Freestone County, Texas Cemeteries COUCHMAN CEMETERY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Background: The marked graves of this very old cemetery predates the later mixed community called "Coutchman" that followed. Benjamin S. Couchman married Ruth Wilson on Oct 2, 1834 in Owen County, Indiana and moved to Texas in 1847 as part of the Mercer Colony obtaining three land grants in what was then Limestone County. Ben appears in the 1850 census for Limestone County, Texas (prior to Freestone County becoming a county). Ben died in 1853 before many settlers had arrived in Freestone County making this one of the earliest cemeteries in the county. Ruth Wilson Couchman appears in the 1860 Freestone County census with her family and is believed to have died in Apr 1880 although the location is unknown. Their daughter, Mary Elizabeth, appears in the 1855 scholastic census, married William Taylor Stubbs on Jan. 11, 1877 in Freestone County and is buried in the Wortham cemetery. Their son, John A. M. Couchman, marries Mary J. Frazier on Nov. 28, 1878 in Freestone County who died only two years later in Apr 1880, afterward marries Ella Franklin in 1885 and is believed to have died on 28 Mar 1891. Josephus Erwin Powell was listed in the household of his father, Nathan, in the 1860 census in the town of Flowerdale. Josephus Erwin Powell married Margaret Jane Hill on 22 Oct 1874 in Freestone County. After his death in 1883, she remarried on 22 May 1884 to Mr. W. A. Rodgers/Rogers in Freestone County. She is believed to be buried here in an unmarked grave. Misinformation: I disagree with other historians that this is related to the town of Flowerdale. Current Condition: The current cemetery condition is poor and unmaintained. No modern fence or cemetery sign. Vandals destroyed most of the markers in the cemetery in the 1960s. Many partial tombstones and rubble and handmade bricks are scattered about. Directions: Take Highway 27 east of Wortham to F.M. 246. Go northeast about 3 to 4 miles to an "S" curve just west of Cedar Creek. This small cemetery is about 200 feet to the right side of the road on Rudy Miller land. There are about 12 marked graves. Five have legible tombstones. Oldest Marked Grave: Oct 7, 1853 Benjamin S. Couchman Last Marked Grave: Feb 16, 1883 The cemetery used to cover about a half acre. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Couchman, B[enjamin] S. Mar 20, 1810 - Oct 07, 1853 [h/o Ruth Wilson] Couchman, George Aug 22, 1841 - Aug 15, 1876 [s/o George & Ruth Couchman] Powell, Infant Daughter of J.E. & M.J. Jan 30, 1878 - Feb 12, 1879 Powell, Marcus B., son of J.E. & M.J. Feb 06, 1880 - Sep 16, 1880 Powell, Josephus E[rwin] Feb 19, 1851 - Feb 16, 1883 [h/o Margaret Jane Hill] [7 illegible tombstones] [Likely 13 unmarked graves, bringing the total graves to 25.]