are in Dallas. The family is considering establishing a foundation to care for this pioneer cemetery. Please contact Susanna Clark-Smith via e-mail - susannarick@earthlink.net - if you are interested in participating in this fund.

In June, 2001, a Texas Historical Marker was dedicated for this cemetery. While some of the information on the marker is not wholly correct, we are grateful that the cemetery has been recognized as an historic cemetery. The text is as follows:

"Enoch and Martha Horton left Virginia with their ten children and settled here as members of the Peters Colony in 1844. Family history recounts that their son, James Horton, set aside this site as a family cemetery in 1848. Enoch (d. 1851) and Martha (d. 1850) are believed to be buried here in unmarked graves. James and his sister, Sarah Horton Cockrell, operated one of the first grist mills in this area, and James donated land for a school and railroad right-of-way. Many Horton family members and other early settlers are buried here. The last internment was in 1951."

The corrections are as follows:

1) Enoch and Martha Horton left Virginia with ten of their eleven children. Their oldest daughter, Jane "Jenny" Horton, was married to William Bradshaw and she lived in Russell Co., Virginia until 1870 when her husband died. She then joined the family in Dallas where her son was working on James Horton’s farm. She is presumed buried in this cemetery.

2) James Horton and his sister, Sarah Horton Cockrell, did not own a grist mill together. James Horton established the Eagle Ford Grist Mill in 1857. Sarah Cockrell obtained Todd Mills in 1872.

3) The last internment was July, 1956 with the burial of Susan Crissa Jane Wright Horton, wife of Enoch "Nuck" Ellis Horton.

I have established the inhabitants of this cemetery from multiple sources: a map drawn by my grandfather, Earl Ellis Horton, in 1960; information from my great grandmother Susan Crissa Jane Wright Horton; a physical survey done by Willie Flowers Carlisle in 1948; and obituaries, family bibles, old letters and death certificates. While some of the graves are marked with headstones, most of them were marked with rocks and family members just remembered who was where. Family groups were buried together as much as possible. There are about 100 burials in this cemetery. There are many children and babies buried here.

The cemetery was divided into three parts. The upper third to the West was where friends and neighbors of the family were buried. The middle third was where the Horton Family and allied family members were buried. The upper and middle thirds of this cemetery are divided by the cemetery road which ran roughly North to South. Separating the middle and upper third to the East was a small fence. The lower third (Eastern side) was established as a burying ground for the African-Americans in the area. Families gained permission for burial of their loved ones at no charge from the Horton family.

My Mother remembers some graves are outside of the perimeter fence. I have no listing of who may be in these graves. I remember as a child reading a headstone of a cattle drover who died on the cattle drive and was buried outside of the fence. I hope someday to be able to find the stone and list him as well.

FAMILY AND ALLIED RELATIVES: (Middle section)

Enoch Horton (Probable - This family cemetery was already established when he died) (Peter’s Colony settler - 1844) Born 3/22/1786 Horton’s Valley, Russell Co (Washington Co), VA  Died 3/21/1851 Eagle Ford, Dallas Co., TX

Martha Stinson Horton (Probable - This family cemetery was already established when she died)  (Peter’s Colony settler - 1844) Born 1788 Russell Co. (Washington Co), VA Died 4/07/1850 Eagle Ford, Dallas, TX

Rachel Horton d/o Enoch and Martha Stinson Horton   (Peter’s Colony settler with parents - 1844) (Never married)  Born 1832 Horton’s Valley, Russell Co., VA Died After 1850 Eagle Ford, Dallas, VA

Martha Horton Horton d/o Enoch and Martha Stinson Horton, w/o William Horton  (Peter’s Colony settler - 1844)(Probable first burial in this cemetery)  Born Abt 1829 Horton’s Valley, Russell Co., VA Died About 1848 Dallas Co, TX

John Horton s/o Enoch and Martha Stinson Horton   (Peter’s Colony settler - 1844)  Born 1816 Horton’s Valley, Russell Co., VA Died April, 1870 Dallas Co., TX

Elizabeth Margaret Hopkins Horton - 1st w/o John Horton  d/o John and Margaret Fox Hopkins - (Peter’s Colony settlers)  Born 1828 Williamson, TN Died 1853 Dallas Co., TX

John Hopkins - father of Elizabeth Hopkins Horton  (Peter’s Colony settler)  Born 2/13/1799 Died 1/15/1849 Dallas Co., TX

Margaret Fox Hopkins - mother of Elizabeth Hopkins Horton  Born 1804 Died 7/23/1881 Dallas Co., TX

James Prowell Thompson - son-in-law of John and Margaret Fox Hopkins  Husband of Mary Ann Hopkins Thompson  Born 1/15/1818 TN Died 9/16/1866 Dallas Co., TX of Typhoid

Orlena Alice Horton Bast - d/o John and Elizabeth Hopkins Horton  w/o Charles A. Bast  Born 1/31/1852 Dallas Co., TX Died 1/05/1879 Dallas Co., TX

John T. Horton - s/o John and Clarinda Young Horton (2nd wife)  Woodsman of the World marker  Born 9/24/1862 Dallas Co., TX Died 10/13/1913 Dallas Co., TX

Andrew Young Horton - s/o John and Clarinda Young Horton (2nd wife)  Born 10/22/1866 Dallas Co., TX Died 4/12/1867 Dallas Co., TX

Enoch I. Horton - s/o John and Clarinda Young Horton (2nd wife)  Born 9/15/1870 Dallas Co., TX Died 1/09/1872 Dallas Co., TX

Thomas J. Young - f/o Clarinda Young Horton (Original Peter’s Colony Settler)  Born 3/11/1799 Londonderry, Ireland Died 4/07/1875 Dallas Co., TX

Rebecca Houston Young - m/o Clarinda Young Horton (Original Peter’s Colony Settler)  D/o John Houston and niece of Sam Houston  Born abt 1811 Died abt 1875 Dallas Co., TX

Jane "Jennie" Horton Bradshaw d/o Enoch and Martha Stinson Horton  (Came to Texas after husband died in 1870. Her son was working on James Horton’s farm. It is probable she is buried here with her parents and siblings)  Born 1809 Horton’s Valley, Russell Co., VA Died Abt 1881 Dallas Co., TX

James Horton s/o Enoch and Martha Stinson Horton and original land owner with cemetery  (Peter’s Colony settler)  Born 8/04/1816 Horton’s Valley, Russell Co., VA Died Apr 1876 Dallas Co., TX  CSA 6th TX Cal.,(aka 2nd Reg) State Troops. Co.

Jane C. Phillips Horton - 1st w/o James Horton  Born Abt 1830 KY Died 1870 Dallas Co., TX

Alexander Horton - s/o James and Jane Phillips Horton  Born 10/01/1852 Dallas Co., TX Died 4/16/1853 Dallas Co., TX

Luticia Horton - d/o James and Jane Phillips Horton  Born 1/01/1855 Dallas Co. TX Died 6/06/1856 Dallas Co., TX

Infant Son Horton - s/o James and Jane Phillips Horton  Born 6/05/1862 Dallas Co. TX Died 6/05/1862 Dallas Co. TX

Ida Horton - d/o James and Jane Phillips Horton  Born 5/06/1866 Dallas Co., TX Died/11/1868 Dallas Co., TX

John Horton - s/o James and Jane Phillips Horton  Born 1867 Dallas Co., TX Died August, 1870 Dallas Co., TX

Nimrod Timothy Phillips - father of Jane Phillips Horton  Born Abt 1806 NC Died 1/29/1869 Ellis Co., TX

Mary Phillips - d/o Nimrod T. Phillips  B. 1846. Died before 1869 (Probable burial)(sister of Jane Phillips Horton) Dallas Co., TX

Kaiser Horton - s/o James and Mary Morton King Horton (2nd wife)  Born Abt 1872 Died Abt 1872 Dallas Co., TX

Mary Frances (Shula) Bowers King - w/o Sul Ross King (s/o Mary Morton King Horton)  Born 1871 Died 1907 Dallas Co., TX

Mary Morton King Horton - 2nd wife of James Horton, Sr. - Marker only.  (She is buried in Flora Cemetery, Viola, AR)  Born 1841 KY Died 1927 Viola, AR

James Edward Horton - s/o James and Jane Phillips Horton  Born 8/13/1856 Dallas Co., TX Died 9/21/1911 Dallas Co., TX

Lucy Laura Carter Horton - w/o James Edward Horton and  d/o Woomly and Lucy Anderson Carter (Original Peter’s Colony settlers)  Born April, 1858 Died 1/13/1931 Tulsa, OK

Lucy Laura Horton Gerloff - d/o James and Lucy Carter Horton  Born May, 1893 Dallas Co., TX Died 1913 Dallas Co., TX

James Horton, Jr. - s/o James and Lucy Carter Horton  Born Feb., 1886 Dallas Co. TX Died 1907 Dallas Co., TX

Mary Horton - d/o James and Lucy Carter Horton  Born August, 1890 Dallas Co., TX Died Unknown Dallas Co., TX

Enoch Horton - s/o James and Lucy Carter Horton  Born April, 1880 Dallas Co., TX Died aft 1931 Dallas Co., TX

Enoch "Nuck" Ellis Horton - s/o James and Jane Phillips Horton  Born July 2, 1858 Dallas Co., TX Died 11/06/1906 Dallas Co., TX

Susan Crissa Jane Wright Horton - w/o Enoch Ellis Horton and  d/o John William and Susan Watson Maulding Wright.  (John W. Wright was a Peter’s Colony settler. Susan Watson Maulding Wright came to Texas about 1836/7 at about age 10 from SC settling in Bowie Co. TX,)  Born 7/23/1858 Dallas Co., TX Died 7/07/1956 Dallas Co., TX

(Last Horton burial in this cemetery)

James Edward Horton - s/o Enoch Ellis and Susan Wright Horton  Born 11/03/1880 Dallas Co., TX Died 2/27/1881 Dallas Co., TX

Alzadie Estelle Horton Craddock - d/o Enoch Ellis and Susan Wright Horton and  w/o F. W. Craddock  Born 8/04/1882 Dallas Co., TX Died 8/02/1904 Dallas Co., TX

Clyde Horton - s/o Enoch Ellis and Susan Wright Horton  Born 1886 Dallas Co., TX Died 1890 Dallas Co., TX

Osa Clevela Horton - d/o Enoch Ellis and Susan Wright Horton  Born 1888 Dallas Co., TX Died October, 1890 Dallas Co., TX

Francis "Fanny" Horton Scripture - d/o James and Jane Phillips Horton  Born 10/31/1860 Dallas Co., TX Died abt 1898 Dallas Co., TX

Charles Reginald Montgomery Scripture - h/o Francis Horton Scripture  Born 1/06/1850 Saline Co., MO Died 7/09/1918 Dallas Co., TX

Reginald Scripture, Jr. - s/o Charles R. M. and Francis Horton Scripture  Born 1891 Died aft 1930

Francis Scripture - d/o Charles R.M. and Francis Horton Scripture  Born 1897 Died after 1900

Elizabeth Scripture - d/o Charles R.M. and Francis Horton Scripture  Born bef. 1890 Died bef 1900

Unknown Scripture child - Died bef 1900

ALSO BURIED IN THE FAMILY SECTION, BUT NO KNOWN RELATION:

Lorenzo Gillis - dates illegible in 1948 (Willie Flowers Carlisle survey)  Nephew of Ezra and Persis Mallory Newton. (Early Dallas County Settlers)  Born 1843 NY Died before 1867 Dallas Co., TX

Henry "Harry" D. Brannon  Born 11/24/1840 Died 5/27/1869 Dallas Co., TX  CSA-Served in 11th Texas Cavalry, (Young’s Regiment, 3rd Texas Cavalry), Co. L

James Brannon  Born 1811 Died 12/18/1866 Dallas Co., TX  F/o Henry Brannon

Daniel Burroughs - Died 12/22/1863  1st husband of Addie Mallory. She was niece of Ezra and Persis Newton  CSA-Served in 31st Regiment, Texas Cavalry (Hawpe’s), Co. A.

William Pendleton - old stone, dates illegible in 1948 survey.

FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS (WEST SECTION)

William Stone "John" Haskell  Born 1850 Died 1936 Dallas Co., TX

Lillian Elizabeth Whittaker Haskell  Born 1873 Died 1951 Dallas Co., TX

Mr. Butcher  Born England Died aft 1900 Dallas Co., TX  (Rented a house from the Horton’s)

Mrs. Davis - w/o Jack Davis  Dates Unknown Dallas Co., TX

L.H. Roberts   Died 9/19/1904, Age 1 year, 8 months and 25 days (per Dallas Morning News obit)

Will Ransom (William J. Ransom - lived in Coweta Co., GA before coming to Texas)  Born 3/14/1828 GA Died abt 1907-1908 Dallas Co., TX  (We show a grave for "Will Ransom". There is also a headstone in a cemetery in  Coweta Co., GA)  CSA - Phillips Georgia Legion, Co. D.

Thomas J. Ransom - s/o Will Ransom  Born 5/24/1864 GA Died 11/21/1918 Dallas Co., TX

Mary J. Archer  Born 8/20/1851 Died 11/25/1909 Dallas Co., TX

K.B. Archer (Cremation urn)  Born 11/07/1845 Died 7/13/1915 Dallas Co., TX

Clarence Archer - s/o K.B. and Mary Archer  Dates Unknown Dallas Co., TX

Lillie May Hutchings  Born 1876 Died 1929 Dallas Co., TX

Edna Newton  Born 1904 Died 1910 Dallas Co., TX  D/o Ernest and Lula Archer Newton

Ernest Newton  Born 1870 Died 1909 Dallas Co., TX  S/o Esra and Persis Mallory Newton (Early Dallas County Settlers)

Lula Archer Newton  Born 1884 Died 1913 Dallas Co., TX  D/o Milton W. Archer, w/o Ernest Newton

Eddie Dickshot - s/o H.R. And Mrs. Dickshot  Died 10/25/1914 Dallas Co., TX

Willie McNelly - s/o James and D.A. McNelly  Born 9/11/1901 Died 5/29/1908 Dallas Co., TX

Oscar L. Daniels - Grandfather of Mark Shephard  Born 1857 Died 1926 Dallas Co., TX

John Coverston  Born 4/13/1846 Died 5/27/1894 Dallas Co., TX  (Remains may have been removed by his family as of 1989)

Lucille Huggins, "Little Sister"  Age 7 yrs. Shot by another (accident) 1920 Dallas Co., TX

Clovis Huggins  Born 1903 Died 1920 Dallas Co., TX

Myrtle Marie Huggins  Age 48, Died Dec.1941. Struck by an automobile in Eagle Ford  M/o Lucile Huggins

J. Parrish Smith- s/o W.S. And M.E. Smith  Born 12/23/1881 Died 9/17/1882 Dallas Co., TX

Charles C. Layton  Died 11/10/1875 Dallas Co., TX

Ella V. Cook  Born 12/01/1888 Died 3/11/1912 Dallas Co., TX

Bess McCoy - d/o owners of the McCoy Dairy, Eagle Ford, TX  Born 11/09/1890 Died 2/03/1912 Dallas Co., TX

Jaqueline Marie Hunt  Died 1928 Dallas Co., TX

James Hardin Denton, age 79  Died 11/10/1928 Dallas Co., TX

David Ingle, age 65  Died 2/08/1935 Dallas Co., TX

Norman Allen Walters  Died 1-25-1926 Dallas Co., TX

AFRICAN-AMERICAN SECTION - (EAST SECTION OF ORIGINAL CEMETERY)

My Mother, who lived in the old Horton home from 1923-1936, remembers quite clearly the African-American funerals. She and her sister would go to the second floor and watch from the upper porch. The funeral processions would come up from Eagle Ford and pass on the road which ran in front of the house. The casket would be on a wagon and the mourners would follow behind on foot and in other wagons. She said they could hear the singing as they came up the road and go on to the cemetery. The singing would continue in the cemetery. It was beautiful and really made an impression on her. She told me about this experience in 2005! There are more African-American burials to be identified.

Alma McCoy  1895-1948

Charles Hight   1880 - 1956

Loubirta Hight   1887-1960

Lillie White   1877 - 1920

Monnie Bougess   Died 1933

A. Gillespie   1874 - 1932

Ruben Cook   1870 - 1941

Research continues to try to identify others who may have been buried in this cemetery. This documents the majority of the graves.

Compiled and transcribed by Susanna Clark-Smith who is the 3rd g-granddaughter of Enoch and Martha Stinson Horton, the 2nd g-granddaughter of James and Jane Phillips Horton, the g-granddaughter of Enoch "Nuck" and Susan Wright Horton and granddaughter of Earl Ellis and Moselle Crossman Horton.

If you have additional information and/or documentation concerning this cemetery, please contact Susanna at susannarick@earthlink.net. Updated 2005.