Texas Historical Marker #12343

John Edens Cemetery. (3 miles east) Among the earliest burials in this family cemetery on John Edens' land are believed to be the victims of the Edens-Madden massacre, which occurred near here in October 1838. The victims included John Edens' second wife, whose name is unknown; his daughters Caledonia, 3, and Emily, 16; grandsons Robert and Seldon Madden, ages 7 and 4; Sarah (Hall) Murchison; Mary Madden, the 3-year-old daughter of Robert and Nancy Madden; and Mary Murchison Sadler. More than 30 people reportedly were buried here, including James Madden (d. 1843), first sheriff of Houston County. The four marked graves remaining at the dawn of the 21st century are those of John Edens (1783-1857); his grandson, Isaac R. Earl; and great-grandsons James Franklin and Henry Lee Earl. (2000) #12343

?, Grapeland vicinity, TX, United States

Texas Historical Marker #12428

Denson Homesite and Cemetery. (0.7 mi. S) Near this site is evidence of the 19th-century home and burial ground used by the family of John and Mary Ann Denson. John Denson (1815 - c.1861) arrived in this area in 1835 with his parents, Thomas C. and Polly Denson who were Predestination Baptists with Elder Daniel Parker. In 1837 John signed the petition calling for the creation of Houston County. In 1839 he married Mary Ann (Crawford) Houston (1817 - c. 1874), whose first husband was a relative of Sam Houston, according to family tradition. They reared their children in a log house on the banks of Bennett Creek. As family members died, they were buried near the homesite. The last burials took place in 1890. Family records identify 18 burials in the pioneer cemetery. (2001) #12428

?, Grapeland vicinity, TX, United States

Refuge Cemetery Reuben (1805-1859) and Sarah Parker (1807-1852) Brown came from Illinois to settle here in 1833. Their oldest son, John (1837-1921), lived his entire life within a mile of Old Fort Brown, his birthplace. In 1865, when John deeded two acres to Houston County for a church and school, his parents had already been laid to rest at the site that his mother-in-law, Mary Murchison (1814-1903), chose to call “Refuge.” Jim Brown (1858-1932), son of Reuben and his second wife, Amanda (Ross) Hogue (b. 1822), gave one more acre for cemetery use in 1889. Today, an association cares for this burial ground that records a portion of Houston County’s heritage. Historic Texas Cemetery – 2002

, Grapeland vicinity, TX, United States