JOHN DENSON CEMETERY

This cemetery, located on property owned by B. F. Gardner, is about three miles east of Grapeland off FM 227 on the banks of Bennett Creek. In June, 1998, Bob and Wanda Brimberry Winter discovered the cemetery while searching for the remnants of the old John Denson log home. With the aid of Eliza Bishop, Ernie Barnes and Charles T. Skidmore, it was reclaimed from the brush and damage caused by logging. An area 50 feet by 30 feet of the cemetery was fenced. With this discovery, some burials that were assumed to be in the Joseph Denson Family Cemetery are now known to be in this, the John Denson Cemetery.

From HOUSTON COUNTY, TEXAS, CEMETERIES (2nd edition), 1978; and from the text for a proposed historical marker, we have: "Originally from Anson Co., NC, Thomas C. and Polly Denson, with their eight children, emigrated to Texas when it was still a part of Mexico. Their oldest son, 0 'Conner Denson (1813-1869) served in Capt. Reed's Company during the Texas Revolution. Thomas C., his son John, and father, Shadrach Denson, signed the petition in 1837 to create Houston County.
One of the first families to settle in this part of the county, the original Denson homeplace was a fortress-type structure with portals for protection against Indians. John Denson married a young widow, Mary Ann Crawford Houston (1817-c1874), whose first husband was killed by Indians. John and Mary lived out their lives on the site and are buried nearby in the John Denson Cemetery. John's younger brother, Joseph W. Denson (1823-1889) married Mary's daughter by her first marriage, Caroline Houston (1836-1918). Joseph and Caroline lived in the same vicinity and are buried in the Joseph Denson Cemetery."

The following is the listing of names of persons buried in the John Denson Cemetery, compiled from information in a letter from Boyd Skidmore to his brother Arwine Skidmore, from Ruth Colkin Shaver, and from tombstones found in the cemetery.

The Denson Homesite Cemetery
Also known as,John Denson Family Cemetery

The listing of names of persons ingraved on this memorial gravestone are buried in the John Denson Cemetery, compiled from information in a letter from Boyd Skidmore to his brother Arwine Skidmore, from Ruth Colkin Shaver, and from tombstones found in this cemetery.

~JOHN DENSON CEMETERY~
~BRIMBERRY HERITAGE~

Denson Homesite Cemetery
Also known as: John Denson Cemetery, Tyer Cemetery