Cemeteries

The following descriptions are taken from Historical Records of Franklin County,Texas by B.F. Hicks and Doris Meek, and are reproduced here with their permission. This book was compiled, between 1967 and 1972, so the estimates of number of graves in each cemetery may or may not be correct depending on whether or not burials were still taking place after its publication.
The cemeteries listed here and not included in the book were found on FindaGrave.com and/or Interment.net. You can also check Cemeteries of Franklin County Texas by Gloria Mayfield (deceased).

Arbala Cemetery

Bethel Cemetery

is a large cemetery located in the southern end of the county. This cemetery contains approximately 300 graves and is in good condition. Burials probably started in the 1880's. The earliest tombstone is that of W.E. Mullinax who was born Nov. 26, 1884 and died Jan 28, 1887. Located on CR 4350, off FM 1448 in Southern Franklin County, Texas. As of 2017 there are over 1000 graves. Bethel Cem. Association off-site

Brannan Cemetery

also called Snodgrass Cemetery is a small, fenced, abandoned cemetery of the Brannan and Snodgrass families. There are no more than 15 graves, five of which are marked with tombstones. The earliest marked gravesite is that of James Brannan who was born April 28, 1850 and died Feb 17, 1878. The latest burial is probably that of Margaret R. Brannan who died Feb 4, 1932.

Cannon Cemetery

is a lost family cemetery of the Cannon family. It is on land belonging to Mr. Chucky Frazier about two miles south of Hagansport. No sign of this cemetery remains and it was probably abandoned about 1900.

Cherry Cemetery

also called Keener is a lost cemetery of the Cherry and Keener families. It is located about one mile northwest of the Daphne Methodist Church. Until 1970 from five to ten marble tombstones and about ten wooden posts marked the graves of members of these related families. Unfortunately, the land has been bulldozed to clear underbrush and only three ancient cedars and some clumps of daffodils remain as signs of this cemetery.

Clearwater Cemetery

is a cemetery of approximately 250 graves located about five miles northeast of Winnsboro. This cemetery is surrounded by a chain link fence and is in excellent condition. Several tombstones in this cemetery date from the 1870's and one dates to the 1860's. Arthur W. Bradley's monument shows the date of his death as July 19, 1866. As of 2017 there are over 300 documented graves. Latitude: 32.9865111 Longitude: -95.2102195

Colliers Chapel Cemetery

is an old, poorly kept cemetery located about 1 mile west of highway 37, midway between Hagansport and White Oak Creek. About 80 graves are recognizable today. Burials probably started in the 1870's although the earliest marked graves date only from the 1890's.

Connally Cemetery

Cypress Cemetery

is a large well-kept cemetery of at least 500 graves located beside the Cypress Baptist Church in the southern end of the county. The Cemetery was probably started in the early 1850's. The earliest marked gravesite is that of Mary G. Sparks who was born Feb 4, 1818 and died May 15, 1856. There is a catalog in our Archives.

Denton Cemetery

is the largest and only remaining Negro Cemetery in Franklin County and is located behind the Denton Baptist Church about two miles south of Mt.Vernon's business district but within the city limits. There are probably slightly over 200 graves in this large cemetery. Only one tombstone was found which dated in the years before 1900 and that was the tombstone of A.D. Blackburn who died July 17, 1890.

Fairview Cemetery

is a well kept cemetery located in the northwestern corner of Franklin County. It contains around 300 graves. Burials probably started in the 1870's. One of the earliest marked graves is that of Wilson B. Westerman who was born in 1851 and died Dec.3, 1881.

Family Cemetery

at I-30 Rest Area A chain link fence encloses this lost family cemetery on the east side of the south rest area on Interstate Highway 30 about three miles west of Mt. Vernon. No information was found concerning the people who are buried in this small cemetery.

Friendship Cemetery

is a large well kept cemetery of some 400 graves. The cemetery was behind the old Friendship Church which was torn down in 1967. The church and cemetery were once the center of the Friendship Community. The cemetery was quite possibly started by the Garmack family who lost two small sons within three days in February 1876. These Garmack children, Charles and Joseph, have the oldest dated tombstones in the cemetery.

Fuquay Cemetery

is a family cemetery containing approximately 100 graves and is still in use today by members of the Fuquay family. The cemetery is located northeast of Hopewell and is in excellent condition. The earliest marked grave is that of Andrew Fuquay who died Oct 13, 1876.

Glade Springs Cemetery

is a cemetery of some 300 graves located in the area of the Glade Springs Community behind the Glade Springs Baptist Church. The cemetery is fenced and in excellent condition. Burials may have started in the late 1860's, but the earliest marked grave is that of Dan Dupree, born in 1870 and died in April 1880.

Goode Cemetery

is a lost cemetery of the Goode family. The site of the cemetery was the site former Franklin County Judge Neal Duvall selected for his homestead about three miles southeast of Hagansport. There were never tombstones in this small family cemetery and it was probably abandoned by 1900.

Good Hope Cemetery

is a well kept cemetery of about 250 graves and is located on the south side of Cypress Creek beside the Good Hope Baptist Church. This cemetery was probably founded around 1910 with the establishment of the Good Hope Church.

Graham Cemetery

is a lost cemetery located on top of a hill about one-half mile north of Newsom's Meat Packing Plant. The only tombstone is to the memory of Richard Graham who was born Sep 3, 1807 and died March 4, 1854. This cemetery is on land belonging to F.J. Joyce. A fence protected the small cemetery until it fell from decay sometime in the 1950's. Since the fence has fallen, cattle have destroyed most of the traces of the 20 or more graves. The graves were covered with row upon row of bricks.
Update: Graham Cemetery is a small family plot one-fourth mile northeast of the intersection of CRNE 2100 and CRNE 2010 in a grove of elm, persimmon, and bois d'arc in an open field. It is probably one of the oldest in Franklin County. The cemetery was referred to earlier as the Ury Cemetery, the name of the original surveyor and owner of the surrounding land. There were possibly a few dozen graves covered by bricks that are now covered over and one substantial marker for Richard Graham, born Sept. 3, 1807 and died March 4, 1854. The plot is west of the site of an antebellum home that dominated the hilltop. ~Update provided by Ed Joyce, Aug. 2008

Gray Rock Cemetery

is a large old cemetery in what once was the center of the Gray Rock Community. There are at least 350 graves. This cemetery is located about one mile west of Winfield on the south service road of Interstate 30. The earliest burial is that of Lula Smith, daughter of J.C. and M.J. Smith who was born Nov 9, 1871 and died Feb 15, 1872.

Hagansport Cemetery

is in the Hagansport Community and has around 250 graves. Burials probably started in the 1880's. The people of the community had probably used the Pierces Chapel Cemetery previous to the start of Hagansport Cemetery. The earliest marked grave is that of Laura Terry who was born June 13, 1870 and died Oct 13, 1876.

Hopewell Cemetery

is a very poorly kept cemetery in the Hopewell community. It contains perhaps 500 graves but is in such poor condition it is dangerous to hazard a guess. Slaves were buried in the back part of this cemetery and a Negro section is reserved today. This is one of five cemeteries in Franklin County where tombstones dating to the 1850's still stand-though no one is acting at Hopewell to preserve these ancient markers. Emma Stokes and Ida Joyce were both buried in this cemetery in 1857.
Update: Hopewell Cemetery is located about 5 miles southeast of Mt. Vernon on SH 21, facing the Hopewell Cumberland Presbyterian Church in the Hopewell community. This site is on the Old Jefferson Road used by many people coming into North Texas. The cemetery is one of the oldest in Franklin County, with markers dating to 1854, and it is believed that as many as 500 graves may exist, even though some of the earliest were poorly marked and have become lost. In 1982, the cemetery effort was revitalized, and the cemetery is now well-maintained and has available space. The families with several members buried here are the Rogers, Laws, Rutledge, Joyce, Harvey, Taylor, Rodgers, Loveless, and Traylor. ~Update provided by Ed Jo

Hughes Cemetery

is a small family cemetery located near the old Flora Bluff community about six miles east of Mt. Vernon. William Hughes, who was born in North Carolina in 1790 and died in 1854, is buried in this cemetery as is his wife Eleanor Dyles Hughes. Several of the Hughes children and possibly members of other related families are buried in this cemetery. William Hughes is possibly the only veteran of the War of 1812 buried in Franklin County. He served in Pugh's Company, N.C. during 1813 and 1814. From North Carolina Hughes moved into Tennessee where he married and then on to Texas in 1840.

Kaye Cemetery

is a small family cemetery located south of Mt. Vernon. No tombstones or markers of any kind are left at the site of this cemetery.

Keith Cemetery

aka Pierce Chapel Cemetery

Krantz Family Cemetery

Liberty Cemetery

is a well kept cemetery located at the cite of the old camp meeting ground near the Purley Community, east of HWY 37 on HWY 900.. The cemetery contains some 300 graves. The oldest marked grave is that of L.M. Tittle who was born in 1836 and died in 1870. There is a catalog in our Archives.

Macon Cemetery

is in the Macon Community, located in the southeastern edge of the County and contains around 200 graves. Burials probably started in the late 1880s. The first marked grave is that of Sue Swayze who was born Sep 3, 1829 and died March 8, 1890. There is a catalog in our Archives.

McDowell Cemetery

Mexican Cemetery

is a lost cemetery located about seven miles northeast of Mt.Vernon on the Slaughter Ranch. It is in the middle of a dense thicket, and was found only after considerable trouble by Mr. Otis H. Slaughter Jr., my uncle Mr. Charles Hughes and myself. Only one tombstone could be found, but Mr. Hughes and Mr. Slaughter both report that there were two other tombstones at one time. The tombstones mark the graves of Mexican copper miners who settled in the area in the 1870's. Several years ago someone dug into the graves and three sunken areas still remain in the vicinity of the graveyard. The single remaining tombstone stands about five feet high and is about two feet wide and four inches thick. The letters ALM are inscribed on thetombstone.

Midway Cemetery

is located northeast of Mt. Vernon across White Oak Creek. It is a well kept cemetery behind the Midway Church. It was probably started around 1900 since no tomstone was found dating before 1900. There is a catalog in our Archives.

Mitchell Rule Gravesite

Mount Vernon City Cemetery

is the largest cemetery in Franklin County with well over 2,500 graves. Located on the south side of Highway 67 west just within the city limits of Mt. Vernon. Oldest marked gravesite in the county is that of S.J. Ely in this cemetery who died in 1852. Harny B. Carr also has one of the oldest marked gravesites in the county-born June 22, 1805, died Seot 15, 1853. The oldest marker in Titus County is dated 1843. The oldest in Lamar County is dated 1837. Considering the movement of civilization into Texas from the North and east, it is understandable that tombstones would make their first appearance in Franklin County in 1852.

Murphree Cemetery

is a small family cemetery of about 25 graves located about two miles east of the Lake Chapel House of Prayer on Highway 37. Most of the graves are for members of the Murphree family although, members of the Goode and Price families are also buried in this cemetery. The tombston of Lillie Mae Murphree, daughter of W.E and L.A. Murphree, is the oldest in the cemetery. Lillie Mae Murphree died in 1904.

Old Union Cemetery

also called Carson is a lost cemetery about one-half mile north of the Emerson Dairy Farm. The cemetery would probably be in the center of what was once the Union Community. It is located about ten miles southwest of Mt. Vernon. The cemetery is not fenced and is in very poor condition. No road leads to it today. Some people call it the Carson Cemetery, but I could find no Carson burials in this cemetery. Members of the O'Neal, Canaday, Huffman, and Woosley families are buried in this cemetery. There are other unmarked graves and they probably represent other families. The earliest tombstone is that of the infant daughter of D.M. and Louisa Huffman who died Dec. 5, 1859. The latest burial to take place in this cemetery was probably that of Ann Huffman who died Dec. 5, 1912. Ther are five very interesting unmarked crypts in this cemetery. No one today seems to know who is buried in these crypts.
Update: This cemetery was re-fenced and cleaned up by the Carson family a couple of years ago so it is in much better condition than when the original description was written.

Perrin Cemetery

is a small lost cemetery near the old Huckleberry Community about six miles northeast of Mt. Vernon. Mr. and Mrs. Jim Laughton told me of this cemetery and then directed me to it. The cemetery is in the middle of a woods and can only be seen when nearly upon it. It is surrounded by a chain link fence, but it is rapidly deteriorating. There are nine distinguishable graves. The two earliest graves are those of James M. Perrin and his wife Virginia Perrin. James Perrin was born Oct.2, 1813. Virginia was born Jan 6, 1822. They died the same day, Nov 12, 1866. The last burial in the cemetery was that of Ramon Perrin, son of W. L. And Mary Perrin, who died Jan. 26, 1905. There is a catalog in our Archives.

Pierce's Chapel Cemetery

also called Keith because of the many members of the Keith family buried in this cemetery. Located about two miles northwest of the Hagansport Community , this cemetery is the oldest in the northern part of the county. This cemetery is uncared for and is in poor condition. Mrs Immadell Hunt of Hagansport directed me to this and several other cemeteries of the Hagansport area. The oldest grave with a tombstone in this cemetery is that of Mary Walker, the daughter of L.S. and Susan Walker, who was born Oct. 26, 1857 and died Jan 10, 1865.

Pleasant Hill Cemetery

is an excellantly preserved cemetery west of the Purley Community. There are at least 400 graves. Captain F. Marion Hastings is buried in this cemetery and a Texas Historical Marker designates his grave. The Pleasant Hill Cemetery is the site of an old camp meeting ground of the Methodist Church and at least four acres surrounding the cemetery still belong to the Methodist Church. Burials probably started in the 1890's although no tomstones dating before 1900 could be found.

Prairie Academy Cemetery

is a poorly kept cemetery of some 50 graves located in the western edge of the Talco Oil Field. The cemetery is just within the bounds of Franklin County. It is surrounded by a chain link fence. The oldest tombstone and only one dating before 1900 is that of Rufus Nowell who was born Nov. 25, 1859 and died Aug. 19, 1896.

Providence Cemetery

is a cemetery of over 1000 graves located about three miles south of Mt. Vernon. This cemetery is well cared for and is enclosed with a chain-link fence. Across the road from it is the Providence Primitive Baptist Church. The first burials in this cemetery probably took place in the 1860's. The earliest tombstone in the cemetery is that of John L. Wilkerson who died Sep. 8, 1870. John L. was the son of J.W. and Fannie Wilkerson. The oldest tombstone of any adult buried in Providence Cemetery is that of Nixon Davis who was born in April 1826 and died Sep 28, 1871.

Purley Cemetery

located in the Purley community containing at least 250 graves. This cemetery is in excellent condition. The earliest grave is that of John J. Roberts who was born May 21, 1837 and died Aprril 18, 1889. Burials probably did not start in this cemetery until the Purley Church was built nearby in the 1880's. Early residents in the Purley community buried their dead in the Liberty or Pleasant Hill Cemeteries. There is a catalog in our Archives.

Rock Hill Cemetery

is south of Macon about one mile. This cemetery covers approximately 1 acre, but only about 100 gravesites can be found today. The cemetery is surrounded by a barbed wire fence and can be reached only by crossing a cattle guard and following a right-of-way through a private pasture. The cemetery is in very poor condition and probably few burials have taken place in the last 40 years. Burials probably started in the late 1870's. The earliest monument is to the memory of Willie H. Terrell who was born April 4, 1879 and died July 11, 1881. There is a catalog in our Archives.

Rock Springs Cemetery

is a small cemetery of some 50 graves located about three miles north of Winnsboro. No tombstones dating before 1900 were found in this small well kept cemetery. One confederate veteran is buried in this cemetery-Levi Glover of Company F, of the Third Louisiana Cavalry. Members of the Elliott, Henry, Berry, and Payne families are buried in this cemetery.

Seventh Day Adventist Cemetery

is a lost cemetery for a group of Seventh Day Adventist Families which moved into the northern end of the county in the 1880's. It is beside a blacktop road about four miles east of Highway 37 at the Lake Chapel House of Prayer. There are seven recognizable graves marked by large stones or wooden stakes under two ancient cedars.

Singleton Cemetery

is a lost family cemetery about two miles northeast of Hagansport. Mr. Monroe Elliott of Hagansport directed me to this cemetery. According to Mr. Elliott there were once about ten wooden stakes marking gravesites in this cemetery. There have been no burials for at least 60 years. The cemetery is on land belonging to Mr. Will Singleton.

Smith Cemetery

is a lost cemetery in the woods about one fourth mile north of the Murphree Cemetery. Although there may have been other graves, only three are distinguishable today. There is a double tomstone for Noah Smith and his wife Mary E and a single tombstone for Della May, daughter of W.W. and Mollie Smith. Mary E. Smith who died May 1891 has the earliest marked grave.

Snodgrass Cemetery

also called Brannan Cemetery is a small, fenced, abandoned cemetery of the Brannan and Snodgrass families. There are no more than 15 graves, five of which are marked with tombstones. The earliest marked gravesite is that of James Brannan who was born April 28, 1850 and died Feb 17, 1878. The latest burial is probably that of Margaret R. Brannan who died Feb 4, 1932.

Soules Chapel Cemetery

Terry Cemetery

Wakefield Cemetery

is a lost Negro cemetery about one mile south of the Hamilton Community, northwest of Mt. Vernon. A negro Community of perhaps ten or twelve families lived in this area through the 1930's. As late as 1960 several marble tombstones identified the site of this cemetery, however, no trace of these markers can be found today. The markers have either been stolen or fallen down and been covered with debris. The cemetery is called Wakefield because several members of the Russ Wakefield family are said to be buried there. Probably members of the other families in the community are also buried there.

Wims Cemetery

is a small family cemetery of about 25 graves. Although no road leads to this cemetery today, it is fenced and cared for by members of the Wims family. It is in the northern end of the county about three miles northeast of Hagansport. The oldest tombstone is that of John Wims who was born in 1852 and died April 12, 1865. The latest burial to take place in this cemetery was that of Lena Wims, wife of Richard Wims, who was born Sep. 20,1862 and died Nov. 9, 1936.

Yates Cemetery

is a lost cemetery located in a grove of trees atop a hill about three-fourths of a mile northwest of the Big Creek Bridge on Highway 67 west of Mt. Vernon. There were possibly ten graves although only six markers remain today. Two of the six markers are stone and four are wooden stakes. One of the stone markers is a marble tombstone which is inscribed to the memory of Elizabeth Yates who was born March 23, 1850 and died July 12, 1857.