Freestone County, Texas Cemeteries Hopson Burleson Memorial Cemetery ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Originally Contributed by: Jerry Christian. EBW - Aug 2012. I have removed all the former listings from Betty Morrow due to some doubts in the accuracy of these. The following information is based on "Resting Places", a compilation work done by Tracie Harris Ezell, a seventh generation descendant of Hopson Burleson. The work was supported by the Woodland Cemetery Association and finished in 1998. Tracie has given her permission for her work to be used to put this information on the Freestone County website. The cemetery is located on FM 833 near the intersection of I-45 and FM 833. The I-45 and FM 833 intersection is on a hill next to a modern day cell phone or radio tower. Go east on FM 833 about 100 yards. Turn right facing east and look for a gate. Near the gate stands a small rock house. The cemetery is fenced and about 500 yards south east of the house on a slight hill. A few large trees are in the cemetery grounds, but it is far from covered by trees. The cemetery was established by Hopson Burleson as a part of a land grant that he received from the Mexican government when he moved to the area in about 1835. The oldest marked grave, 1852, is that of an infant son of A.G. and Zillah Pullin. Zillah Pullin was the youngest daughter of Hopson Burleson. Some of the families that used the cemetery between 1852 and 1927 include Burleson, Coleman, Henderson, Humphrey, Kelley, Mims, Pinkard, Pullin, Rowland, and Spires. Since 1997 the cemetery has been under the auspices of the Woodland Cemetery Association to better provide for care and maintenance. Historical Marker: Hopson Burleson (1806-1882) moved his family from Goliad to this area in 1835 after receiving a land grant from the Mexican government. He immediately set aside two acres of the land for a cemetery. The first marked grave, dated 1872, is that of the infant son of A. G. and Zillah Pullin. Names of families who have used the graveyard include Burleson, Coleman, Henderson, Kelley, Newman, Pullin, Humphrey, Pinkard, Spires, Rowland, and McClelland. Several of Burleson's slaves are buried near his grave. the cemetery is a reminder of the early settlers in this area. [NOTE - Linda Mullen's research in 2010 - "Although this marker indicates that Hopson Burleson moved to Freestone County in 1836, Census & tax records indicate that he was in Basrop County in 1840 and in Leon County near his father David in 1850. He registered his cattle brand in Freestone County in 1851 and shows up on the 1860 Census record in Freestone County." Linda Mullen's research in 2012 - The 1867 Freestone County, TX Voters Registration done on 26 Aug 1867 shows Hopson Burleson did not arrive in Freestone County until 1851.] [The cemetery was in good shape on my last visit in May of 2012. - Eric Wood] Oldest Marked Grave: 1857 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Name First Name Middle Maiden Name Birth Death Comments ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Burleson, David 1831- 1881 Farrier, Co. H, 28th TX Cav. [VA marker denied] Burleson, Della Lee 1845- 1901 w/o C.R. Burleson, Hopson 01/24/1806-07/04/1882 Mexican War; CSA Burleson, Hopson 07/03/1831-07/11/1881 Burleson, Isaac H. "Ike" [09/28/]1873- 1919 [age 45 yrs, 9 mo, 4 days] [Woodmen of the World marker] Burleson, M[oses] W[ilson] 07/11/1845-05/04/1882 [Pvt. Co. H, 28th TX Cav., CSA] Burleson, Mary DeMoss no dates 2nd w/o Hopson Burleson Burleson, Sarah Burleson 08/25/1810-10/??/1857 1st w/o Hopson Burleson Burleson, M. S. Vickers no dates w/o Hopson Burleson, Nancy E. no dates id/o B.C. & Della --------------------------------------------------- Additional special reinterred Confederate soldier military markers: Burleson, Isaac 1842-12/16/1861 Pvt., Co. G, 7th TX Inf. Burleson, Joshua 12/21/1836-05/16/1864 Cpl., Co. H, 28th TX Cav. Burleson, Moses Wilson 07/11/1845-05/04/1882 Pvt, Co.H., 28th TX Cav. * repeated headstone * Burleson, Oliver 1829-12/12/1861 2nd Lt., Co.G., 7th TX Inf. --------------------------------------------------- Coleman, Iteppie no dates; [1886-1887] d/o John Coleman [hand carved stone.] Coleman, Joseph no dates i/o WW and Nancy Coleman Coleman, Martha no dates i/o WW and Nancy Coleman Coleman, Nancy Burleson no dates; [1838-1865] d/o Hopson Burleson and w/o WW Coleman [Coleman, William no dates hand carved lettering on stone surrounding grave. Added by EBW on May 8, 2012. photographed while attending CSA reinternment ceremony.] Henderson, Betty 09/13/1886-09/20/1886 [d/o J.M. & Josie Henderson] Henderson, Lucy E. 12/10/1880-07/09/1889 [d/o J.M. & Josie Henderson] Humphrey, N. A. 12/27/1877-05/05/1885 [sandstone like, dove symbol on marker] Kelley, Amanda M. [Winders] 04/11/1848-06/13/1921 [w/o Moses Wilson Burleson; later w/o George W. Kelley; tall large grey marker] McCleland, Mary [A.] [1866]-? No dates on small cube-shaped marker. hand carved lettering. Added by EBW in on May 8, 2012. Photographed while attending CSA reinternment ceremony. d/o William Wallace Coleman. w/o L.F. McClelland. Mims, F. A. No dates w/o Uncle Gil Mims, Gil No dates Uncle Gil Mims, Manervie 01/10/1889-11/22/1889 Pinkard, Clifton? ?-? [hand carved] Pinkard, Hurbert? ?-? [hand carved] Pinkard, Lealer O. 12/05/1897-02/01/1898 [d/o W.J. & S.A. Pinkard] Pinkard, Lillie H. 11/18/1892-01/23/1893 [d/o W.J. & S.A. Pinkard] Pinkard, Sallie A[nn Tucker] 07/08/1862-08/08/1899 [w/o W.J. Pinkard; thin white marker] Pullin, Anthony G[raham] 05/16/1848-04/09/1927 CSA ["Gone but not forgotten"] Pullin, Eugenia H. 02/13/1876-08/05/1883 s/o Anthony & Zellah Pullin, Infant daughter 02/13/1876-02/13/1876 Twin of Eugenia Pullin (d/o A.G. & Z.) Pullin, Infant son 12/06/1883-12/06/1883 (s/o A.G. & Z.) Pullin, Johnny B 02/11/1874-11/18/1875 Pullin, Wiley H 08/26/1872-10/19/1872 Pullin, Zillah Dee (Burleson) 12/10/1850-02/21/1919 [w/o A.G.] Pullin, 5 infant of Anthony & Zillah Roland, Mr. & Mrs No dates [hand carved lettering on cube] [wife's may be another cube that has broken apart. currently his wife's marker is missing.] Spires Eleanor "Ellen" Burleson 1849-05/04/1882 d/o Hopson Burleson ------------------------------------------------ Listed by Tracie Ezell from her book, "Resting Places": Alley [last name is unknown]: 10 Nov 1841 - 21 Jan 1910 Pos [last name is unknown]: no dates ---------------------------------------------------------- Linda Mullen - August 23, 2012: There were a lot of unreadable headstone when I surveyed the cemetery and she [Tracie Ezell] did her survey may years ago.